Muttontown couple found guilty in enslavement case

Mahender and Varsha Sabhnani, the Muttontown couple accused of enslaving two Indonesian woman in their mansion, were convicted by a jury in federal court on all 12 charges Monday, sparking fainting spells

News 12 Staff

Dec 18, 2007, 5:12 PM

Updated 6,339 days ago

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Mahender and Varsha Sabhnani, the Muttontown couple accused of enslaving two Indonesian woman in their mansion, were convicted by a jury in federal court on all 12 charges Monday, sparking fainting spells by Varsha Sabhnani and her daughter that forced the judge to clear the courtroom.
The Sabhnanis, who could face up to 40 years in prison, were convicted on charges that included forced labor, conspiracy, involuntary servitude and harboring aliens.
One of the couple's daughters went into diabetic shock in the front row as the verdict was read, prompting the judge to clear the courtroom while medical personnel attended to her. Varsha Sabhnani also fainted after the verdict was read. Both women were taken to Southside Hospital and later released.
The Sabhnanis spent nearly three months in jail following their arrest before a judge signed off on a bail package that required the couple to post $4.5 million and pay an estimated $10,000 a day for round-the-clock security monitoring while they were kept under house arrest.
AP wire reports contributed to this story.
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