ENTRAL ISLIP, N.Y. (AP) - It's 11 years in prison for a New York millionaire who inflicted years of abuse on her two enslaved Indonesian housekeepers at her Long Island mansion.
Varsha Sabhnani (sahb-NAH'-nee) was convicted with her husband in December of forced labor, conspiracy, involuntary servitude and harboring aliens. Her husband will be sentenced tomorrow.
The victims testified that they were beaten with brooms and umbrellas, slashed with knives, and forced to climb stairs and take freezing showers as punishment.
Their slavery ended in May of last year, when 1 of the women fled early on Mother's Day and wandered into a Dunkin' Donuts wearing nothing but rags. Employees called police.
The women said they were tortured and beaten for sleeping late or stealing food from trash bins because they were poorly fed. Both women also said they were forced to sleep on mats in the kitchen. The maids' relatives in Indonesia were paid about $100 a month for their work, but the maids themselves were not paid.
Original Source : http://www.wbtv.com/Global/story.asp?S=8561699
