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Forced LaborArchive 2008–2016

Forced Labor in Hawaii (2010)

A forced labor case from 2010 in Hawaii, United States. 1 source on file.

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

What happened

News story below: http://www.khon2.com/mostpopular/story/Owners-of-Aloun-Farm-Indicted-on-Human/F0B-S_6AlU6b95Op_qDHBg.cspx * o Developing Stories o Earthquake in Haiti o First Video o Hawaii News o Wake Up 2day o National News o World Report o Business News o Government News o Education News o Health News o Entertainment News o Action Line o Product Recalls o News Tips o Slideshows o Most Popular o Odd News Side Navigation * News o 2010 Winter Olympics NEW! o Developing Stories o Earthquake in Haiti o Hawaii News o Wake Up 2day o World Report * KHON2 Alerts o Mobile Local News o SMS Alerts o Weather Alerts o Email Alerts * Marketplace o Contests o Find a Job o Lifestyle Guides o Travel Deals * Features o Akamai Living o Be Green 2 o Elderhood Project o In Sickness & In Health o Lokahi Project * Only on KHON2 o Action Line o Dollars and Sense o Hawaii's Most Wanted o Hawaii's Kitchen o Love Your Pet o Navy News o Ron's Resolution NEW! o Supergeeks * Community o Community Calendar o KHON2 on Facebook o KHON2 on Twitter o Site Comments o User Content * Games o Jeopardy! o Mahjong o Fruity Flip Flop o Thunder Alley o Connect Four * Programming o FOX on Demand o CW o Wheel Of Fortune o Oprah o Dr. Phil o Regis and Kelly * Inside KHON2 o News Tips o Talent Profiles o Employment o Order a News Story o Advertise on KHON2 o Contact KHON2 o KHON2 on KSSK o FCC Compliance Owners of Aloun Farm Indicted on Human Trafficking Charges Last Update: 8/28/2009 12:19 pm Print Story | ShareThis Set Text Size Small Set Text Size Medium Set Text Size Large Set Text Size X-Large The Justice Department announced the indictment of three men charged in human trafficking conspiracy for exploiting Thai farm workers in Hawaii. Alec Souphone Sou and Mike Mankone Sou, owners of Aloun Farm in Hawaii, and Thai labor recruiter William Khoo were charged yesterday for engaging in a conspiracy to commit forced labor and visa fraud. The charges arise from the defendants' alleged scheme to coerce the labor and services of Thai nationals brought by the defendants to Hawaii to work under the federal agricultural guest worker program. Both Sou defendants are also charged with conspiring to commit document servitude. If convicted, Alec and Mike Sou each face maximum sentences of 15 years in prison and Khoo faces a maximum of 10 years in prison. According to the indictment, Alec Sou, Mike Sou and William Khoo conspired and devised a scheme to obtain the labor of 44 Thai nationals by enticing them to come to Aloun Farm in Hawaii with false promises of lucrative jobs, and then maintaining their labor at the farm through threats of serious economic harm. They arranged for the Thai workers to pay high recruitment fees, which were financed by debts secured with the workers' family property and homes. The indictment claims significant portions of these fees went to the defendants. After arrival at Aloun Farm, the Sou defendants confiscated the Thai nationals' passports and failed to honor the employment conracts. The Sou defendants maintained the Thai nationals' labor by threatening to send them back to Thailand, where they would face serious economic harms created by the debts. The indictment charges that the defendants engaged in a visa fraud conspiracy by making false representations in documents filed to obtain employment-based visas. The case of being investigated by the FBI and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Response and intervention

FBI and U.S. Department of Homeland Security Immigration and Customs Enforcement performed the investigation that resulted in United States v. Sou. Both defendants plead guilty and are awaiting sentencing.

Sources

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