Novi Restaurateur Creates Trust Fund for Fire Victim's Families

NOVI, MI – A trust fund was established by the restaurant owner accused of housing five men who died in a fire in his basement.

Roger Tam, 55, and his wife, Ada Lei, 48, were both indicted by a grand jury Feb. 25 on six charges related to harboring undocumented workers who died in a fire at the home he owned in a Novi subdivision. Tam paid lower wages, evaded taxes and subjected undocumented workers to poor living conditions, government says.

“It’s good to be skeptical, but he is doing this for all the right reasons,” said criminal defense attorney Ray Cassar, who issued a press release Thursday about the fund. “He cared about these boys, and they cared about him.”

Brayan Medina Contreras, 16, Leonel Alvarado Rodriguez, 18, Simeon Diaz Nunez, 18, Miguel Nunez Diaz, 23, and Pablo Alvaro Encino, 23, were all of the Mexican nationals who died Jan. 31 in the basement of Tam’s home on Mystic Court in a fire that investigators believe was caused by careless smoking. All of the victims worked for Tam at his restaurant.

Kim’s Garden was reopened Feb. 20 after Tam and Lei were released on bond. Profits from sales at the restaurant from Feb. 29-March 6 were directed to “The Victims of the Novi Fire Trust” and those proceeds, as well as donations from the Chinese community have amounted to about $10,000 in the account, said Cassar. Donations can be made at any Chase Bank location.

Photo credit: Screenshot via Hometown Life