Dr. Harsha Sahni, a New Jersey physician, has been sentenced to prison and permanently stripped of her medical license after being convicted of exploiting two illegal immigrants as domestic servants. The court found that Sahni forced the women to work in her home for extremely low wages while threatening them with deportation.
In February 2024, Sahni pleaded guilty to federal charges of conspiracy to harbor illegal aliens and filing a false tax return. She admitted to paying the two women between $3,000 and $7,200 a year, well below legal wage standards. Sahni also confessed to manipulating the women into believing they would be arrested if they reported their situation.
Authorities reported that Sahni directed the women to mislead immigration officials by claiming they were relatives visiting the United States for tourism. Sahni further violated federal law by failing to disclose their employment on her personal tax returns, avoiding taxes on their labor.
One of the victims reportedly worked from 7:00 a.m. until 10:00 p.m. daily, receiving as little as $240 to $600 a month. Most of this money was sent back to her family in India. This exploitation highlighted the severe mistreatment and financial abuse carried out by Sahni for personal gain.
In October 2024, a federal judge sentenced Sahni to 27 months in prison. New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin condemned Sahni’s actions, stating, “The revocation announced today brings closure to a disturbing case in which a physician sworn to uphold the highest standards of care and compassion exploited and abused vulnerable victims for her own financial gain.”
Cari Fais, Director of the Division of Consumer Affairs, echoed the sentiment, saying, “Sahni’s treatment of the women she illegally harbored as cheap labor for her and her family violated the most basic rules of the medical profession and caused her victims unimaginable suffering.”
Dr. Sahni will soon begin serving her prison sentence, marking a decisive legal response to the exploitation of vulnerable individuals.
