Chinese entrepreneur arrested over 16‑hour shifts and forced labor in Prato garment factories

Italian prosecutors in Prato placed a Chinese entrepreneur under house arrest with an electronic bracelet after uncovering a network that forced workers to endure 16‑hour, seven‑day workweeks in three garment factories that supplied Italian fashion brands.

Investigators said about twenty Chinese laborers, most without legal residency permits, were paid only a few cents per finished item, received no social or insurance coverage, and were housed in dormitories built inside the factories. In several cases workers were reportedly locked inside the plants to prevent them leaving and to avoid police checks, creating serious safety risks in case of fire or other emergencies.

The entrepreneur is charged with illegal labor intermediation, exploitation of workers, and employing undocumented migrants. The case also revealed possible tax irregularities in one of the firms and notes that the businessman had previously been convicted in a similar exploitation case.