An Indian American, who owns several gas stations in the Milwaukee-area, has been charged by Attorney Gregory J Hassnstad with labor-relation crimes during 2009-2011 periods.
According to the official website of the Department of Justice, 58-year-old Indian American Harshinder Bhatia has been charged with one count of harboring an alien for financial gain, one count of forced labor involving aggravated sexual abuse, and one count of document servitude.
He was arraigned on these charges on October 24, 2017.
If found guilty, Bhatia could face up to 5 years in prison for document servitude, up to 10 years in prison for alien harboring an alien employee, and up to life in prison on the charge of forced labor.
The indictment also notifies Bhatia of the government’s intention to seek forfeiture of a number of real properties used to facilitate these offenses or acquired as proceeds of these offenses.
According to the court report, Bhatia obtained the labor and services of a female Indian national using force and threats of force, causing her to believe that if she did not perform such labor and services, she would suffer serious harm.
The indictment charges that this crime involved aggravated sexual abuse and was furthered by Bhatia’s possession of the victim’s passport.
This matter is being investigated by members of the Federal Human Trafficking Task Force, including special agents and detectives representing Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Department of Labor, and the Milwaukee Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Erica J. Lounsberry.