CINNAMINSON -- Three men have been arrested in connection with a money laundering scheme that moved $100 million in concealed payments to undocumented workers, authorities said.

Police began investigating MAIA Consulting on Route 130 after suspecting operators may be involved in an illegal check cashing operation, according to the Burlington County Prosecutor's Office.

Authorities said the investigation determined that companies along the East Coast had used MAIA Consulting to conceal payments made to undocumented construction workers since early 2015. Up to $100 million was laundered through the scheme, which involved MAIA cashing checks written to "shell" construction companies, according to the prosecutor's office.

Those companies existed for the sole purpose of concealing payments, allowing the companies to skirt tax obligations and labor regulations, authorities said.

Renato Maia Da Silva, 51, of Cinnaminson, Wesley Dos Santos, 31, of Palmyra, and Lucas Alves, 34, of Cinnaminson, each face a charge of financial facilitation of criminal activity, also known as money laundering, authorities said. All three men are undocumented immigrants from Brazil, and will have their cases reviewed by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

The consulting firm, residences of the alleged conspirators and a storage facility were searched late last week with a warrant, and the three men were subsequently arrested. Police seized $450,000 in cash and deposited funds, nine vehicles, three motorcycles and a collection of 30 high-end watches, according to the prosecutor's office.

The suspects are expected to appear in Burlington County Superior Court for a detention hearing Tuesday.

Amanda Hoover can be reached at ahoover@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @amahoover. Find NJ.com on Facebook.