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Domestic ServitudeArchive 2008–2016

Domestic Servitude in Algona, Washington (2008)

A domestic servitude case from 2008 in Algona, Washington, United States.

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Documented on the original SlaveryMap (2008–2016). We don’t have a verifiable source on file yet. Know one?

What happened

Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents arrested 5 South King County residents on federal charges for conspiring to enslave a 16 year-old Afghan immigrant girl. Those arrested were: Mohammed Atahee, 37 Nasima Yousufi, 70 Mohammad Yousufi, 84 Nahid Yousufi, 29 Maruf Yousufi, 42 The teen was forced to cook, clean, and do laundry for Atahee and the Yousufis, a federal grand jury indictment says. During the same period, the Yousufis required her to perform all the household chores and care for their children at 28004 33rd Ave. S., Auburn. Nahid Yousufi threatened the girl, called "JVI" in court documents, with arrest and deportation if she failed to live with Atahee or work for the Yousufis. On January 26, 2008, Atahee raped the girl, court documents say. Prosecutors accuse Nasima Yousifi and Nahid Yousifi of causing a marriage to take place between the girl - then 13 in Afghanistan and Atahee, then 33, in the summer of 2005. Because the marriage was not recognized by U.S. authorities, Nasima Yousufi allegedly told U.S. Embassy officials in Pakistan that the girl was the biological daughter of Nasima - then 66 years old - in order to obtain a visa for her. If found guilty, the defendants face up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

Response and intervention

Both in 2006 and 2008 police were involved as described above. I.C.E. agents made the arrest of the 5 residents on October 15, 2008. The girl, "JVI",reported to Federal Way police that Atahee had assaulted her on August 6, 2006. The next day, Nahid Yousufi threatened her with deportation and harm to JVI's family to coerce her to recant the statement to the police about the assault. Thus the charges were dropped. On January 26, 2008, Atahee raped the girl, She reported the rape to Federal Way police. Nahid lied to CPS, saying that the girl was 24 years old, in an atempt to cause the girl to be returned to Atahee, the indictment says. Since themn the girl has been living in a safe location said Asst. U.S. Attorney Ye-Ting Woo. She is living at a safe house. No other services were detailed in the article. Information is from an October 16, 2008 newspaper article of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. The article is titled "5 accused of enslaving girl: Afghan immigrant wed at age 13".

Nearby cases

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Domestic Servitude2009

Pacific, Washington, United States, 2009

United States US

The case information is provided through Lornet Turnbull's Seattle Times article "Pair Accused of Smuggling, Enslaving Illegal Immigrants," which was published on 11/27/09. The traffickers are Pacific couple Maria Bartola Santos-Gonzalez, 63, and Juan Gonzalez-Guerra, 55. Their son also has probable links to their operation. Between October 2006 and August 2007, the couple smuggled illegal immigrants to Pacific from Aguascalientes, Mexico for $3000-$3500 each. There are eight identified victims, including an eight-year-old girl who alleges that Gonzalez-Guerra sexually molested her, and her seven-year-old brother, who alleges that Santos-Gonzalez physically abused him. Some worked as domestic servants while others, through phony work permits, worked in jobs in construction and agriculture. Most were forced to live in a 20x25foot detached two-car garage. They were limited to two meals per day, and the refrigerator was locked in the interim. They were coerced to remain in their trafficking situation by threats: "The couple threatened to 'cut out their tongues' if they told anyone about what happened." They also "told the immigrants the police wouldn't listen to them anyway because they were undocumented."

Needs a sourceArchive 2008–2016
Domestic Servitude2008

Federal Way, Washington, United States, 2008

United States US

In the summer of 2005, Mohammad Atahee (then age 33) married a 13 year-old girl in Afghanistan and then brought her back to the US and coerced her into being a slave at homes in Federal Way and Auburn. Atahee is also accused in court documents of beating and sexually assaulting the girl at his Federal Way home. Atahee (now 37) and the Yousuf family (Nasima Yousuf, 70; Mohammad Yousuf, 84; Nahid Yousufi, 29; and Maruf Yousufi, 42) forced the teen to cook, clean and do laundry. For about 18 months beginning in August 2006, Atahee required the girl to "perform all the household chores in his home and restricted activities outside of the home" at 2511 S. 286th Place, Federal Way, WA. During the same period the Yousufis required her to perform all the household chores and care for their children at 28004 33rd Ave. S., Auburn, WA.

1 sourceArchive 2008–2016
Domestic Servitude2008

Lakeland North, Washington, United States, 2008

United States US

In the summer of 2005, Mohammad Atahee (then age 33) married a 13 year-old girl in Afghanistan and then brought her back to the US and coerced her into being a slave at homes in Federal Way and Auburn. Atahee is also accused in court documents of beating and sexually assaulting the girl at his Federal Way home. Atahee (now 37) and the Yousuf family (Nasima Yousuf, 70; Mohammad Yousuf, 84; Nahid Yousufi, 29; and Maruf Yousufi, 42) forced the teen to cook, clean and do laundry. For about 18 months beginning in August 2006, Atahee required the girl to "perform all the household chores in his home and restricted activities outside of the home" at 2511 S. 286th Place, Federal Way, WA. During the same period the Yousufis required her to perform all the household chores and care for their children at 28004 33rd Ave. S., Auburn, WA.

1 sourceArchive 2008–2016