Most of them were either granted T- or U-visas by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security or had applied for them.
Last year, the plaintiffs through their lawyer Colin Thompson sued Chanpac Inc., doing business as Club Jama, its principal owners and officers Ernest J. Strange and his wife, Thelma Strange, for breach of contract.
Thompson said the defendants violated the provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act by failing to pay the plaintiffs overtime compensation.
Plaintiffs Aileen C. Alanan, Aiza Y. Garcia, Merarcy P. Templado, April G. Alfonso, Doricel Lemorinas, Mary Grace Manguiob, Reah Carascal Rodriguez, Gerlie Albuna, Raquel A. Ramos, and April S. Bela submitted their affidavits on Thursday to the federal court.
The defendants’ counsel Anthony Long declined to comment.
The women were recruited from different parts of the Philippines either through agents, or Margie, a niece of Mrs. Strange.
During their initial meetings, the women said they were asked to be seen naked by their recruiter.
At a restaurant in Quezon City, Metro Manila the women were again asked to strip naked at the restroom.
The women said they first met the Strange couple at a hotel in Las Piñas, Metro Manila in May 2005.
There were about 10 girls auditioning at the time, records stated.
They were again asked to remove their clothes and were told that they could earn as much as $400 daily.
When they arrived on Saipan, they were asked to dance naked, which videotaped, in front of the Strange couple and their daughter-in-law Maricel.
They were asked to surrender their passports to their employers.
They said they were fined for $5 for a variety of “offenses” such as removing their clothing late, forgetting to close their dressing room door, forgetting to applaud after the performances of their fellow dancers, for not wearing red lipstick, for making loud noises when going their barracks and for having a haircut without permission.
They said they were monitored “24/7,” and their movements were restricted.
The authorities raided the barracks of Club Jama in Chalan Piao in Dec. 2007.
