Brooklyn, NY – An Orthodox Jewish business owner was arraigned today in Brooklyn Criminal Court on charges that he schemed to defraud and failed to pay wages to five workers he hired to clean houses for Passover during March 25 and April 3 of last year.
Join our WhatsApp groupSubscribe to our Daily Roundup Email
According to the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office, Samuel Just, 21, owner of Just Clean located in Bedford-Stuyvesant allegedly hired five workers – one man and four women – at the intersection of Division Street and Marcy Avenue in Williamsburg and hired them to clean houses for between $10 and $14 an hour. But workers say they were never paid, and if they did receive a check, it bounced. Officials told the Daily News (http://bit.ly/1NIxvy1) that Just owes over $4,500 in back pay.
“This defendant allegedly preyed on vulnerable people seeking employment, then cheated them out of their hard earned wages,” Brooklyn DA Thompson said.
One woman said she worked 27 hours straight cleaning houses before Passover, and was never paid the $2,300 she was promised. Just allegedly told the workers they were not authorized to work that many hours.
Other day laborers interviewed at the same intersection complained they, too, have been cheated by employers. “They rarely pay you completely. We work very hard,” one unidentified woman said. “If you work for four hours, they might pay your for three and a half, or sometimes even less. A lot of things happen here. Every one of us has had a bad experience.”
Just was charged following a complaint filed by the Workers Justice Project with the Brooklyn District Attorney’s office.
I don’t think he qualifies for the title of “businessman.”
If true-what a piece of dreck!
Although its a crime and chilul hashem, aren’t those workers cheaters for coming here illegally?
A Jewish Businessman? Not a Jew (at least not by his actions) and definitely not a Businessman. But glad they didn’t call him a Jewish orthodox Rabbi…
B’yomo titen skharo. Nocher chilul b’Elul. Hashem yishmor otanu mei’atzmeinu.
Maybe other people will learn from this
A con man not a business man.
Wow, this guy is wrong but that is one heck of an expensive cleaning lady at $85 an hour
And how can they prove he didn’t pay them cash? If a check bounced, why wasn’t he charged for that? Because they can’t produce it, because it’s a lie. I’m glad the “Justice Project” found a new victim. This DA that was supported by our community that is now being stabbed in the back. Where are all the machers he paraded when he was running?
An absolute chillul Hashen for which there is no forgiveness.
Are you serious? All these so called workers are here illegally , work for cash , pay no taxes etc.
Anyway it is a chillul Hashem! In any event most of them steal as well! I wouldn’t take any of them into my house!
If he is guilty, he’s not Orthodox although he may dress like an Orthodox Jew; just another phony.
Unfortunately this happens often.
“Other day laborers interviewed at the same intersection complained they, too, have been cheated by employers. “They rarely pay you completely. We work very hard,” one unidentified woman said. “If you work for four hours, they might pay your for three and a half, or sometimes even less. A lot of things happen here. Every one of us has had a bad experience.”
Although this guy is definitely a con (if what they claim is really true), most of these workers are uneducated and don’t know how to calculate their payroll.
I had one a few weeks ago who always claimed she worked one more hour than she really did., I didn’t know if she was lying or she simply didn’t know how to count.
who says you are allowed believe the press. you are allowed to protect youself but you are not allowed to believe the press. the press is full of slander.