A Nigerian woman identified as Bolaji Bolarinwa has been sentenced to 45 months in prison for forced labour and other crimes related to her coercive scheme to compel two victims to perform domestic labour and childcare in her home in the United States (US).
According to a statement by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of New Jersey, Attorney Alina Habba and Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division passed the judgment on Bolarinwa.
“A Burlington County woman, Bolaji Bolarinwa, 51, of Moorestown, was previously found guilty of two counts of forced labour, one count of alien harbouring for financial gain, and two counts of document servitude following a two-week trial before U.S. District Judge Karen M. Williams in Camden federal court. Judge Williams imposed the sentence in Camden federal court,” the statement read.
“This sentence vindicates the rights of two vulnerable women whom the defendant subjected to gruelling hours and coercive abuse in her home. Forced labour and human trafficking are atrocious crimes that have no place in our society. My office and the entire Department of Justice are committed to standing up for vulnerable human trafficking victims and holding their traffickers accountable.”
Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division said the defendant exploited her relationship with the victims to lure them to the United States with false promises.
Dhillon added that the defendant confiscated the victims’ immigration documents and subjected them to threats, physical force, and mental abuse to coerce them to work long hours for minimal pay.
Dhillon said this prosecution should send a strong message that such forced labour will not be tolerated in U.S. communities.
He stated that the Justice Department is committed to fully enforcing our federal human trafficking statutes to vindicate the rights of survivors and hold human traffickers accountable for such shameful exploitation of vulnerable victims.
“Human nature is generally good. There are situations, though, that prove some people display more cruel and inhumane behaviour,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly of the FBI Newark Field Office.
“Bolarinwa lured women with false promises, held them captive, and forced them to clean her home and care for her children. Then took it a sickening step further by physically abusing them. Luckily, one of the victims had the courage to tell someone. We ask anyone who notices an odd situation—something that doesn’t look or feel right—to please call us so we can help victims that may be hiding in plain sight.”
