The billionaire Hinduja family is facing a human trafficking trial in Switzerland, accused of exploiting household staff at their Lake Geneva villa. Allegations include confiscating staff passports and paying them as little as $8 for 15-18 hours of work, Bloomberg reported. Four family members—Prakash Hinduja, his wife Kamal, their son Ajay, and his wife Namrata—are on trial.

The accusations detail that staff were not allowed to leave the house without permission and were paid in Indian currency, leaving them without Swiss money. Prosecutor Yves Bertossa highlighted that one staff member earned only 7 Swiss francs ($7.84) for a long day's work, less than what the family spent on their pet dog annually, which was 8,584 Swiss francs.

The prosecutors seek years-long sentences for the accused and demand that the Hinduja family cover 1 million Swiss francs in court costs and contribute 3.5 million francs to a compensation fund for the staff.

In defense, the Hindujas' lawyer, Romain Jordan, dismissed the allegations, claiming the family was not involved in the hiring or daily management of the staff. He accused the prosecutors of bias against the Hinduja family. Another family lawyer, Yael Hayat, argued that the salary should consider the staff’s board and lodging and dismissed the claim of 18-hour workdays as exaggerated.

The Hinduja family, among India's wealthiest with a net worth of $20 billion, controls the Hinduja Group, a multinational conglomerate interested in shipping, banking, media, and real estate in London. They maintain their innocence and express confidence in the judicial system, according to statements made to Forbes.

Incidentally, the Hinduja family was linked to India's biggest political defense scam that rocked the nation in the Nineties. 

The billionaire Hinduja family is facing a human trafficking trial in Switzerland, accused of exploiting household staff at their Lake Geneva villa. Allegations include confiscating staff passports and paying them as little as $8 for 15-18 hours of work, Bloomberg reported. Four family members—Prakash Hinduja, his wife Kamal, their son Ajay, and his wife Namrata—are on trial.

The accusations detail that staff were not allowed to leave the house without permission and were paid in Indian currency, leaving them without Swiss money. Prosecutor Yves Bertossa highlighted that one staff member earned only 7 Swiss francs ($7.84) for a long day's work, less than what the family spent on their pet dog annually, which was 8,584 Swiss francs.

The prosecutors seek years-long sentences for the accused and demand that the Hinduja family cover 1 million Swiss francs in court costs and contribute 3.5 million francs to a compensation fund for the staff.

In defense, the Hindujas' lawyer, Romain Jordan, dismissed the allegations, claiming the family was not involved in the hiring or daily management of the staff. He accused the prosecutors of bias against the Hinduja family. Another family lawyer, Yael Hayat, argued that the salary should consider the staff’s board and lodging and dismissed the claim of 18-hour workdays as exaggerated.

The Hinduja family, among India's wealthiest with a net worth of $20 billion, controls the Hinduja Group, a multinational conglomerate interested in shipping, banking, media, and real estate in London. They maintain their innocence and express confidence in the judicial system, according to statements made to Forbes.

Incidentally, the Hinduja family was linked to India's biggest political defense scam that rocked the nation in the Nineties.