Wednesday, September 19, 2007

sept 07 couple faces new charges in ny slave case monarch mkultra -

FYI

Local News

Posted: Wednesday, 19 September 2007 10:48AM

Millionaires Face New Charges in Long Island 'Slave' Case

CENTRAL ISLIP, N.Y. (AP) -- A millionaire couple accused of harboring slaves in their Long Island mansion pleaded not guilty Wednesday to conspiracy and other new charges.

Varsha Mahender Sabhnani, 35, and her husband, Mahender Murlidhar Sabhnani, 51, appeared in federal court to face a superceding indictment. They remain free on $4.5 million bail while awaiting their Oct. 22 trial.

Prosecutors have said the couple held two Indonesian housekeepers from 2002 to 2007 as virtual slaves, subjecting them to serious physical abuse and paying them no wages except for $100 a month sent to relatives abroad.

Through lawyers, the Sabhnanis have denied the charges.

Varsha Sabhnani is originally from Indonesia, and her husband is from India; both are U.S. citizens. Prosecutors argued that the Sabhnanis could have a strong motive to flee, noting that the charges carry prison terms of up to 40 years upon conviction