Nebraska Family Accused of Running Shocking Child and Forced Labour Scheme in Hotels

WASHINGTON– US federal prosecutors have accused five members of a Nebraska family of running what the Department of Justice (DOJ) describes as a large-scale human trafficking and forced labour scheme. The alleged operation exploited undocumented workers. It includes at least ten children under the age of 12, in hotels that they manage.

According to the DOJ, the accused forced children and adults to work long hours under threats and intimidation, revealing deep problems in low-wage industries across the United States.

US Attorney Susan Lehr for the District of Nebraska said, “This case is about a family business built on human exploitation. The defendants allegedly profited by compelling vulnerable victims, including children, to work for little or no pay under threat and coercion.”

The five accused — Kentakumar Chaudhari, Rashmi Ajit Samani, Amit Prahladbhai Chaudhari, Amit Babubhai Chaudhari, and Maheshkumar Chaudhari — allegedly controlled multiple hotel properties. Prosecutors say undocumented workers were made to live and work in “unclean, unsafe conditions, sometimes in the very hotels where they were forced to work.”

27 victims rescued:

Investigators say the victims worked “long hours, seven days a week, in exchange for little or no pay” and were “threatened with arrest, deportation, and harm to their families if they refused to work.”

On August 12, federal, state, and local law enforcement carried out search warrants at the Nebraska hotels, including AmericInn, Omaha, The Inn (formerly Super 8), Omaha, The New Victorian Inn, Omaha, and Roadway Inn, Bellevue.

The DOJ claims these locations were part of a criminal conspiracy to commit forced labour and that the defendants “conspired to harbour undocumented non-citizens for commercial advantage and private financial gain.” In total, 27 victims were rescued.

No child labour:

Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division strongly condemned the crimes, “No child should ever be forced into labour. We will use every tool available to bring to justice those who exploit the most vulnerable members of our society.” The arrests in Nebraska are part of a broader push by US authorities to dismantle human trafficking networks operating within the country.

Global problem:

Human trafficking is not limited to one country. Experts in Washington say the Nebraska case highlights the global nature of forced labour crimes. In many cases, trafficking networks target workers from vulnerable communities abroad, including from India.

The US 2024 Trafficking in Persons (TIP) report placed India on Tier 2, stating that the government “does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking” but is “making significant efforts to do so.” The report pointed to ongoing issues such as forced labour, sex trafficking in religious and tourist destinations, and exploitation of children in child sex tourism.

Authorities in India have increasingly been cooperating with US officials to track and disrupt networks that exploit Indian nationals overseas, especially in low-wage labour sectors like hospitality, agriculture, and construction.

Serious consequences for the accused:

The five Nebraska defendants now face serious federal charges. If convicted, they could spend decades in prison. The investigation remains active, and prosecutors suggest more charges or arrests could follow.

The DOJ says the case sends a clear message that trafficking and exploitation will be met with aggressive legal action, and no business, no matter how local or family-run, is above the law