This Latina woman locked immigrants in her basement and exploited them. With tears in his eyes, he received his punishment

Concepción Malinek, a 50-year-old Guatemalan woman living in Cicero, outside Chicago, illegally brought Central Americans into the United States for a high price, and once here forced them to work under exploitative conditions until

pay

their debt.

Malinek, convicted last year on a labor trafficking charge, was sentenced Monday to six and a half years in prison.

District Judge Edmond E. Chang also ordered Malinek to compensate the victims with $ 112,545.

For 10 years, between 2009 and 2019, the woman brought more than 30 undocumented Guatemalans into the country, then threatened to deport them and separate them from their children if they did not continue working to

pay off

their debt.

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Two years ago, the FBI found 19 adults and 14 children in the basement of their home.

Malinek kept a ledger with the amounts owed to him by those who lived in the house, according to testimony from one of the victims.

Federal officers also found fraudulent permanent residency and social security cards for a victim and her 15-year-old daughter.

"Malinek controlled all the movements of his victims. He knew their whereabouts at all times, the exact amount of each check he stole from them, and what levers to push and pull to keep them all at bay," argued prosecutor Christopher V. Parente in the Government sentencing memorandum.

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"He knew that his victims feared deportation and separation from their loved ones much more than the abuse and exploitative actions he imposed on them," he added.

With tears in his eyes, Malinek told the judge that he got into trouble for "indulging people" who asked "a favor" and for "helping" too many immigrants to try to find a better life in the United States.

Nobody came out of the basement

A man (whose identity has not been disclosed) claimed two years ago that the woman said she owed him $ 18,000 for allowing him to use her name and residency on her immigration documents, according to the lawsuit.

"The victim stated that no one is allowed to leave the basement of the residence and go up the stairs" unless Malinek was called for permission, according to the lawsuit.

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Another of his victims said that she lived in the house with her husband and two young children, and claimed that Malinek was verbally abusive and threatened the people who lived there if they contacted the authorities.

This victim's husband said Malinek was owed $ 30,000 for bringing his wife and two children into the country.

"You are poor and I have all the money," he told them, according to this testimony. 

With information from The Associated Press.