The RICH: Human Slavery

gvf · December 19, 2007, 04:22 AM

And here is the counterpoint to the 7 yr old and her mother, the girl saving the mother's life-even though they have little likely of worldly status, money etc.

The only redeeming part of this, is that the wealthy couple enslaving the women, seem to be in serious legal jeporady:

By Frank Eltman - ASSOCIATED PRESS
Updated: 12/18/07 6:38 AM

Associated Press

Mahender Murlidhar Sabhnani, seen here after his arrest in May, and his wife were convicted of all charges in a 12-count indictment, including forced labor and involuntary servitude.

More Photos

CENTRAL ISLIP — A millionaire couple who brought two Indonesian women to the United States to work for them as housekeepers inside their mansion were convicted Monday of what prosecutors called a case of “modern-day slavery.”

Varsha Mahender Sabhnani collapsed into the chest of her husband, Mahender Murlidhar Sabhnani, after a jury found them guilty of all charges in a 12-count federal indictment that included forced labor, conspiracy, involuntary servitude and harboring aliens.

Moments later, one of their daughters fainted while sitting in the front row in the courtroom gallery. Soon after, her mother went to comfort her, and she also fainted. Both women were taken to a hospital, prompting the judge to postpone the remaining court proceedings until today. The mother and daughter were discharged from the hospital emergency room later Monday.

The verdict brought an end to a trial that portrayed the Sabhnanis’ elegant mansion as a house of horrors for the two victims, who came to America for a better life but ended up making pennies an hour under horrendous conditions.

The victims said they were beaten with brooms and umbrellas, slashed with knives, forced to climb stairs and take freezing cold showers as punishment for various misdeeds. One victim was forced to eat dozens of chili peppers against her will, prosecutors said.

The defense contended the two women concocted the story as a way of escaping the house for more lucrative opportunities. They also argued the housekeepers practiced witchcraft and may have abused themselves as part of an Indonesian self-mutilation ritual.

Although the couple could face as much as 40 years in prison, attorneys predicted the punishment would be considerably less. No sentencing date was set for the Sabhnanis, who run a global perfume business.

Defense attorneys said they would appeal. Lawyer Stephen Scaring said another of the Sabhnanis’ daughters, Tina, was in disbelief; the couple has three daughters and a teenage son. “We never did anything to anybody. How could this happen to us in America?” Tina Sabhnani told the defense lawyer.

Prosecutors refused to comment until court proceedings are completed.

Over six weeks of testimony that included the two Indonesian women testifying through an interpreter, prosecutors laid out evidence that pointed to what they called a case of “modern- day slavery.”

Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Lesko said in closing arguments that the poorly educated women barely eked out a living in Indonesia and came to the U.S. to work as housekeepers for $100 or $150 a month — all of which was sent to their relatives back home.

Lesko said the maids were subjected to “punishment that escalated into a cruel form of torture” that ended last May when one of the women finally fled in the early morning hours of Mother’s Day. She wandered into a Dunkin’ Donuts, where employees called police.

The women said they were tortured and beaten for misdeeds that included sleeping late or stealing food from trash bins because they were poorly fed. Both women, Samirah and Enung, also said they were forced to sleep on mats in the kitchen.

The women have been cared for during the investigation by Catholic Charities, and it is unclear where they would go after the trial.

rbrgs · December 19, 2007, 09:43 AM

The common thread I see here concerns power; as in the victims didn't have enough.
If everyone has a gun....
I really have no solutions for the poor, but for the rich 40 years sounds about right, and their attorney should be disbarred and imprisoned as well; vigorously defending your clients is one thing, poisoning public discourse with lies is something else.

JaserST4 · December 19, 2007, 11:49 AM

The common thread I see is that these types of things are presented with a broad brush. The couple were obviously rich but they weren't "the rich".

Mr. James · December 19, 2007, 12:43 PM

Sooo, gvf, work for NPR, do you?

:barf:

rbrgs · December 19, 2007, 12:53 PM

I didn't know you needed to work for NPR to care about justice.

Maybe I'm just weird, but even if money were no object, I'd never hire someone to work in my home; I'm just too private a person to enjoy having strangers in my personal space.

