First wage theft conviction in Minnesota punishes contractor for underpaying workers

Six years after a new law made wage theft a felony in Minnesota, our state has its first wage theft conviction.

Frederick Leon Newell will be sentenced in June for stealing $35,000 dollars from five workers he employed as a painting contractor for a Minneapolis affordable housing development.

Max Nesterak, who reported on the case for the Minnesota Reformer, shared more on what this means with MPR News host Tom Crann.

Press play above to listen to their conversation.

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