N.Y. millionaire gets 11 years in prison for enslaving workers

[rpannier]

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 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 and then was forced to eat her own vomit when she couldn't keep the peppers down, prosecutors said.

link:
http://edition.cnn.com/2008/CRIME/06/26/sabhnani.sentence.ap/index.html

I wonder if these people will get a Presidential Pardon or Commutation.
They're rich and they have children (albeit grown ones) and Ms. Sabhnani is quoted later in the article as saying "I was brought to this Earth to help people who are in need."

Sounds like a DUH-bya commutation to me.

[bluestateguy]

1. Convicted! One more McCain voter off the rolls!

nt

[rockymountaindem]

2. Good

I hope she enjoys a small taste of what she inflicted on those poor immigrants.

[varkam]

3. She has a warped view of helping people, that's for sure. eom

[Blue_Tires]

4. i guess i'm just surprised to see anyone rich get convicted of anything

i can hope the couple live to feel some of the same torture they dished out, but i have a feeling this sentence is going to get whittled down and down to a few months...

newsflash: humans are not supposed to treat fellow humans like this...