Attorney General Peter F. Kilmartin announced that Milad Shabo (age 50), with a last known address of 1325 Broad Street, Central Falls, pleaded nolo contendere on May 16, 2014 in Providence District Court before Justice Elaine T. Bucci to one count of violating a final order of the Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training (RI-DLT) in violation of RIGL 28-14-4, Payment on Separation by Employer.
Shabo was sentenced to three months probation and ordered to pay restitution to three former employees for unpaid wages in the amount of $2,614.45.
Had the case proceeded to trial, the State was prepared to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Milad Shabo, Principal of Comeback Venture LLC doing business as Solo Burgers, failed to pay his employees Megan O'Rourke in the amount of $647.36, Celine Lacroix in the amount of $1,440.32 and Alexa Stufano in the amount of $526.77 for hours they worked at Solo Burgers between May and August 2012.
The employees filed complaints with the Labor Standards Unit at RI-DLT. A combined hearing was held on December 19, 2013, resulting in a decision ordering Shabo to pay total wages in the amount of $2,614.45. Shabo failed to comply with or appeal the order, and the case was referred to the Office of Attorney General for criminal prosecution.
"Failing to pay employees the wages they earned and failing to comply with an order by RI-DLT will result in prosecution by my office, placing you before a court," said Attorney General Peter Kilmartin.
"Withholding earned wages from employees is illegal and we will prosecute to the fullest extent possible," said DLT Director Charles J. Fogarty.
Rhode Island Office of Attorney General Investigator John Rabbit investigated the matter and Special Assistant Attorney General Genevieve Allaire Johnson prosecuted the case on behalf of the State.