UK’s Wealthiest Family Sentenced for Exploiting Domestic Workers
Four members of the UK’s richest family have been sentenced to prison for exploiting staff brought over from India to work at their villa in Geneva. Prakash and Kamal Hinduja, along with their son Ajay and his wife Namrata, were convicted by a Swiss court on charges of exploitation and illegal employment, receiving sentences ranging from four to four-and-a-half years. However, they were acquitted of the more severe charge of human trafficking.
The family’s legal team has announced plans to appeal the ruling. Robert Assael, their lawyer, expressed shock at the verdict, stating, “We’re going to fight it to the bitter end.”
The case involved three workers from India who claimed they were paid as little as £7 ($8) for 18-hour workdays, a fraction of the legal wage in Switzerland. The workers also reported having their passports confiscated and being restricted from leaving the Geneva villa located in the affluent Cologny neighbourhood. Prosecutors highlighted that the Hinduja family, whose wealth is estimated at £37 billion, spent more on their dog than on their servants.
The defence argued that the employees were provided ample benefits and were not kept in isolation. Assael asserted that the workers were “grateful to the Hindujas for offering them a better life.”
The elder Hindujas, both over 70, did not attend the court proceedings, citing health issues. Ajay and Namrata were present during the trial but were absent when the verdict was announced. Despite the prosecution’s request for immediate detention of the younger couple, the judge denied the request.
Kamal Hinduja is currently hospitalized in Monaco, with the other family members reportedly by his side.
This case is not an isolated incident in Geneva, a city known for its international organizations and affluent residents. Last year, four domestic workers from the Philippines filed a lawsuit against a diplomatic mission to the United Nations in Geneva, alleging years of unpaid wages.
The Hinduja family owns the Hinduja Group, a multinational conglomerate with interests in oil, gas, and banking, as well as the Raffles Hotel in London.
