An Indian origin couple accused of keeping two Indonesian women as slaves were jailed amidst new allegations that the women's relatives were threatened and offered bribes.
Varsha Mahender Sabhnani and her husband, Mahender Murlidhar Sabhnani, who operate a worldwide perfume business out of their Long Island home pleaded not guilty at their arraignment on federal slavery charges.
The couple's bail request was put on hold till a hearing on May 30.
The prosecutors said that Varsha Sabhnani's mother, who lives in Indonesia, tried to bribe the son-in-law of one of the victims for the equivalent of USD 2,500. They also said they learned that Varsha Sabhnani earlier had threatened the other victim, saying she would have her husband, who still lives in Indonesia, arrested if she did not comply with her orders.
The prosecutors would not disclose where in Indonesia the incidents occurred.
Defense lawyers, who have denied that the workers were abused or held against their will, were disappointed by the new allegations but said they would be "withdrawn or proven to be false."
