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Stavros Papantoniadis, a/k/a “Steve Papantoniadis,” 47, of Westwood, is charged with a single count of forced labor and is being held pending a bail hearing set for Monday morning, the US Attorney for Massachusetts said.
Papantoniadis owns and operates Stash’s Pizza in Dorchester and Roslindale. He previously had pizzerias in Norwood, Norwell, and Randolph under the name Boston Pizza Company and in Weymouth as Pacini’s Italian Eatery and Wareham, Mass.
Federal investigators said Papantoniadis targeted workers who were in the country illegally because he could exploit their immigration status. He is alleged to have paid them depressed wages, forced them to work more than eight hours a day, six to seven days a week — often without breaks or overtime — and withheld their wages, authorities said. This abuse lasted for years, according to the prosecutor.
One alleged victim told police he was abused and beaten multiple times while working at Stash's Pizza from 2001 until 2015. He said Papantoniadis kicked him in the genitals so hard once that he sought medical help, but Papantoniadis threatened to kill him or report him to immigration if he didn't return to work immediately, federal officials said.
Another time, the man said Papantoniadis slapped and choked him and broke his teeth, causing him to need dentures, the prosecutor said. The man said he continued to work at Stash's pizza because he was afraid of what Papantoniadis would do if he left.
He also said Papantoniadis repeatedly mocked him for being a Muslim.
Other employees told police about similar reprisals. One victim said Papantoniadis attacked him when he tried to quit and chased him into the pizzeria's parking lot, the prosecutor said. Another said Papantoniadis made a false police report alleging the worker had hit his car and left the scene of the accident when he quit the Norwood location of the chain. Police later pulled the man over and cited him, authorities said.
“The allegations in this case are horrific," US Attorney Rachael S. Rollins said. "Nobody has the right to violently kick, slap, punch or choke anyone, and certainly not an employer to an employee. This case illustrates the manipulative, violent, and abusive tactics some employers utilize for their own greed and financial gain."
Papantoniadis faces up to 20 years in federal prison if convicted of forced labor.
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