Alliance of South Asians Taking Action (ASATA)

Tuesday, April 10, 2001, Oakland: Members of the Alliance of South Asians Taking Action (ASATA) gathered outside the courthouse today as Vijay Kumar Lakireddy and Prasad Lakireddy faced status hearings, showing that the Bay Area community has not forgotten the sexual and labor exploitation brought to light more than a year ago in this case of United States of America v. Lakireddy Bali Reddy. ASATA's presence at today's hearing indicates disappointment not in the length of Reddy's prosecution sentence, but on the charges for which Reddy was prosecuted.

India-West
"Landlord's Sons Face New Charges: New sex, immigration charges threaten to add decades to sentence if Berkeley landlord's sons found guilty"
April 13, 2001
by Viji Sundaram

In an unexpected turn, the sons of Berkeley landlord Lakireddy Balireddy were charged earlier this week with a total of 21 additional criminal counts, including one he pleaded guilty to last month: importing young girls into the country for sex.

San Jose Mercury News
"Lakireddy brothers indicted on broader sexual exploitation charges"
April 11, 2001
by Sandra Gonzales

SAN JOSE, Calif. _ In a new turn in a case that stunned the Bay Area, two brothers charged in an illegal immigration smuggling scheme were indicted Tuesday on new counts that allege a broader scope of sexual exploitation with additional victims.

Vijay Kumar Lakireddy, 31, and Prasad Lakireddy, 43, both free on bond, had been scheduled to appear in U.S. District Court in Oakland for a status hearing on the case when Assistant U.S. Attorney John Kennedy announced the superseding 21-count indictment.

Rediff
"He Chronicles the Silicon Raj"
April 5, 2001
by Nirshan Perera and Rick Rocamora
http://www.rediff.com/news/2001/apr/05uspic8.htm

Demonstrators protest in front of the Madras Pasand Cuisine restaurant in Berkeley, owned by Lakireddy Bali Reddy.

Reddy pleaded guilty this March to charges of conspiring since 1986 to illegally bring aliens into the United States from India by submitting false visa applications. He was also charged with transporting minors in foreign commerce for sexual activity. The investigation was prompted by the death of a young Indian girl brought to the US using fraudulent immigration papers.

Pacific News Service
"Scandal Brings Out New Voices Expressing an Old Ideal"
Mar 20, 2001
by Raj Jayadev
http://news.ncmonline.com/news/view_article.html? article_id=3b37218ab688e2c7afa28ff2e7454f7c

An ugly scandal involving a wealthy Indian businessman "importing" girls to work for little or no money, and to serve him sexually, seems to have come to an end with a plea of guilty to illegal immigration charges. But the remarkable effects on the Indian-American community, especially the women, will last for a long time to come.

India-West
"Reddy Pleads Guilty: Berkeley, Calif., landlord pleads guilty to importing young girls from Andhra Pradesh for sex"
Mar 16, 2001
by Viji Sundaram

In a plea deal he struck with the U.S. government, Pasand restaurant owner Lakireddy Balireddy pleaded guilty last week to importing young girls from his native village in Andhra Pradesh to the U.S. for sex, including one as young as 13.

Daily Californian
"Landlord Reddy Pleads Guilty to Felony Charges In Federal Court: Defendant Strikes Deal, Gives Up Right to Trial"
March 8, 2001
by Meredith Mandell
http://www.dailycal.org/article.php?id=4870

OAKLAND -- Lakireddy Bali Reddy, on the brink of tears, pleaded guilty yesterday to illegally importing young Indian girls for sex in federal court.

Putting an end to a two-year federal investigation, the wealthiest landlord in Berkeley confessed to four felony charges, including conspiracy to commit immigration fraud, transporting a minor for sex and tax evasion.

San Francisco Chronicle
"Guilty Plea in Smuggling of Girls: Landlord gets 5 years in prison"
March 8, 2001
by Matthew Yi
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2001/03/08/MNS221725.DTL

Berkeley landlord Lakireddy Bali Reddy pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court to smuggling teenage girls from India for sex -- including one as young as 13 -- in a deal that calls for him to spend at least five years in federal prison.

San Jose Mercury News
"Landlord pleads guilty to charges of bring young Indian girls for sex, cheap labor"
March 8, 2001
by Lisa Fernandez

SAN JOSE, Calif. _ In a weak, shaky voice, a 63-year-old Berkeley landlord pleaded guilty Wednesday to charges that he brought young girls from India for sex and cheap labor, and then apologized to his family for embarrassing them.

Lakireddy Bali Reddy's first public admission of guilt is a milestone in a tantalizing case that sent shock waves through Silicon Valley, and his apology was long awaited by women's groups and immigration rights advocates.

Contra Costa Times
"Landlord pleads guilty to importing underage girls for sex"
March 8, 2001
by Leslie Fulbright

OAKLAND, Calif. _ A wealthy Berkeley landlord wept as authorities led him out of a federal courtroom Wednesday, moments after he admitted he imported underage girls from his native India for sex.

Lakireddy Bali Reddy, 63, meekly waved good-bye to his family after a federal judge ordered him jailed.

