A bail bond company is suing an immigrants advocate for allegedly posting a statement on Facebook that the firm engaged in “slavery” by having its clients wear GPS ankle bracelets.
Nexus Services Inc. filed the lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court Monday against Byron Vasquez and the Casa de La Cultura de Guatemala en Los Angeles. The suit alleges inducement to breach of contract, interference with contractual relationship, interference with prospective economic advantage and violations of the state Business and Professions Code.
Vasquez did not immediately return a call for comment today.
The complaint states that Nexus requires its clients who are facing deportation to wear the GPS ankle bracelets “in order to reduce the risk that (they) will fail to appear when required by the U.S. Immigration Court.”
The devices allow both the court and Nexus to know where the clients are, reducing the chance they will skip bail, the suit states.
Vasquez is neither an attorney nor a person experienced in posting bonds for immigrants, the suit states. However, he has “engaged in a campaign of deceptive, untrue, fraudulent and deceitful publications designed and intended to damage, harm and destroy plaintiff’s relationships with its clients,” the suit alleges.
In September, Vasquez posted a comment on Facebook that Nexus engaged in “slavery” by having its clients wear the ankle devices, the suit states. He also convinced a Spanish-language television station to air a broadcast critical of the bracelets, the suit states.
He has counseled Nexus clients and advised them to stop paying for the bracelets and to remove them, telling them that the requirement to wear them is “immoral,” according to the lawsuit.
