Riverhead, NY – Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman today announced the conviction and sentencing of Richard Orvieto and his company Double “O” Landscaping Inc for failing to pay full wages to employees and defrauding the state unemployment insurance system. Orvieto and the company had previously pleaded guilty to failing to pay his employees overtime, refusing to pay them owed wages after firing them, and defrauding the state unemployment insurance system by paying workers in cash and not reporting their wages on required quarterly tax filings. Orvieto was sentenced to pay restitution of $13,032 to three former employees and $19,856.64 to the New York State Department of Labor.
“It doesn’t matter if you own a restaurant or a landscaping company – you must pay your workers the money they are owed and pay them on the books,” Attorney General Schneiderman said. “My office will continue to crack down on wage theft and return earnings that rightfully belong to workers.”
Double “O” Landscaping Inc., based in Stony Brook provides landscaping and light construction services on Long Island. Between August 24, 2011 and January 31, 2014, Orvieto hired workers to perform these landscaping services but failed to pay them overtime at one and one half times their regular rate of pay for all hours worked in excess of 40 hours per week. Orvieto also paid his workers’ wages in cash and failed to report or pay unemployment insurance contributions for these wages to the state unemployment insurance system. In addition, in late 2013, Orvieto fired three workers, who were then not paid any wages at all for their last week of work.
For the full story, on longisland.com, click here.
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