Alec Sou of Aloun Farms thought the required wage for 44 Thai workers was too high, but agreed to accept $2,500 for each laborer from their recruitment fees, a prosecution witness testified Wednesday in the forced labor trial of Sou and his brother.

Matee Chowsanitphon, a Thai-born California man whom prosecutors described as the middle man between the Thai recruiters and Aloun Farms, said he asked Alec Sou if he’d be interested in the money as an "incentive" to hiring the workers.

"He touched my hand," and agreed to the offer, Chowsanitphon said.

The money would come from Chowsanitphon’s share of the recruitment fees paid by the Thai workers, he said.

Under cross-examination, Chowsanitphon said he didn’t think he was doing anything wrong.