That’s a lot of dough.
The owner and manager of Manhattan’s Grimaldi pizzeria embezzled $20,000 in unpaid wages from seven employees and boasted that he brazenly fled when one of the employees approached him, prosecutors announced Thursday. .
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said that from August 2017 to August 2023, he is suspected of assaulting a pizza shop, a busboy, and a salad prep worker, including stiffing them. This was announced by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg. Press conference.
Mr Bragg said the pie makers underpaid their employees, lied about their payments, delayed their paychecks, persuaded them to complete some payments through an app and made “promises” for payments. It is said that he did not show up despite the appointment and “failed to pay wages in full.”
Prosecutors said the employees sent several text messages to their supervisors asking for payment. One worker, distraught after the death of a family member, begged for his salary to be paid.
“Good morning, how did the payment go? There is an emergency. My grandmother passed away. I need the money,” the employee begged Piscina.
When one employee threatened legal action to get the pie, bosses at the oven reportedly responded: The country isn’t going to do anything. ”
Another worker was told he was being paid $10 an hour, which is less than the Empire State’s minimum wage. He was then scammed out of $8,000 in wages, Bragg said.
The scheme came to light after employees filed several complaints against the pizza restaurant with Bragg’s office.
Piscina and Santora were indicted in Manhattan Supreme Court and charged with conspiracy to defraud and failure to pay wages under labor law. They pleaded not guilty.
“Time and time again, we see companies exploiting power relationships to line their own pockets by taking advantage of the most vulnerable populations, including low-income people and undocumented immigrants,” Bragg said.
Mr. Piscina and Mr. Santora’s lawyer, Gerard Marrone, said the accusations against his clients “surprised them.”
“The indictment alleges a fraudulent scheme and unpaid wages, but dates back to August 2017, and my client has only had Grimaldi’s since 2019… Here are some I think there is a contradiction,” Marrone said.
“If they actually owe money to their employees, they’ll pay it back. It’s no big deal. I mean, these owners are good people. They care about their employees,” the lawyer said. Told.
