September 30, 2026: DA’s Labor Justice Unit Secures $1.5 Million in Restitution for Catalina Island Wage Theft Victims

Yueh Mei Tucey delivered a $1.5 million check to the Court at sentencing on Sept. 28

AVALON, Calif. - Catalina Island business owner Yueh Mei Tucey, aka Nora Tucey, was ordered by a Los Angeles County criminal court judge to pay $1.5 million in unpaid wages to dozens of employees who worked at her hotels and restaurants between 2008 and 2022, as well as $96,000 to the California Employment Development Department for underreporting worker wages. Tucey delivered the check to the Court at a restitution and sentencing hearing on Sept. 28.

On Sept. 15, 2025, Yueh Mei Tucey (dob 01/25/48) of Avalon pleaded no contest to seven felony counts of filing false and fraudulent returns, six felony counts of failure to pay taxes and one felony count of conspiracy to commit wage theft.

"This significant restitution payment represents hundreds of hours in unpaid labor, where vulnerable victims, many of whom were immigrants, were exploited for years at hotels and restaurants while being grossly underpaid far below what is legally mandated by the California Labor Code," said Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman. "This case resulted in not just a conviction, but economic justice for the victims, many of whom have been waiting nearly two decades to be paid the wages they are owed for their hard work. We look forward to working with our partners to disburse the funds to the victims.

"I thank Deputy District Attorney Alice Kurs for ensuring that justice was served and for assisting victims throughout the criminal justice process. I also thank California Labor Commissioner Lilia García-Brower, who has been an invaluable partner in protecting employees from wage theft and holding employers who break labor laws accountable."

Yueh Mei Tucey operated multiple hotels and restaurants on Catalina Island. Many of these workers were also tenants, making them especially vulnerable, as Tucey maintained a policy that workers would have to vacate the rental if their employment ended.

"This case began with a call to our public information line. These workers had the courage to speak up and report violations, and their actions helped make this outcome possible. This $1.5 million recovery is an important step toward getting money back to the workers who earned it," said California Labor Commissioner Lilia García-Brower. "I am grateful for our partnership with the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office and other enforcement partners who worked with us to hold unscrupulous employers accountable. Workers deserve to be paid for every hour they work, and we will continue to use every tool available to protect their rights and recover the wages they are owed."

The California Labor Commissioner's Office's criminal investigation revealed a sophisticated scheme to underpay workers, including using payroll aliases to hide overtime hours worked and having employees work at multiple businesses in the same day, resulting in up to 18-hour workdays.

Case BA518809 was prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney Alice Kurs of the Consumer Protection Division's Economic and Labor Justice Unit.

The case was investigated by the California Labor Commissioner's Office's Criminal Investigation Unit with assistance from Investigative Units of the California Employment Development Department, the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration, and the Franchise Tax Board.

Legal representation for the victims was provided by Thai Community Development Center and Bet Tzedek Legal Services.

About LADA's Economic and Labor Justice Unit

The Economic and Labor Justice Unit was established to protect anyone who works, lives or does business in Los Angeles County from wage theft and labor trafficking. The unit investigates and prosecutes cases involving unpaid wages, exploitative labor practices and human trafficking, ensuring that workers are treated fairly under the law. The unit has become a leader in the field, providing training, technical assistance and strategic guidance to agencies across California and throughout the nation.

Since the Economic and Labor Justice Unit was formed in 2023, prosecutors have investigated, filed, and prosecuted cases affecting hundreds of victims of labor exploitation and involving millions of dollars in lost wages, taxes, and unemployment payments across Southern California.