A pair of Ukrainian nationals who operated Florida-based staffing companies appeared in a US federal court on charges related to tax fraud, immigration violations and money laundering, the US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida announced Sept. 24.

The two operators, Oleg Oliynyk and Oleksandr Yurchyk, were extradited from Thailand to the US last week. 

According to the superseding indictment, between August 2007 and July 2021, Oliynyk and Yurchyk, along with others, owned and operated a series of staffing firms in South Florida, including Paradise Choice, Paradise Choice Cleaning, Tropical City Services and Tropical City Group.

The indictment alleges the men employed nonresident aliens in the hospitality industry who were not authorized to work in the US through these staffing agencies. The defendants also allegedly conspired to defraud the IRS by failing to withhold Social Security, Medicare and income taxes from the unauthorized workers’ paychecks and filing false corporate tax returns. 

Attorneys for Oliynyk and Yurchyk have been contacted for comment.

Both defendants were charged with conspiracy to defraud the US, conspiracy to harbor non-resident aliens and induce them to remain in the country, and conspiracy to commit money laundering, the US attorney’s office said. 

If convicted, each defendant faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison on the conspiracy to defraud the US charge, a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison on the conspiracy to harbor aliens and induce them to remain in the US charge, and a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on the money laundering conspiracy charge.

USA v. Oleg Oliynyk, et al; US District Court Southern District of Florida; 4:21-cr-10009-JEM-1

USA v. Oleksandr Yurchyk, et al; US District Court Southern District of Florida; 4:21-cr-10009-JEM-2