Head chef arrested on multiple sexual assault charges involving employees

WOODBURY, Conn. (WFSB/Gray News) - A man has been arrested on multiple sexual assault charges involving employees at a restaurant where he worked as head chef.

Walid Gad, 55, of Waterbury, was arrested on five counts of sexual assault in the first degree and one count of sexual assault in the fourth degree.

The charges stem from alleged incidents between January 2025 and June 2025 at a restaurant in Woodbury where Gad worked as head chef. His arrest warrant did not identify the restaurant, but it notes a second location in Danbury.

Three former employees of the restaurant walked into the Woodbury Resident Trooper’s Office in August 2025 to report they were sexually assaulted by Gad, according to the affidavit. The victims reported they were undocumented immigrants in the United States.

Connecticut State Police Western District Major Crime Squad investigated the case.

One victim reported Gad forced her to have sex with him on multiple occasions at the restaurant. The victim said Gad threatened to call immigration authorities and have her fired if she reported the assaults, according to the affidavit.

When interviewed by police in August 2025, Gad admitted to having sexual contact with one victim five or six times but said it was consensual, according to the affidavit. Gad denied having sexual contact with any other employees at the restaurant.

The investigation revealed that in June 2025, two victims approached the restaurant owner and reported what was happening. The restaurant owner allegedly offered to pay the victims $20,000 in cash in exchange for their silence, according to the affidavit. The victims declined the offer.

A witness reported seeing Gad inappropriately touch one victim on multiple occasions.

As the investigation progressed, three additional victims were identified, all of whom were United States citizens, according to the affidavit. All of the victims were employees of the restaurant at the time of the alleged assaults.

Additional arrest warrant applications for Gad involving the additional victims are being presented, according to the affidavit.

Gad was arrested March 25. Bond was set at $750,000. He was ordered to have no contact with the victims.

Gad has no criminal history, according to the affidavit.