A regional division of the Not For Sale Campaign

By Andria Simmons

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Friday, January 16, 2009

Lilburn police on Friday charged a fifth man in connection with a human trafficking case involving exotic dancers and band members from India who were allegedly paid slave wages to perform at a Gwinnett County club.

Victor Varaghese, 29, of Lilburn, is wanted on eight counts of human trafficking.

A probable cause hearing in Gwinnett County Magistrate Court for the other co-defendants in the case had been scheduled for Friday, but it is reset for Wednesday. The co-defendants are Shifiqat Muhammad Ali, 26, of Birmingham; Lilburn residents Vijay Kamal Bannerjee, 26, and Govino K Vishwa, 42; and Farrukh Khan of Hoover, Ala., whose age was not listed.

Defense attorney Christopher Palazzola, who represents Bannerjee and Vishwa, said the hearing was pushed back so he and the other defense attorneys could attempt to meet with Gwinnett District Attorney Danny Porter to negotiate a bond.

Fifth man charged in exotic dancer trafficking case

GEORGIA