Kansas City, Mo. ? An official representative of Taiwan has been arrested in Kansas City on federal charges after a housekeeper alleged the official isolated her, forced her to work long hours and paid her far less than promised.

Hsien-Hsien Liu, director general of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office, was charged Thursday with fraud in foreign labor contracting, which carries a maximum sentence of up to five years in federal prison, according to The Kansas City Star. Liu, 64, was arrested Thursday and was ordered to remain in custody until a detention hearing next Wednesday.

In their motion seeking to have Liu held without bond pending trial, federal prosecutors allege that she made arrangements to leave the United States “immediately” once she became aware of a possible federal investigation. Court records do not list an attorney for Liu, who is also known as Jacqueline Lie.

An FBI affidavit says Liu of Leawood, Kan., would not let the housekeeper leave the house without permission, forced her to work 16- to 18-hour days and paid her $400 to $450 a month — far less than was promised in her employment contract. The charge accuses Liu of taking the woman’s visa and passport, and threatening her with deportation if she did not do as she was told.

“Liu told her she was not to leave the house without permission and that she would be working six days a week at a minimum,” according to an FBI affidavit filed in support of the criminal complaint.

The housekeeper, who arrived from the Philippines in March, escaped with help from a Filipino man she met at a grocery store.

The economic and cultural office where Liu served as director general is responsible for maintaining unofficial relations between the United States and Taiwan, according to prosecutors. It is the equivalent of a foreign government consulate, although the United States does not recognize Taiwan as a sovereign state, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

The Kansas City office is overseen by the Washington-based Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the United States. Officials there did not immediately respond to telephone and email messages Friday seeking comment on the charge against Liu.

Federal prosecutors in Kansas City say the defendant is believed to be the first foreign representative to face this charge in the United States. Prosecutors said that while there have been previous prosecutions of foreign representatives for mistreating domestic workers, Liu is accused of violating the law that covers the recruitment of foreign workers and their transport into the United States on fraudulent terms.

The Filipina woman was living in the Philippines last November when recruited for the housekeeping job. To obtain a visa, she and Liu signed an employment contract that was processed through the U.S. Embassy in Manila.

Under terms of the two-year contract, the woman was to be paid $1,240 each month for a 40-hour week. She was supposed to be paid overtime for work beyond that.