Life in prison is the maximum penalty Franco Yiu Kwan could get after a jury found him guilty of human trafficking and illegally employing a foreign national. The case involved his Filipina nanny Leticia Sarmiento.
When Sarmiento first worked for Kwan and his wife Oi Ling Nicole Huen in Hong Kong in 2007 she was allowed to socialize with other people, had her own cell phone to call the Philippines and took the children outdoors on her own.
When the family asked her to come to Canada with them that all changed. She said she was forced to work 16-hour days, seven days a week and to clean the house. She testified she was not allowed to speak to other nannies or leave the family homes in west coast Vancouver on her own.
imprisoned by a Vancouver couple.
© Jonathan Hayward/Canadian Press
In June 2010 Sarmiento called police after she had disagreement with Huen over the type of milk she fed one of the children. She said she was she was imprisoned by her employers. Police came, freed her and took her to a shelter.
Kwan is out on bail and returns to court July 10 to get a date for a sentencing hearing. He is expected to ask his lawyer to seek grounds for an appeal.
Kwan and Huen are said to be in shock over the guilty verdict.
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