Case Law Database

Trafficking in persons

United States v. Lakireddy Bali Reddy

Fact Summary

Between 1986 and January 2000, Defendant Lakireddy Bali Reddy, who was the organizer and leader of the illegal sex, labor and human trafficking ring, and his codefendants, members of his family, conspired to bring Indian nationals into the US with fraudulent visas. Defendant Bali Reddy brought many of his victims through exploiting the H-1B visa system, claiming that the victims were computer programmers. Once in the US, the victims were forced to clean Defendant Bali Reddy's building and be his sex slaves. The Indian victims usually entered the US with fraudulent identities and fraudulent Indian passports. Defendants arranged for the falsification of the those documents, the transportation and harboring of the victims, and for their employment. Specifically, Defendant Lakireddy Bali Reddy arranged that Venkateswara Vemireddy enter the US on a fraudulent visa, bringing his sister, posing as his wife, and two minor Indian girls, posing as their daughters, into the US. In similar ways, between 25 and 99 Indian nationals were brought into the US. At least some of the victims were young women and girls from extremely impoverished Indian families, who were desperate to come to the US and depended entirely on Defendant Lakireddy Bali Reddy for employment, living expenses and arrangements and income both in the US and in India. Many of the victims were abused both physically and verbally at the hands of Defendant Bali Reddy, his family and his associates. In addition, many of the victims, if not all, did not speak English and were kept in complete isolation for such an extented period of time that they sustained extreme psychological injuries.
Defendant Jayaprakash Lakireddy, the brother of Defendant Lakireddy Bail Reddy, is Defendant Annapurna Lakireddy's husband. Defendants Kumar Lakireddy and Prasad Lakireddy are Defedenant Bail Reddy's sons.

Sentence Date:
2001-06-19
Author:
Human Trafficking Database of the University of Michigan Law School

Keywords

Acts:
Recruitment
Transportation
Transfer
Harbouring
Means:
Threat or use of force or other forms of coercion
Abuse of power or a position of vulnerability
Purpose of Exploitation:
Slavery or practices similar to slavery
Form of Trafficking:
Internal
Transnational
Sector in which exploitation takes place:
Commercial sexual exploitation
Domestic servitude

Cross-Cutting Issues

Gender Equality Considerations

Details

• Female principal offender

Procedural Information

Legal System:
Common Law
Latest Court Ruling:
Court of 1st Instance
Type of Proceeding:
Criminal
 

Victims / Plaintiffs in the first instance

Victim:
15+ Individuals
Gender:
Female
Nationality:
Indian

Defendants / Respondents in the first instance

Defendant:
Lakireddy Bali Reddy
Defendant:
Annapurna Lakireddy
Gender:
Female
Defendant:
Vijay Kumar Lakireddy
Gender:
Male
Defendant:
Prasad Lakireddy
Gender:
Male
Defendant:
Jayaprakash Lakireddy

Charges / Claims / Decisions

Defendant:
Lakireddy Bali Reddy
Legislation / Statute / Code:

18 USC 371

Charge details:
Conspiracy to Bring Aliens into the US Illegally
Verdict:
Guilty
Legislation / Statute / Code:

18 USC 2, 18 USC 2423(a)

Charge details:
Transportation of a Minor in Foreign Commerce for Illegal Sexual Activity
Verdict:
Guilty
Legislation / Statute / Code:

26 USC 7206(1)

Charge details:
False Statement on a Tax Return
Verdict:
Guilty
Legislation / Statute / Code:

8 USC 1324, 18 USC 2

Charge details:
Conspiracy to bring Aliens into US Illegally (Aiding and Abetting)
Verdict:
Withdrawn
Legislation / Statute / Code:

8 USC 1328, 18 USC 2

Charge details:
Importation of Alien for Immoral Purpose (Aiding and Abetting)
Verdict:
Withdrawn
Legislation / Statute / Code:

18 USC 2423, 18 USC 2

Charge details:
Transportation of a Minor in Foreign Commerce for Illegal Sexual Activity (Aiding and Abetting)
Verdict:
Withdrawn
Term of Imprisonment:
8 years 1 Month
plus 5 years supervised release
Compensation / Payment to Victim:
Yes  2000000  USD  (More than 500,000 USD)
Fine / Payment to State:
Yes  400  USD  (Up to 10,000 USD) special assessment
Defendant:
Annapurna Lakireddy
Legislation / Statute / Code:

