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Couple guilty of enslavement to spend holiday apart

The millionaire couple convicted of enslaving women in their Muttontown home will not spend the holidays together because of a decision made in court Thursday. Varsha and Mahender Sabhnani were convicted

News 12 Staff

Dec 21, 2007, 3:28 PM

Updated 6,431 days ago

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The millionaire couple convicted of enslaving women in their Muttontown home will not spend the holidays together because of a decision made in court Thursday.
Varsha and Mahender Sabhnani were convicted Monday of beating, torturing and keeping two Indonesian women as slaves. Jurors also decided that the Sabhnanis will have to forfeit their home.
Varsha Sabhnani was remanded back to jail to await sentencing while her husband was allowed to temporarily return home under house arrest. The Sabhnanis pleaded with Judge Arthur Spatt to change the ruling.
Also Thursday, defense attorney Stephen Scaring told the court of possible jury misconduct and bias. Scaring said he was told by a New York Post reporter that two female jurors had said "guilty guilty" to a photographer before the trial was over. Attorneys are preparing motions to have the verdict thrown out.
The Sabhnanis will be sentenced March 28. Varsha Sabhnani will stay in the Nassau County Jail until the sentencing.
Related Information:Muttontown couple found guilty in enslavement case Defense claims to have new evidence in slavery trial Closing arguments heard in enslavement trial Witness: Nothing was wrong with Muttontown maids Alleged victim describes her enslavement to jury Surveillance video shows alleged slave after escape