Woman Says Diplomat Enslaved & Raped Her

WASHINGTON (CN) - A former Moroccan diplomat lured a woman to the United States, then enslaved and raped her, the woman claims in Federal Court.

Jane Doe sued Abdelkader Amal, Hnia Amal and their company, Lama Property Maintenance, alleging human trafficking, forced labor, assault and other charges.

Doe claims Abdelkader Amal is a former high-ranking official in the Moroccan army and a former attaché for defense supplies at the Moroccan Embassy in the United States.

She claims she worked for the Amals in Morocco for two years before the couple lured her to America with the promise that she would make a lot of money.

When she arrived in the States, she says, the Amals seized her passport and visa and put her to forced labor.

"Ms. Doe began work the second day after her arrival in the United States," the complaint states. "She was required to work long hours without regular days off until her escape nearly three years later in December 2010."

Doe says she was forced to clean, cook and provide child care for the Amals' grandchild, and to work without wages, cleaning the houses of the Amals' friends.

"Ms. Doe was not allowed to stop working when she was sick and was denied medical treatment," the complaint states. "At one point, Ms Doe became extremely ill after she inhaled cleaning chemicals that she had been mixing; she started coughing up blood and had trouble breathing. Ms. Doe begged to go to a doctor, but defendant Hnia Amal refused, saying it was too expensive."

Doe says the Amals forced her to work more than 60 hours a week, without wages.

She claims Abdelkader Amal assaulted her repeatedly, kicked her while she cleaned and raped her several times.

"Within a few months of Ms. Doe's arrival in the United States, defendant Hnia Amal traveled out of the country, leaving Ms. Doe alone in the house with defendant Abdelkader Amal," the complaint states. "One night, defendant Abdelkader Amal asked Ms. Doe to bring him coffee in the living room. When plaintiff arrived, defendant Abdelkader Amal was completely naked and said that he 'wanted her.' Ms. Doe resisted Mr. Amal's advances, crying, and begging him to leave her alone, but defendant Abdelkader Amal forced himself on her."

Doe says the sexual assaults continued throughout her employment.

She says the Amals kept her from escaping through a campaign of fear, telling her that Americans carried guns and were dangerous, and that law enforcement would throw her in jail if she sought help.

A neighbor finally helped her escape, but not before the slavery took its toll on her mental and physical health, Doe says.

She seeks damages and punitive damages for human trafficking, forced servitude, minimum wage violations, assault, battery and fraud.

She is represented by Joshua Devore, with Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll.

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