MANILA, Philippines – A popular bakery in Southern California owned by a Filipino woman and her husband closed its doors on August 6 following allegations of human trafficking and labor violations.

Former employees of L’Amande French Bakery are accusing Goncalo and Ana Moitinho de Almeida of paying them only $2 an hour, way below the current minimum wage in California of $9 an hour (about P396). 

Ana is the daughter of Juan Santos, president of the Philippines’ Social Security System.

The Los Angeles Times reported that the first batch of these workers arrived in 2012 under a visa program for foreign investors and their employees.

Former employees accused the Moitinho de Almeidas of making them work 17-hour days and said that when they were done, they were made to sleep in the laundry room. They were also reportedly ordered the clean the couple’s homes. 

“Workers are trapped,” Nicole Gon Ochi, an attorney with Asian Americans Advancing Justice, which filed the lawsuit with law firm Latham & Watkins on behalf of the workers, told LA Times.

A report in US blog ThinkProgress.org said that even if the workers win their case “it’s unclear whether they would ever see a cent” after.

The 11 Filipino workers came to the US on E-2 visas, which allows them to work for a foreign national who has invested a certain amount of money in a business based in the US. The defense has accused the defendants of fabricating the story in the belief it would allow them to stay in the country longer.  

Local newspaper Daily Breeze said that prosecutors believe the couple is trying to “secretly” liquidate their assets to avoid paying any potential court judgements. Lawyers believe the couple is moving their assets to the Philippines, where Ana is from. 

‘Fair play’

The bakery owners have addressed the accusations in a post on their official Facebook page.

“L’Amande says good-bye and thanks its customers for a great 3 years of service,” the post said. “However, in the spirit of fair play we’d like to put this question forward: Who protects small business owners from frivolous lawsuits, greedy employees and the muscle of Latham & Watkins? Why hadn’t the Asian Americans Advancing Justice investigated thoroughly before bringing this case to a large law firm?”

They also posted photographs of employees at parties and vacationing in different cities around the US, sourced from the Facebook accounts of the workers. The post continued, “Aren’t these accusations just a ploy to extort damages and to fast-track the employees’ permanent residency application?”

In their Facebook page, the owners shared testimonies of their former employers, including their former bookkeeper  identified as “V. Montayne,” who defended the Moitinho de Almeidas.

“I know first hand that all the charges are false. The 11 employees who made the accusations were brought here under the E-2 Visa of the owners to work in the restaurant. The visa was for 5 years. None of these people want to return to the Philippines where their homes were no more than 4 stakes and a tarp without running water,” Montayne said.

The former bookkeeper said official records would disprove the allegations. Another former employee, Perry Baesa, also backed the Moitinho de Almeidas.

All of the bakery workers have been let go. The couple owns multi-million dollar properties in Rolling Hills and in Long Beach, California, which they are selling. 

Lawyers are asking for a restraining order to stop the Moitinho de Almeidas from liquidating all of their assets, but the $1-million civil suit continues.  – Rappler.com