Three men are facing criminal charges in Las Vegas over slavery allegations concerning 20 members of a Chinese acrobatic troupe, justice officials said Monday.
A spokesman for the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Las Vegas office said the men -- Li Youzhi, 38, Shen Yang, 21, and Hu Jun, 43 -- were arrested last week after authorities were contacted by a woman working with the troupe.
The woman, a Chinese national who worked as an interpreter for the team -- China Star Acrobats -- told police she and other members of the squad were being held against their will, the FBI said.
The FBI raided the house in Las Vegas and found 14 members of the troupe who were identitied as being victims of human trafficking and were then taken into protective custody.
An FBI spokesman said the acrobats had been given limited food, were not being paid the salary promised to them and had had their passports and visas confiscated.
They were also watched and controlled by "enforcers" who instilled a fear that "their families in China, as well as themselves, would be harmed if they attempted to leave," the FBI said.
Prosecutors alleged the acrobats were also forced to live with up to six people in a room.
When not performing, the acrobats were forced to do menial labor for another Chinese man, ranging from cleaning to gardening.
FBI spokesman Dave Staretz said the three men arrested in the case -- Li, Shen and Hu -- would face charges of involuntary servitude.
The long-term fate of the acrobats was not immediately clear although Staretz said they may be entitled to apply for legal residency if it was confirmed they were the victims of a people-smuggling ring.
The three accused are expected to appear for a preliminary hearing in Las Vegas on Friday, court officials said.
