Wellmade's Cartersville Facility Raided by FBI for Labor Trafficking

Cartersville, GA, March 27, 2025-"FBI Atlanta raided Wellmade Industries, a flooring manufacturing company in Cartersville,” reports Fox 5 Atlanta.

“Officials said this came as part of a multi-year investigation into labor trafficking.

“The company’s owner, Zhu Chen, was arrested and faces charges of trafficking persons for labor or sexual servitude.

“The FBI, GBI, Homeland Security and other agencies investigated claims that Wellmade Industries in Bartow County forced people from other countries to work at the company with low pay. 

“Homeland Security (HSI), the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI), Bartow County Sheriff's Office and other law enforcement agencies joined forces with FBI Atlanta in executing search warrants at the business on Wednesday afternoon.

“There were allegations that victims were being brought in from other countries and forced to live in inadequate conditions and work for Wellmade for little pay.

"‘This is an active, ongoing labor trafficking investigation alleging Wellmade Industries is using fraud and coercion to induce Chinese nationals and other immigrants to work,’ FBI Atlanta posted on social media just before 2 p.m.

“HSI confirmed there were hundreds of employees at the company. Dozens of them are potential victims.

“Zhu Chen, the owner of Wellmade Industries, has since been arrested. Jiayi Chen, was also booked into the jail on the same charges.  Employees say he is the owner's nephew who also worked at the company. 

"‘It was just a bad, bad situation,’ said a former employee who once managed the company’s warehouse. ‘Horrible-you had unsafe conditions in there. People working in there with no heat.’

“The same former employee described overcrowded housing and a rotating shift system used to transport workers. ‘Maybe 12 people per house,’ he said. ‘They worked two different shifts. So they would have a van go pick up one crew, bring them to work. When that crew got here, they’d take the crew that was already here, take them home.’

“As agents served the warrants, dozens of employees on-site were taken to an off-site location for interviews.

“Another man, Ziya Chen, identified by authorities as the owner’s nephew, was also booked into the Bartow County Jail on similar charges.”