Crime
New Jersey doctor sentenced for allegedly ‘hiring contract staff’
Harsha Sahni, a New Jersey doctor, will spend greater than two years in prison for harboring illegal immigrants and tax fraud. According to the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, Sahni was convicted of employing Indian nationals from 2013 to 2021 to work in her home without paying taxes on their wages.
In addition to his two-year prison sentence, Sahni can have to pay victims $642,212 in restitution and as much as $200,000 in medical bills.
Sahni is accused of paying victims lower than the minimum wage in favor of paying their families in India $600 or less for their services. The victims allegedly worked 15 hours a day caring for Sahni’s home. One of the victims suffered from a brain aneurysm he refused full treatment by Sahni.
The 68-year-old doctor became involved in a conspiracy to make sure that victims didn’t report working conditions that resembled slavery.
The victims were victims of unethical treatment and labor exploitation.
According to the U.S. District Attorney’s Office, Sahni threatened employees with arrest and deportation in the event that they mentioned the employment contract. Both employees were instructed to state that they were members of the family of the doctor if questioned.
“Sahni led the victims to believe that they would be arrested and deported if they contacted law enforcement. Sahni instructed the victims to tell others that they were related to Sahni, and Sahni used false names and addresses to further the conspiracy. Between 2013 and 2019, Sahni also failed to pay some taxes, even though the victims were Sahni’s household workers.”
Sahni was arrested in February 2023 following an investigation by the Department of Homeland Security’s Newark Field Office.
Due to the allegations, as of August 31, 2023, the doctor’s medical license was suspended.
According to NBC, “last Wednesday she agreed to have her license temporarily suspended pending the outcome of an administrative proceeding seeking to permanently revoke her license because of her convictions.”