Enslavement convictions

A jury convicted a millionaire couple of enslaving two Indonesian women they brought to their New York mansion to work as housekeepers, subjecting them to repeated psychological and physical abuse and forcing them to work 18 hours or more a day.

Indian-born Mahender Murlidhar Sabhnani, 51, and his wife, Indonesian-born Varsha Mahender Sabhnani, 45, who run a global perfume business from home, were each convicted of all charges in a 12-count federal indictment that included forced labour, conspiracy, involuntary servitude and harbouring aliens.

The Sabhnanis, who have four children, could face up to 40 years in prison.