'Some justice' for exploited workers as ex-employer gets home detention
An Indian-born employer in Auckland has been sentenced to 11 months’ home detention for exploiting three migrant workers. Sneha Patel was convicted of withholding thousands in wages and ordered to pay nearly NZD 50,000 in compensation. The judge criticised her lack of remorse and called some of her excuses 'nonsense'.
Patel’s crimes came to light in 2024 when she was found guilty of failing to pay her employees. One worker received no wages for two months while she claimed to be 'expanding her empire'. Another victim, who suffered a miscarriage, was later forced to repay Patel for missed work days.
A third employee had false payment records submitted to Immigration New Zealand. All three victims reported lasting trauma and financial struggles as a result. The Migrant Workers Association of Aotearoa highlighted the troubling pattern of migrants exploiting other migrants. Judge Stephen Clark rejected Patel’s justifications and imposed immediate home detention. Alongside her sentence, she must now compensate her victims nearly NZD 50,000.
Patel began serving her 11-month home detention straight after sentencing. The case highlights how wage exploitation can harm individuals and distort the wider labour market. Her victims will receive reparations, though the emotional and financial damage remains.
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