Dr. Harsha Sahni, an Indian American physician from New Jersey, has been sentenced to prison and permanently lost her medical license after exploiting two illegal immigrants as domestic workers in her home. Sahni was convicted of harboring the women and forcing them to work for severely low wages.
In February 2024, Sahni pleaded guilty to federal charges of conspiracy to conceal and harbor illegal aliens and filing a false tax return. Prosecutors revealed that Sahni paid the two women between $3,000 and $7,200 annually, far below the legal minimum wage. She also threatened them with arrest and deportation to prevent them from contacting authorities.
Sahni instructed the women to lie to immigration officials by claiming they were family members visiting on tourist visas. Additionally, Sahni failed to report their labor on her tax returns, avoiding taxes and bypassing legal labor requirements.
One of the victims was forced to work from early morning until late at night, earning as little as $240 to $600 a month. Much of this money was sent back to her family in India, highlighting the extent of the exploitation.
In October 2024, a federal judge sentenced Sahni to 27 months in prison. New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin condemned Sahni’s abuse of her position, 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, added, “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.”
Sahni is set to begin serving her prison sentence soon, closing a dark chapter of exploitation and abuse by someone entrusted with public care.
