Indian-born billionaire Prakash Hinduja and family sentenced in Switzerland for exploiting domestic workers. The workers endured up to 18-hour days, restricted movement, and low pay. Despite dismissed trafficking charges, the family received 4-4.5 years in prison. An appeal is planned.
An Indian-born billionaire, Prakash Hinduja, and three family members were sentenced to prison on Friday for exploiting domestic workers at their lakeside villa in Switzerland. They seized the workers' passports, restricted their movement, and forced them to work up to 18 hours a day. The Swiss court dismissed human trafficking charges against Hinduja, his wife Kamal, son Ajay, and daughter-in-law Namrata, but found them guilty of exploitation and unauthorized employment. The workers, mostly illiterate Indians, were paid in Indian rupees deposited in inaccessible bank accounts.
The family received sentences ranging from four to 4.5 years, while a business manager, Najib Ziazi, received an 18-month suspended sentence. Despite their conviction, the defendants plan to appeal. The court noted that the workers endured harsh conditions, including sleeping in basements and receiving minimal health benefits. The Hinduja family's wealth, estimated at $20 billion by Forbes, contrasts starkly with the exploitation they inflicted.
The family, residents of Switzerland since the 1980s, faced similar charges in 2007, and a separate tax case against Hinduja is pending.
