Wealthy British family found guilty of abuse and mistreatment
Wealthiest British family, the Hindujas, ought to have paid their household staff a maximum of 418 Euros monthly - they're the wealthiest family in Britain. In fact, it's alleged they spent more on a dog than one of their employees, according to the prosecution against the family members. Currently, four of them are behind bars.
Four members of the billionaire British-Indian Hinduja clan, with an estimated fortune of around 44 billion Euros, have received multi-year prison sentences from a Swiss court for the mistreatment of their domestic staff. The presiding judge of the Geneva criminal court found the Hinduja family members guilty in absentia. The 78-year-old family patriarch Prakash Hinduja and his 75-year-old wife Kamal were sentenced to four years and six months each, while their son Ajay and his wife Namrata were sentenced to four years each.
The family allegedly paid their Indian-recruited household staff for their mansion in the Geneva posh district of Cologny wages ranging from 220 to 400 Francs (230 to 418 Euros) monthly. Upon their arrival, the employment contracts of the employees were taken away by the family. The workers' daily working hours were said to stretch up to 18 hours.
The court stated that the family had saved around 2.5 million Francs through this practice over the years. The court added that the family had exploited the power dynamics in their employment relationships for commercial gain. However, the four accused were cleared of human trafficking charges.
Prosecutor Yves Bertossa accused the family of treating their employees like dirt. Following the guilty verdict, he demanded the arrest of the convicted. However, the defense argued against it, stating Kamal Hinduja's poor health condition, who is currently hospitalized in Monaco. The three other convicted, her husband Prakash, son Ajay, and daughter-in-law Namrata, are with her.
Recently, it was disclosed that the family had reached a confidential agreement with the plaintiffs. Yet, the proceedings continued due to the embezzlement charges. The Swiss authorities confiscated Diamonds, Rubies, a Platinum necklace, and other jewelry from the family to cover potential fines and legal fees.
The defense plans to challenge the verdict.
