A model is suing Donald Trump’s agency for racketeering, breach of contract, and violating wage laws for immigrants.

Jamaica-born Alexia Palmer, who signed to Trump Model Management when she was 17, claims that she was treated “like a slave” by the mogul – adding that his agency abused her visa and defrauded the government. According to the lawsuit, Palmer received only $4,985 from the firm over a three year period, despite her contract certifying that she would be earning $75,000 annually. Apparently, the agency took 80 per cent of her earnings as expenses and left her legally unable to work anywhere else. “That’s what slavery people do,” Palmer told ABC News. “You work and don’t get no money.”

The subject is particularly controversial because of Trump’s views over immigration. The billionaire businessman has been very vocal about companies that use foreign workers – particularly ‘specifically skilled’ ones brought through the H-1B visa programme – and often asserts that it leads to lower pay for US workers. “I remain totally committed to eliminating rampant, widespread H-1B abuse,” he states on his website.

This case, unfortunately, proves otherwise. Trump model management, which was founded by the man himself in 1999, regularly abuses this programme – bringing in 30 foreign models under similar misleading contracts. As a result, if Palmer’s $200,000 lawsuit gets approval and other models speak up, it could lead to a class action suit.

Experts state that the agency is required by law to pay the amount that’s stated on Palmer’s visa. However, Trump’s attorney, Alan Garten, seems unphased by the case. “Anything she's saying about being treated as a slave is completely untrue,” he said. “The greater demand for the model, the better that model does. In the case of the individual you're talking about, there wasn't – unfortunately – a lot of demand for the model.”