Two Additional Suspects Charged In Mexican Restaurant Money Laundering Scheme

Thursday, February 14, 2019 at 7:54 AM

By Mike Perleberg @mikedup84

A total of five men who operated the restaurants in Bright, Brookville, and elsewhere are now facing charges.

Los Primos in Bright and El Reparo in Brookville are among the restaurants whose owners are charged with failing to pay sales taxes and fraudulently using hundreds of Social Security numbers. File photos.

(Bright, Ind.) - Two men have been added as new co-defendants in connection with allegations of Corrupt Business Influence at a chain of southeastern Indiana Mexican restaurants.

Four individuals with varying ownership interests in the restaurants in Bright, Brookville, and elsewhere were criminally charged in Dearborn County last week.

The two newly added suspects are Joel Leon, 31, of Brookville and Jose Leon, 42, of Liberty. They are charged with Corrupt Business Influence (level 5 felony), Conspiracy to Commit Corrupt Business Influence (level 5 felony), Theft (level 5 felony), and Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering (level 6 felony).

A Dearborn County judge approved an amended order charging the Leons on February 6.

Los Primos in Bright and El Reparo in Brookville were among several restaurants raided last June by federal, state, and local authorities. Other restaurants targeted by law enforcement were located in Rushville, Greensburg, and Liberty.

Indiana Excise Police allege that several hundred thousand dollars in sales and payroll taxes were not paid by the restaurant owners over a nearly three-year period. The owners are also accused of fraudulently using hundreds of Social Security numbers, most of them stolen numbers, for employees.

All five men now charged in the case were jailed in Dearborn County last week. They have each been released after posting bond.

Pretrial conferences for each of the restaurant owners is scheduled for March 27 in Dearborn Circuit Court.

Most, if not all, of the restaurant businesses continue to operate as of Wednesday, February 13.