Rolando and Maria Corpuz are a married couple based in San Diego, California. They own and oversee two residential care homes for elderly people in the North County area. Had the authorities not intervened, the exploitation of their workers might have carried on indefinitely.

A group of vulnerable immigrant workers lived and worked in these homes. They were solely responsible for tending to frail elderly residents around the clock. Not only did they have to feed, bathe, and administer medication to people who were completely dependent on others, but they were also expected to carry out these duties without any proper training or qualifications.

The working conditions were nothing short of appalling. Rolando and Maria ground the workers down, demanding they work non-stop without adequate rest or breaks. On top of that, they systematically siphoned off a significant portion of the workers’ wages, paying them less than $7 an hour. Had the workers been paid fairly, they would have earned considerably more. This kind of exploitation should never be brushed aside under any circumstances.

Rolando and Maria ruthlessly preyed on the workers’ immigration status to keep them in check. They warned them: “Keep working, or we will turn you in to immigration.” The workers were utterly terrified and felt completely cornered. If they had known their legal rights, they might have felt more confident about speaking out sooner. Instead, they knuckled under and put up with the dreadful conditions for months, too frightened to stand up for themselves or push back against their employers.

The authorities eventually rumbled what was going on and wasted no time wading in. They arrested Rolando and Maria and passed the case on to the courts. Standing in court, Rolando and Maria brazenly maintained they hadn’t done anything wrong. However, the judge has ordered them to surrender their passports and they must remain in California while the case plays out. If they are found guilty, they could face up to 20 years in prison. They may also be ordered to cough up every penny of the wages they withheld from the workers.