In a significant legal development, a federal jury in the Eastern District of Virginia has found a Richmond-area couple guilty of multiple charges related to human trafficking and forced labor. The conviction, announced on Friday following a two-week trial, involves Harmanpreet Singh, aged 30, and Kulbir Kaur, aged 43, who were operating a gas station and convenience store in North Chesterfield, Virginia.
The case, unfolding between March 2018 and May 2021, revealed that Singh and Kaur coerced Singh’s cousin, a then-minor, into laborious work at their store. The victim was compelled to undertake various tasks such as cashier duties, food preparation, cleaning, and managing store records. The methods used to enforce this labor included the seizure of the victim’s immigration documents, physical abuse, threats, and exposure to degrading living conditions. These coercive tactics ensured the victim worked extended hours for minimal compensation.
Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division condemned the defendants’ actions. She highlighted the exploitation of the victim’s trust and aspirations for education in the United States, emphasizing the physical and mental abuse inflicted for profit. Clarke asserted the Justice Department’s commitment to investigating and prosecuting human trafficking crimes vigorously.