Keeping slaves is a value: approximately the same cost as a low end BMW

A wealthy New York woman has been sentenced to 11 years in jail for keeping two Indonesian women as slaves. Varsha Mahender Sabhnani, 46, and her husband Mahender Murlidhar Sabhnani, 51, kept them as slaves and abused them physically and psychologically.

In addition to prison, his Indian-born wife was fined $25,000.

"I was brought to this earth to help people who are in need," said Mrs. Sabhnani.

The wealthy couple, who run a perfume business and have four children, had brought the women to their large house to work as housekeepers, and forced them to work up to 18 hours a day. The couple were arrested after one of the women was found wandering the streets dressed in only trousers and a towel.

The two Indonesian women had been punished for misbehavior such as sleeping late and stealing food from the dustbin to supplement their meager meals. The women said they had been beaten with brooms and umbrellas, slashed with knives, made to take freezing showers and climb stairs repeatedly. One said she had been forced to eat several hot chillies and then her own vomit.

Lawyers for the accused had argued that the housekeepers practised witchcraft and may have abused themselves. The pair were described as "model citizens" who wanted only to clear their names.

From: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7476927.stm