Source: Saks Fifth Avenue
Maybe one of the strangest stories we’ve read in a while, involving a Chinese prisoner’s letter and a Saks Fifth Avenue shopping bag. Intrigued? We definitely were.
In September 2012, a customer at Saks Fifth Avenue found a mysterious note in her shopping bag. The note was written by a Chinese prisoner pleading for help as he claimed he was imprisoned unjustly.
The letter was signed by a Tohnain Emmanuel Njong, who at the time was serving time due to charges of fraud. Njong asked whoever found his note to contact the United Nations Human Rights Department, saying: “We are ill-treated and work like slaves for 13 hours every day producing these bags in bulk in the prison factory.”
It was Stephanie Wilson that found the letter in New York. “I read the letter and I just shook,” said Wilson. “I could not believe what I was reading.”
Wilson took the note to the Department of Homeland Security who investigate claims made against US companies practicing forced labour in order to produce products.
Thanks to Wilson, Njong is now a free man. Njong was interviewed by DNAinfo, and revealed that he wrote five different letters in different languages during his time in prison hoping that one day justice would be served.
It also came to light that Njong was forced to work over 15 hours everyday, making products like paper shopping bags or sewing items of clothing. Since being freed, he has moved to Dubai and gained reasonable employment.
