By: Jeff Sommes
A Monmouth County doctor, Harsha Sahni, 68, of Tinton Falls, has been sentenced to 27 months in federal prison for harboring two undocumented women from India and failing to pay taxes on their wages, according to an announcement by U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger.
The sentencing took place today in Trenton federal court, where U.S. District Judge Georgette Castner also imposed additional penalties.
Sahni had previously pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy to conceal and harbor undocumented workers and filing a false tax return.
Prosecutors revealed that between 2013 and August 2021, Sahni and her co-conspirators brought two women from India to work as household employees in her New Jersey homes.
Instead of paying them directly, Sahni funneled payments to their families in India and forced the women to live in fear of deportation if they contacted law enforcement.
Sahni also instructed the workers to lie about their identities, claiming they were family members, and used false names and addresses to cover up her actions.
From 2013 to 2019, she failed to report their wages and pay appropriate taxes.
In addition to the prison sentence, Judge Castner ordered Sahni to pay $728,327 in restitution and up to $200,000 for medical expenses.
Sahni will also serve two years of supervised release following her prison term.