18 USC 371

Charge details:
Conspiracy to Bring Aliens into the US illegally
Verdict:
Guilty
Term of Imprisonment:
2 years
probation
Fine / Payment to State:
Yes 
Defendant:
Vijay Kumar Lakireddy
Legislation / Statute / Code:

18 USC 371

Charge details:
Conspiracy to Commit Visa Fraud
Verdict:
Guilty
Legislation / Statute / Code:

18 USC 371

Charge details:
Conspiracy to Bring Aliens into the United States Illegally
Verdict:
Withdrawn
Legislation / Statute / Code:

18 USC 371

Charge details:
Conspiracy to Bring Aliens into US Illegally and to Import Aliens for Immoral Purposes
Verdict:
Withdrawn
Legislation / Statute / Code:

8 USC 1324(1)(1)(A)(iv), 18 USC 2

Charge details:
Bringing Aliens into US Illegally (Aiding and Abetting)
Verdict:
Withdrawn
Legislation / Statute / Code:

8 USC 1324(a)(1)(A)(iv) and (v)(II)

Charge details:
Encouraging and Inducing Aliens to Enter the United States Illegally
Verdict:
Withdrawn
Legislation / Statute / Code:

18 USC 1001

Charge details:
False Statements
Verdict:
Withdrawn
Legislation / Statute / Code:

18 USC 1546

Charge details:
Visa Fraud
Verdict:
Withdrawn
Legislation / Statute / Code:

8 USC 1328, 18 USC 2

Charge details:
Importation and Harboring of Alien for Immoral Purposes (Aiding and Abetting)
Verdict:
Withdrawn
Legislation / Statute / Code:

18 USC 2423(b)

Charge details:
Travel with Intent to Engage in Sexual Act with Juvenile
Term of Imprisonment:
2 years
plus 3 years
Compensation / Payment to Victim:
Yes  2000000  USD  (More than 500,000 USD)
Fine / Payment to State:
Yes  40100  USD  (10,000-50,000 USD) $100 special assessmetn and $40,000 fine
Defendant:
Prasad Lakireddy
Legislation / Statute / Code:

18 USC 371

Charge details:
Conspiracy to Bring Aliens into the US illegally
Verdict:
Guilty
Legislation / Statute / Code:

18 USC 2, 18 USC 2423

Charge details:
Transportation of a Minor in Foreign Commerce for Illegal Sexual Activity
Verdict:
Guilty
Legislation / Statute / Code:

26 USC 7206

Charge details:
False Statement on a Tax Return
Verdict:
Guilty
Legislation / Statute / Code:

18 USC 371

Charge details:
Conspiracy to Employ Unauthorized Aliens
Verdict:
Guilty
Legislation / Statute / Code:

18 USC 371

Charge details:
Conspiracy to Bring Aliens into US Illegally and to Import Aliens for Immoral Purpose
Verdict:
Withdrawn
Legislation / Statute / Code:

8 USC 1324(a)(1)(A)(ii) and (v)(II)

Charge details:
Transporting an Alien who had entered the United States Illegally
Verdict:
Withdrawn
Legislation / Statute / Code:

18 USC 2423(b)

Charge details:
Travel with Intent to Engage in Sexual Act with Juvenile
Verdict:
Withdrawn
Legislation / Statute / Code:

18 USC  1512(b)(3)

Charge details:
Tampering with a Witness
Verdict:
Withdrawn
Term of Imprisonment:
5 years
probation
Fine / Payment to State:
Yes  20100  USD  (10,000-50,000 USD) $100 special assessment and $20,000 fine
Defendant:
Jayaprakash Lakireddy
Legislation / Statute / Code:

18 USC 371

Charge details:
Conspiracy to Bring Aliens into the US Illegally
Verdict:
Guilty
Legislation / Statute / Code:

18 USC 2, 18 USC 2423

Charge details:
Transportation of a Minor in Foreign Commerce for Illegal Sexual Activity
Term of Imprisonment:
1 year
and one day, plus 3 years supervised release
Compensation / Payment to Victim:
Yes  2000  USD  (Up to 10,000 USD)
jointly and severally with co-defendants
Fine / Payment to State:
Yes  30100  USD  (10,000-50,000 USD) $100 special assessment and $30,000 fine

Court

United States District Court for the Northern District of California