In a landmark ruling by a Swiss court, four members of the UK’s wealthiest Indian-origin family, the Hindujas, received jail sentences for exploiting immigrant staff at their Geneva mansion.
The judge condemned their actions as “selfish.”
Despite their absence from court, the family’s lawyers vowed to appeal the verdict on Friday.
Though acquitted of human trafficking charges, the defendants were convicted on other charges, a surprising outcome for the Hindujas, whose wealth totals $47 billion according to the Sunday Times.
Prakash Hinduja, 78, and his wife Kamal Hinduja, 75, each received four years and six months in prison, while their son Ajay, 56, and his wife Namrata, 50, were sentenced to four years, according to the presiding judge in Geneva.
Guilty of “Usury”
The court found them guilty of “usury,” citing their exploitation of vulnerable immigrant staff from India by paying them minimal wages. “The employees’ inexperience was exploited,” said judge Sabina Mascotto. “They had little education or none at all and did not know their rights. The defendants’ motives were selfish,” driven by “the desire for gain.”
The court acquitted them of the more serious charge of human trafficking because the workers had traveled to Switzerland willingly.
Wages of Exploitation
During the trial, the family was accused of bringing servants from India and confiscating their passports upon arrival in Switzerland. Prosecutor Yves Bertossa accused the Hindujas of spending “more on their dog than on their domestic employees.”
The family paid their household staff about 325 francs ($363) a month, up to 90% less than the standard rate, the judge noted. “The four Hinduja defendants knew the weak position their employees were in and knew the law in Switzerland,” Mascotto said.
The family denied the allegations, claiming the prosecutors were targeting them unfairly. They had reached a confidential out-of-court settlement with the three employees who made the accusations, leading the employees to drop their legal action, according to the defense.
Seriousness of Charges
Despite this, the prosecution pursued the case due to the seriousness of the charges. Following the verdict, Bertossa requested an immediate detention order for Ajay and Namrata Hinduja, citing a flight risk. The judge denied this, accepting the defense argument that the family had ties to Switzerland. It was noted that Kamal Hinduja was hospitalized in Monaco, and the other three family members were at her bedside. Both elder Hindujas had been absent from the trial for health reasons.
In a statement announcing the appeal, the defense lawyers expressed being “appalled and disappointed” by the ruling but maintained confidence in the judicial process and the eventual revelation of the truth.
Modern Slavery?
The defense argued that the three employees received ample benefits, were not kept in isolation, and were free to leave the villa. “We are not dealing with mistreated slaves,” lawyer Nicolas Jeandin told the court. The employees were “grateful to the Hindujas for offering them a better life,” added fellow lawyer Robert Assael.
Representing Ajay Hinduja, lawyer Yael Hayat criticized the “excessive” indictment, asserting the trial should focus on “justice, not social justice.” Namrata Hinduja’s lawyer, Romain Jordan, pleaded for acquittal, claiming the prosecutors were making an example of the family and failed to mention extra payments made to staff on top of their cash salaries. “No employee was cheated out of his or her salary,” Assael concluded.
With interests in oil and gas, banking, and healthcare, the Hinduja Group operates in 38 countries and employs around 200,000 people.
