Millionaire Couple Charged With Slavery

(AP)  A millionaire couple accused of keeping two Indonesian women as slaves in their luxurious Long Island home and abusing them for years has been indicted on federal slavery charges.

Varsha Mahender Sabhnani, 35, and her husband, Mahender Murlidhar Sabhnani, 51, operate a worldwide perfume business with factories in Singapore and Bahrain.

The two were arrested last week after one of their servants was found wandering outside a doughnut shop on Long Island, wearing only pants and a towel. The woman was believed to have fled the home when she took the trash out the night before.

The couple pleaded not guilty in U.S. District Court. A magistrate judge set bail at $3.5 million and imposed home detention with electronic monitoring.

An indictment handed up Tuesday night formally charged with them with two counts of forced labor and added two counts of harboring illegal residents.

Charles A. Ross, who represents Varsha Sabhnani, has said the couple traveled extensively and that the two Indonesian women were free to leave whenever they wished. He previously described them as "model citizens" who "only want to clear their names."

Friends and relatives indicated the two would be willing to post bail, but as of Wednesday morning, they remained in custody.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Demitri Jones called the allegations "truly a case of modern-day slavery."

The women, prosecutors said, were subjected to beatings, had scalding water thrown on them and were forced to repeatedly climb up stairs as punishment for perceived misdeeds. In one case, prosecutors said, one of the women was forced to eat 25 hot chili peppers at one time.

One of the women also told authorities they were forced to sleep on mats in the kitchen and were fed so little that they had to steal food.

The women legally arrived in the United States on B-1 visas in 2002; the Sabhnanis then confiscated their passports and refused to let them leave their home, authorities said. Identified in court papers as Samirah and Nona, the women said they were promised payments of $200 and $100 a month, but federal prosecutors said they were never given money directly. One of the victims' daughters living in Indonesia was sent $100 a month, prosecutors said.

They have since been cared for by Catholic Charities, according to a spokesman for Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

[janeyre-2009]

If these people, traveled so much... Why didn't the workers leave? Were they shackled? Were they brain washed? Well, give the workers a settlement... After all, they are millionaires right? Oh deport the slave owners... Give the workers a chance for citizenship... If they qualify..

[lchasey1]

Get Real!

This is not the first time we've heard this type of story. Modern day slavery is nothing new. If this country spent less time on trivial pursuits and addressed issues that are detrimental to human existence, we'd all be better off!!!!

[ebrew3]

It just goes to show that money does not necessarily make one a model citizen. Keep that in mind when giving preferential treatment to immigrants with money and high-level job skills.

[hissteps4u]

These are indian Immigrants who come from a cast society where slavery while outlawed is still practiced by Indentured servitude.

It is doubtful they actually had good intentions towards these servants and ought to be tried and impresioned for their actions. People will never change. It's about exploytation of others to the benifit of the few and this system needs to be crushed.

They may be rich and there is No excuse for the behavior they used to control the servents.

The Class System is a remnant of years past and unfortunately there are many who still have such feelings.

[jraf766]

Before people come to the united states they need to be briefed on these kind of things and who to call if they are exploited.

This should never happen, If USCIS officers brief them.

I wonder why they are not told this stuff at the beginning?

The United States needs to do a better job of briefing them, these people have no electricity, no internet, US needs to realize that these people dont have access to the outside world.

[jraf766]

Im just wondering why the bond is so much, Is a bond determined by the crime or is determined by assets?

[wdrussell1]

Whats the fun of being rich, if you can't abuse people.
And rich people wonder why they are hated?

[fiteit1]

F_erry - They take an oath to abide by the laws of the United States. If they can't get it right they need to go. This goes for any nationality that takes a test to become a US citizen.
Our enforcement of laws on the books today is weak and that forces someone like me, that doesn't brake the law and I hope you, to look over our shoulder for society predators. Two less law brakes wouldn't hurt my feelings.

[acctriangle]

Some people just can't handle money and have very low selt-esteem. They can't function without trying to put someone beneath them. But hey, the couple will get exactly what they deserve.

[funkiwiteboy]

ever wonder why good hep is hard to find? I been slavin for over 40 yrs and still got to borrow my bruthers pot t'**** in. Some of US just be ignorant of our options, and them that know ain't sayin