Big Human Trafficking/”Virtual Slavery” Judgment

Congrats to Professor Johnny Parker for a great win in a case concerning human trafficking to the US! A federal judge found the John Pickle Co. guilty Wednesday of fraud, false imprisonment and civil rights violations and awarded more than $1.2 million to the foreign workers who accused the Tulsa business of holding them in ‘virtual slavery.’  Click here for more of the story.  Professor Michael Scaperlanda served as an expert witness in an earlier phase of this case (344 F. Supp.2d 1278 (N.D. Olka. 2004) and has published an excellent article about it (2 Loyola International Law Review 219 (2005)).  As many of you are aware, human trafficking has increased dramatically over the last 12 or so years.  Not coincidentally, slavery and indentured servitude are on the rise.  Increased border enforcement likely will increase smuggling fees and make the business even more lucrative.

KJ