East Orange, New Jersey (and Newark), United States
Lassissi Afolabi, 45, Akouavi Kpade 40, and Dereck Hounakey, 31, are Tongolese Nationals who are being charged with trafficking approximately girls and women from Togo to work in their hair salon in New Jersey. The girls posed as relatives of visa lottery winners in Togo. The traffickers made their victims work six to seven day a week, up to 14 hours a day, braiding hair. The girls were beaten repeatedly and if they complained, the traffickers threatened to send them back to Togo. The traffickers lured the young women with the promise of well paying jobs in America.
Location
United States · East Orange, New Jersey (and Newark) · 2007 (location generalized to protect survivors)
Response & intervention
The three traffickers are currently in jail and are being denied bail for fear that they will flee the country.
Upon discovery of the young women, they were taken into protective custody and given emergency housing and counseling.
Today, over a year and half after this case began, there is no trial date set for the United States v. Afolabii case.. The latest motion on this case was in August of 2008. The three leaders of the hair salon are being charged with harboring illegal aliens, and smuggling illegal aliens for financial gain.
US Immigration and Customs Enforcement
Documented on the original SlaveryMap (2008–2016). We don't have a verifiable source on file yet — use “Report a problem” below to add one.