Posted on: Saturday, February 22, 2003

Samoa factory owner guilty of slavery

By Jaymes Song
Associated Press

The owner of an American Samoa garment factory was found guilty by a federal jury yesterday of enslaving workers from Vietnam and China, but two of his managers were acquitted.

Kil Soo Lee, 52, of South Korea, was convicted of conspiracy, extortion, money laundering and 11 counts of involuntary servitude. He was acquitted of bribery and three counts of involuntary servitude.

Lee faces a maximum of 20 years for each of count of involuntary servitude and a maximum 10 years for each the other charges. He will be sentenced June 9.

Lee's managers, Virginia Solia'i and Robert Atimalala, were found not guilty of all charges. They were also accused of conspiracy and involuntary servitude.

The jury of three women and nine men began deliberations Feb. 6.

"Kil Soo Lee has exploited over 200 Vietnamese and Chinese people in what amounted to nothing less than modern-day slavery," U.S. Justice Department attorney Lou deBaca said. "We're pleased with the jury's verdict, and we thank them for the careful deliberation in this case."

Lee, owner of Daewoosa Samoa Ltd., which made clothes for J.C. Penney Co. and other retailers before its closure, showed no emotion as his verdict was read. Solia'i and Atimalala broke down in tears, as did Solia'i's attorney, Pamela Tamashiro.

"We are just ecstatic as you can tell, I'm so happy for Virginia, it's been a long road," Tamashiro said outside the courthouse.

The trial which opened Oct. 23 had to be heard in Hawai'i because American Samoa is the only U.S. territory without a sitting federal judge.

During the course of proceedings, prosecutors argued that the defendants ordered beatings for employees who disobeyed, had workers starved, and threatened deportation if they spoke out on conditions.