It seems the Marshals arrested Ms. Khobragade and strip-searched because one of their own didn’t know how to read a visa application or a job contract correctly. So says Daniel Arshak, Devyani Khobragade’s lawyer:

“Arshack said the DS-160 form, which was prepared and submitted online, called for Khobragade’s salary, not that of the babysitter. Khobragade wrote $4,500 per month, whereas the babysitter made about $1,560 a month, the defense attorney said. The U.S. alleged the babysitter in fact made closer to $500 per month, below minimum wage, citing one of two contracts between the two women and the babysitter’s statements.

Arshack said the U.S. government also misconstrued the different payment terms in the two employment contracts.

In a contract prosecutors said Khobragade submitted as part of the visa application, the diplomat said she paid the babysitter $9.75 an hour — above minimum wage as required by law, State Department Special Agent Mark Smith said in the criminal complaint. In a second contract, the diplomat agreed to pay the babysitter 30,000 rupees a month, or approximately $573, the U.S. said, which came out to about $3.31 per hour. New York minimum wage is $7.25 per hour.

Arshak said the second contract spelled out payments that were to be deducted from the babysitter’s pay and sent to her husband in New Delhi.”