Wednesday, April 9, 2025–6:55 p.m.
-WBHF Radio-
A third person has been arrested in the Wellmade Industries labor trafficking investigation.
Cartersville Resident Jia Jun Lu,54, was taken into custody at the Bartow County Jail on April 5th.
Lu was charged with one count of trafficking of persons for labor or sexual servitude.
Lu’s arrest came shortly after the arrests of Zhu Chen of Cartersville,69, and his nephew, Jiayi Jai Morgan Chen of Peachtree Corners, 30, on March 26th.
Both were charged with three counts of felony charges of labor trafficking.
The charges were in connection with Wellmade Performance Flooring, located off Highway 293 since 2021.
The investigation began in 2023.
Three alleged victims have been named in the Bartow County case; however, Assistant District Attorney Austin Waldo said that the case involves 40 alleged victims.
Judge Neal Brunt, who sat in for Judge Samir Patel, gave each a bond of $200,000.
Conditions of the bond include that the Chens must remain in their respective homes, wear Talitrix ankle monitors, and have no contact with Well-Made Industries or its past or current employees. They may leave for medical appointments or appointments involving the case.
All three men are accused of recruiting residents of China to come to the U.S. on L-1 Visas. This Visa allows foreign companies to transfer employees to the U.S. to work in a related U.S. for a temporary period.
The workers were reportedly promised high salaries with normal work hours.
Waldo said instead, their paperwork was taken from them so they could not leave.
Employees were allegedly required to work 12-hour shifts, housed in overcrowded apartments and provided with food.
They were also not allowed to leave their work or residences.
He said there were several calls to authorities reporting slave labor-like conditions.
Zhu Chen was the manager with Wellmade Performance Floorings.
Morgan Chen’s attorney said he hasn’t worked with the company since December 2023, and he worked in procurement, never in HR. However, he is accused of keeping the workers’ paperwork and threatening them with large fines if they left.
Meanwhile, attorneys for the Chens stated that both men are U.S. citizens, and while work may require them to travel, they relinquished their Chinese citizenship upon gaining U.S. citizenship.
Zhu Chen owns a home in Cartersville. Morgan Chen owns a home in Peachtree City.
