Updated: 10/06/2011 11:08:57 AM EDT
| Tweet |
PHILADELPHIA—A Ukrainian man charged with running an abusive human trafficking operation along with his brother denies smuggling desperate villagers into the country and enslaving them through physical abuse. KYW-AM reports Omelyan Botsvynyuk denied any wrongdoing when he took the stand Wednesday in federal court in Philadelphia.
Prosecutors say Botsvynyuk and his four brothers ran an operation that promised Ukrainian villagers $500 per week to work in the United States but instead used abuse and threats to their families to control them.
The KYW report ( http://cbsloc.al/oppctQ) says Botsvynyuk denied wrongdoing through an interpreter.
Omelyan Botsvynyuk's brother Stepan is also on trial. Two other brothers are fighting extradition from Canada and one has died.
Defense attorneys have suggested witnesses are cooperating with prosecutors in hopes of getting visas.
———
Information from: KYW-AM, http://www.kyw1060.com
No comments:
Post a Comment