The owner of a Boston pizza chain has been convicted on forced labor charges after a jury determined he mistreated six of his employees, either forcing them or trying to force them to meet excessive demands through physical abuse, threats of violence and harm, and deportation.
Stash's Pizza owner Stavros "Steve" Papantoniadis, 48, of Westwood was convicted of three counts of forced labor and three counts of attempted forced labor Friday, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office in Massachusetts.
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The verdict comes after a lengthy investigation into complaints against Papantoniadis, who was arrested in March 2023. The case highlights the issue of workers' rights, particularly those who do not have an immigration status.
Officials said Papantoniadis would purposely employ workers without immigration status to work behind the scenes, forcing them to work 14 hours or more and as many as seven days a week. According to the case presented in court, Papantoniadis thinly staffed his pizza shops and monitored workers with surveillance cameras.
This case centered around his treatment of six employees - five men and one woman. Prosecutors said he threatened to harm them or have them deported if they did not meet his demands.
In one instance detailed in the case, when he learned an employee intended to quit, he violently choked him, investigators said. When other employees voiced the desire to quit, he told one that he would kill him and call immigration authorities; in another instant, he threatened the worker by telling him he knew where he lived. When another worker tried to leave one of Papantoniadis' shops, he allegedly chased the victim down Route 1 in Norwood and falsely reported the victim to police to pressure him into continuing work at the shop.
“Stavros Papantoniadis instilled fear in his employees. He underpaid and threatened them, some with fear of arrest and many with physical abuse. Today, the jury saw the indignities his employees were subjected to and have found Papantoniadis guilty of forced labor violations,” said Michael J. Krol, special agent in charge of Homeland Security investigations in New England.
Stash's Pizza is a local chain and has locations in Dorchester and Roslindale. It also used to operate in locations in Norwood, Norwell, Randolph, Weymouth and Wareham.
Each count carries a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to five years of supervised release, and restitution. Papantoniadis is scheduled for sentencing on Sept. 12, 2024.
This case is not the first time Papantoniadis faced scrutiny for labor practices. The U.S. Department of Labor first filed suit in March 2017 against Stash's Pizza, Boston Pizza Co., and Weymouth Pizza Co and owners Stavros "Steve" Papantoniadis and Polyxeny "Paulina" Papantoniadis. The suit alleged that the defendants failed to pay proper overtime to 120 employees, misrepresented employees’ pay rates, and falsified time records between November 2013 and March 2016.
In 2018, the department obtained an injunction from the court to halt violations that continued to occur after the lawsuit's filing and enjoin the defendants from retaliating against employees and former employees and instructing them to lie to or not speak with WHD investigators. The Department's representatives visited each restaurant and read the injunction in the workers' native languages to ensure they understood the injunction's protections and their right to speak to the Department about workplace conditions.
In 2019, the business owners were ordered to pay more than $300,000 in back wages.
And after that, the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office received has received three complaints since 2019 against Stash’s Pizza, over wage and hour violations.
There are both state and federal laws in place to protect all workers, regardless of immigration status.
Resources
Members of the public who believe they are a victim of labor trafficking or have information about labor trafficking, can call 888-221-6023 or email USAMA.VictimAssistance@usdoj.gov.
Mass COSH can be reached by phone at 617-825-SAFE(7233)
Greater Boston Legal Services: 617-371-1234
Boston Worker Empowerment Cabinet 617-918-5248 workers@boston.gov
