CENTRAL ISLIP, NY (AP) -- A federal judge - irate over reports that a man convicted in a slave-labor case may have violated a court agreement - has decided anyway to allow the defendant to remain free on $4.5 million bail.
Mahender Sabhnani of Long Island denies violating his bail agreement. His lawyer says Sabhnani had permission to attend business meetings in New York City, and that a curfew was not specified.
Sabhnanis and his wife could face up to 20 years in prison. Varsha Sabhnani will be sentenced on June 26, and her husband will be sentenced the next day.
Prosecutors say they forced two Indonesian housekeepers to work 18 or more hours a day in their Muttontown mansion for little food or money. One of the women testified she was scalded, stabbed and forced to eat dozens of chili peppers.
The Sabhnanis were convicted in December of all charges in a 12-count indictment that included forced labor, conspiracy, involuntary servitude and harboring aliens.
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