A superseding indictment unsealed on February 23 2026 in the Eastern District of Washington charges four individuals with 51 counts of conspiracy, visa fraud, forced labor, and related offenses tied to the H-2A temporary agricultural worker program. Prosecutors allege the defendants, operating as “Harvest Plus,” fabricated labor-needs statements for 10 farms across Yakima and Benton counties, allowing them to import more than 500 Mexican workers over three seasons. Once in the United States, many workers were forced into unapproved jobs, denied overtime, housed in overcrowded trailers and threatened with deportation if they complained. Investigators from the Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General and the State Department’s Diplomatic Security Service uncovered the scheme after tip-offs from local advocates. The indictment underscores growing scrutiny of guest-worker programs amid bipartisan calls to expand lawful pathways while preventing exploitation. Employers that rely on H-2A labor should expect intensified audits of recruitment practices, housing standards and wage records. The case also highlights the criminal exposure for third-party labor contractors who falsify petitions. If convicted, the lead defendant faces decades in prison and forfeiture of illicit profits. The DOJ emphasized that the charges are allegations and that all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Source: U.S. Department of Labor OIG
