Search the Internet          Tips

Reddy's sons spurn plea bargain

Ashwath Rao

Their father is ready to strike a plea bargain deal with the government on Wednesday in a court in Oakland, but his two sons are plotting their own course.

Lakireddy Bali Reddy, 63, is expected to own up to several of the charges against him, including smuggling of minor girls for sex and cheap labour.

But his sons have spurned the plea bargain. They too will appear in the same courtroom on Wednesday and face the same judge as their father. Judge Saundra Brown Armstrong could set a date for the sons' trial.

The older of the two sons, Vijay Lakireddy, who ran a hiring agency, is charged with conspiracy, importing aliens for immoral purposes and cheap labour and making false statements to federal agencies.

It is through his company that Venkateswara Vemireddy arrived in America with his sister posing as his wife two years ago. He came on an H-1B visa and ended up working for the Pasand restaurants Reddy owned.

The couple brought with them two teenagers, claiming they were daughters; one of them, Chanti Prattipati, 17, died of carbon monoxide poisoning in November 1999 in an apartment owned by Reddy.

Her sister, 15, was also found unconscious in the same room, but she survived and blew the whistle on Reddy, Berkeley's richest landlord.

Reddy reportedly had sex with the sisters, often in the presence of each other -- and at times in the presence of a third teenage girl who shared the apartment. Reddy would spend several days with the girls each month, officials believe.

Prosecutors believe Reddy impregnated Chanti, who was 10 weeks pregnant at the time of her death.

Newspaper stories last year said Vijay Lakireddy had unsuccessfully asked his father's permission to have sex with the girls.

Vijay Lakireddy faces 20 years in a federal prison and a fine of $750,000.

His brother, Prasad, charged with just one count -- conspiracy -- faces up to five years in prison and $250,000 as fine.

Lakireddy Bali Reddy reportedly earns $1 million a month from his real-estate business, and many in the community believe his worth is at least $70 million.

ALSO SEE:
The Reddy Case: The complete coverage

Back to top

Tell us what you think of this report