Woman claims torture, files $1.5 million suit

A woman filed in federal court yesterday a $1.5 million lawsuit against her former employers and other persons who allegedly treated her as a virtual slave, beat her up, imprisoned her, and forced her to sign papers.

Jiang Li Rong sued Hong Kong Entertainment (Overseas) Investment Ltd., New Echo Entertainment Inc., Alfred Yue, Zhang Jiang Hua, Zhang De Ming, Zhang Jian Gang, Li Li and Li Feng.

Jiang sued the defendants for alleged forced labor-human trafficking, unpaid overtime compensation, unpaid minimum wage, breach of contract, fraud, battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress, false imprisonment, and negligence.

When contacted for comment, attorney G. Anthony Long, counsel for Tinian Dynasty, said he could not comment because he has not seen the complaint yet.

The plaintiff, through counsel Mark B. Hanson, asked the U.S. District Court to order the defendants to pay her $1 million in punitive damages, $500,000 in compensatory damages, and $16,787 in unpaid wages.

Hanson said his client only managed to escape on May 7, 2005, from an apartment where she was treated like a slave and tortured to sign “confession” papers.

The complaint alleged that Hong Kong Entertainment, owner of Tinian Dynasty Hotel and Casino, hired the plaintiff and brought her to Saipan where she became a victim of human trafficking.

Hanson said Echo Karaoke is a brothel incorporated by defendant Alfred Yue in the red district of Saipan. The karaoke bar allegedly purported to employ Jiang Li Rong part of the time when she was employed on Saipan.

Alfred Yue is the managing director of Tinian Dynasty. Zhang Jian Hua is the manager of Echo Karaoke. Zhang De Ming was a stakeholder of Echo Karaoke. Zhang Jian Gang, Li Li, and Li Feng were employees of the karaoke.

Hanson stated in the complaint that Jiang Li Rong is from Yanji City in the Jilin Province of the People’s Republic of China.

Through a referral from a local recruiting agency in Yanji City, Jiang was introduced to defendant Zhang Jian Hua. Zhang allegedly stated that she was looking for a suitable person to take care of her infant child.

In October 2004, Jiang went to work for Zhang for one month at Zhang’s home in Yanji City, taking care of her infant child and housework.

Zhang suggested that Jiang come to Saipan to work as a housekeeper and take care of Zhang’s infant child. Zhang told Jiang that she would be paid $250 per month for her services as a housekeeper and babysitter on Saipan.

Defendant Zhang, Alfred Yue and Tinian Dynasty began processing the documents necessary for Jiang’s transportation to and employment in the CNMI, Hanson said.

Jiang arrived on Saipan in the early morning of Dec. 29, 2004, where Jiang was met at the airport by Zhang Jian Hua.

The plaintiff was immediately transported to her new home in an apartment in Vestcor Village, Capitol Hill, Saipan, near the apartment residence of defendant Zhang Jian Hua and Li Mei Hua (the alleged mama-san of Echo Karaoke).

From her arrival on Saipan until her rescue from the defendants on May 7, 2005, almost all of plaintiff’s time was spent cleaning the various apartments rented by the defendants and caring for the infant child of Zhang Jian Hua and Alfred Yue.

Defendant Zhang Jian Hua then allegedly insisted that Jiang Li Rong pay her between 35,000 to 50,000 RMB (approximately $4,300-$6,200) as a “recruitment fee,” even allegedly going so far as to physically force her to acknowledge a written promise to pay Zhang Jian Hua the “recruitment fee.”

The majority of Jiang Li Rong’s work on Saipan consisted of cleaning, cooking and taking care of the minor child of Zhang Jian Hua’s and Alfred Yue’s infant child, Hanson said.

In addition to this work, the lawyer said, Jiang Li Rong was, on occasion, required to clean the common areas, private rooms and toilet facilities at Echo Karaoke.

He said the first payment of a salary Jiang Li Rong received for her services on Saipan was from Zhang Jian Hua in the amount of $155 on Jan. 29, 2005.

The second and last payment of a salary Jiang Li Rong received from Zhang Jian Hua for her services on Saipan was in the amount of $100 on about March 3, 2005, Hanson said.

“From the time of plaintiff’s arrival until at least April 28, 2005, Tinian Dynasty was Jiang’s employer of record, responsible by CNMI statute for the payment of processing fees, transportation fees, wages, medical expenses and repatriation expenses, among other obligations, associated with Jiang’s employment in the CNMI,” Hanson said.

Tinian Dynasty, he said, never provided Jiang with any compensation for the work she performed in the CNMI.

On April 28, 2005, defendants purported to cause Jiang to be transferred from the employment of Tinian Dynasty to the employment of Echo Karaoke as a “waitress” by a consensual transfer approved by the director of Labor that day.

Hanson said that on Feb. 16, 2005, Zhang Jian Hua secretly tape recorded Jiang Li Rong, claimed it was evidence that Jiang Li Rong was beating her infant child, and threatened to have her arrested by CNMI police for child abuse.

Zhang Jian Hua, with the assistance of her brother Zhang Jian Gang, then allegedly proceeded to beat plaintiff, berate her and threaten her.

In April 2005, upon returning home from Echo Karaoke at 3am, Li Li and Li Feng, at the direction of Zhang Jian Hua, allegedly beat plaintiff for no reason, causing Jiang Li Rong to bleed and swell all over her body and eventually pass out.

In the early morning of May 7, 2005 at 3:30am, Zhang Jian Hua confronted Jiang Li Rong, accusing her of “talking to outsiders” and again accused her of yelling at his infant child.

Defendants Zhang Jian Hua and Zhang Jian Gang allegedly beat her up, causing her to suffer multiple abrasions and contusions to her face, head, neck, arms, legs and torso. It caused her to black out and leaving her with internal pains for days, Hanson said.

After the beating, she was forced to write a letter “confessing” that she had abused Zhang Jian Hua’s minor child, that she was a problem employee, and she owed money for her processing fees and other fees.

After everyone was asleep, Jiang Li Rong snuck outside and asked for help from a neighbor who drove her to the Saipan police station where officers ensured her the protection and got medical attention for her injuries, Hanson said.