Nassau Couple Sentenced For Underpaying Workers

A Nassau County couple was sentenced today for failing to pay wages to their employees working on a New York City construction project, as well as falsifying records related to it.

Vickram Mangru, his wife Gayatri Mangru and their company, AVM Construction Corp., of Valley Stream, pleaded guilty in February to failing to pay proper prevailing wages to workers and falsifying business records related to a publicly-funded New York City construction project.

Vickram Mangru will serve 30 days in jail followed by three years probation. Gaytari Mangru wa sentenced to a conditional discharge. So far, the couple has paid $80,000 in restitution to three workers, and still have to repay $201,630.09. In addition, the couple and their company are prohibited from bidding or being awarded any public works contracts in New York state for five years.

“New Yorkers who work on publicly-funded projects deserve to be paid a prevailing wage,” said Attorney General Letitia James. “Employers who underpay their employees and attempt to evade wage laws have no business in the state of New York. My office will continue to ensure that all New Yorkers – no matter their trade – are paid a fair wage.”

According to James, between Dec. 22, 2012 and April 12, 2014, Vickram Mangru, who owned Vick Construction, failed to pay several of his employees for construction and repair work they were doing to public schools in the Bronx. Mangru paid his workers between $120 and $160 a day for 40 to 50 hour work weeks -- far less than what they should have been paid.

To cover up the underpayment, Mangru falsified records to say he paid them the full amount they were due. The New York City Comptroller's Office previously barred Mangru from obtaining contracts for public works projects in New York City after he was found to be in violation of labor laws. The comptroller's office referred the case to the Attorney General's after Mangru created a new company in an attempt to continue operating in New York City, but was allegedly still committing labor violations.

"My office has zero tolerance for unscrupulous, predatory actors who flout the law and cheat workers out of their wages – that’s why we debarred this contractor,” said Comptroller Scott M. Stringer. “The defendant in this case was forbidden from obtaining contracts for public works projects in New York City and state after he was found to be violating our labor laws... There’s no place in New York for these kind of acts, and my office will always fight to break the grip of those who cheat our workers – finger by finger."