LI Construction Co. Owner Jailed for Underpaying Workers at Bronx School

A construction company owner has been jailed for a month for reportedly failing to pay $280,000 too little to workers.

Vickram Mangru, owner and operator of Valley Stream–based AVM Construction and Vick Construction, was given a 30 day sentence for failing to pay prevailing wages on construction work at public schools in the Bronx, according to prosecutors.

In addition, Mangru reportedly received three years of probation, according to Attorney General Letitia James and city Comptroller Scott Stringer.

Manru’s wife, Gayatri Mangru, was sentenced to a conditional discharge for a misdemeanor conviction on the same charge.

The defendants both pled guilty to the charges on February 11, 2019, and have paid $80,000 in restitution to three workers. The remaining $201,630.09 was subject to an Order of restitution issued by the court. In addition, all defendants will be prohibited from bidding on or being awarded any public works contract in the State of New York for a period of five (5) 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.”

“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 in a statement. “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. We referred this case to the Attorney General’s Office after Mangru created a new company in an attempt to continue operating in New York City, but was allegedly still committing labor violations. 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.”

Between December 22, 2012 and February 14, 2015, Vickram Mangru – as owner of Vick Construction and operator of AVM Construction Corp. – failed to pay several of his employees’ proper prevailing wages for construction and repair work on several public schools in the Bronx, according to James’ office. State law requires that on certain construction projects designated as “public works,” workers must be paid a pre-determined industry minimum wage per hour, plus a benefit rate, collectively known as a “prevailing wage rate.”