Ava Young gets home detention for exploiting Thai worker in sex industry

A NZ employer has been sentenced for visa fraud, after she forced a Thai woman into the sex industry. Photo / RNZ

By RNZ

A Christchurch employer who falsely claimed a Thai worker was a relative to get her into New Zealand has been sentenced to four months’ home detention.

Immigration NZ (INZ) said Ava Young falsely supported the woman’s visitor visa, then charged her about $7500 for the job and visa, and forced her to work in the sex industry to pay it off.

Young took 35% of the woman’s earnings and kept a schedule of debt which she regularly sent to the woman, officials said.

According to INZ, the woman provided massage and sex services at Young’s direction at various addresses in Auckland until June 2024, when she stopped working for Young after clearing her debt.

The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment launched an investigation after receiving a complaint that a female Thai national was breaching her visa conditions and being forced to work in a massage parlour and provide sexual services to clients.

Six search warrants were carried out at addresses across Auckland and Christchurch, leading to Young’s arrest.

Young pleaded guilty to two charges of providing false or misleading information to Immigration New Zealand and one charge of aiding and abetting the breach of visa conditions.

INZ said the woman was misled and exploited, and the case was a serious abuse of the system.

– RNZ