United States v. Sabhnani

599 F.3d 215 (2010)

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United States v. Sabhnani

United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
599 F.3d 215 (2010)

KL

Facts

Varsha Sabhnani and her husband, Mahender Sabhnani (defendants) were convicted of forced labor, peonage, and domestic servitude for bringing an undocumented immigrant from Indonesia to their home in New York, forcing her to work under cruel conditions, and physical abusing her for several years. The worker, a 53-year-old named Samirah, was brought to New York by Varsha’s mother. Varsha took Samirah’s passport and kept it while Samirah was forced to work as the family’s domestic servant. The Sabhnanis told Samirah they would pay her daughter $200 per month for her work. Samirah received no income herself. In fact, the Sabhnanis paid Samirah’s daughter only $100 a month and subjected Samirah to several acts of physical abuse, starvation, and emotional harm throughout the years she was forced to work for them. Samirah often asked to return to Indonesia or to be given away to another family, but the Sabhnanis refused, telling her she would have to pay them back for the money they spent bringing her to the United States. As a result of the abuse, Samirah was offered a U visa to allow her to stay in the United States.

Rule of Law

Issue

Holding and Reasoning (Livingston, J.)

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