I wonder about people with servants; comes the Revolution, they'll but the first to die; comes the collapse, and they've spent years avoiding just the skills they'll need; and even if stuff keeps staggering along, it's still a bad example for the kids,

December 19, 2007, 04:22 AM	#1
gvf Junior member Join Date: July 30, 2006 Posts: 1,226	The RICH: Human Slavery And here is the counterpoint to the 7 yr old and her mother, the girl saving the mother's life-even though they have little likely of worldly status, money etc. The only redeeming part of this, is that the wealthy couple enslaving the women, seem to be in serious legal jeporady: By Frank Eltman - ASSOCIATED PRESS Updated: 12/18/07 6:38 AM Associated Press Mahender Murlidhar Sabhnani, seen here after his arrest in May, and his wife were convicted of all charges in a 12-count indictment, including forced labor and involuntary servitude. More Photos CENTRAL ISLIP — A millionaire couple who brought two Indonesian women to the United States to work for them as housekeepers inside their mansion were convicted Monday of what prosecutors called a case of “modern-day slavery.” Varsha Mahender Sabhnani collapsed into the chest of her husband, Mahender Murlidhar Sabhnani, after a jury found them guilty of all charges in a 12-count federal indictment that included forced labor, conspiracy, involuntary servitude and harboring aliens. Moments later, one of their daughters fainted while sitting in the front row in the courtroom gallery. Soon after, her mother went to comfort her, and she also fainted. Both women were taken to a hospital, prompting the judge to postpone the remaining court proceedings until today. The mother and daughter were discharged from the hospital emergency room later Monday. The verdict brought an end to a trial that portrayed the Sabhnanis’ elegant mansion as a house of horrors for the two victims, who came to America for a better life but ended up making pennies an hour under horrendous conditions. The victims said they were beaten with brooms and umbrellas, slashed with knives, forced to climb stairs and take freezing cold showers as punishment for various misdeeds. One victim was forced to eat dozens of chili peppers against her will, prosecutors said. The defense contended the two women concocted the story as a way of escaping the house for more lucrative opportunities. They also argued the housekeepers practiced witchcraft and may have abused themselves as part of an Indonesian self-mutilation ritual. Although the couple could face as much as 40 years in prison, attorneys predicted the punishment would be considerably less. No sentencing date was set for the Sabhnanis, who run a global perfume business. Defense attorneys said they would appeal. Lawyer Stephen Scaring said another of the Sabhnanis’ daughters, Tina, was in disbelief; the couple has three daughters and a teenage son. “We never did anything to anybody. How could this happen to us in America?” Tina Sabhnani told the defense lawyer. Prosecutors refused to comment until court proceedings are completed. Over six weeks of testimony that included the two Indonesian women testifying through an interpreter, prosecutors laid out evidence that pointed to what they called a case of “modern- day slavery.” Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Lesko said in closing arguments that the poorly educated women barely eked out a living in Indonesia and came to the U.S. to work as housekeepers for $100 or $150 a month — all of which was sent to their relatives back home. Lesko said the maids were subjected to “punishment that escalated into a cruel form of torture” that ended last May when one of the women finally fled in the early morning hours of Mother’s Day. She wandered into a Dunkin’ Donuts, where employees called police. The women said they were tortured and beaten for misdeeds that included sleeping late or stealing food from trash bins because they were poorly fed. Both women, Samirah and Enung, also said they were forced to sleep on mats in the kitchen. The women have been cared for during the investigation by Catholic Charities, and it is unclear where they would go after the trial. Last edited by gvf; December 19, 2007 at 04:26 AM. Reason: spelling

December 19, 2007, 12:43 PM	#4
Mr. James Senior Member Join Date: April 10, 2001 Location: The Old Dominion Posts: 1,521	Sooo, gvf, work for NPR, do you? :barf: __________________ "...A humble and contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise." Ps. li "When law and morality contradict each other, the citizen has the cruel alternative of either losing his moral sense or losing his respect for the law." —Frederic Bastiat Last edited by Mr. James; December 19, 2007 at 12:44 PM. Reason: lack of clarity

December 19, 2007, 09:43 AM	#2
rbrgs Senior Member Join Date: December 10, 2007 Posts: 163	The common thread I see here concerns power; as in the victims didn't have enough. If everyone has a gun.... I really have no solutions for the poor, but for the rich 40 years sounds about right, and their attorney should be disbarred and imprisoned as well; vigorously defending your clients is one thing, poisoning public discourse with lies is something else.

December 19, 2007, 11:49 AM	#3
JaserST4 Senior Member Join Date: November 30, 2007 Posts: 516	The common thread I see is that these types of things are presented with a broad brush. The couple were obviously rich but they weren't "the rich".

December 19, 2007, 12:53 PM	#5
rbrgs Senior Member Join Date: December 10, 2007 Posts: 163	I didn't know you needed to work for NPR to care about justice. Maybe I'm just weird, but even if money were no object, I'd never hire someone to work in my home; I'm just too private a person to enjoy having strangers in my personal space. I wonder about people with servants; comes the Revolution, they'll but the first to die; comes the collapse, and they've spent years avoiding just the skills they'll need; and even if stuff keeps staggering along, it's still a bad example for the kids,