New York couple Varsha Mahender Sabhnani, 46, and her husband Mahender Murlidhar Sabhnani, 51, imprisoned two Indonesian women, identified only as Nona and Samirah, in 2002 and kept them as slaves. This has been against the law in New York for a very long time so they're both going to jail, specifically on charges of forced labour, peonage, harbouring aliens, document servitude and conspiracy. (Peonage is a form of bonded labor whereby loans are paid off with labor instead of currency or... Read Full Story
Varsha Sabhnani
A woman in New York, Varsha Sabhnani, has been sentenced to 11 years in prison for keeping two modern day slaves in her home and abusing them.
They were harassed, terrorized and assaulted, until one made an escape to a local store, where an employee called the police.
NY millionaire gets prison for enslaving workers
CENTRAL ISLIP, N.Y. (AP) — A millionaire who inflicted years of abuse on two Indonesian housekeepers held as virtual slaves in her Long Island... Read Full Story
One domestic servant, identified only as Enung, had a mat on the floor instead of a bed, prosecutors say.
Abeyasekere in Jakarta: A History (1987) notes the population count of Batavia in 1673 as:
Netherlanders 2,024
Eurasians 726
Chinese 2,747
Mardijkers 5,262
Moors and Javanese 1,339
Malayans 611
Balinese 981
Slaves 13,278
Total Population 27,068
It IS hard to believe that Jakarta only had a population of 27,068 people at one time but so it was. The Dutch... Read Full Story
CENTRAL ISLIP, New York (AP) — A millionaire who inflicted years of abuse on two Indonesian housekeepers held as virtual slaves in her Long Island mansion was sentenced Thursday to 11 years in prison.
Varsha Sabhnani, 46, was convicted on a 12-count federal indictment.
Varsha Sabhnani, 46, was convicted with her husband in December on a 12-count federal indictment that included forced labor, conspiracy, involuntary servitude and harboring aliens.
The trial provided a... Read Full Story
Even though Knowliz is a technology oriented blog, but I couldn't resist blogging about this news because it involves Indians.
Recently a case has been highlighted where a New York based millionaire "Varsha Sabhnani" has been sentenced 11 years in prison for torturing and treating two Indonesian women as slaves. The two women were treated less than human, forced to eat red hot chili powder, take ice-chilled showers and climb stairs as punishment.
Varsha Sabhnani and her husband "Mahender... Read Full Story
United States prosecutors have recommended that the main accused in a slavery case, Varsha Sabhnani, be handed down a 30-year jail term. Prosecutors have sought a prison term of 12 to 15 years for Varsha's India-born husband Mahender. The couple, who has four children, were arrested in mid-May after one of the Indonesian women was found loitering near a restaurant wearing only a towel and pants. Read Full Story
Wikizines are interactive magazines that anyone can create or edit - and this one is called "Varsha Sabhnani". Here you can find fresh voices and respond in real time. Some members write articles about recent news and trends related to the wikizine's topic, others recount relevant personal stories or share their favorite pictures and video clips. Got an interesting idea or story to share with other members of this wikizine? Well, then put on your journalist's cap and add your own article... Read Full Story
The jury decided on a guilty verdict against the Sabhnani's, who were accused of enslaving their two domestic workers. The courtroom erupted into momentary chaos when Varsha and her daughter fainted. The judge cleared the room. The jury in the U.S. District Court in Central Islip found the couple, Mahender Sabhnani, and his wife, Varsha, guilty on all 12 counts against them. Read Full Story
Even though Varsha and Mahender Sabhnani, a wealthy Muttontown couple, were convicted of enslaving two Indonesian women, they should receive mercy because of their charity and kindness to others, defense attorneys argue in a court brief... read full story and watch video report Read Full Story
