California’s attorney general has announced that a family of four who own several adult and child care facilities with Filipino employees were arrested and charged with rape, human trafficking, labor abuses, and illegal possession of high-powered guns.
In a press conference on Friday, Attorney General Xavier Becerra said that the owners employed recent immigrants from the Philippines.
The owners were identified by ABC News as Joshua, Noel, Gerlen, and Carlina Gamos, all of whom are in jail with a combined bail of US$9 million (more than PHP484,290,000).
Mugshots of the Gamos Family, accused of running human trafficking ring out of child & senior care facilities in Daly City, S. SF, & Pacifica. @AGBecerra announced charges today. Possibly 100’s of victims. #abc7now pic.twitter.com/DYpaoJsswr
— Katie Utehs (@KatieUtehs) September 7, 2018
The San Francisco Examiner reported that they owned and operated Rainbow Bright, a company which runs two daycare facilities and four adult residential care homes located in South San Francisco, Daly City, and Pacifica.
According to NBC, the Filipino workers were cheated of their wages for the past 10 years, which the attorney general said totaled up to US$8.5 million (more than PHP457,246,000). They are also facing charges for human trafficking; one of the defendants was also charged for raping a female employee.
The owners also failed to pay state income taxes and state unemployment insurance.
In a tweet, Becerra wrote: “At #RainbowBright, one group of employees, mostly Filipino immigrants, were treated with anything but dignity. Some employees were forced to work nearly 24Hrs, and some slept on floors and in garages.”
According to The San Francisco Examiner, sometimes they would even be left outside under the rain when the owners were not at home.
In order to force the employees to continue working for them, the owners took the workers’ passports and threatened them that they would be reported to the immigration authorities.
At #RainbowBright, one group of employees, mostly Filipino immigrants, were treated with anything but dignity. Some employees were forced to work nearly 24Hrs, and some slept on floors and in garages. We estimate the unpaid wages and overtime to total $8.5 million. #LaborRights
— Xavier Becerra (@AGBecerra) September 7, 2018
Becerra said that there were also 14 unlicensed assault weapons discovered in the facilities when the four owners were arrested. One pistol was also found unsecured in one of the daycare facilities, within easy reach of the children being cared for. Additional charges will be filed against the family for the possession of these guns.
Said Becerra: “It was the workers who brought this case to light. And the workers who were the greatest victims of Rainbow Bright and its operations.”
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