Owner of Boston Pizza Shop Found Guilty of Imposing Forced Labor on Employees Without Legal Status

**Boston Pizza Shop Owner Convicted of Forced Labor in Shocking Abuse Case**

In a landmark case that has sent shockwaves through the Boston community, Stavros Papantoniadis, the owner of two popular pizza shops in the Boston area, was convicted on Friday of forced labor charges. The conviction came after a harrowing trial that exposed the depths of exploitation and abuse suffered by employees at the hands of their employer.

Papantoniadis, from the Boston suburb of Westwood, was found guilty of employing a strategy of intimidation, violence, and threats to force employees, many of whom were living in the U.S. illegally, to work grueling hours under deplorable conditions. According to prosecutors, these workers were made to work upwards of 14 hours a day, often seven days a week, without proper staffing or consideration for their well-being.

The jury heard evidence that Papantoniadis maintained a strict surveillance regime over his employees, using cameras he could access remotely to monitor, demean, and harass them constantly. This environment of fear was compounded by threats of physical violence or deportation, with one instance where Papantoniadis chased an employee through Norwood on Route 1 and falsely reported him to police to prevent him from leaving his employment.

In one particularly disturbing incident, when an employee attempted to quit, Papantoniadis responded with physical violence, choking the worker until he managed to escape to the safety of a parking lot. These acts of violence and intimidation led to Papantoniadis’s conviction on three counts of forced labor and three counts of attempted forced labor, charges that could see him facing up to 20 years in prison for each count.

Acting United States Attorney Joshua Levy hailed the verdict as a “powerful message to abusive employers” that exploitation and intimidation of employees will not be tolerated. The case also serves as a beacon of hope for victims of similar exploitation, demonstrating the federal government’s commitment to prosecuting such abuses.

Despite the conviction, Papantoniadis’s lawyer, Carmine Lepore, expressed disappointment, suggesting the jury was swayed by the victims’ testimonies without considering their motives. The sentencing, scheduled for September 12, is eagerly awaited by both the victims and their advocates, who see this case as a significant step forward in the fight against labor exploitation.

This conviction not only highlights the dark underbelly of exploitation in the restaurant industry but also underscores the importance of vigilance and legal accountability in protecting the most vulnerable workers in our society.