WOMAN PLEADS GUILTY TO HOLDING A DOMESTIC WORKER
IN INVOLUNTARY SERVITUDE

WASHINGTON, D.C.- The Justice Department announced today that an Indonesian national pleaded guilty in United States District Court in Los Angeles to holding a young Indonesian woman in involuntary servitude.

In 1997, the defendant, Mariska Trisanti, arranged for the victim to travel from Indonesia to Los Angeles on a tourist visa, with the expectation that the victim would work for her for two years as a nanny and housekeeper. When the victim arrived in the United States however, Trisanti confiscated her passport to prevent her from running away and put her to work for 17 hours or more per day, seven days a week. The victim received virtually no compensation for her labor. Although Trisanti initially made some payments to the victim's relatives, even those payments stopped entirely after the first year of service.

“Holding another human being in involuntary servitude is morally reprehensible,” said Assistant Attorney General Acosta. “The Justice Department is committed to aggressively investigating and prosecuting those who would perpetrate this ancient evil.”

Trisanti compelled the victim’s labor through constant threats and physical abuse. Trisanti threatened that if the victim attempted to escape, she would be arrested and put in jail.

In the spring of 2000, Trisanti took a trip to Indonesia and left the victim and another young Indonesian domestic servant in the custody of Trisanti's husband. During this time, the victim and the other young woman fled the household.

Sentencing is scheduled to occur on July 12, 2004. Trisanti faces a maximum sentence of 20 years imprisonment and a fine of $250,000. Trisanti could also be ordered to make restitution to the victim.

This Administration has made fighting human trafficking a significant priority. Since January 2001, the Division has charged 113 human traffickers - nearly a three-fold increase over the previous three years, and incarcerated 77 defendants - an increase of more than 50 percent over the previous three years. Over that same period, the Division has opened 210 new investigations into trafficking allegations, more than double the number opened in the previous three years. As of January 28, 2004, the Division had open 146 trafficking investigations, more than twice the number open in January 2001.

This case was investigated by agents of the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the FBI and the Department of Labor. The case was prosecuted by attorneys from the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice and the United States Attorneys Office in Los Angeles.

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