The Manhattan District Attorney's Office issued an indictment against the owner, Anthony Piscina, and the chain's Manhattan manager, Frank Santora, claiming they stole more than $20,000 in wages from at least seven employees at their Chelsea location.
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Both men were arrested at their homes Thursday morning and walked into court in handcuffs as they pled not guilty during their arraignment.
"Again and again, we allege, the owner and manager of Grimaldi's lied to their workers, underpaid them, and exploited them, ultimately taking more than $20,000 of their hard-earned wages" said District Attorney Bragg on Thursday. "In text messages to the defendants, the victims made it devastatingly clear how desperately they needed these funds."
Bragg described a scheme between August 2017 and August 2023, alleging Piscina and Santora stole over $20,000 from at least seven employees who worked at their Flatiron location.
The investigation began when the city's Worker Protection Unit received multiple complaints about alleged wage theft at Grimaldi's Pizza.
According to the indictment, Piscina and Santora are facing charges of scheme to defraud and seven counts of failure to pay wages in accordance with the labor law.
"Absolutely not guilty," said Piscina while leaving court. "This is bizarre!"
The D.A. says the goal is to recoup the lost wages, and believes there may be more victims.
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Officials are encouraging anyone else who may be a victim to call or message the Worker Protection Unit at (646) 712-0298.
Piscina and Santora are due back in court May 1.
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