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WASHINGTON — The leading contender in Georgia’s Republican gubernatorial primary, who has pledged to prioritize making the state “the top in the nation for deporting criminal illegal immigrants,” has reportedly overlooked checking the citizenship status of workers employed at his own luxurious residence, as revealed by court documents reviewed by The Post.
Rick Jackson, a billionaire in the healthcare industry, is embroiled in a workers’ compensation case after a laborer was injured in March 2023 while engaged in “mulch painting” at Jackson’s expansive estate in Cumming, Georgia.
A recent petition indicates that the Georgia State Board of Workers’ Compensation made an error in denying benefits to Facundo Ortega. The petition argues that the board failed to “consider evidence” that Jackson employed Ortega without verifying his “work authorization.”
The 71-year-old Jackson has reportedly employed a long-term workforce for landscaping and property upkeep, which includes individuals lacking work authorization, according to a filing by Ortega’s attorney on March 18.
During a related deposition, Ivan Robolledo, Ortega’s superintendent, disclosed that he had not used a Social Security number for tax purposes. Meanwhile, Robolledo’s attorney prevented inquiries into his client’s immigration status.
Jackson was deposed twice in the dispute — in October 2023 and January 2024 — and denied knowledge that Robolledo could not lawfully work in the US. Both Ortega and Robolledo acknowledged that they were Mexican nationals in court records.
“Do you recall that during his deposition, he [Robolledo] testified that he was undocumented, didn’t have a Social Security number or work permit?” a lawyer asked the Jackson Healthcare founder and CEO during the 2024 sitdown.
“I wasn’t there when he testified in his deposition,” Jackson responded.
“Did you know that he was undocumented?” the lawyer also asked.
“No,” said Jackson, who also admitted that he never vetted “new hires” using mandatory I-9 forms, which ensure employees are eligible to work.
Jackson claimed at other points in the interview that he did not directly hire workers and only engaged with the superintendent who managed the landscapers and maintenance personnel. Robolledo in his deposition said he’s worked as a landscaper for the executive for 18 years.
Ortega brought the workers comp complaint against Jackson Investment Group, LLC, and JIG Real Estate, LLC, which is owned by the former firm. Jackson serves as CEO of both — but was unable to affirm in his depositions who precisely his employees were.
“I know that sounds confusing,” he answered. “But most of our — if we have other employees, we usually hire them through JIG or another entity. I’m talking about if JIG has employees, we hire them through another entity. I’m not sure that we have any direct employees, from a payroll standpoint, out of JIG Real Estate.”
However, Ortega was paid more than $31,000 by JIG Real Estate, LLC, between May 2022 and April 2023, according to copies of nearly two dozen checks reviewed by The Post.
Jackson made a splash earlier this month with an ad blitz vowing that “criminal illegals” will “end up deported or departed” under his leadership.
“I don’t care if you’re a Muslim or a Mongolian, you don’t have the right to force your culture on our country,” the candidate stated.
“Too often, criminal illegals commit sick, violent crimes, victimize our children and get away with murder. So here’s my guarantee to them: Do that when I’m governor, and you’ll end up deported or departed. Any questions?”
The workers comp appeal will beheard in Forsyth County Superior Court May 14, five days before the Georgia primary.
Jackson has acknowledged a nearly $1 billion net worth in financial disclosures — though his campaign says it amounts to more than $3 billion, the Atlanta-Journal Constitution first reported.
An InsiderAdvantage poll taken earlier this month found Jackson (32%) with a clear lead in a crowded GOP field that includes President Trump-endorsed Lt. Gov. Burt Jones (25%), Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger (11%), and state Attorney General Chris Carr (6%).
Nearly one-quarter of respondents (23%) said they were undecided about whom they would back.
The InsiderAdvantage poll surveyed 800 likely Republican primary voters April 22-23, with a margin of error of plus-or-minus 3.5 percentage points.
Reps for Jackson’s campaign did not respond to a request for comment. Neither did an attorney listed for him on the workers compensation case.