Indian-American Couple Sentenced for Forced Labor of Relative in the US
A US court has sentenced an Indian-American couple, Harmanpreet Singh and Kulbir Kaur, to prison for coercing Singh’s cousin into forced labor at their gas station and convenience store. Singh, 31, received a sentence of 135 months, while Kaur, 43, was sentenced to 87 months. The court also ordered them to pay USD 225,210.76 in restitution to the victim, who was brought to the United States under pretense of educational enrollment.
The couple exploited their relationship with the victim, then a minor, promising to help him enroll in school but instead confiscated his immigration documents and subjected him to threats, physical force, and mental abuse. Over three years, from March 2018 to May 2021, the victim was forced to work long hours for minimal pay under degrading conditions, including sleeping in a back office and limited access to food and medical care. Surveillance equipment was used to monitor his activities, and he was compelled to marry Kaur as an additional means of control.
Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke emphasized that this case sends a strong message against forced labor, while US Attorney Jessica D. Aber highlighted the defendants’ exploitation of the victim’s desire for education and a better life. The couple, now divorced, left a lasting impact on the victim, who was deprived of his basic human rights and freedom during his time in the United States.
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