Monday, December 14, 2009

GA COUPLE CHARGED WITH HOLDING UNDOCUMENTED WORKER, FORCED LABOR AND DOCUMENT SERVITUDE

A juicier story than usually posted here -- the AJC reports that an Ellenwood, GA, couple named Juna Gwendolyn Babb, 54, and Michael J. Babb, 53, were indicted last week by the Federal authorities for conspiracy, forced labor and document servitude. The couple was accused of confiscating their domestic worker's passport and visa as well as hiding an undocumented worker for financial gain, the U.S. Department of Justice said. They were accused of convincing a woman to come to their home from the Kingdom of Swaziland by promising her a lucrative, short-term opportunity to provide catering services at the wedding of a family member. When she arrived, the couple took her passport and return airline ticket and told her that she needed to repay them for the cost of travel to the United States.
The woman was made to clean the homes of friends and associates of the Babbs and also help with Michael Babb's construction business, working long hours and either was not paid or received very little money, the DOJ said. If the accusations are true, I hope they get some decent time in jail.