Moorestown Couple Guilty Of Threatening Immigrants Into Forced Labor

MOORESTOWN, NJ — A Moorestown couple will face decades in prison for coercing two immigrant women into forced servitude.

Bolaji and Isiaka Bolarinwa were accused of luring the victims into the United States with false promises and then forcing both into domestic labor and child care for their children through abuse and threats. The husband and wife took advantage of the victims' unlawful status in the U.S., authorities said.

A jury returned guilty verdicts for the husband and wife Wednesday in Camden federal court.

When the first woman arrived in December 2015, Bolaji Bolarinwa confiscated the victim's passport and forced her to work around-the-clock for nearly a year through violent threats against her and her daughter, verbal abuse, and isolation, officials said. Isiaka Bolarinwa was aware of the of his wife's behavior and directly benefitted from the victim's cooking, cleaning and child care.

Bolaji Bolarinwa confiscated the second victim's passport when she came to the United States in April 2016 on a student visa. She relied more on physical abuse to coerce the victim, according to court documents. Isiaka Bolarinwa also physically harmed her at least once.

The victims lived and worked in the Bolarinwa home until October 2016, when the second notified her college professor, who alerted the FBI. The Bolarinwa's — both U.S. citizens from Nigeria — were indicted in early 2022.

Bolaji Bolarinwa, 50, was convicted of two counts of forced labor, one count of alien harboring for financial gain and two counts of document servitude. Isiaka Bolarinwa, 67, was found guilty of two counts of forced labor and one count of alien harboring for financial gain. Both were acquitted of a second count of alien harboring for financial gain.

The convictions came after a two-week trial.

"Imagine showing up in a foreign land, hoping for a better life, and ending up trapped with no place to go and no one to turn to for help," said James E. Dennehy, FBI Newark's special agent in charge. "The victims in this investigation suffered in unimaginable ways at the hands of their captors, enduring years of physical and mental abuse."

They face up to 20 years in prison for each count of forced domestic labor and up to 10 years for alien harboring. The Bolarinwa's also must pay restitution to both victims or face a fine on each count of up to $250,000 or or twice the gross gain or gross loss from the offense — whichever is greatest.

Bolaji Bolarinwa faces an additional five years behind bars for each count of unlawful document conduct.