WASHINGTON: A federal jury in Virginia has found an Indian American couple guilty of conspiracy to commit forced labor. Harmanpreet Singh, 30, and Kulbir Kaur, 43, were convicted after a two-week trial for exploiting their cousin in their gas station and convenience store, US Attorney [Insert Name] announced.
Scheduled for sentencing on May 8, Singh and Kaur face severe penalties, including a maximum of 20 years in prison, up to five years of supervised release, and a fine of up to USD 250,000, along with mandatory restitution for the forced labor charge.
Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division condemned the couple’s actions. “The Singh couple exploited the victim’s trust and his desire to attend school in the United States. They inflicted physical and mental abuse against him, forcing him to work for their profit,” Clarke said.
The Department of Justice detailed that Singh and Kaur used coercive means to control the victim, including confiscating his immigration documents and subjecting him to physical abuse, threats of force, and at times, degrading living conditions. This was to compel him to work extensive hours for minimal pay.
US Attorney Jessica D. Aber for the Eastern District of Virginia emphasized the gravity of the crime. “These defendants engaged in an egregious bait-and-switch, luring the victim with false promises of an education in the United States and instead subjecting him to grueling hours, degrading living conditions, and a litany of mental and physical abuse,” Aber stated.
“Forced labor and human trafficking are abhorrent crimes that have no place in our society,” Aber added, expressing gratitude towards the team that ensured justice in this case.
The prosecution alleged that in 2018, the defendants enticed the then-minor victim to the United States with false promises of enrolling him in school. Upon his arrival, they seized his immigration documents and put him to work immediately. The victim was also left to sleep in a back office at the store for days, had limited access to food, was denied medical care or education, and was constantly monitored through surveillance equipment. His requests to return to India were denied, and he was forced to overstay his visa.
Court documents revealed that Singh subjected the victim to physical violence, including hair-pulling, slapping, and kicking, particularly when the victim demanded his immigration documents back or attempted to leave. Singh also reportedly threatened the victim with a revolver on multiple occasions for trying to take a day off or attempting to leave.
This conviction serves as a stark reminder of the continuing challenges in combating human trafficking and forced labor in the United States. The case has drawn attention to the need for vigilance against such human rights abuses, even in situations where the victims are related to the perpetrators.
Scheduled for sentencing on May 8, Singh and Kaur face severe penalties, including a maximum of 20 years in prison, up to five years of supervised release, and a fine of up to USD 250,000, along with mandatory restitution for the forced labor charge.
Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division condemned the couple’s actions. “The Singh couple exploited the victim’s trust and his desire to attend school in the United States. They inflicted physical and mental abuse against him, forcing him to work for their profit,” Clarke said.
The Department of Justice detailed that Singh and Kaur used coercive means to control the victim, including confiscating his immigration documents and subjecting him to physical abuse, threats of force, and at times, degrading living conditions. This was to compel him to work extensive hours for minimal pay.
US Attorney Jessica D. Aber for the Eastern District of Virginia emphasized the gravity of the crime. “These defendants engaged in an egregious bait-and-switch, luring the victim with false promises of an education in the United States and instead subjecting him to grueling hours, degrading living conditions, and a litany of mental and physical abuse,” Aber stated.
“Forced labor and human trafficking are abhorrent crimes that have no place in our society,” Aber added, expressing gratitude towards the team that ensured justice in this case.
The prosecution alleged that in 2018, the defendants enticed the then-minor victim to the United States with false promises of enrolling him in school. Upon his arrival, they seized his immigration documents and put him to work immediately. The victim was also left to sleep in a back office at the store for days, had limited access to food, was denied medical care or education, and was constantly monitored through surveillance equipment. His requests to return to India were denied, and he was forced to overstay his visa.
Court documents revealed that Singh subjected the victim to physical violence, including hair-pulling, slapping, and kicking, particularly when the victim demanded his immigration documents back or attempted to leave. Singh also reportedly threatened the victim with a revolver on multiple occasions for trying to take a day off or attempting to leave.
This conviction serves as a stark reminder of the continuing challenges in combating human trafficking and forced labor in the United States. The case has drawn attention to the need for vigilance against such human rights abuses, even in situations where the victims are related to the perpetrators.