IndoLink
"Reddy pleaded guilty to all counts in court"
March 7, 2001
by Peta Cooper
http://www.indolink.com/News/NRI/news_030701_193556.html

March 7th Oakland: After a year in a half of going back and forth to court, Lakireddy Bali Reddy has pleaded guilty to all four counts against him.

The day started off with Judge Saundra Brown Armstrong going over the charges against Reddy. She explained the "C" codes and the affects behind the charges of the counts. Count 1 included bringing people over to the US illegally. Count 2 and 3 was aiding and abetting minors for illegal sex, and knowing they were minors at the time. The last count had to do with false tax statements Reddy made in 1998, saying he didn't have any overseas bank accounts, later it was proven that he did.

KTVU Channel 2
"Reddy"
March 7, 2001

START: 3.49

A U.S landlord is back in federal court this hour for bringing in an immigrant and using her for sex. Mark Curtis reports.

Visual - Laki Reddy Baki Reddy, suspect.

Interview - Nithya Ramanathan , "South Asian Taking Action", glad Reddy might spend five years in prison.

END: 6.11

Agence France Presse
"Indian businessman pleads guilty to importing girls for sex"
March 8, 2001
by Glenn Chapman

DATELINE: OAKLAND, California, March 7

A wealthy Indian businessman wept as he was taken into custody Wednesday after pleading guilty to charges of illegally bringing young girls from his homeland to California for sex.

Lakireddy Bali Reddy, 63, was ordered to pay two million dollars in restitution to a group of East Indian women he reportedly imported to work as sex slaves and low-wage employees in his businesses.

KRON Channel 4 Newscenter Four At Four
March 7, 2001, Wednesday PM

START: 6.50

Reddy. Berkeley landlord reversed his plea to guilty of bringing under aged girls into the country for sex, as well as tax evasion/fraud.

Visual - Reddy.

Press Conference - Ted Cassman, Reddy's Attorney, comments on sentencing.

Visual - file footage of case.
Press Conference - Michael Rubin, victim's attorney, comments on the plea.

DesiClub.com
"ASATA's Candlelight Vigil: Memorial for the Victims"
late December 2000?
by Peta Cooper
http://www.desiclub.com/community/culture/culture_article.cfm?id=37

In Berkeley, Stattack Ave. is a large street that runs through the small college town. The street includes several shops, movie theaters, and the famous Pasand Madras Restaurant.

The famous restaurant is owned by the infamous Lakireddy Bali Reddy, who's serving an 8 year sentence for conspiracy to commit immigration fraud, transporting a minor in foreign commerce for illegal sexual activity, and subscribing to a false tax return.

AsianWeek
"A Call to Action: Groups gather to remember death of Pratipatti"
December 15 - 21, 2000
by Neela Banerjee
http://www.asianweek.com/2000_12_15/bay1_pratipatti_vigil.html

One year after the death of 17-year-old Chanti Pratipatti that brought to light the alleged immigrant trafficking operation of Berkeley landlord Lakireddy Bali Reddy and his family, some 100 community members and South Asian American activists gathered to honor her memory and speak out against sexual and labor exploitation.

"Anger and disappointment"
part of Silicon Raj, a series of photographs by Rick Rocamora
December 9, 2000
http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/SSEAL/siliconraj/roco12.html

Demonstrators organized by Alliance of South Asians Taking Action (ASATA) protest in front of the Madras Pasand Cuisine in Berkeley, owned by Lakireddy Bali Reddy.

Daily Californian
"Landlord’s Legal Battles Continue: Lawsuit alleges Reddy’s blame in death"
November 30, 2000
By Kenyon Han
http://www.dailycal.org/article.php?id=4087

Lakireddy Bali Reddy, a Berkeley landlord charged with illegally importing Indian girls for sex, is facing a civil suit, filed Monday, charging that he is partially responsible for the death of one of the girls.

The girl's family filed the lawsuit, which stems for the death — ruled accidental — that led to the federal investigation of Reddy.

Jinn Magazine
"South Asian Activism Shatters Image Of Affluence"
November 6, 2000
by Raj Jayadev
http://www.pacificnews.org/jinn/stories/6.22/001106-south.html

Immigrants from India and Pakistan have played a very important role as innovators and engineers in the growth of the computer industry, and many have enjoyed considerable rewards. But a far less prominent image of South Asians is beginning to make itself known as a force to be reckoned with. PNS correspondent Raj Jayadev is the Silicon Valley/Digital Divide editor for YO! Youth Outlook, a monthly newspaper

Berkeley Daily Planet
Reddy case could get new defendants
September 13, 2000
by Justin Pritchard
http://www.berkeleydaily.org/article.cfm?archiveDate=09-13-00&storyID=1218

OAKLAND – A federal judge did not hear motions Tuesday to dismiss some of the charges against Berkeley landlord Lakireddy Bali Reddy and his son accused of sex and immigration offenses.

Instead U.S. District Court Judge Sandra B. Armstrong gave the prosecution the time it requested to add new defendants to the case.