Metro

Republican mayoral candidate John Catsimatidis fights ruling that will cost him $7 million to workers

Supermarket mogul and GOP mayoral candidate John Catsimatidis is fighting to overturn a federal court ruling that holds him responsible for a $7 million judgment to settle class-action claims that his Gristedes chain underpaid workers, The Post has learned.

The billionaire is facing off against the US Labor Department, which last October filed a brief before the 2nd US Circuit Court of Appeals on behalf of the workers, arguing that he, as well as Gristedes, must be held financially accountable.

Catsimatidis denies he’s trying to avoid paying, insisting he’s appealing the ruling on principle.

“You know what I did? I paid back the balance of the money. The money is paid. After I paid the settlement, I appealed the ruling,” he said, explaining he “loaned” Gristedes the money.

He called the ruling “constitutionally wrong.”

“Because I’m president of the company, I should be held personally responsible? That’s nonsense,” he said, adding he’s not involved in day-to-day operations.

The case was started in 2004 by Gristedes worker Carlos Torres, who said he was cheated out of overtime over two years. By 2008, it became a class action with two other wage suits filed.

The parties reached a $3.5 million settlement, which hit $7 million after the court held the defendants liable for the plaintiffs’ legal costs.

Meanwhile, the workers filed to hold Catsimatidis liable if Gristedes failed to pay. The judge ruled in their favor.