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“At the height of the pandemic, these workers risked their lives to support their families only to fall victim to a gutless scam,” DA Katz said.
By Forum Staff
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz, joined by State Labor Commissioner Roberta Reardon, recently announced that the MPStar Pros housecleaning company and its chief executive officer have pleaded guilty to charges stemming from stealing wages from employees.
The Forest Hills company advertised for apartment cleaners, hired them, allowed them to clean and then did not pay for their work, withholding more than $54,000 from the employees between 2020 and 2022. As part of the plea deal, the company will have to make full restitution to the 23 victims.
MPStar Pros Chief Executive Officer Christian Perez, 37, of Forest Hills, pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct before Queens Acting Supreme Court Justice Jerry Iannece and was sentenced to a conditional discharge. His housecleaning company, MPStar Pros, pleaded guilty to a felony, scheme to defraud, and as part of the plea must make full restitution to the workers, paying them the more than $54,000 unpaid wages.
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MPStar Pros housecleaning company is located on Queens Boulevard in Forest Hills.
Additionally, MPStar Pros is required to pay $10,000 that will be held in escrow by the Queens District Attorney’s office in the event additional victims of the scheme are identified.
According to the charges, MPStar Pros advertised via Facebook, Craigslist and other social media sites for persons to clean residential apartments for various clients, including short-term apartment rental operators. Many of the victims were asked to work during the height of the COVID pandemic, risking their lives to support their families. After the workers completed their jobs, MPStar Pros did not pay them their wages.
“At the height of the pandemic, these workers risked their lives to support their families only to fall victim to a gutless scam. I created a worker protection bureau to punish this very kind of shameless exploitation,” Katz said. “An honest day’s work deserves and honest day’s pay and that is what we made sure will be the case for these workers.”
