27 Months In Prison For Tinton Falls Doctor With Illegal "Servants"

TINTON FALLS, NJ — A Tinton Falls doctor was sentenced today to 27 months in prison for harboring two undocumented women from India and failing to pay taxes on their wages, U.S. Attorney Philip Sellinger announced.

Harsha Sahni, 68, of Tinton Falls, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Georgette Castner to an information charging her with one count of conspiracy to conceal and harbor aliens and one count of filing a false tax return. Judge Castner imposed the sentence Monday in Trenton federal court.

From 2013 through August 2021, Sahni conspired with others to conceal and harbor two foreign nationals from India, who Sahni recruited to work for Sahni and her family in their homes in New Jersey. Sahni harbored the victims for her and her conspirators’ financial gain and paid the victims’ families in India in exchange for their labor.

Released by federal prosecutors, here is the criminal complaint against Dr. Sahni: https://content.govdelivery.co...

Sahni recruited the women to work for her and her family in their multiple homes in New Jersey, said U.S. Attorneys. Sahni paid the victims’ families in India in exchange for their labor; she did not pay the two women directly.

Instead, Sahni caused the victims to believe that they would be arrested and deported if they ever interacted with law enforcement.

Sahni also told the women to tell other people that they were related to her.

Prosecutors say this went on from 2013 through August 2021. From 2013 to 2019, Sahni also failed to pay certain taxes notwithstanding that the victims were Sahni’s household employees.

In addition to the prison term, Judge Castner sentenced Sahni to two years of supervised release and ordered restitution of $728,327. She must also pay up to $200,000 for specific medical bills.

Original report: Tinton Falls Woman Admits Having Illegal Household Servants