Seafood company owner pleads guilty to visa fraud

BALTIMORE (AP) — Federal prosecutors say an Eastern Shore ice and seafood company and its owner have pleaded guilty to employing foreign workers illegally and visa fraud in a manipulation of a seasonal worker program to boost profits at the workers’ expense.

Acting U.S. Attorney Jonathan Lenzner said Wednesday in a statement that Capt. Phip’s Seafood and its owners “engaged in a calculated pattern of visa fraud,” deceiving the government and leaving employees with lower wages. Phillip “Jamie” Harrington III told agents he was “running the business” before succeeding his father as the owner.

The Baltimore Sun reports that the company used the H2-B visa program, but prosecutors say it had workers slotted for low pay perform higher-paying work.

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