A federal investigation has exposed a mysterious staffing firm, Prosperity Services, at the heart of a labor supply chain involving low-cost Haitian workers in Charleroi, Pennsylvania. This firm, which provides cheap migrant labor to Fourth Street Foods, a local food processing company, has been implicated in illegal practices including paying undocumented workers in cash and providing transportation and housing for these workers. The case has raised concerns about labor exploitation, immigration policies, and local economic impacts.
Fourth Street Foods, a major frozen food supplier, operates food processing plants in Charleroi and employs over 1,000 workers, 90% of whom are reportedly Haitians. These migrants work long shifts in frigid conditions, assembling breakfast bowls and sandwiches for private-label brands sold by large retailers. According to company CEO Chris Scott, Fourth Street Foods, like many other industrial firms, has relied heavily on immigrant labor to meet production demands, with roughly 70% of the workforce made up of immigrants.
However, most of these workers are not directly employed by Fourth Street Foods. Instead, staffing agencies like Prosperity Services hire and pay the workers, billing the food company at a higher rate to cover wages, transportation, and overhead costs. Entry-level workers typically earn around $12 per hour, while Fourth Street Foods is billed over $16 per hour by the staffing agencies. This arrangement allows the company to maintain operations without directly managing or paying the majority of its labor force.
Federal investigators have been closely scrutinizing Prosperity Services for its role in this labor supply chain. In court records, it was revealed that the firm knowingly employed undocumented workers and paid them in cash. Additionally, Prosperity Services organized transportation and housing for these undocumented migrants, who were bussed in and out of Charleroi to the food processing plants.
In a significant development, nearly $1 million in cash was seized earlier this year from Prosperity Services and two individuals associated with the firm, including Andy Ha, the company president. This discovery added fuel to the investigation, raising questions about the legality and ethicality of the firm’s business practices.
The investigation has uncovered that Prosperity Services is not the only staffing agency involved in supplying migrant labor to Fourth Street Foods. Other companies, such as Wellington Staffing Agency, Celebes Staffing Services, and Advantage Staffing Agency, also play a significant role. These agencies are shrouded in mystery, with no websites, advertisements, or job listings, making it difficult to track their operations or assess their practices.
The lack of transparency surrounding these staffing agencies has raised concerns among locals and investigators alike. Despite this, Fourth Street Foods has continued to rely on them to meet its labor needs. When questioned about these arrangements, the company has remained largely silent, with owner David Barbe stating that he is unaware of any wrongdoing.
Interestingly, Barbe himself appears to have a financial stake in the situation beyond his company’s reliance on cheap labor. Investigators found that Barbe’s other business, DB Rentals LLC, owns over 50 properties in the same area where many of the Haitian workers are housed. This overlap between housing and employment has led to speculation that Barbe is profiting not only from the labor of these migrants but also from the rent they pay to live in his properties.
The influx of Haitian workers into Charleroi is part of a broader labor trend influenced by federal immigration policies. The open borders under the Biden-Harris administration have facilitated the arrival of over 10 million migrants into the U.S., leading to what some critics have dubbed a “great job replacement” of native-born factory workers. In Charleroi, this phenomenon has been particularly visible as local residents have witnessed their town being flooded with cheap labor to support the operations of Fourth Street Foods.
These developments highlight the challenges posed by the current immigration system, where labor shortages in industries like food processing are increasingly met by undocumented workers who are often vulnerable to exploitation. The situation in Charleroi illustrates the complex dynamics at play, as businesses, staffing agencies, and property owners all benefit from the availability of cheap, migrant labor.
How is this not the biggest political talking point right now: since October 2019, native-born US workers have lost 1.4 million jobs; over the same period foreign-born workers have gained 3 million jobs. pic.twitter.com/Z5HVWmQ24C
— zerohedge (@zerohedge) January 15, 2024
Rufo noted:
The basic pattern in Charleroi has been replicated in thousands of cities and towns across America: the federal government has opened the borders to all comers; a web of publicly funded NGOs has facilitated the flow of migrants within the country; local industries have welcomed the arrival of cheap, pliant labor.
This is spreading…
First Springfield, Then Charleroi, Now Migrant Crisis Swamps This Small Indiana Town https://t.co/g1ev2yZwi7
— zerohedge (@zerohedge) October 10, 2024
“Blow Your Mind”: Ex-WSJ Journo Uncovers Hub Of An Alleged Migrant Trafficking Network In Springfield, Ohio https://t.co/Wz1hOGy3XD
— zerohedge (@zerohedge) September 18, 2024
Union Makes Shock Claim: Colorado Meat Factory Involved In “Mgmt-Led Human Trafficking” Of Haitians https://t.co/fusclWbmax
— zerohedge (@zerohedge) September 25, 2024
The federal investigation into Prosperity Services and its involvement in supplying undocumented Haitian labor to Fourth Street Foods has exposed serious issues of labor exploitation and potential legal violations. As investigators continue to probe the financial dealings of Prosperity and other shadowy staffing firms, the case raises broader questions about immigration policies, corporate responsibility, and labor rights in the U.S.
With millions of migrants entering the country under current policies, stories like the one unfolding in Charleroi serve as a reminder of the hidden costs of these immigration trends, particularly for small towns facing an influx of cheap labor that displaces local workers. The situation has created a complex web of financial incentives, leaving many questioning the future of the American workforce and the true beneficiaries of such labor practices.
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