A Female Housekeeper Worked for 18 Hours for 10,000 Won
A British billionaire family faces the risk of imprisonment on charges of exploiting the labor of domestic workers at their villa and trafficking them.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the British daily The Telegraph reported on the 17th (local time) that Swiss prosecutors requested prison sentences for the UK's wealthiest family on charges including labor exploitation during a criminal trial held in Geneva.
The prosecution asked the court to sentence Prakash Hinduja (78), chairman of the Hinduja Group Europe, and his wife to 5 years and 6 months in prison each, and their son Ajay Hinduja and his spouse to 4 years and 6 months each. They also demanded that the family pay 1 million Swiss francs (about 1.55 billion KRW) in court costs and 3.5 million Swiss francs as compensation funds for the employees.
The Hinduja family, who have been ranked as the richest in the UK for three consecutive years, possess a net worth exceeding 37 billion pounds (about 65 trillion KRW). They operate businesses in dozens of sectors in the UK, including finance, information technology (IT), and real estate.
The Hinduja family was first sued on charges of labor exploitation six years ago. Last week, they reached a settlement with employees regarding a civil case, but the criminal case is still ongoing.
According to the media, a woman who worked as a domestic helper at the family’s villa by Lake Geneva worked seven days a week, up to 18 hours a day. Prosecutors claimed during the trial that she was paid 7 Swiss francs (about 10,000 KRW) per day.
On the 10th (local time), Ajay Hinduja (left), a British billionaire from a wealthy family, and his wife Namrata arrived at the Geneva court in Switzerland. [Photo by Yonhap News]
The Hinduja family did not spare expenses on their pet dogs. During the trial, it was revealed that they spent 8,584 Swiss francs on their dogs. Prosecutors stated, “Without any mention of working hours or duties in the employment contract, employees had to be on call at all times,” adding, “They were not given freedom while working, their passports were confiscated, and they could not leave the villa without the employer’s permission.”
The Hinduja family denied all the prosecution’s claims. Their legal team cited testimonies from employees who said they were treated with “dignity and respect,” arguing that the prosecutor misrepresented the wages. They also claimed, “Since meals and accommodation were provided, wages alone do not accurately reflect their compensation, and the claim that they worked 18 hours a day is exaggerated.”
They further argued, quoting one employee, that the salary in Geneva was better than what they earned in India. Ultimately, the employees continued to return to work of their own free will. Ajay Hinduja also denied the labor exploitation allegations, testifying that “the recruitment of employees was handled by Hinduja Group in India, and I was unaware of their working conditions.”
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