Pizza shop owner accused of physically, verbally abusing workers due in federal court

By WCVB Staff

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    BOSTON (WCVB) — A Westwood, Massachusetts, man who owns and operates several Boston-area pizza shops is set to appear in federal court Monday after he was accused of repeatedly threatening workers with deportation, as well as physically abusing them.

Stavros “Steve” Papantoniadis, 47, the owner and operator of Stash’s Pizza locations, was charged with forced labor.

Stash’s Pizza is a chain of pizzerias that has locations in Dorchester and Roslindale and previously had locations under other names in Norwood, Norwell, Randolph, Weymouth and Wareham.

“Forced labor is a form of human trafficking. It is not a wage dispute. If someone is being compelled to work through the use of force, threats of force, or coercion, that is a federal crime,” United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins said in a statement. “The allegations in this case are horrific. Nobody has the right to violently kick, slap, punch or choke anyone, and certainly not an employer to an employee.”

According to a federal affidavit, investigators said Papantoniadis routinely targeted undocumented workers for his shops and underpaid, overworked, and physically abused them.

Workers often worked six to seven days per week, at times for far more than eight hours per day and often without breaks or overtime compensation, according to investigators.

Investigators said Papantoniadis “threatened to alert immigration authorities and/or law enforcement to have the victims detained and/or removed from the United States,” and “routinely withheld wages that were due” and “refused to pay those wages, even when requested.” He also “used acts of violence and threats of violence to scare employees and ensure their compliance with his workplace demands,” according to court documents.

One former employee told investigators he worked for Papantoniadis for about 14 years and was subject to violent assaults, threats of violence, slurs based on his Muslim faith and repeated threats that he’d be deported.

On one occasion, the worker said Papantoniadis kicked him in the genitals so hard that the injury required surgery. Throughout his recovery, the worker said Papantoniadis called him repeatedly with threats of violence, death and calls to immigration if he did not return to work. On another occasion, the worker said Papantoniadis hit him in the head, breaking his teeth to the point they had to be removed and replaced with dentures, according to court documents.

Several other former employees of Papantoniadis outlined for investigators repeated verbal and physical abuse, use of slurs, sexual harassment, unpaid work, filing false police reports, immigration threats and intimidation, according to court documents.

Several workers also said Papantoniadis told them, “I know where you live,” when they tried quitting.

Investigators cite medical and other records in court documents to support the workers’ claims.

Papantoniadis was detained pending a detention hearing after his appearance in federal court. He will return to court on Monday.

If convicted, a charge of forced labor provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison.

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