Buccaneers Will Stop Using Unpaid Homeless People To Sell Beer

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will no longer employ unpaid, destitute indentured servants as concessions stand workers, according to a statement issued by the team's concessions partner Aramark.

This is response to a Tampa Bay Times investigation revealing New Beginnings Ministry's association with the Bucs, Lightning, and Rays to employ homeless men as concessionaires in exchange for giving the men housing and food. Further statements from the Lightning and Rays revealed those teams ended their relationships with New Beginnings, but until this week the Bucs had remained silent on the issue. New Beginnings calls the program "work therapy," but labor experts called it "human trafficking."

The Department of Labor is now involved, according to the Times, and further investigations reveal allegations of fraud on behalf of New Beginnings, which is also accused of confiscating program members' Social Security checks.

[ Tampa Bay Times]

Photo credit: Charlie Riedel/AP