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Luxury clothing brand owner indicted for wage theft, worker exploitation

Andrea Marshall denied overworked employees' pay

Posted

The owner of luxury clothing brand Salon 1884 was indicted June 17 by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg for allegedly forcing employees to work long hours while stealing up to $54,000 of wages. Andrea Marshal, 44, has been charged with one count of grand larceny, one count of scheme to defraud, one count of effect of failure to secure compensation, and five counts of failure to pay wages in accordance with labor law.

Marshal allegedly stole 924 hours of workers from nine workers. Employees worked consecutive overnight shifts, Bragg alleged, with seamstresses in the company's 39th street warehouse working more than 40 hours a week, including shifts that lasted between 12 and 17 hours.

In at least two instances, Bragg alleged, employees worked more than 100 hours in one week.

“As alleged, Andrea Marshall, the owner of Salon 1884, exploited and stole approximately $54,000 in wages from her employees while selling luxury garments," Bragg said in a statement. “She preyed on the significant power imbalance of her employees who relied on the promised wages for housing and basic living expenses, feared retaliation, and lacked the financial resources to pursue legal recourse. Hard working New Yorkers deserve every dollar they earn."

Marshall directly controlled her employees by setting their schedules, overseeing their punch-ins and punch-outs as well as determining their rates of pay, prosecutors allege. She paid workers through Zelle, checks or cash, but delayed workers' payments after their work had already been completed.

Prosecutors allege that, at times, Marshall offered clothing in lieu of wages and proposed partial payment plans that she did not honor. Workers sought payment from Marshal repeatedly through text messages and emails, Bragg alleges.

In a text sent by one worker to Marshall in March 2025 cited by prosecutors, one worker begged for just half of her payment, saying the money was needed for the worker's children in Ecuador. Marshal did not respond to that initial text, or to a follow-up text sent two days later.

"I really need it, miss, please help me," the text concludes.

An attorney for Marshall could not be reached for comment.

Marshall allegedly utilized similar delayed and non-payment practices with several contractors hired by Salon 1884.

“The wage theft case against Salon 1884 and Andrea Marshall is a powerful reminder that no one is above the law when it comes to protecting workers’ rights" New York State Department of Labor Commissioner Roberta Reardon said in a statement. "Wage theft is a crime, plain and simple, and will not be tolerated in New York State. I applaud the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office for bringing these charges to protect vulnerable workers, and for their continued partnership as we work to safeguard the livelihoods of all New Yorkers.”

Comments

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  • BergholzNY

    This is a very encouraging article to share with the City employees who are experiencing what can only be described as wage theft. They report that their agency management and all levels of supervisors down their command chain clock them out of CityTime shortening their hours, and shave down remote hours from their time sheets or force them to do so if their productivity did not match minute-for-minute in the graph printouts from the nefarious work-tracking system management installed and used without union clearance. It showed alleged gaps in the wage-shorted workers’ productivity. The problem is that this system cannot track everything workers do on their PCs, such as case review. How can a case be adjudicated or processed without first reviewing it? When their misfortune went unheeded by City-agency complaint outlets and the union’s grievance division, they were advised by union delegates on-site to complain formally to the DA’s office and the feds. NYS DOL Wages & Hours Division had a statement on their website that they did not take or file complaints against NYC Employers. If that’s true, then the feds and DAs’ offices are the City Employees’ only hope! Thank you, Mr. Bragg.

    Wednesday, June 24 Report this

  • TeriDeCastro

    Of course, if illegals weren't being hired, this wouldn't be going on

    Thursday, June 25 Report this