Overview
Cohen Milstein represents four Indonesian men in a Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPRA) lawsuit against Bumble Bee Foods. The suit was filed in the Southern District of California, where Bumble Bee is located, on March 12, 2025.
The men, who are from rural villages in Indonesia, applied for commercial fishermen jobs but, instead allege that they were subjected to forced labor on vessels that are part of Bumble Bee Food’s “trusted fleet” of longline tuna fishing vessels.
The complaint alleges that instead of good jobs at the promised wages, the men were subjected to physical abuse and violence, deprived of adequate food, and denied medical care even when seriously injured (and then put back to work). The men were ensnared by debt bondage, which meant they would owe money if they quit their jobs. The fees, deductions, and penalties left them with little to no wages for their months of hard labor. Because the supply chain was structured so that the vessels stayed at sea – supply ships restocked the fishing vessel and collected the catch on the high seas, a practice called transshipment – the men were isolated, at the mercy of the captain and cut off from sources of potential assistance. The men asked to go home, even banding together in work stoppages, but were not permitted to leave their vessel.
Congress passed the Trafficking Victims Protection Act in 2000, and over the two-and-a-half decades since has repeatedly reauthorized and expanded it to provide a meaningful tool to combat human trafficking and forced labor. Among the tools Congress created was a civil remedy for victims of trafficking and forced labor, which in 2008 it expanded to authorize survivors to bring suit against persons, including corporations, that knew or should have known that they were benefitting from participation in a venture engaged in forced labor, debt bondage, and other abuses.
For decades, governments, international organizations, non-governmental organizations and the media have reported on the problem of forced labor on distant water fishing vessels, particularly longline tuna vessels that rely on migrant fishers.
The complaint alleges that the tuna harvested with their forced labor was subsequently imported by Bumble Bee into the United States and delivered to grocery store shelves, bearing Bumble Bee’s label, where it was bought by American consumers.
The men are seeking damages for mental anguish, pain and suffering; punitive and exemplary damages; and equitable relief, including, among other things: free, accessible and secure WiFi so fishers can access sources of assistance; a ban on recruitment fees, guarantee fees or other penalties for terminating a contract; a ban on transshipment at sea; a requirement that vessels return to port every three months; ensure that workers are paid in full at least monthly; and designated rest hours consistent with international treaty provisions.
Case Background
Bumble Bee is one of the top canned albacore tuna brands in the United States, with a 41% share of the market in 2019. Annually, Bumble Bee’s revenues exceed $ 1 billion.
Since 2020, Bumble Bee has been wholly owned by FCF Co. Ltd. FCF, incorporated in Taiwan, is one of the three largest global tuna traders. Bumble Bee has purchased almost all its albacore from FCF for years, dating back to at least 2010. In 2019, Bumble Bee’s then CFO testified that FCF supplied between 95% to 100% of Bumble Bee’s albacore tuna.
The complaint describes in detail how Bumble Bee, FCF and the tuna fishing fleet owners participate in an interlocking venture to harvest tuna for import into the United States, and explains how that venture relies on and benefits from forced labor.
For many years, the United States, international organizations, non-governmental organizations and the media have reported on the widespread and pervasive problem of forced labor on distant-water fishing vessels. The United States has identified the red flags that indicate human trafficking and forced labor, identified Indonesia as a source country for rural men exploited in the fishing industry, and highlighted the prevalence of that conduct on the fleets relevant to this case.
The United States has gone so far as to bar tuna from certain Mainland Chinese and Taiwanese vessels citing, for example in the case of the Da Wang evidence that the tuna had been harvested using forced labor “including physical violence, debt bondage, withholding of wages, and abusive living and working conditions.”
The plaintiffs, who are residents of Indonesia, claim that they had applied for work in the commercial fishing industry but allege they were instead subjected to forced labor on three boats that were a part of Bumble Bee’s “trusted fleet.” Among other things, the complaint describes the violence the men were subjected to on board, including being lashed, beaten with a metal hook, and stabbed with a metal needle. The complaint also describes the severe injuries suffered by the men. In each case, the captains failed to provide medical attention and ordered them back to work, resulting in permanent injury. Finally, the plaintiffs’ detail having so little food they resorted to eating the bait fish and the long hours, with as little as three hours sleep, that they worked seven days a week.
According to the complaint, the men were ensnared by debt bondage, which meant they would owe money if they quit their jobs. The fees, deductions, and penalties left them with little to no wages for their months of hard labor. Nonetheless, the fishermen repeatedly asked to leave the ship, but were not permitted to do so.
