Kartan and Barai hired workers from overseas to do domestic work at their residence.
An Indian American couple from California was arrested after authorities found them guilty of human trafficking charges including forced labor of foreign nationals, especially people from India.
The couple – 43-year-old Satish Kartan and 38-year-old SharmisthaBarai, were arrested on October 21, on receiving a criminal complaint accusing them of doing forced labor. Both were released on bond with a special clause that restricts them from hiring non-relatives to perform domestic services or child care work for them.
According to the court document, Kartan and Barai hired workers from overseas to do domestic work at their residence in Albuquerque, New Mexico; Stockton and elsewhere in the US during the period – February 21, 2014, and October 3, 2016.
The document also says that the couple made false claims regarding the salary and duties by advertising about the job through Indian newspapers and via the internet.
On Thursday, a federal grand jury charged the couple with conspiracy to commit forced labor and the commission of forced labor.
“Once the workers arrived at the defendants’ residences, Kartan and Barai forced them to work 18 hours a day with limited rest and nourishment. The defendants did not pay wages and used force, physical restraint and coercive conduct to get the workers to perform the labor and services,†PTI quoted federal prosecutors’ allegations.
The investigation also revealed that one of the workers suffered burn injuries on her hand after Kartan allegedly grabbed the hand and exposed it to the flames of the gas stove.
The court paper also alleges that the defendants failed to pay another worker and told her that they would call the police if she tried to leave. When she was ultimately able to arrange to be picked up from the defendants’ house, but Kartan refused to provide her the access code to the gate, stopping her from leaving.
According to the Department of Justice, Kartan has also been charged with fraud for contacting a foreign labor and Barai with benefiting from forced labor.
If convicted, each defendant faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000.