An Indian-origin couple imprisoned in Australia for enslaving a woman for eight years has been hit with new financial penalties and forced to surrender the proceeds from the sale of their home, Australian Federal Police (AFP) announced.
Kandasamy Kannan (61) and Kumuthini Kannan (58), currently serving six and eight-year jail terms respectively, were ordered to forfeit the proceeds from their Mount Waverley home and pay a combined AUD 140,000 (USD 90,874)in penalties to the state.
According to AFP, the couple’s property—sold for AUD 1.4 million in 2016—had its equity of AUD 475,000 frozen and later forfeited in 2022. The victim received an ex gratia payment of AUD 485,000 in 2023.
The court found that the Kannans enslaved a woman from Tamil Nadu, who arrived in Melbourne on a tourist visa in 2007 after being promised domestic work.
Upon arrival, the couple seized her passport and forced her into domestic servitude for eight years, making her care for their children and manage household chores without pay.
In 2015, the woman was discovered in critical condition—malnourished, suffering from diabetes, sepsis, and hypothermia—after an ambulance was called to the family’s home.
The Kannans initially gave false information to medical staff and police about her identity and situation.
Their lies led to an investigation by AFP’s Human Trafficking Team, which, with Victoria Police, uncovered years of abuse.
The couple was arrested in 2016 and later convicted in 2021 of slavery offences.
Authorities said this case stands as one of Australia’s most shocking examples of modern slavery and a reminder of the country’s commitment to protecting victims and holding offenders accountable.