Harmeet Sooden’s brother-in-law’s butler

The brother-in-law of Iraqi kidnapee Harmeet Sooden has been employing foreign workers as his personal uniformed butlers – and lending their services to an exclusive club – when they are supposed to work as digital media technicians.

One man from New Delhi has been living in a garage at company director Mark Brewer’s home and has performed domestic duties between 8 am and 6 pm since April.

The immigrant’s visa states that he may work only as a “digital sign maintenance manager” for digital signage company Tri Media, of which Mr Brewer is a director.

Mr Brewer gained prominence last year acting as the spokesman for the family of his brother-in-law, Harmeet Sooden, a Canadian-born student who was kidnapped while doing peace work in Iraq.

While helping out around the home, the man was required to wear a black Nehru-style jacket, black pants and white cotton gloves.

NBR has obtained documents showing this is the second time Mr Brewer has sponsored an Indian employee, ostensibly to work in a technical role for Tri Media, only for him to work as a uniformed and live-in butler.

Last year Robert Kennedy Joseph, a New Delhi resident, worked for Tri Media under the same visa conditions – that he be employed as a digital sign maintenance manager. However, Mr Joseph’s employment with Mr Brewer was described as “a butler” in immigration documents from March 2005 obtained by NBR.