9 more women accuse Illinois restaurant owner of recording up-skirt videos
FRANKFORT - More accusers are coming forward against a suburban restaurant owner linked to an up-skirt video scandal.
The allegations about the evidence found are disturbing.
Nine more plaintiffs as of Tuesday have joined the civil suit against Michael Papandrea -- the restaurant owner accused of secretly recording up-skirt videos of his young female employees, bringing the total number of young women accusing him to seventeen.
"These girls are in a state of shock right now. Disbelief," said attorney Lindsay Proskey of David Axelrod & Associates.
They're college-aged now, but were as young as 14-years-old when they worked for now 59-year-old Papandrea, owner of Parmesans Station in Tinley Park and Parmesan Wood Stone Pizza in Frankfort.
FOX 32 News first reported eight women suing him, but now nine more say they were victims as well.
"They came forward as they learned more about what was going on and the extent of the video footage," Proskey said.
Papandrea faces multiple criminal charges in Will County for allegedly using small cameras on his shoes to shoot videos up the skirts of young girls. Attorneys prosecuting the civil case against Papandrea urge anyone else concerned they may have been victimized to contact state police.
"We need help at this time gathering dates. When the former employees were there. We're asking everyone to search their computers or cell phones for work schedules," Proskey said.
This case does have the potential to grow much bigger in scope. Illinois State Police say their investigation into his conduct is open and active.
FOX 32's multiple attempts to reach Papandrea for comment at his restaurant and at his only known address were unsuccessful.