Stockholm mum charged over Polish 'slaves'
A 46-year-old mother of four has been charged with trafficking and other offences after keeping her Polish nannies and cleaner under "slave-like" conditions in her Solna home.
"Ruthless trafficking and slavery. The charge sheet also includes forced labour," prosecutor Marie Lind Thomsen told the Metro newspaper.
The Polish women, reported to be in their early twenties, were forced to work as cleaners and nannies for up to 19 hours per day, seven days a week in return for slave wages.
The young women were housed in a cramped closet in a lavishly furnished three bedroom apartment in the Stockholm suburb of Solna.
The newspaper reports that the young women were subjected to threats of violence and were forced to steal clothing and home decor on behalf of their employer who had originally promised them a monthly wage of 10,000 kronor ($1,400).
According to the charge sheet, one of the women in fact received eight kronor a day for four months, while another received no money at all.
The investigation and charges cover treatment meted out to four Polish women tricked into coming to Sweden and employed by the woman for periods of up to four months.
The matter was brought to the attention of the police after one of the women was able to report the treatment to the Polish embassy in Stockholm.
The 46-year-old woman is reported to live on social welfare and receives some income from a partner living at another address and whom police have not been able to link to the trafficking charges.
The woman denies all charges.
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"Ruthless trafficking and slavery. The charge sheet also includes forced labour," prosecutor Marie Lind Thomsen told the Metro newspaper.
The Polish women, reported to be in their early twenties, were forced to work as cleaners and nannies for up to 19 hours per day, seven days a week in return for slave wages.
The young women were housed in a cramped closet in a lavishly furnished three bedroom apartment in the Stockholm suburb of Solna.
The newspaper reports that the young women were subjected to threats of violence and were forced to steal clothing and home decor on behalf of their employer who had originally promised them a monthly wage of 10,000 kronor ($1,400).
According to the charge sheet, one of the women in fact received eight kronor a day for four months, while another received no money at all.
The investigation and charges cover treatment meted out to four Polish women tricked into coming to Sweden and employed by the woman for periods of up to four months.
The matter was brought to the attention of the police after one of the women was able to report the treatment to the Polish embassy in Stockholm.
The 46-year-old woman is reported to live on social welfare and receives some income from a partner living at another address and whom police have not been able to link to the trafficking charges.
The woman denies all charges.
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