A Montauk businessman, Mark Ripolone, was indicted yesterday on charges of grand larceny and identity theft for allegedly stealing nearly $400,000 over a three-year period from a payroll company and his own customers’ bank accounts.
Mr. Ripolone owned a food delivery service called 123 Delivery, which no longer exists, as well as Hampton Management Group, which provided high-end beach-chair setups and decorations for special events. Both businesses were based in Montauk.
According to Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney, from September 2018 through October 2021, Mr. Ripolone stole “approximately $223,000 from several customers of 123 Delivery after obtaining the bank account information and routing numbers of their accounts.” He then allegedly used the information to make withdrawals from their accounts, the D.A. said, and used the money to pay his personal expenses, including credit card debts, a home mortgage payment, and his Verizon bills.
The investigation was conducted jointly by the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office, the East Hampton Town Police Department, the Sag Harbor Village Police Department, and New York State police.
Separately, Mr. Ripolone is accused of stealing “approximately $160,000 from a payroll company with which he had contracted to do payroll for Hampton Management Group Inc.,” according to the D.A.’s office. “He is alleged to have stolen this money by having the payroll money transferred to his personal bank account when he did not have any funds available to reimburse the payroll company.”
Mr. Ripolone appeared yesterday in Suffolk Supreme Court before Justice John B. Collins, who arraigned him on a total of nine felony charges. Under current state law, his offenses are “non-bail eligible,” and he was released on his own recognizance. He is due back in court on June 16.