Merrimack Man Indicted For Theft Of $140K From Manchester Restaurant

MANCHESTER, NH — A Hillsborough County grand jury has indicted a Merrimack man for stealing money from a popular Manchester eatery.

James Peretti, 48, of Merrimack, was indicted for a Class A felony count of theft by unauthorized taking or transfer pursuant to one scheme or course of conduct, according to NH Attorney General Director of Communications Michael Garrity.

Peretti was the former general manager of The Foundry Restaurant in Manchester, according to the indictment. It alleged he stole from the restaurant across nearly the entirety of his four-year tenure as general manager. Peretti generated fraudulent reimbursement claims and using the reimbursement claims as a basis to take cash he was not entitled to likely in excess of $140,000 in total, the indictment stated.

Investigator Frederick Lulka of the Department of Justice's Consumer Protection and Antitrust Bureau investigated this with assistance from the Manchester Police Department. Assistant Attorney General Zachary Frish, also of the Consumer Protection and Antitrust Bureau, is prosecuting the case.

According to a Manchester Ink Link article: "After several soft openings, The Foundry officially opened. Dean Kamen, inventor of the Segway and founder of FIRST Robotics, owns the restaurant. After a complete restoration, which brought it back to its working mill days, the space is a love letter to Manchester and manages to be something for everyone, from an upscale eatery to a place to grab a beer after work. The space includes a bar, private wine room for dining, and a huge outdoor space overlooking the Merrimack River."

Peretti is scheduled to be arraigned on the charge in Hillsborough County - Northern District Superior Court on April 8.