Boston pizza shop owner facing additional forced labor charges
BOSTON - The owner of two Boston pizza shops already facing a forced labor charge for allegedly coercing an employee not legally in the U.S. to work long hours while subjecting him to abuse and threats has been indicted on additional charges, federal prosecutors said Wednesday.
Stavros Papantoniadis, 48, was indicted on four counts of forced labor and three counts of attempted forced labor in connection with seven workers, the U.S. attorney's office said.
Papantoniadis owns two Stash's Pizza locations in Boston, and previously owned several other pizza parlors in suburban communities.
Prosecutors allege he hired people who were not in the U.S. legally, forced or attempted to force them to work long hours, underpaid them, and kept them in line by verbally and physically abusing them.
He told at least four workers that if they did not continue working for him, he would have them deported, prosecutors said. The conduct allowed him to maintain an advantage over his competition by lowering his labor and operating costs, prosecutors said.
Papantoniadis is currently being held without bail.
A voicemail message seeking comment was left with his attorney, who has said that the allegations were fabricated by disgruntled employees who had an incentive to lie so they can remain in the U.S. during the investigation.
