Two former employees of Firebirds Wood Fired Grill in Huntersville, North Carolina, say they discovered that their personal information had allegedly been used to employ illegal immigrants after they had left the restaurant. One reportedly found more than $20,000 in additional wages on his W-2, while another discovered that a current employee was listed under her name and Social Security number.

The allegations revived tough, unsettling questions about employee identity theft, payroll controls, and the financial consequences Americans can face when someone else uses their Social Security numbers to work. The case also attracted considerable attention after a video shared by Matt Van Swol on X on August 25, 2026, brought the allegations to a much wider audience.

Importantly, these remain allegations, not established findings of criminal wrongdoing by Firebirds or any particular employee.…