BOSTON (WHDH) - The owner of a local pizza chain faced a judge Tuesday, pleading not guilty to federal charges of forced labor.
Officials said Stavros Papantoniadis, 47, forced employees to work while verbally and physically abusing them and repeatedly threatening them with deportation.
Papantoniadis owns Stash’s Pizza in Dorchester and Roslindale. He was arrested last month and initially charged with one count of forced labor.
On March 29, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said Papantoniadis had since been indicted on four counts of forced labor and three counts of attempted forced labor.
Papantoniadis’ lawyer has argued the charges are as old as 10 to 15 years and that accusers are simply trying to improve their immigration status.
Papantoniadis is due back in court June.
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