They are fighting back.
Olivet University, a Christian institution based in Anza, California, is facing a civil lawsuit filed by four former international students who accuse the university and its officials of involvement in human labor trafficking. The lawsuit alleges that the school operated a “T-visa scheme,” wherein students were allegedly coerced into performing unpaid labor under the guise of human trafficking claims used to secure permanent residency.
The plaintiffs—Dawin Liranzo Galan, Roland Broccko, Minerva Ruiz, and Rebecca Singh—claim that they were confined and forced to work over 40 hours a week for no pay, despite being enrolled on full scholarships intended for their studies at the Bible college. Olivet University has denied all allegations. Singh, an Indian national, reported to local authorities in 2018 that she was coerced into doing various tasks, including housekeeping, babysitting, and kitchen work, without compensation. Galan, who had lived in Spain, and Broccko and Ruiz from Venezuela, shared similar accounts of forced labor during their time at the school.
According to the lawsuit, Galan was required to work approximately 40 hours per week, performing tasks such as unloading and assembling furniture, all without financial compensation. The students claim they were forced into labor while they were supposed to be studying at the college.
The T nonimmigrant visa, as defined by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, is designed for victims of severe trafficking, allowing them to remain in the U.S. for up to four years, provided they assist law enforcement in trafficking investigations. Victims who qualify may eventually gain permanent residency. The lawsuit suggests that the plaintiffs sought this status after leaving the university and transferring to other institutions for further study.
Defendants in the lawsuit include Matthias Gebhardt, who was the dean of Olivet Theological College & Seminary, and David Jang, the founder of Olivet University. In a response to the allegations, Olivet’s president, Jonathan Park, stated that the university had already had the lawsuit dismissed once and dismissed the claims as false. The plaintiffs had reportedly sought $300,000 each to withdraw their claims, but the university rejected the offer.
Park also asserted that the timing of the students’ allegations aligns with the T-visa scheme, noting that they received short-term visas for studies at other schools and later claimed human trafficking from their time at Olivet.
Additionally, former students Tingbo Cao and Qilian Zhou, both from China, have made similar claims of being exploited for labor while studying at the university. They also allege they were repaid loans made to the university years later but are still owed significant interest.
Olivet University has denied these accusations and has even requested an investigation into the individuals making these claims, accusing them of attempting to exploit the T-visa program to gain permanent U.S. residency.
The controversy highlights ongoing tensions and legal battles between the university and former students, with both sides firmly rejecting the other’s version of events.