Billionaire Hinduja family sentenced 4 years in prison for domestic staff exploitation

Switzerland: In a landmark case, four members of the affluent Hinduja family were sentenced by a Swiss criminal court on Friday to prison terms ranging from four to 4.5 years for exploiting vulnerable domestic staff. However, the court dismissed the more severe human trafficking charges.

Indian-born tycoon Prakash Hinduja, his wife, son, and daughter-in-law were accused of trafficking their domestic staff, predominantly illiterate Indians, who worked at their luxurious lakeside villa in Geneva. The family members were not present in court; however, their business manager, Najib Ziazi, attended and received an 18-month suspended sentence.

The defendants’ lawyers announced plans to appeal the verdict. The court found the four guilty of worker exploitation and unauthorized employment but dismissed the trafficking charges, citing that the staff were aware of the terms of their employment.

Also read: Billionaire Hinduja family accused exploiting staff, forcing overtime

The Hinduja family members were accused of confiscating workers’ passports, paying them in Indian rupees rather than Swiss francs, restricting their movement, and forcing them to work excessively long hours for minimal pay in Switzerland. Last week, it was revealed in court that the family had reached an undisclosed settlement with the plaintiffs. Geneva prosecutors had launched the probe over alleged illegal activities, including exploitation, human trafficking, and violations of Swiss labor laws.

Swiss authorities have seized various assets from the family, including diamonds, rubies, a platinum necklace, and other jewelry, to cover potential legal fees and penalties. Prosecutors reported that staff members, including cooks and house helps, were sometimes forced to work up to 18 hours a day with little or no time off, earning less than one-tenth of the legally required pay under Swiss law.

Employees were required to work even later during receptions and often slept in the basement of the villa in the upscale Cologny neighborhood, sometimes on mattresses on the floor. Prosecutors described a “climate of fear” imposed by Kamal Hinduja. Some employees spoke only Hindi and were paid in Indian rupees deposited in banks back home, which they couldn’t access.

Additionally, a separate tax case against Prakash Hinduja is pending. Prakash obtained Swiss citizenship in 2000 and, along with his three brothers, leads an industrial conglomerate involved in sectors such as information technology, media, power, real estate, and healthcare. Forbes magazine estimates the Hinduja family’s net worth at approximately $20 billion.

Hinduja prison staff exploitation is a news article on Hinduja prison staff exploitation