Indian American doctor harbors undocumented workers from India
New Jersey doctor to pay $650,000 to the victims and $200,000 for one victim’s the treatment
An Indian American doctor in New Jersey has pleaded guilty to harboring two undocumented women from India and failing to pay taxes on their wages, according to a Justice department press release.
Harsha Sahni, 66, of Tinton Falls, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before US District Judge Georgette Castner in Trenton federal court on Feb 16 to an information charging her with one count of conspiracy to conceal and harbor aliens and one count of filing a false tax return.
Read: Indian American doctor pays $1,850,000 for healthcare fraud (January 10, 2023)
According to court documents from 2013 through August 2021, Sahni conspired with others to conceal and harbor two foreign nationals from India, who Sahni recruited to work for Sahni and her family in their homes in New Jersey.
Sahni harbored the victims for her and her conspirators’ financial gain and paid the victims’ families in India in exchange for their labor.
Read: Indian American doctor gets 96 months jail for healthcare fraud (March 5, 2022)
Sahni caused the victims to believe that they would be arrested and deported if they interacted with law enforcement. Sahni instructed the victims to tell other people that they were related to Sahni, and Sahni used fake names and addresses in furtherance of the conspiracy.
From 2013 to 2019, Sahni also failed to pay certain taxes notwithstanding that the victims were Sahni’s household employees.
As a part of the plea agreement, Sahni has agreed to pay the victims a combined $642,212 and has agreed to pay up to $200,000 towards the treatment of one of the victim’s brain aneurysm. Sahni has also agreed to pay restitution to the IRS, the release said.
Read: Indian American Doctor in N.J. Admits Harboring Undocumented Domestic Workers From India (February 20, 2023)
The count of conspiracy to conceal and harbor aliens carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine of $250,000, or twice the gross profits or other proceeds to Sahni, whichever is greatest.
The count of conspiracy to conceal and harbor aliens carries a maximum penalty of three years in prison and a fine of up to $100,000. Sentencing is scheduled for June 20.
