A Swiss court has handed jail sentences to four members of Britain’s richest family for exploiting Indian staff at their Geneva mansion.

The Hindujas, who were not present in court, were acquitted of human trafficking but convicted of other charges on Friday in a stunning verdict for the family, whose fortune is estimated at £37bn.

Prakash Hinduja and his wife, Kamal, were each sentenced to four years and six months in prison, and their son Ajay and his wife, Namrata, received four-year terms.

  • ryven@lemmy.dbzer0.com
    ·
    5 months ago

    I will never understand the giga-rich. They could afford to hire round-the-clock help at rates that both buy expertise and inspire loyalty. Your house staff know where the bodies are buried, maybe literally—there's no world where it makes sense to pay them less than six figures. Remember, $100,000 is 0.01% of $1,000,000,000, or about 0.003% of their estimated net worth of $37B. They could hire an extra maid at $100,000/year and not even notice the expense.

    But they can afford even more than that. Splurge a little. Hire a specialist in early childhood education to tutor your kids. Get a chef who graduated from a renowned culinary school. They could afford to spend millions on salary. Why skimp? What do they think they are saving up for?

    • Rimu@piefed.social
      hexagon
      ·
      5 months ago

      Maybe they like to exercise power over others. Sociopaths like to hurt people.

      • 420blazeit69 [he/him]
        ·
        5 months ago

        I think you have a little of that, and a little of this showing that the giga-rich didn't get that way because they are these perfect human multi-specialty geniuses like they all claim.

        Sure, maybe they're pretty bright in one or two areas. Many successful people are. But they also do real stupid, shortsighted shit like this all the time. They got as rich as they did not on merit, but on family wealth, luck, and exploiting the labor of others.

    • ᴇᴍᴘᴇʀᴏʀ 帝@feddit.uk
      ·
      5 months ago

      Get a chef who graduated from a renowned culinary school.

      That's what a friend of mine does - he is rarely home because the rich family that employs him want him on hand 24/7 and they pay accordingly. They get top notch food whenever they want it and are pretty safe from getting their food spat in. The Hindujas have probably ingested a lot of phlegm over the years. Should be good practice if they ever actually end up in prison.

      • Baggins@piefed.social
        ·
        5 months ago

        Exactly. All those 'extra milky' cappucinos.

        Scum people deserve scum service.*

        • Note that I said service, not staff. If someone is willing to clean your shitty toilet, you need to pay them decently.
  • wewbull@feddit.uk
    ·
    5 months ago

    I object to the British label.

    Prakash Hinduja is Indian born Swiss. His brother S.P Hinduja was Indian born British and the billionaire head on the Hinduja company until his death last year. The company itself is Indian, so the British connection died last year and was somebody not involved in the case. This was a Swiss trial of a swiss family.

    Plus... Let's face it. People with this level of money choose their nationality based on financial or business reasons. Wherever gives them the best tax break.