Hassan Al-Homoud, Forced Labor, Texas 2015

Forced Labor Charges Rock San Antonio Community

In a shocking turn of events, a federal grand jury in San Antonio, Texas, has indicted Hassan Al-Homoud, a military official from Qatar, and his wife, Zainab Al-Hosani, a citizen of the United Arab Emirates, for allegedly engaging in forced labor. The indictment charges the couple with two counts of engaging in forced labor by obtaining the labor and services of two persons by means of force, threats of force, physical restraint, and threats of physical restraint.

The indictment alleges that Al-Homoud and his wife brought two females, a housemaid from Indonesia and a servant from Bangladesh, to the U.S. in 2014. The workers were sponsored by Al-Homoud on visas and were allegedly housed in primitive conditions, with restricted freedom to move or travel. The couple withheld payment of wages and deprived the workers of possession of cell phones, passports, and visas. Al-Hosani even threatened the workers with arrest and incarceration in Qatar if they failed to perform their work obligations.

The workers' dire situation came to light in early April when a San Antonio Police Department officer encountered one of the workers in distress along Camp Bullis Rd. A subsequent investigation led to the discovery of the workers' living conditions, which were described as deplorable. The workers were found living in a nearby apartment with only a pallet on the floor for sleeping.

On Saturday, May 30, 2015, special agents from the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), arrested the defendants in San Antonio. Both Al-Homoud and Al-Hosani are currently being held on $100,000 bonds pending trial.

Each charge carries a maximum penalty of up to 20 years in federal prison and/or a maximum fine of $250,000 upon conviction. Assistant United States Attorney Bettina Richardson is prosecuting this case on behalf of the Government.

It's essential to note that an indictment is merely a charge and should not be considered evidence of guilt. The defendants are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdtx/pr/qatar-military-official-and-wife-indicted-federal-grand-jury-allegedly-engaging-forced