Cicero woman faces federal labor trafficking charges

CICERO, Ill. - A west suburban woman who helped undocumented immigrants come into the country from Guatemala pleaded guilty to federal labor trafficking charges.

Concepcion Malinek, 50, pleaded guilty to one count of labor trafficking, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Illinois said

She admitted to helping 10 immigrants come into the United states from 2009 to 2019, prosecutors said. Once they arrived, she let them live in her home while they worked jobs nearby. If they refused to pay her a substantial portion of their earning, she would threaten to contact immigration authorities.

Malinek’s charge is punishable by up to two decades in prison, prosecutors said. She is due to appear in court October 20.