By Jeff Goldman | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

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In this Jan. 9, 2011 photo, Asplundh Tree Expert Co. employees prepare equipment for a winter storm at a staging area on the Mississippi State Fairgrounds in Jackson, Miss. (Greg Jenson/The Clarion-Ledger via AP, File)

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A tree-trimming company that is one of the largest privately held corporations in the nation has been ordered to pay $95 million in penalties for employing people in the United States illegally.

Asplundh Tree Experts, based in Willow Grove, Pa., was ordered Thursday to pay the huge fine by a federal judge sitting in Philadelphia, the U.S. Attorney's Office for Eastern Pennsylvania said.

In addition to having to forfeit $80 million, Asplundh will pay a $15 million civil penalty for not complying with immigration law.

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What does Asplundh do?

It clears brush and vegetation from electric and gas lines and holds many municipal, state and federal contacts. The 90-year-old, family-owned company employs 30,000 workers in the U.S., Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

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Does Asplundh do business in New Jersey?

Yes. The company has a regional office in Cedar Knolls that serves northern and central New Jersey as well as parts of New York. Its customers in South Jersey are covered by Asplundh's office in Dover, Del.

The company's distinctive orange trucks are frequently seen along New Jersey roadways, though it's unclear how many government and utility contracts Asplundh has in the state.

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What were they found to have done?

Asplundh employed thousands of undocumented workers between 2010 and 2014 with its top management remaining "willfully blind" while lower-level supervisors hired people they knew were in the country illegally to maximize profit.

In some cases, the supervisors rehired workers who'd already been let go by the company due to their immigration status.

"This decentralized model tacitly perpetuated fraudulent hiring practices that, in turn, maximized productivity and profit," prosecutors said in a statement. "With a motivated workforce, including unauthorized aliens willing to be relocated and respond to weather-related events around the nation, Asplundh had crews which were easily mobilized that enabled them to dominate the market."

One of its regional managers, Larry Gauger has pleaded guilty and is scheduled to be sentenced next month.

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How did Homeland Security find out?

Homeland Security Investigations began auditing Asplundh Tree Experts on Nov. 19, 2009 to make sure the company complied with federal laws regarding the hiring of immigrants. Companies are encouraged to use E-verify, a database managed by HSI to help them determine if employees are allowed to work in the U.S.

After being given a list of names, Asplundh fired hundreds of its employees who were ineligible to work in the U.S. Others quit before before they could be terminated.

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What did Asplundh do next?

After acting like it was complying with HSI demands, Asplundh instead doubled down on its illegal practices, federal authorities said. Many of the some employees just let go were re-hired under different names using fake or illegally obtained documents.

Gauger even went so far as to tell supervisors who worked under him that they had "plausible deniability" because their illegally obtained social security numbers would be positive matches in the E-verify database, court papers state.

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What was ICE's reaction?

"Today's judgment sends a strong, clear message to employers who scheme to hire and retain a workforce of illegal immigrants: we will find you and hold you accountable," Immigration and Customs Enforcement Acting Director Thomas Homan said in a statement. "Violators who manipulate hiring laws are a pull factor for illegal immigration, and we will continue to take action to remove this magnet."

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Asplundh Tree Experts, Co., one of the largest privately-held companies in the US, pleaded guilty yesterday to... Posted by Immigration And Customs Enforcement (ICE) on Friday, September 29, 2017

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What did Asplundh say after the ruling?

In a statement on its website, Asplunsh said company officials "accept responsibility for the charges as outlined, and we apologize to our customers, associates and all other stakeholders for what has occurred."

Asplundh went on to say that is reviewing the identification of every employee and is adding a photo ID card system which includes the same facial recognition software used by ICE. The company is also adding a compliance specialist trained in ID examination in each region it does business.

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The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Jeff Goldman may be reached at jeff_goldman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JeffSGoldman. Find NJ.com on Facebook.