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Juan Chonillo fell 29 stories from a condominium building under construction. He fell while working on a scaffolding system. A foreman of SSC High Rise, Inc. directed employees to move the scaffolding system using a crane while workers, including Chonillo, were still on the platform. The investigation into Chonillo’s fatal fall uncovered that the company had also underpaid approximately 50 workers by more than $500,000 between August 2011 and September 2017 and underreported nearly $2 million in payroll to the state workers’ compensation system and other insurance programs.
Assistant District Attorney Rachana Pathak
Fall, Wage Theft
New York County
New York
September 21, 2017
Unavailable
| First | Last | Age | Title | Employer | Injury Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Juan | Chonillo | 44 | Carpenter | SSC High Rise, Inc. | Fatality |
| Approximately 50 underpaid workers | Not available | Unavailable | Not available | SSC High Rise, Inc. | Wage Theft |
| Name | Type | Title | Plea Information | Conviction Sentence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SSC High Rise, Inc. | Entity | Entity | The company pleaded guilty to one count of Manslaughter in the Second Degree, a class C felony. | As part of the plea agreement, the company agreed to pay restitution for the wage violations-- $517,000 to the underpaid workers and $325,000 to the state insurance fund to make up for the unreported payroll. The company also had to pay $51,000 in fees to the NY Labor Department, and a $10,000 corporate penalty. |
|
Penal Crimes Charged
Manslaughter in the Second Degree; wage theft scheme and insurance fraud |
Other Crimes Charged
Unavailable |
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