Indian American Doctor Faces Prison And License Revocation For Exploiting Illegal Workers

Dr. Harsha Sahni, a New Jersey physician, has been sentenced to 27 months in federal prison and permanently stripped of her medical license after exploiting two illegal immigrants as domestic servants. Sahni was found guilty of harboring the women and forcing them to work long hours for extremely low wages.

In February 2024, Sahni pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy to harbor illegal aliens and filing a false tax return. Authorities revealed that she paid the women between $3,000 and $7,200 per year, significantly below legal labor standards. Sahni threatened the women with arrest and deportation if they contacted authorities.

Sahni also instructed the women to mislead immigration officials by claiming they were family members visiting the United States for tourism. Additionally, Sahni failed to report their employment on her tax returns, allowing her to avoid paying taxes on their labor.

Reports indicate that one of the women worked from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. daily, earning only $240 to $600 per month. Most of this money was sent back to her family in India, underscoring the severe financial and emotional abuse she suffered.

New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin condemned Sahni’s actions, stating, “The revocation announced today brings closure to a disturbing case in which a physician sworn to uphold the highest standards of care and compassion exploited and abused vulnerable victims for her own financial gain.”

Cari Fais, Director of the Division of Consumer Affairs, also criticized Sahni’s behavior. “Sahni’s treatment of the women she illegally harbored as cheap labor for her and her family violated the most basic rules of the medical profession and caused her victims unimaginable suffering,” Fais said.

Dr. Sahni will begin serving her prison sentence soon, marking the end of her medical career and holding her accountable for taking advantage of vulnerable individuals for personal gain.

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