Update: 3/8/13
Annie George was found guilty of knowingly keeping her housekeeper, Valsamma Mathai, in the U.S. illegally.
George had originally denied knowing that Mathai, who is from India, did not have the necessary documents to live and work in the U.S.
George faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine when she is sentence on July 9.
Original story
Imagine living in a house like this but having to sleep in a closet.
That’s what a housekeeper working in this 30,000sq-foot mansion told New York state authorities.
The maid, who was identified in court documents as ‘V.M’, told authorities that Annie George brought her from India to take care of her six children in this multi-million dollar upstate NY mansion.
She claims that George, who was married to real-estate mogul Mathai George until his death in 2009, forced her to work 17 hours a day, without taking sick days or personal days from October 2005 until April 27, 2011, which is when she was removed from the home by the authorities.
The maid said while living in the home she was not allowed to sleep on a bed in any of the 10 bedrooms. She said her bed was a space in one of the children’s walk-in closets because George wanted her to be close to the children in case they woke in the middle of the night.
The illegal immigrant said when George, who is also Indian, asked her to come to the US to work for her she agreed to do so with the promise that she would get a weekly salary of $1,000 in exchange for taking care of the 34-room home, which sits on 12 acre in Rexford, Saratoga County. She said in the six years that she worked on the estate she was only paid $29,000.
It is alleged that during an investigation, George called one of ‘V.M’s’ sons in India three times suggesting that he “tells his mother to tell authorities that she was a relatives” who was staying with her.
Court documents say the maid’s son recorded one of the conversations with George saying “if she says anything about working, it would become a big crime. They’ll start adding up all the taxes and everything, for all the time.”
In the federal criminal complaint which was filed against 39-year-old George, it says that George tried to hide the woman in the basement of the home when federal Homeland Security agents went to the mansion.
George is facing charges of encouraging and inducing an illegal alien to reside in the U.S.
The mega-mansion is now on the market for $30 million
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8 users commented in " Illegal maid: Millionaire Annie George forced me to live in a closet for nearly six years "
Follow-up comment rss or Leave a Trackbackunfortunately you dont know the truth..
V.M’s real name i Valsamma Mathai (V.M.) got paid well and she built a new house in Mumbai, which paid by Annie George. V.M’ two sons live there.. and they have no income. how did they built that house with no other income? because the cash payments there is no evidence. V.M. worked 18 hours a day? without bath room breaks, eat food, take shower, changing cloths? The reality is she enjoyed live there without paying rent, water, electricity food etc.. as a family member. Annie George has a full time cook an American cook, Nicole, and other cleaning staffs there.. its too bad these type of scandals happening in usa because some people are wealthy..
shame on news media not reporting the truth..
However, according to Sophie, “Valsamma recently got mad at Annie’s youngest kid and slapped the child’s hand. Another servant in the house, an American lady, on hearing, this told Valsamma that she was not supposed to beat kids, and threatened to call police.
Valsamma got really scared and called her son in India. Later they complained against Annie to the Federal authorities. There is a law in the US which says that if an illegal immigrant is abused, the whole family would get the green card,” Sophia said in an exclusive phone-in interview with The Times of India.
“When I visited Annie two years back, there were three servants in the house – two Malayalis and an American lady. These Malayali ladies were so laidback that I even told Annie that they were so lucky and were like free birds. These servants were happy and had full freedom in Annie’s mansion. During my visit, I even saw Valsamma sleeping on the king-size bed. This was two years back, and I believe things haven’t changed drastically after that,” Sophia recounted.
“As the kids grew up and started going to school, Annie didn’t need the lady anymore. The kids preferred the food prepared by the American servant. Annie, however, kept Valsamma for one more year. ,” she said.
Sophia also revealed that Annie used to pay salary by cheque as well as cash. Only $25,000 was paid by cheque.
“Valsamma used to send the money home through Western Union Money Transfer, and the records of money transactions would prove that she was paid more than what she had been claiming that she got from Annie,”
charlie,why are you lieing for this slave holder? God will punish you too.Valsamma is a poor women,our pastor told all the true stories about valsamma,valsamma didn’t get paid,you and annie the bitch join together and making up all the stories.Let sajimol get ready to pay the penalty to federal goverment and the great valsamma.
warning: If you keep on lying agsainst valsamma,God will punish you and your children.Do you want that happen? so think and do the right thing,not trying to protect a criminal.ok dude?
where is annie the criminal now? in the jail or fucking herself? this bitch deserve more and more and everything is on the way ………. we can’t wait to see the next grand news.
V.m. Was brought by the stupid pastor… Last six years your dickhead pastor didn’t know these? Or after the death of mr. George balsam a and her two sons decided this is the time to steal money from Annie. Why Valsamma returned to India after she ran away from UN staff’s servant? Look at the thousands of minutes phone calls every month V.M. made to her two sons in Mumbai … Who lie here….?
