A 55-year-old man made his initial appearance in court Wednesday on charges of engaging in a conspiracy with a business partner to steal wages from their employees for private and public works construction projects.
Arturo Leon was charged May 29 with two counts of conspiracy, a count of making a false statement to discourage an injured worker from claiming benefits, a count of grand theft of wages, and four counts of extortion, all felonies. His arraignment Wednesday was rescheduled for Thursday in the Central Justice Center in Santa Ana.
Business partner Pardip Singh Sandhu was listed as a fugitive in court records and has not yet appeared in court.
An Orange County District Attorney investigator said in court papers that the two “were involved in a criminal conspiracy to obtain lucrative construction projects in private and public works and conspiring to steal wages from their employees.”
The investigator also alleged there were “widespread labor violations by Bull Dog Paving Inc. and AR Contractors, including wage theft, payroll fraud, tax evasion, extortion (withholding of earnings) and threats of deportation. Workers were required to return a portion of their paychecks as `kickbacks,’ and an audio recording captured the company’s owner, Pete Sandhu, orchestrating the scheme. Further investigation revealed financial irregularities, with large project funds being transferred between company accounts under the pretense of a loan, though no legitimate loan documentation was found.”
The investigator also said both companies “are involved in lucrative contracts, including a $4 billion project at OC Vibe.”