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Bribery Claim Brought To Light In L.I. Slave Case

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May 24, 2007 6:36 pm US/Eastern

Bribery Claim Brought To Light In L.I. Slave Case

GARDEN CITY, N.Y. (CBS) ― A day after a wealthy Long Island couple was indicted on federal slavery charges when investigators say they held two Indonesian women captive inside their home and physically abused them, CBS 2 has learned a relative of one of the suspects apparently tried to make a bribe to have the charges dropped.

Varsha and Mahender Sabhnani, who made millions from their worldwide perfume company, were denied bail again by a new judge on Thursday inside a federal court and were taken back to the Nassau County Jail where they're being held.

Federal prosecutors then revealed that Varsha's mother, living in Indonesia, tried to bribe the local family of one of the alleged captives, held as a slave in the couple's luxurious Muttontown home, 250 million rupias to drop the charges, equal to about $2,500 .

Prosecutors also told a judge Varsha previously threatened both victims that if they tried to run away, she would tell police that they stole her money and jewels.

"The defendants operated a torture house, a house of pain in which torture was inflicted on two slaves. The Sabhnanis are capable of acts of violence," said Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Lesko. "If the Sabhnanis post bail, we may as well drive them to the tarmac at Kennedy Airport. They don't just have enough money to lease a plane, they have enough money to buy a plane."

The defense says the government is out to get the Sabhnanis solely because they are multi-millionaires. Their relatives claim the housekeepers were never slaves, but instead are after a massive payday from the couple.

The couple was arrested last week when one of the servants was found outside a Syosset doughnut shop wearing only pants and a towel. Prosecutors say the women were tortured by the Sabhnanis.

The Sabhnans say they are not a flight risk and not a danger to the community. They hope to make bail at their court hearing next Wednesday.

They each face up to 20 years in prison if convicted.

(© MMVII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)

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