I hope a judge turns over all this woman's millions to the 2 servants she enslaved for years!

[LynneSin]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080626/ap_on_re_us/forced_labor;_ylt=AhExlbVgdxwnBuzFdH3uf6QDW7oF



NY millionaire gets prison for enslaving workers By FRANK ELTMAN, Associated Press Writer
Thu Jun 26, 7:22 PM ET



CENTRAL ISLIP, N.Y. - 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 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 glimpse into a growing U.S. problem of domestic workers exploited in slave-like conditions.

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. One victim was forced to eat dozens of chili peppers against her will, and then was forced to eat her own vomit when she couldn't keep the peppers down, prosecutors said.

U.S. District Judge Arthur Spatt called the testimony "eye-opening, to say the least — that things like that go on in our country."

"In her arrogance, she treated Samirah and Enung as less than people," said Assistant U.S. Attorney Demetri Jones. "Justice for the victims: That's what the government is asking for."

Federal sentencing guidelines had recommended a range of 12 to 15 years in prison for Sabhnani, who was identified as the one who inflicted the abuse. In addition to prison, she will serve three years' probation and was fined $25,000.

"I just want to say that I love my children very much," the defendant told the court as two of her grown children looked on. "I was brought to this Earth to help people who are in need."

[hobbit709]

1. The look on her face conflicts with her statement.

"I was brought to this Earth to help people who are in need."

[BreweryYardRat]

2. And people wonder why I support the death penalty.

It's not something that should be applied in cases where there's the risk that someone's been prosecuted because the cops were too lazy to do their damn jobs right. I don't want to see innocent people taking the fall for what is, essentially, the crime of being poor.

But in cases like this, where you've got someone doing terrible, inhumane things, and not being able to get a "not guilty" out of it despite all the high-priced lawyers their money can buy, I'm all for it -- and for it being applied in a speedy fashion.

Seize this lovely couple's assets, turn those assets over to the people they abused, and give the guilty parties the needle within three years.

[EOTE]

6. Suggesting the DP for crimes other than murder is extremely scary.

Do you really think if that were allowed that it wouldn't eventually extend to applying to "the crime of being poor"? Eventually, emotion would take over and we'd find it being extended to a wide range of crimes. And not only would people be killed who are guilty of crimes that are not deserving of death, but there would be plenty of innocents killed as well. As for turning over their assets, that sounds like a great idea.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

8. you think this deserves a death penalty?

ugh

[bertha katzenengel]

3. "I was brought to this Earth to help people who are in need" --

What the fuck?

[NewJeffCT]

4. In need of what?

is what I ask?

[Dr. Strange]

5. Mark her "Return to Sender." n/t

[YankeyMCC]

9. It reminded me of the charade the slave masters of the south

held onto of being benevolent masters, as if they were some sort of father figure bringing god and civilization and caring for the basic needs of their slaves.

[alphafemale]

12. In need of eating dozens of chili peppers. And their own upchuck when they can't keep those down.

[Westegg]

7. I've followed this trial. It's terrible stufff...

...and apparently the prosecutors did a good job. I'm glad. In my subjective, non-professional opinion, the evidence was overwhelming against this couple.

That said, I was always struck by just how "evil" the woman defendant looked, in purely physical terms. As this photo shows. It couldn't have helped her defense that she so closely resembled a real-life Cruella De Vil, or comparable fictional villainess. Just an observation.

[YankeyMCC]

10. This is a silent problem in the US

there was case just like this last year in my home town here in MA.

[Phillycat]

11. Here's an email address if you want to write to them and have your say

[email protected]

That's their perfume business.

[Name removed]

13. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[LanternWaste]

14. Or not. nt

Or not. nt

[IndianaJones]

15. I've talked to some people that say it really sucks. nt.

[LanternWaste]

20. You as well as I...

I imagine we all have anecdotal evidence one way or the other. You as well as I...

[IndianaJones]

24. No one forced them to come over here. nt.

[LanternWaste]

27. Yet they were forced to get beaten...

"No one forced them to come over here. nt."

What is the precise and relevant meaning of that in context to this discussion? What precisely is your point? It's better to get live in fear and humiliation, and then beaten in America than to live in Asia because "some people" have said so?

