Jun.19, 2010

A 50-year-old Uzbek man facing money-laundering counts in a large human-trafficking case pleaded guilty Friday to a reduced charge and agreed to cooperate with prosecutors.

Prosecutors last year charged Abdukakhar Azizkhodjaev and 11 others in a conspiracy that allegedly brought hundreds of foreign workers to the U.S. on fraudulently obtained guest employment visas.

Authorities contend that after those workers arrived in Kansas City they were abused, not paid what they were promised, and threatened with deportation if they complained.

Azizkhodjaev admitted that he failed to file his tax return to conceal that another defendant had not withheld payroll taxes. He also acknowledged that he did not report the scheme to authorities.

That crime, misprision of felony, carries a maximum sentence of three years in prison. Azizkhodjaev could have faced up to 20 years in prison had he been convicted on the money-laundering counts.

The trial for the remaining defendants is scheduled to begin in October.