Stavros Papantoniadis, Forced Labor, Massachusetts 2024

The owner of Stash's Pizza, a pizzeria chain in Massachusetts, has been sentenced to over eight years in prison for forced labor.

BOSTON – Stavros Papantoniadis, 49, of Westwood, Mass., was sentenced by Chief U.S. District Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV on October 25, 2024, for forced labor charges. Papantoniadis was convicted of three counts of forced labor and three counts of attempted forced labor at a jury trial in June 2024.

Papantoniadis forced or attempted to force six victims to work for him and comply with excessive workplace demands through violent physical abuse; threats of violence and serious harm; and repeated threats to report the victims to immigration authorities for deportation.

According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, Papantoniadis employed workers without immigration status to work behind the scenes, for 14 or more hours per day and as many as seven days per week. He monitored the workers with surveillance cameras, which he accessed from his cell phone, and constantly demeaned, insulted, and harassed them.

"Labor trafficking exploits the vulnerable through fear and intimidation, all in pursuit of the almighty buck. That is what Stavros Papantoniadis did when he violated the rights of the people working in his restaurants," said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. "I commend the bravery of the victims here for speaking out and taking a stand against their trafficker."

Papantoniadis was sentenced to 102 months in prison, one year of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $35,000 fine.

The defendant has remained in custody since his arrest on March 16, 2023.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ma/pr/owner-boston-pizzeria-chain-sentenced-more-eight-years-prison-forced-labor