There is another side to this story that the U.S. media doesn’t report. The maid’s claims are far from the truth. She approached Annie George’s family through a pastor for help and a place to stay after running away from the U.N. family who employed her. George’s family agreed to have her stay with them and pay her for their toddler’s care. There were other maids including an American lady Nicole. In her words, VM only had to care for George’s youngest child while others cooked and cleaned. Nicole says VM had a comfortable life and spent almost the whole day watching TV and on the phone with her family and hardly did any work. VM went out for daily walks and could’ve easily gotten help. Annie’s friend Sophia from India who visited Annie, observed that VM slept on a king bed. Why would they have VM sleep in a closet when they had so many rooms? Why wouldn’t they hire anyone legally and pay the same for childcare? The only crime here is that they hired an illegal worker and may have paid below min wage. But we all know that it’s a common practice. Moreover, Annie could’ve assumed she has a visa considering she worked for a U.N. family. To accuse Annie of slavery and subject her to name calling and harsh criticism is unfortunate, especially after helping VM with a place to stay and a way to earn. I learned of this through online Indian media.
http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-03-04/kochi/31121170_1_illegal-immigrant-servant-sophia
http://malayalam.deepikaglobal.com/nri/nridetails.asp?ncode=28602&categorycode=nri1
The salary calculation is actually funny because V.M. worked 17-hours per day for 67-month non-stop … amazing.
New York minimum wage $7.50 per hour
Daily wage equals $127.50 per day (7.50/hour x 17 hours = $127.50/day)
Monthly wage equals $3,825 per month ($127.50/day x 30 days = $3,825/month assuming 30-day period for a month).
Total salary is $256,275 for 67 months ($3,825/month x 67 months = $256,275.00) official government calculation from the DOHC? Ooops!!!
wow!!!! This must be a world record in New York state for someone worked for $7.50/hr minimum wage 17-hours a day continually for 67-months and earn over quarter of million dollars.
The 17 hours a day is probably the whole time the lady was awake that doesn’t mean she worked the whole time and doesn’t that include her meal, shower, tv, phone times? And where was rent expense for this lady? What about rest of the expenses like water, electricity, food, clothing, phone, tv etc?
In 1998 V.M. (Valsamma) entered in USA on G5 Non Immigrant Visa and worked as a servant at U.N. family in New York City until 2005 approximately 7-years and paid approximately $400/mo.
In 2005 V.M. left the U.N. family (and violated G5 Visa terms and stayed illegally in the USA) few months V.M. stayed with someone. (No investigation conducted why she left the UN family or what she was doing during this time stayed illegally in USA. There was no complaint was filed by the U.N. family regarding missing V.M.) It appears V.M. could make more money by working somewhere other than U.N. but she has no work permit to work anywhere else.
End of the year 2005, V.M. approached George’s family through a pastor for help and a place to stay after running away from the U.N. family who employed her. George’s family agreed to have her stay with them and support for their toddler’s care.
There were other workers at house including an American lady Nicole. In her words, VM only had to care for George’s youngest child while others cooked and cleaned. Nicole says VM had a comfortable life and spent almost the whole day watching TV and on the phone with her family and hardly did any work. V.M. received cash payments and sent money to India through Western Union. They were able to build a new house in Mumbai.
In June 2009, Mr. George died in an airplane crash along with the eldest child.
As the kids grew up and started going to school, Annie didn’t need the V.M. anymore. The kids preferred American food and the food prepared by the American servant. Annie, however, kept Valsamma for one more year. Relationship between Annie and V.M. been strained and increased distrust each other.
V.M. (Valsamma) recently got mad at Annie’s youngest kid and slapped the child’s hand. Another servant in the house, an American lady, on hearing, this told Valsamma that she was not supposed to beat kids, and threatened to call police. V.M. got really scared and called her son in India.
Later they complained against Annie to the Federal authorities. There is a law in the US which says that if an illegal immigrant is abused, the whole family would get the green card.
V.M. sons in Mumbai filed a complaint after consulting with their attorneys.
On April 27, 2011, Homeland Security Investigations (HIS) at Albany NY received a lead from The National Human Trafficking Resource Center (NHTRC) based out Washington DC, report that a person V.M. was being kept in a forced labor situation at the home of Annie George.
On May 3, 2011 HSI Albany agents went to Annie’s home. After 1 hour 45 minutes after arrival, agents remove V.M. with her belongings (five fully packed bags) from Annie’s home.
When the agents arrived at the home, V.M. had five bags were pre-packed and she was full dressed with make-ups seem like ready to go for a vacation. Everything was seem like pre-planned, and it was a double trap for Annie.
What Annie George did to deserve this???? because she helped V.M.?? after the death of her husband and taking caring her four kids and managing the business her husband owned by herself… Readers you decide yourself…
This is slavery??? If you call this slavery this will be an insult to the real slaves suffered under substandard living conditions without pay and no human rights as compared to a lady enjoyed watching TV making thousands of minuets phone call to her sons in India while living in a mansion.
News media spiced up the story with titles like ‘slavery’, ‘captivity’, ‘forced labor’ “Wealthy Indian Women – which is a crime” “Million Dollar Manson, gold glided ceilings, helicopter pad, swimming pool all big crimes” .
“Crucify Annie because V.M. betrayed her”.
God is watching everything. “In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Amen”.
The more educated and Godly people should not stoop down to the level of the uneducated and supposed evil V.M. Infact I blame Annie although being educated, rich and with full power abusing the poor lady, VM.
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