Women Say They Were Sold into Debt Slavery

DALLAS (CN) - Two South Korean women say they were sold to a Korean couple and put to forced labor in debt slavery at Club Wa in Dallas, for less than minimum wage, in intolerable conditions that included "fines" of up to $3,000 a month for offenses such as "arguing ... or failing to convince a customer to spend more money."

Defendant Sum Bum Chang is serving 10 years in federal prison for this, the women say. They say his wife, Huang Kyung Chang, of Coppell, Texas, pleaded guilty to immigration charges and was sentenced to 3 years probation.

The plaintiffs say they were 19 and 21 years old when they agreed to pay a "broker" $11,000 apiece to smuggle them into the United States. They say they ended up in debt slavery to the Changs, at their home in Coppell and at their club in Dallas.

The women are represented in Federal Court by Van Beckwith with Baker Botts.

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