Romanian businessman, sentenced to prison in Spain for exploiting foreign agricultural workers

Vasile U., a Romanian businessman, was sentenced by the Provincial Court of Valladolid to one and a half years in prison for violating workers' rights. He exploited foreign agricultural workers, hired for potato harvesting between September and October 2020, imposing abusive working conditions.

The court applied the mitigating circumstance of unjustified delay, and in addition to the prison sentence, Vasile U. must pay a fine of 1,440 euros and compensation of 500 euros to each affected worker. The prosecutor emphasized that the workers were promised attractive salaries and favorable working conditions, but were treated inhumanely, being housed in precarious conditions. Additionally, his sister was involved in the illegal activities, being accused of complicity. The workers, coming from Colombia, Peru, and Morocco, were recruited with the help of another individual, now a fugitive, who promised them working conditions that were not honored.