The Hinduja family, one of the UK’s wealthiest families, has been sentenced to prison in Switzerland with terms ranging from four to four-and-a-half years. The verdict was handed down by a Swiss court after an accusation by workers who were brought over from India. The workers alleged that the family paid them as little as £7 ($8) to work for 18-hour days, less than a tenth of the compensation required by Swiss law. They also claimed that the family rarely allowed them to leave their Geneva mansion located in the affluent neighbourhood of Cologny.
The four individuals that were found guilty of exploitation and illegal employment by the Geneva prosecutor, Prakash and Kamal Hinduja, along with their son Ajay and his wife Namrata, were all convicted. They were acquitted on the more severe charge of human trafficking, which was also brought up during their trial. The family has an estimated fortune of £37bn.
Geneva, which is known for being a hub of international organizations, as well as for being home to many wealthy individuals, was involved in the scandal. Last year, four workers from the Philippines sued a Geneva-based diplomatic mission to the United Nations, stating that they had not been paid for years.
The Hinduja family also owns the Raffles hotel in London and Hinduja Group, a multinational corporation with interests in banking, gas, and oil. The couple, Prakash and Kamal, both of whom are over 70 years old, have failed to appear in court proceedings, citing ill-health as the reason. The defense counsel for Ajay and Namrata says that they will dispute the judgement. The Geneva prosecutor has requested the immediate detention of the couple
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