Ross School Was Target in Email Scam

In an online scam now under investigation, someone stole about $167,000 from the Ross School in East Hampton earlier this month, according to East Hampton Town police.

On the morning of April 7 an email that appeared to be from Courtney Sale Ross, the founder of the school, was received by the school's chief financial officer, James Grossi, and was routed to Tracy Stigliano, the comptroller, police said.

A largely redacted police report indicated that the school sent $42,370 several hours after receiving the email.

In another email message, it appeared that Ms. Ross was asking that a financial transfer be made to a bank account.

Detective Sgt. Greg Schaefer said what turned out to be a scam was under investigation, and did not provide details about the accounts that received the money.

School officials did not call police until three days later when another email was received asking that $200,000 be sent to a Chinese acount, and officials realized the school had been defrauded.

Novelette Brown, the director of public relations at Ross, said Tuesday that, because the school acted promptly when it learned it had been tricked, it "was able to limit any and all damages." She would not go into detail, but said, "we have not been damaged as a result of this incident."

The private school, with branches on Goodfriend Drive off Route 114 in East Hampton and on Butter Lane in Bridgehampton, was founded Ms. Ross in 1991. In an article in The East Hampton Star on March 7, 2013, the school described Ms. Ross's changing role: "Even though Mrs. Ross will be on campus less in person, as chairman of the board of trustees, she will maintain a digital presence through media and technology and continue to lead the school's mission to be at the forefront of innovation and excellence."

Mr. Grossi, reached by phone Tuesday, declined to comment.