Plaintiffs’ Allegations Presented in the Complaint
| Akhmad | Akhmad’s contract provided for a salary of $300 per month. But approximately $200 a month was deducted for the first eight months (one third of the contract period) to repay recruitment and administrative costs along with another deduction of $50 per month for living costs while on board.” In addition, “Akhmad learned that his family would be subject to punishment if he left the ship early.” (¶ 98) Once on board, Akhmad worked 18 hours per day, 7 days per week. Once a month, the crew had a “break day.” On that day, they worked only 10 or 12 hours. (¶ 99)The captain beat Akhmad and the other workers, including with a metal hook. Akhmad was hit too often to count. (¶ 100) The workers did not receive needed medical attention for their injuries. Akhmad was seriously injured twice while hauling fish on board. One time, the rope holding the weighing gear broke, dropping a load of fish on Akhmad. Akhmad’s leg was gashed open from mid-shin to thigh. The captain ordered Akhmad to keep working, although the blood kept gushing. Akhmad thought his boot was full of water, but soon realized that blood, not water, was filling his boot. The captain allowed Akhmad to sit down, at which point Akhmad realized the gash was so deep, he could see the bone in his leg. Akhmad was left to clean and bandage his leg himself, without sterile medical supplies. His leg bled for two weeks and he is still in pain, years later.” (¶ 102) The captain refused to let Akhmad leave. The captain responded with a threat, “if you want to go home, you can swim in the ocean.” (¶ 105) |
| Angga | Angga was lined up with other workers and rushed through the contract signing. Instead of the promised $700 a month, the contract provided he would get only $300 a month – less than half of what he had been promised. He also learned that $250 a month would be deducted for the first six months for the onboarding expenses, leaving him with only $50 in salary. (¶ 109) The contract also provided for a $1,000 guarantee to be forfeited if the two-year contract was not completed as well as a penalty to be levied against Angga’s family: (¶ 110) The food provided was inadequate and Angga was often hungry. Sometimes the men resorted to eating the bait used for catching fish. (¶ 115) The captain hit the fishers, often about the head, and kicked them. … The captain also punched the fishers, including Angga, with a needle. The jab felt like a shot. Angga saw another fisher getting stabbed, so he ran away, but the captain chased him holding the needle. (¶ 116) The fishers discussed their plight and repeatedly asked to leave the vessel. The first time they asked, the captain told them to keep working. They asked again and again. Eventually, the men banded together and joined in a work stoppage. (¶ 118) When Angga returned home, he learned that no money had been transferred to his brother’s account, the bank account he had provided to receive his salary payments. As a result, his family received no salary at all for his forced labor at sea. (¶ 119) |
| Muhammad Sahrudin | Sahrudin borrowed money from his mother to pay the recruitment fee to a manning agency. His mother was in the hospital at the time and had to sell her jewelry to raise the funds, so Sahrudin felt under pressure to obtain the job and make it work. He promised to repay his mother. (¶ 121) Sahrudin was rushed through the contract signing. He was required to sign letter authorizing $700 in salary deductions. Another letter provided that if he terminated his contract, he would pay $20,000 – a huge sum – as a penalty and be responsible for all costs incurred by the recruitment agency. The size of the penalty took Sahrudin aback, but he had already borrowed funds from his mother for the job and felt compelled to continue. (¶ 123-124) Sahrudin was beaten so many times, he cannot recall the exact number. One time, the captain chased him with a needle, while Sahrudin begged to be spared. Sahrudin suffered nightmares about the chase. When the captain stabbed the fishers, he would jab up to three times. The wounds bled and often got infected, leading to pus and swelling. (¶ 127) Sahrudin was also whipped. He was lashed on his back, with the main line, as were other fishers. The crew shared their experiences and decided to leave. The men requested to leave several times, but were refused, even though supply ships came and went. Eventually, they decided to stay in their quarters and refused to work. When the captain came by, they responded “go home, go home.” Their joint action was ultimately successful, and the men were permitted to go home. (¶ 129-130) In the end, Sahrudin did not earn any money from his forced labor at sea (¶ 131) |
| Muhammad Syafi’i | Syafi’i was in a group of 40 men waiting to depart when he was given a contract to sign. They all felt rushed. At that time, he learned that $170 per month would be deducted each month from his pay for the first five months. He also learned that he would have to deposit $100 a month for 10 months as a guarantee that he would finish his contract term and that he would only be paid the “guarantee” portion of his salary if he finished the two year contract. Finally, he was told that if he refused to sign, he would have to pay a penalty of $850. (¶ 133) Once on board, Syafi’i worked long hours. There were times Syafi’i was only able to sleep 3 hours a day. He was ordered to cook two different meals at each mealtime. He would cook one meal, for example with chicken or duck, for the captain and Chinese crew. The Indonesian fishers would get different, inferior food. In addition to his work as a cook, Syafi’i was assigned fishing work. He was also responsible for laundering the captain’s clothes every day. (¶ 134-135) The food provided was inadequate. Often, the food the fishers were given was expired. They were so hungry that they resorted to eating the bait fish, including bait fish that he could tell was old. Several of the workers became ill from the lack of fruits and vegetables. (¶ 136) The fishers did not receive medical attention for their injuries. Syafi’i was severely burned when he was working in the kitchen. Hot cooking oil splashed all over his stomach, groin, and down his legs, resulting in severe burns over much of his lower body. The burns were the most pain he had ever experienced. He screamed in pain, but when the crew rushed to see what had happened, the captain told them to leave him be and to get back to work. Syafi’i was left lying on the kitchen bench, alone. His skin swelled, popped, and turned white. (¶ 139) There were no sterile medical supplies or pain relievers available. Syafi’i crawled, despite the severe burns on his hands and knees, to his bunk to get some Vaseline he had brought on board. He was left to treat the burn himself, by dabbing his skin with Vaseline. Doing so was so excruciatingly painful; he is surprised he survived. (¶ 140) Despite his injuries Syafi’i was put back to work. When he did not die, the captain told him to get back to work. The captain also told him, if he did not work, he would have to pay for his meals and bed. At the time he was put back to work, the burns were still so bad, he was unable to put on clothes. Syafi’i resorted to going back to work wearing a sarong instead of trousers. (¶ 141) Syafi’i repeatedly asked to go home but was not allowed to leave the ship. At one point, he asked to leave almost every day. During the time he was requesting to leave, the ship rendezvoused three times with a transhipper or collecting vessel. One time, another worker had died on board, and his body was picked up by a collecting vessel. However, Syafi’i was not permitted to leave with the collecting vessel. (¶ 142) Even after Syafi’i suffered the burns, the captain continued to beat him. (¶ 143) |
Case name: Akhmad, et al. v. Bumble Bee Foods, LLC, Case No. 3:25-cv-00583-MMA-DEB, U.S. District Court, Southern District of California