Immigration document fraud and obstruction of two federal labor investigations; faces up to 10 years in prison
Sadia J. Choudhury:
— A general manager of a Sacramento-area supermarket chain has been convicted of immigration document fraud, conspiracy, and obstructing two federal labor investigations involving the hiring of undocumented workers and the use of fraudulent Green Cards and Social Security cards.
Karla Montoya, 45, general manager of Viva Supermarkets, was found guilty following a federal trial. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) provided pivotal assistance in the case, according to an announcement by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Montoya worked with supermarket owner and former Sacramento City Councilmember Shahriar “Sean” Loloee to hire undocumented workers across the chain’s Sacramento-area locations. She knowingly accepted fraudulent Green Cards and Social Security cards during the hiring process. Evidence also showed that Montoya used false immigration documents herself.
The investigation further revealed a system of off-the-books payments and irregular payroll practices that deprived employees of overtime compensation and other wages.
Montoya and Loloee also obstructed two investigations conducted by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division. They allegedly concealed employees who could provide unfavorable information and interfered with federal investigators during on-site inspections. As a result, the first investigation significantly underestimated the back wages owed to workers.
In a related development, Loloee, 55, of Granite Bay, pleaded guilty on April 23, 2026, to conspiracy to obstruct a Department of Labor investigation, conspiracy to defraud the IRS, filing false tax returns, wire fraud, and money laundering.
Two co-defendants, Mirwais Shams and Ahmad Shams, pleaded guilty to filing false tax returns on August 18, 2026. Sentencing for the three defendants is scheduled for November 19, 2026.
Montoya is scheduled to be sentenced on January 7, 2027, by U.S. District Judge Troy L. Nunley.
She faces maximum statutory penalties ranging from five to 10 years in prison, depending on the specific counts, along with fines of up to $250,000 for each applicable offense. The actual sentence will be determined by the court after considering federal sentencing guidelines and other applicable factors.
The case highlights federal enforcement efforts involving immigration document fraud, workplace labor violations, and obstruction of government investigations.
