A New York City construction company and its owner were indicted Thursday on wage theft charges for depriving ten recent immigrant workers of wages totaling $67,000.

       "These cases come down to greed," Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said. "They are preying on those who they don't think will come forward."

       KEP Construction and its owner, Kendis Paul, are charged with a scheme to defraud and grand larceny.

       Prosecutors recovered text messages that show the workers pleading for their money. "I'm out of food," one message said. "I haven't been able to pay my rent."

       According to the indictment, 10 former KEP employees were owed for drywall plaster work they performed on a 23-story building on West 96 Street between September 2023 and February 2024.

       Paul allegedly gave these employees paychecks that later bounced, refused to pay them overtime, and, in some instances, failed to pay their wages altogether, despite the fact that he was paid more than $1.3 million from the general contractor.

       Paul pleaded not guilty and was released on his own recognizance.