Suburban mother and daughters convicted for exploiting West African children in forced labor scheme

HAZEL CREST, Ill. - A woman and her two daughters were convicted Tuesday for forcing two undocumented West African children to work in the Chicago suburbs.

Nawomi Awoga, 75, of Hazel Crest, and her two daughters, 38-year-old Marina Oke, also known as Marina Fandohan, of Country Club Hills, and 35-year-old Assiba Lea Fandohan, of Hazel Crest, were each found guilty of one count of conspiracy to conceal, harbor and shield from detection two children from the West African country of Benin, one count of concealment of an undocumented immigrant and one count of forcing labor through threats of serious harm to a victim or another person. 

According to prosecutors, Awoga coached the victims, who were 12 and 14, in Benin to lie to U.S. immigration authorities about their family relationships in order to obtain tourist visas. She then accompanied them into the U.S. Once in the U.S., prosecutors said the three women harbored the victims in residences in Country Club Hills and Hazel Crest, while the victims were forced to provide labor and services for their financial gain.

Additionally, the three used violence against the victims to force them to work both inside the residences and at a hair salon. 

Sentencing dates have not yet been scheduled. 

Anyone with information about a potential human trafficking situation or a person who may be experiencing human trafficking should contact the National Human Trafficking Hotline by calling 1-888-373-7888 or texting 233733.  Information about the Justice Department’s work to combat human trafficking can be found here.