Indian American Couple Convicted in Virginia for Exploiting Relative in Forced Labor Scheme

Washington: An Indian American couple, Harmanpreet Singh, 30, and Kulbir Kaur, 43, has been found guilty by a federal jury of conspiring to commit forced labor at their gas station and convenience store in Virginia after a two-week trial.

The victim, their cousin, was coerced into various tasks, including cashier duties, food preparation, cleaning, and managing store records. The couple now faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, up to five years of supervised release, a fine of up to USD 250,000, and mandatory restitution for the forced labor charge.

Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division emphasized that the Singh couple exploited the victim’s trust, leveraging his desire for education in the United States. They subjected him to physical and mental abuse to keep him working for their profit. Coercive tactics included confiscating immigration documents, physical abuse, threats, and degrading living conditions.

The defendants enticed the victim, a minor in 2018, to the United States with false promises of education assistance. Upon arrival, they confiscated his immigration documents and forced him to work, providing limited access to food and refusing medical care and education. The victim was left to sleep in a store back office for days, with restricted movements and surveillance.

US Attorney Jessica D Aber for the Eastern District of Virginia condemned the defendants’ actions, describing them as an “egregious bait-and-switch.” The couple had lured the victim with promises of education but subjected him to harsh conditions and various abuses.

The evidence presented in court revealed instances of physical abuse by Singh, including pulling the victim’s hair, slapping, kicking, and threatening him with a revolver. The victim’s requests to return to India were denied, and he was made to overstay his visa.