4 members of a billionaire family get prison in Switzerland for exploiting domestic workers
By JAMEY KEATEN
Associated Press
GENEVA (AP) — An Indian-born billionaire and three family members have been sentenced to prison for exploiting domestic workers at their lakeside villa in Switzerland. Prosecutors said they seized workers’ passports, barred them from going out and made them work up to 18 hours a day. A Swiss court dismissed more serious charges of human trafficking against tycoon Prakash Hinduja, his wife, son and daughter-in-law on the grounds that the workers understood what they were getting into, at least in part. Lawyers representing the defendants say they will appeal. One lawyer said he was “relieved” the court threw out the trafficking charges but called the sentence excessive.