NEW YORK (1010 WINS) — Two twin brothers who own a construction contracting company were indicted for stealing wages from immigrant workers and then threatening and assaulting them when they complained, the Manhattan District Attorney's Office announced Friday.
Gzim Shabaj and Lulzim Shabaj, both 41, own 3 Brothers GC Corp., a general contractor accused of exploiting Spanish-speaking day laborers by withholding pay, threatening deportation and beatings.
The brothers hired two day laborers last Fall for roofing, painting and electrical work at a residential building on West 118th Street near Malcolm X Boulevard in Harlem, according to officials.
After about a month of work, the company suddenly stopped paying their employees but promised compensation at a later date, prosecutors claim.
On Sept. 10, one of the workers asked Gzim for his wages. In response, Gzim allegedly pulled a knife on the worker and started repeatedly punching him in the head, causing him to bleed from his ear.
The brothers allegedly stole about $1,470 from the worker — about six days of wages.
On Sept. 30, the other worker tried to cash a paycheck for $3,000, but the check bounced, according to authorities.
When he asked for his wages, Gzim allegedly ripped the side-view mirror of the worker's van and repeatedly hit the van with it, cracking the vehicle's windshield and denting its hubcap.
He also hit the worker in the shoulder while threatening to call immigration on him, officials said.
"You're Hispanic. I'll call immigration. You SOB, f**k you. Hispanics get out of the country," he said during the attack, according to prosecutors.
The worker called the police after the attack and Gzim fled the scene. Lulzim allegedly gave the responding NYPD officers the wrong birth date and name for his twin.
The company allegedly later canceled another paycheck meant for the worker who called the police — stealing about $6,150 total.
"Wage theft is very clearly a public safety issue," said Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg. "These workers demanded their fair pay, and in return, we allege, they were targeted with physical violence and threats of deportation. We will not stand idly by while hardworking New Yorkers' lives and livelihoods are jeopardized."
The brothers and the company were each charged with scheme to defraud and violating worker compensation laws. Gzim also faces charges for assault, attempted assault, criminal mischief and menacing.
This case is the result of the first investigation by the Manhattan D.A.'s new Worker Protection Unit. The task force was created as a subset of the Rackets Bureau about a week ago and is responsible for prosecuting worker harassment and exploitation.
