New York Attorney General Barbara Underwood filed a lawsuit against three employment agency operators for allegedly conducting deceptive business practices that targeted unemployed and financially vulnerable individuals looking for low-wage cleaning and maintenance jobs.

The lawsuit alleges the three operators — Jose Ortiz of New Jersey; Maritza Quinones of Pennsylvania; and Johanna Miranda of the Bronx — falsely advertised cleaning and maintenance jobs that purportedly paid $13.50 to $29.00 an hour and charged upfront fees of between $140 and $499 for the employment opportunities that did not exist. 

Ortiz and Quinones operated Empire Services in the South Bronx from June 2015 through December 2015, according to the Attorney General’s office. Ortiz and Miranda operated Empire Safety Services from midtown Manhattan and the South Bronx from June 2017 through November 2017. Ortiz and Miranda operated Global Training Services in the South Bronx from October 2017 through January 2018 and have been operating National Safety Training Services from Jamaica, Queens, since February 2018.

Applicants were also allegedly told that to secure a job they had to pay upfront fees for an Occupational Safety and Health Administration training course, an OSHA course completion certificate and an OSHA license, according to the office. However, there is no New York State or federal requirement that office cleaners and maintenance workers be OSHA certified.

The Attorney General’s lawsuit seeks a court order enjoining Ortiz, Quinones and Miranda from engaging in fraudulent conduct; restitution for complainants; and more than $300,000 in fines and penalties.