A Christchurch woman has been sentenced to four months home detention for a series of immigration offences involving the exploitation of a Thai national.
Ava Young, also known as Marissa James Carr and Sasithorn Vas-ngam, pleaded guilty to two charges of providing false or misleading information to Immigration New Zealand, and one charge of aiding and abetting the breach of visa conditions.
The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment said Young recruited a Thai national by falsely claiming they were relatives in support of a visitor visa application.
In reality, the pair had never met before. Young offered the woman a job and charged her 150,000 Thai Baht (approximately NZ$7,500) for arranging the visa and employment, creating a debt the woman was expected to repay.
When the woman arrived in Auckland in March 2024, Young told her she would be working and living there. Young then took photos of the woman and advertised her services from a premises she managed.
The same day, the woman received a message from Young detailing her first client, the appointment was to provide sexual services, including the time, cost, and duration.
Over the following months, the woman was made to work at various addresses in Auckland, providing massage and sexual services under Young’s direction. Young deducted 35 percent from the woman’s earnings for rent and expenses, and kept a record of her accumulating debt.
The exploitation ended in June 2024 when the woman stopped working for Young after repaying the debt.
MBIE launched an investigation after receiving a complaint about a Thai woman allegedly breaching visa conditions and being forced to work in a massage parlour.
This led to six search warrants across Auckland and Christchurch, culminating in Young’s arrest.
Steve Watson, General Manager of Immigration Investigations and Compliance, said the case was a “serious breach of trust and responsibility.”
“The individual arrived in New Zealand expecting legitimate work opportunities, but was instead misled and treated in a manner that was both unlawful and deeply unfair,” Watson said.
The woman never held a visa allowing her to legally work in New Zealand.
While acknowledging the seriousness of the offending, the court applied sentencing discounts for Young’s early guilty plea, previous good character, and personal circumstances. A non-custodial sentence with strict conditions was imposed.
Immigration New Zealand said it remains committed to holding exploitative individuals to account.
Anyone with information about immigration fraud or exploitation is encouraged to contact MBIE on 0800 200 088 or report anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
