WASHINGTON, D.C., USA — A federal jury did not convict the founder of New Orleans' Brothers Food Mart chain and his business partner, who were accused of employing illegal immigrants and evading taxes.
Jurors returned not guilty verdicts on all tax-related charges and were deadlocked on all immigration charges after the two-week trial into whether co-owners Imad “Eddie” Hamdan and Ziad “Z” Mousa concealed hiring undocumented workers.
Hamdan and Mousa, both Louisiana residents, own more than 30 stores across the state.
The indictment alleged that the men hired undocumented workers for their stores and paid them under the table in cash, then allegedly filed false tax returns for said employees through the IRS, not reporting their cash wages.
It also claims Hamdan and Mousa underreported their wages through W-2 work forms, and helped managers at their stores file fraudulent tax returns.
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