A Nigerian couple resident in Katy, Texas, has been arraigned before U.S Attorney, Kenneth Magidson, for maltreating their live-in nanny and making her a slave. This follows the filing of a criminal complaint alleging, ‘withholding of documents, visa fraud, forced labor and conspiracy to harbor an illegal alien.’

Houston Press reports that the couple, Chudy Nsobundu, 56, and Nsobondu Oby Sandra, 50, was arrested on Monday after allegedly forcing their nanny, a 38-year-old Nigerian woman to work as a personal slave.

While the nanny worked as a slave, she was subjected to bizarre abuses, including making her strain leftover milk from cereal bowls to use in her tea and in one instance, beating her because she dressed the couple’s child in the wrong pair of socks.

A press release from the U.S’ Department of Justice, alleged that Chudy and his wife Sandra were arrested on Monday and charged with forced labor, visa fraud, withholding documents and harbouring conspiracy after allegedly enslaving the Nigerian woman and forcing her to work as a nanny to the couple’s five adopted children without pay.

“In 2012, Sandra allegedly contacted the victim, who was living in Lagos, Nigeria, at the time, through a mutual friend and asked her if she would come to the United States to care for her adopted children.

“The Nsobundus have five children, ages twenty-one, twelve, nine and two three-year olds (according to public records, the 21-year old is a registered nurse).

“The victim signed a ‘contract’ to perform the duties, for which she believed she would earn $100 a month, and soon travelled to Texas using fraudulent identification documents allegedly paid for by the Nsobundus.”

The statement further revealed that the victim told investigators with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement that she worked 5:30 a.m. to 1 a.m. every day, and was not allowed to watch TV or even sit down during her workday.

According to her, she was allegedly not allowed to eat fresh food, only leftovers, and could not even use fresh milk for her tea.

“Instead, Sandra made her “strain the milk out of the children’s bowls of cereal,” the statement quoted the complaint as saying, adding that throughout her two years enslaved in the Nsobundu household, the couple would often refer to the woman as “the idiot.”

Apart from subjecting her to cruel torture, it was also alleged that Sandra would physically abuse her.

“The Nsobundus then allegedly told the complainant that they would “shoot her and kill her” for not taking care of the kids the way they wanted her to.

“In October 2015, the woman called her bank in Nigeria and found out she had not been paid since she arrived in America, prompting her to seek help escaping from the household.

“Subsequently, the victim was rescued October 10, 2015, after more than two years with the Nsobundus in the U.S., following a tip to the National Human Trafficking Resource Center.

“If convicted of forced labor, the defendants face up to 20 years in federal prison,” the statement added, noting that for visa fraud, the maximum penalty is a 25-year-federal prison term.

“For withholding documents and harboring conspiracy, possible punishment may be up to a maximum five and 10 years, respectively, upon conviction. All of the charges could also result in a $250,000 maximum fine.”

Southern District of Texas News reports that members of the Human Trafficking Rescue Alliance in Houston, which includes Homeland Security Investigations, Fort Bend Sheriff’s Office and the Department of State – Diplomatic Security Service, conducted an investigation which led to the filing of criminal charges against the couple.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Julie N. Searle and Ruben R. Perez are reportedly prosecuting the case.

Following their arrest, the couple made their initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge, Nancy Johnson at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday.