March 26--A Santa Clarita Valley restaurant owner has been arrested after an employee told investigators he endured three years of slavery, authorities said.
Pardeep Kumar, 47, is accused of forcing one of his cooks to work seven days a week, about 12 to 14 hours each day, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.
When the cook made mistakes, Kumar would physically assault him, sheriff's officials said.
The employee, whose identity was not released, was barred from contact with the outside world, and he allegedly was forced to live in Kumar's Newhall home.
The Sheriff's Department was tipped off to the case by an email from the cook's brother, who lives in Mumbai, India.
Kumar is being held on $100,000 bail and is scheduled to appear in court Thursday.
