A federal jury convicted a family in Richmond, VA of holding a Pakistani woman in forced servitude for 12 years, the Department of Justice recently announced.
Zahida Aman, Mohammad Nauman Chaudhri and Mohammad Rehan Chaudhri will face sentencing for conspiracy to commit forced labor. In addition, the jury convicted Aman of forced labor and document servitude, and defendant Rehan Chaudhri of forced labor.
“The defendants exploited the victim’s trust and inflicted cruel and inhumane physical and mental abuse on her, all so they could keep her working in their home as their domestic servant,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke. “Human trafficking is a disgraceful and unacceptable crime, and this verdict should send the very clear message that the Justice Department will investigate and vigorously prosecute human traffickers and help secure justice for survivors.”
Aman is said to be 80 and her son Mohammad Nauman is 54 and her other son Mohammad Rehan is 48.
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Defendants Aman and Rehan Chaudhri face a maximum sentence of 20 years for forced labor. The convictions for conspiracy to commit forced labor and for document servitude carry a maximum sentence of five years each.
One neighbor called news of the conviction disturbing. The Jones family told WRIC it never suspected or witnessed any abuse inside the home.
According to WTVR, the victim was related by marriage. Prosecutors say they kept her as a slave. True Crime reports the mother arranged the marriage between the victim and a third son who also lived in the home. Two years later, that son moved to California, but his wife stayed behind. They had four children together who lived in Virginia.
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