Opening statements within the trial of a Boston-area pizza chain proprietor charged with bodily abusing and threatening staff who lacked immigration standing are scheduled to kick off Tuesday morning in federal courtroom.
Stavros Papantoniadis, 48, of Westwood, was indicted final yr on 4 counts of compelled labor and three counts of tried compelled labor after prosecutors accused him of focusing on staff of Stash’s Pizza with out immigration standing, paying them low wages, and “demanded” that they work six to seven days per week.
No less than seven folks had been topic to violent bodily abuse, threats of violence or critical hurt, and repeated threats to report them to immigration authorities to have them deported, prosecutors mentioned.
“Papantoniadis violently attacked one of the victims several times, including kicking him in the genitals, slapping and choking the victim and causing him to lose teeth,” federal prosecutors mentioned final yr.
Papantoniadis “vehemently denied” the allegations, his protection attorneys have mentioned.
“The government’s case consists of allegations from seven named victims where each one has received immigration benefits, now have legal status and in addition to being able to remain in the country also gives them access to several other federal assistance benefit. To say that each of them has an incentive to fabricate is stating the obvious,” the attorneys wrote.
Prosecutors mentioned Papantoniadis’ alleged therapy of his staff allowed him to achieve an edge over rivals and procure a “substantial financial benefit.”
“He could operate Stash’s Pizza with fewer and cheaper workers over whom he allegedly exercised significant control, all of which reduced his businesses’ labor and operating costs,” prosecutors mentioned.
Costs of compelled labor carry as much as 20 years in jail every, as much as 5 years of supervised launch, and a superb of as much as $250,000, in line with federal prosecutors.
Opening remarks in Papantoniadis’ jury trial are scheduled to start at 9 a.m. Tuesday in Boston earlier than Chief Decide Dennis Saylor IV.