[IndianaJones]

28. I find it rather ironic, given that they came here to take American jobs. nt.

[LanternWaste]

30. And that's relevant to your implication...

And that's relevant to your implication that it's better to get beaten in America than to live in Asia how...?

[IndianaJones]

32. for one thing, they eat dogs...and I'd rather be beaten than eat a dog. nt.

[LanternWaste]

33. That's a personal preference...

That's nothing more than a personal preference...
So what is the precise relevance?

[IndianaJones]

34. perhaps this was some form of karma for doing that...and trying to steal jobs. nt.

[LanternWaste]

35. Karmic justice that they get beaten for stealing American jobs?

Ahhh... Karmic justice that they get beaten for stealing American jobs? Do I infer your position correctly on that?

[IndianaJones]

36. that and eating canines. nt.

[LanternWaste]

37. So possibly you could edify us

So possibly you could edify us with just a bit more than your seemingly typical one-liner answers, and allow us some of your in-depth perspectives on this topic. For example...

Do you think that there was a sense of Karmic justice that these slaves were beaten because they eat dogs and took your job?

If so, what form of Karma-- Sanchita, Agami or Kriyamana? Why that form; and what is the precise conscious and moral pathway from that particular form to getting beat and living in fear?

However, if you're going to limit yourself to your one-liner answers, don't bother-- sometimes questions and answers require more than one line of text to be fully explored and I'll understand if you can't do it.

[IndianaJones]

38. Kali Karma...Thuggee style. nt.

[LanternWaste]

39. And you could expound on this...?

And you could expound on this...? The how's, the why's, the pathways, etc...?

on edit-- never mind. You're either too young, too stoned, or too unintelligent to explain. But, you are just stoned/unintelligent /young enough to get put on ignore...

[IndianaJones]

40. watch Temple of Doom. nt.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

43. did all of you forget to take your humor pills today?

[supernova]

31. Your attitude is vile.

:puke:

I feel sorry for people who are 1) related to you 2) have to work with you. 3) are friends of yours.

[LynneSin]

16. That still does not justify what this woman did to these people

no matter what country the servants came from or what country they were living in when it happened.

[IndianaJones]

23. I think it has some bearing. nt.

[LanternWaste]

29. Then in context of this discussion

Then in context of this discussion, you could edify us with your reasoning (beyond the stock one-liner/nt remarks) behind this belief that it indeed has some bearing...? What bearing? How? Based on what? etc...

[Phillycat]

17. You officially have nothing to say that I will ever want to read again.

It's taken a while, but I'm quite sure now.

[Midlodemocrat]

18. .

:thumbsup:

[Phillycat]

25. All of a sudden, I love the ignore button.

I used to take people off ignore to see what they said when they responded directly to one of my posts, and then put them back on. It was so cumbersome that I stopped using it entirely.

Then one day a couple of weeks ago, I thought, "You know what? My life would be better if this person didn't exist in it. And I no longer have any curiosity about what they might say." And I have 4 (now 5) people on ignore and suddenly DU is SUCH a nicer place! It's amazing how people who are nasty, awful assholes 100% of the time, even if there's just a few of them, can make such a difference in one's enjoyment of a website.

What a great tool the ignore button is. I had to grow into it though. :D

[LanternWaste]

41. I've used it for the first time since...

"What a great tool the ignore button is. I had to grow into it though."

I guess I did too-- I've used it for the first time since I began my less-than-illustrious career ion DU.

I imagine that he's not being obtuse or simple-minded, he simply wants to get people riled up. Oh well-- we all have our hobbies, I suppose.

[Midlodemocrat]

42. You're exactly right.

"simply wants to get people riled up"

[Name removed]

19. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

21. lol.

:P

[IndianaJones]

26. what are you and the ignored people talking about? me??? nt.

[kay1864]

22. I'm thinking the civil suit is not far behind

This being the criminal case, I don't believe the judge *can* award their millions to the two she horribly mistreated.

But I expect that another judge will. And maybe then they can visit this PoS in prison, wearing her jewelry and expensive clothes.

I'd pay good money for the privilege of spitting on her.