ITG Communications, a Tennessee-based telecom infrastructure contractor with more than 10,000 technicians across 49 states, has been the subject of several federal lawsuits in recent years. Most of the ITG Communications lawsuit activity involves cable technicians alleging wage theft and misclassification under the Fair Labor Standards Act, with the largest case ending in a $1.35 million settlement in 2022. A separate fraud claim brought against ITG by a former subcontractor was dismissed in early 2026, and at least one wage case remains pending.
The $1.35 Million Monplaisir Wage Settlement
The biggest case against ITG began in March 2019, when former cable technician Paul Monplaisir sued Integrated Tech Group, LLC and ITG Communications, LLC in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. Monplaisir alleged that ITG required technicians to work off the clock, including unpaid orientation and training, pre-shift tasks, and meal breaks that workers were pressured to record as taken. The complaint also accused the company of altering or erasing job codes to shrink recorded hours and of failing to reimburse workers for gas, tools, and equipment.1GovInfo. Monplaisir v. Integrated Tech Group, LLC, No. C 19-01484 WHA
In August 2019, Judge William Alsup conditionally certified a nationwide FLSA collective action covering non-exempt hourly technicians who had worked for ITG in the three years before the complaint. The potential group numbered roughly 2,680 workers. ITG argued that about 1,400 of them had signed arbitration agreements with class-action waivers and moved to compel arbitration for the 46 workers who had opted in. Judge Alsup held that motion in abeyance until the opt-in period closed.2vLex. Monplaisir v. Integrated Tech Grp., LLC, No. C 19-01484 WHA
An initial $1.625 million settlement proposal covering 616 workers was rejected by Judge Alsup in November 2020. He found it overpaid plaintiffs’ counsel, was structured around ITG’s arbitration leverage rather than the merits, and treated subsets of the class unfairly.3CaseMine. Monplaisir v. Integrated Tech Group, LLC, No. C 19-01484 WHA A revised deal for $1.35 million received final approval in May 2022, closing out the collective action.4Law360. $1M Deal to Close Cable Tech Wage Suit Gets Green Light
Fakhurtdinov Misclassification Case in New York
Denis Fakhurtdinov, a cable technician, sued ITG Communications along with Domestic Supply Inc. and its principal, Danila Barannikov, in the Eastern District of New York. He alleged he had been misclassified as an independent contractor and denied minimum and overtime wages under the FLSA and New York Labor Law.5Levin Epstein. Fakhurtdinov v. ITG Communications, LLC
The parties reached a $45,000 settlement at mediation in October 2024, payable in three installments by the Domestic Supply defendants. Barannikov later tried to back out, claiming he had authorized only $5,000 and that language barriers made the agreement non-binding. Magistrate Judge Peggy Kuo rejected those arguments, citing post-mediation emails and the mediator’s confirmation, and recommended enforcing the deal as agreed.5Levin Epstein. Fakhurtdinov v. ITG Communications, LLC
Stenberg Case in Florida
Brady Stenberg filed an FLSA suit against ITG in the Middle District of Florida in July 2024 (case 8:24-cv-01703). Judge Steven D. Merryday dismissed the action without prejudice on February 24, 2025, after the parties filed a stipulation of dismissal, which typically signals a private resolution. All pending motions were denied as moot.6PACER Monitor. Stenberg v. ITG Communications, LLC
Churchwell v. Matrix Cable, Still Pending in Virginia
The newest wage case naming ITG was filed in March 2026 in the Eastern District of Virginia. In Churchwell v. Matrix Cable, LLC, three cable technicians sued ITG Communications, Comcast Cable Communications, and Matrix Cable, alleging they were misclassified as independent contractors in violation of the FLSA.7Law360. Cable Workers Fight Telecom Co’s Bid to Force Arbitration
All three defendants jointly moved to compel arbitration in May 2026, and the workers filed their opposition later that month. The court had not yet ruled as of mid-2026.8PACER Monitor. Churchwell et al v. Matrix Cable, LLC et al
Subcontractor Fraud Suit Dismissed
In December 2025, Danil Barannikov of Domestic Supply Inc. filed his own suit against ITG Communications in the Eastern District of New York, flipping his role from co-defendant in the Fakhurtdinov case to plaintiff. The complaint alleged breach of contract, fraud, conversion, tortious interference with prospective business advantage, and civil conspiracy. Barannikov claimed ITG had withheld payment for thousands of service orders, fabricated chargebacks, and steered work to a competing subcontractor secretly owned by one of ITG’s own managers. Three ITG managers, George Hernandez, Tomas Castora, and Raymond Parris, were named as orchestrators. Domestic Supply sought at least $2.8 million in compensatory and punitive damages and asked the court to void the chargebacks.9South Shore Press. New York Subcontractor Accuses ITG Communications of Fraudulent Business Practices
ITG moved to dismiss. On February 2, 2026, Judge Brian M. Cogan granted the motion, and the clerk entered final judgment the following day.10PACER Monitor. Barannikov v. ITG Communications, LLC Whether Barannikov will attempt to refile is not clear from the available record.
About ITG Communications
ITG Communications was co-founded in 2013 by Michael Brooks and Peter Giacalone.11PrivCo. ITG Communication The company is headquartered in Gallatin, Tennessee, and operates more than 240 locations across 49 states with a workforce of over 10,000. Its clients include AT&T, Charter, Comcast, Altice, Cox, and RCN, and its services span fiber construction, network engineering, utility locating, wireless installation, and emergency maintenance.12ITG Communications. Company That scale is part of why the wage cases against ITG have been able to reach nationwide certification: the workforce named in the Monplaisir collective alone ran into the thousands.