Zurich couple on trial Young women kept as "house slaves" and put in cages

A Zurich couple will stand trial in Andelfingen ZH next week. They are alleged to have kept a Brazilian woman and a Filipina as "house slaves". They are accused of human trafficking and deprivation of liberty.

A Zurich couple will stand trial next week. They are accused of keeping two young women as "house slaves". The indictment accuses the couple of keeping the victims in inhumane conditions and exploiting them.

The indictment reveals that the 46-year-old Swiss man from the Winterthur region has pronounced sadistic tendencies. Consensual sado-maso role-playing games with BDSM scalps are not enough for him. He wanted to completely control women, tie them up and lock them in a cage against their will.

He promised her an education, but the school didn't even exist

He used the internet to promise young women from abroad an education and a residence permit. He managed to lure a Filipina (22) and a Brazilian woman (30) into his house. His 32-year-old wife, also a Filipina, helped him.

The 22-year-old was the first "house slave". She was locked in the house from July 2018 to April 2019. The accused made her believe that he could organize a residence permit for her. She could also complete an education at the "International Maids School". However, this school did not exist.

Escape after ten months

The young woman had to work for the couple six days a week and around the clock. She only received 800 francs a month for this. In her "free time", the man locked her in a windowless cage that was only two square meters in size and was constantly monitored by a camera. Metal bars served as doors. A bucket served as a toilet.

But that was not all: the young woman was handcuffed and shackled every day. She also had to wear a leather collar that was connected to the shackles. This meant she could hardly move. According to the indictment, he told her that the requirements were those of the school.

He also carried out "tests" with her. If she did badly, she was punished. She was tied up or made to wear tight gloves. If she did something well, she was rewarded. With a visit to a restaurant or a trip to the zoo. After ten months, the young woman was finally able to escape.

He used a cover name to recruit the young women

In 2019, the IT project manager recruited another young woman. This time a 30-year-old Brazilian woman who came to Switzerland to learn German. According to the public prosecutor, he promised her "German lessons at the highest level".

He called himself "Gustav Wohlenweber" on the internet, a cover name. He sent the Brazilian woman photos of a beautiful detached house with a pool. The horror began for her at the end of June and ended in mid-July 2019. She was freed by the police when the Philippina, who had previously been locked up, made a complaint to the police.

The trial begins next week

On September 17 and 18, the couple will stand trial in Andelfingen district court. They are accused of multiple counts of deprivation of liberty, human trafficking for the purpose of labor exploitation, forgery of documents and other crimes under labor and immigration law.

If the court accepts the prosecution's proposal, the man will receive a partial prison sentence of 36 months. However, he will only serve 9 months. As "Gustav Wohlenweber" has already spent five months in custody, he will probably only have to serve another four months behind bars.

In addition, he will undergo ample therapy. The "landlord" has already paid the two victims a total of CHF 16,000 in compensation. His wife, who was responsible for supervising the "slaves", will also stand trial next week.

She is to be punished with a conditional prison sentence of 10 months for multiple counts of aiding and abetting the deprivation of liberty. In addition, the Philippina is to be expelled from the country for 5 years. The district court will hand down its verdict on September 18.