Bonded LaborArchive 2008–2016

Bonded Labor in Casper, Wyoming (2009)

A bonded labor case from 2009 in Casper, Wyoming, United States.

This page describes exploitation and abuse. Need to report something? How to report →

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

What happened

Abrorkhodja Askarkhodjaev, 30, Nodir Yunusov, 22, Rustamjon Shukurov, 21, citizens of Uzbekistan living in Mission; Ilkham Fazilov, 44, Nodirbek Abdoollayev, 27, citizens of Uzbekistan living in Kansas City; Viorel Simon, 27, Alexandru Frumasache , 23, citizens of Moldova living in Kansas City, Kan.; Kristin Dougherty, 49, of Ellisville, Mo.; Andrew Cole, 53, of St. Charles, Mo.; Abdukakhar Azizkhodjaev, 49, a citizen of Uzbekistan living in Panama City, Fla.; and Sandjar Agzamov, 27, and Jakhongir Kakhkharov, 29, citizens of Uzbekistan who recently left the United States.

Response and intervention

Federal indictments have been brought against the 12 traffickers listed. The indictment indicates trafficking in 14 different states including Wyoming, however specifics for Wyoming are still considered part of the Grand Jury investigation. 18 slaves have been taken into protective custody following the indictment of the the traffickers. They are currently in protective custody.

Nearby cases

All 892 in the United States →

Forced Labor2010

Hudson, Colorado, United States, 2010

United States US

Moises and Maria Rodriguez, were agricultural contractors who brought illegal immigrants to America and forced them to live as virtual prisoners as they worked off their debts. In this case there were 5 men who were contracted out to a local organic farm. The men were held in debt bondage - Rodriguez contended that each man owed him money for smuggling them into the U.S. - he put the price somewhere between $1,100 and $1,300. He charged them $100 a month for rent, $96 a month for a transportation fee, and money for bathroom cleaning - even though most of the toilets didn't work and the one that did was filthy. He charged them Social Security taxes but didn't turn that money over to the federal government. In addition they lived in fear of retribution should they flee and their housing was awful.

1 sourceArchive 2008–2016

Forced Labor2004

Hudson, Colorado, United States, 2004

United States US

A federal judge in Denver recently awarded the men $7.8 million in what immigration experts described as the largest judgment of its kind in the country. That ruling came after the contractors offered no defense to charges that they deducted smuggling fees, rent and cleaning charges from the workers' paychecks and used the threat of violence to make sure the men complied. A GRAND-JURY INDICTMENT In the fall of 2004, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents began surveillance on the camp. They documented dozens of men living there in cramped, filthy conditions. But they also saw the men coming and going in their own cars, and talking on telephones. A grand jury indicted Moises and Maria Rodriguez and their son, Javier Rodriguez, on charges of harboring and transporting illegal immigrants. Federal authorities seized the property and more than $128,000 in cash. When they searched the two mobile homes near the barracks, they found two pistols and ammunition. In 2006, Moises and Maria Rodriguez each served nearly a year in jail and were then deported to Mexico. Javier Rodriguez - an American citizen - also pleaded guilty in the case and was sentenced to home detention. Family members who answered the door at his apartment in Brighton last week said he did not want to be interviewed for this story. While the workers told investigators they were being mistreated and were being held against their will - at least psychologically - federal prosecutors did not pursue charges of involuntary servitude against the Rodriguezes. The reason was simple: The surveillance tapes showed the workers coming and going, and it would have been difficult to convince a jury that they couldn't have escaped. "We have a higher burden of proof in the criminal matter than in the civil matter, and we would have to prove that beyond a reasonable doubt," said Jeffrey Dorschner, spokesman for the U.S. Attorney's Office in Denver.

Needs a sourceArchive 2008–2016

Bonded Labor2010

Boulder, Colorado, United States, 2010

United States US

Opas Sinprasong, was a citizen of Thailand and has been in the United States on a "non-immigrant principal investor" status since at least 1994. He was the owner of several Asian restaurants in Boulder, Louisville and Broomfield. He held Thai immigrants as slaves and forced them to work 32+ hours of overtime for no compensation. He held the immigrants through the use of bonded labor, by requiring them to pay-off exorbitant fees for bringing them into the country.

Needs a sourceArchive 2008–2016