A Hungarian man jailed after luring fellow countrymen to West Yorkshire to work in near slavery conditions made almost £300,000 from his criminal activities, a court heard.
Janos Orsos, 42, was living in Lascelles Road, Heckmondwike, when he was sentenced to five years in prison at Teesside Crown Court in 2014 after being convicted of conspiracy to traffic Hungarian males to the UK, conspiracy to traffic them within the UK, money laundering and blackmail.
He appeared at Leeds Crown Court yesterday for a confiscation hearing under the Proceeds of Crime Act.
His co-accused Ferenc Illes who was living in Dewsbury when he was jailed for three years for conspiracy to traffic people within the UK, was not in court.
The pair lured Hungarian nationals to West Yorkshire where they were then forced to work up to 60 hours a week for as little as £20. Many worked in the Kirklees bed factories, Kozee Sleep and Layzee Sleep.
Hear West Yorkshire Police describe the case
Judge Peter Armstrong said victims were forced to live in severely cramped multi-occupancy rooms in Dewsbury and left in fear of violence if they protested.
Christopher Tehrani QC prosecuting said it was agreed that Orsos's actions made him £290,947.58 and he has assets available of £93,539.44.
He was ordered to repay that amount or face a further two years in prison in default.
A formal order will only be made in two weeks after the amount to be allocated in compensation to victims in the case has been identified.
Meanwhile Illes's benefit was said to be £16,940 but with realisable assets from a car of only £500. He was given two months in default of the £500 not being paid.
