Sep 19, 2007 2:19 pm US/Eastern
Millionaire Couple Faces New Charges In L.I. Slave Case
CENTRAL ISLIP, N.Y. (AP) ―
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The Long Island couple accused of keeping two Indonesian housekeepers as virtual slaves pleaded not guilty Wednesday to conspiracy and other new charges. (file photo)
CBS
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 as virtual slaves from 2002 to 2007, subjecting them to serious physical abuse and paying them no wages except for $100 a month sent to relatives abroad.
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.
"The defendants have maintained their innocence," said the wife's attorney, Stephen Scaring.
"Nothing different in terms of the allegations," said the husband's attorney, Jeffrey Hoffman. "Our view is, if you have a strong case, you don't have to keep adding new things."
The couple -- who operate a worldwide perfume business out of their Long Island home -- were arrested after one of the servants, wearing only pants and a towel, was found wandering outside a doughnut shop in Syosset, on Long Island's so-called Gold Coast.
Authorities concluded the servant escaped the Sabhnanis' nearby home when she took out the trash.
Unable to speak English fluently, she showed her wounds and Indonesian passport to a shop worker and said, "Mister, mister, I want to go home -- Indonesia," said Indonesian Foreign Ministry spokesman Kristiarto Legowo.
Prosecutors said the women were beaten, scalded and forced to climb stairs repeatedly and take as many as 30 showers in three hours -- all as punishment for perceived misdeeds. They said one was forced to eat 25 hot chili peppers at one time.
They have since been cared for by Catholic Charities.
(© 2009 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
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