Company Accused Of Stealing $67K From UWS Workers, DA Says

UPPER WEST SIDE, NY — A local construction company has been accused of stealing $67,000 from 10 workers on the Upper West Side between September 2023 and February 2024, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said on Thursday.

Kendis Paul, 45, and his company, KEP Construction LLC, were each charged with one count of grand larceny in the second degree and a scheme to defraud in the first degree, Bragg said.

According to the district attorney, Paul was hired on several construction sites on the Upper West Side in September 2023, including 270 West 96th St., which is a 23-story building.

Paul hired 10 employees to drywall plaster work at these job sites, Bragg said.

But, Paul is accused of giving employees checks that bounced, refusing to pay them overtime, and, in some cases, neglecting to pay them all together, Bragg said.

The employees sent repeated texts asking Paul to pay them for their time, and Paul said he would, but ultimately never paid them, Bragg said.

"As alleged, Kendis Paul stole thousands of dollars in wages from employees who dedicated hours of labor to a construction project. The victims repeatedly asked the defendant for their wages, yet, we allege, they were never made whole," Bragg said.

The workers are each owed sums between $2,600 and $11,000, totaling approximately $67,275, Bragg said.

"Workers deserve to be fairly compensated for their labor, and our Office will continue to prosecute those who take advantage of their employees," Bragg said.

This is a developing story and may be updated. For questions and tips, email Miranda.Levingston@Patch.com.