Kamiya 86 restaurant owners accused of harboring undocumented workers to work for them

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Two people are facing federal charges after Homeland Security Investigations responded to the Kamiya 86 sushi restaurants in Jacksonville Beach and Ponte Vedra Beach last week.

Hua Yao Ke, 38, and Ping Ping Zheng, 37, both of Jacksonville, are accused of “harboring undocumented workers for commercial advantage and private financial gain,” according to a news release from U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg’s office.

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Ke owned and operated Kamiya 86 Sushi and Thai restaurant located in Ponte Vedra Beach, while Zheng owned and operated Kamiya 86 Asian Bistro and Sushi Bar located in Jacksonville Beach, according to a criminal complaint.

The workers at both restaurants “were unlawfully present in the United States and who were not legally authorized to work in the United States,” the release said.

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Here is how the alleged scheme worked, according to the news release:

“Ke and Zheng also each owned a residence at which they provided rent-free housing to the undocumented workers. They provided the workers with free transportation between the houses and the restaurants. They also provided the workers with free food. They paid the workers in cash and did not withhold taxes and other payments from the workers’ wages.”

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If convicted, both Ke and Zheng each face a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison.

This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Border Patrol, with assistance from the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office and the Jacksonville Beach Police Department.

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