Four very wealthy members of a family have been sentenced to several years in prison in Switzerland for exploiting domestic workers. They allegedly treated their assistants poorly for years and paid them little.
In the beautiful villa in Cologny near Geneva, not everything was as beautiful as it seemed. According to the Public Prosecution Service, the housekeepers had to work for a meager wage of less than a euro per hour.
Just like the famous rich family, the employees come from India. Several housekeepers could not read or write. According to the judges, the family has abused their situation.
Commercial usury
The guilty verdict was commercial usury. The four suspects were acquitted by the criminal court of the charge of human trafficking. The parents were each sentenced to four and a half years in prison, the daughter-in-law and son to four years.
As it became known last week, the family had now reached an amicable agreement with the employees. The proceedings nevertheless continued because the charge of usury was pursued independently of the plaintiffs.
The verdict is not final and those convicted can appeal. They were not present in court for the verdict. Her lawyers denied the allegations. After the verdict, they announced they would appeal.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
