Montauk Businessman Steals $350K+ From Customers' Accounts: DA

MONTAUK, NY —A Montauk businessman was arrested Monday and charged with stealing more than $325,000 from customers' bank accounts and a payroll company, Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney said.

Mark Ripolone, 34, owned 123 Delivery, a food delivery service, and Hampton Management Group, Inc., a beach service company that specialized in providing luxury beach chair setups and decorations for special events, Tierney said.

He was charged with three counts of second-degree grand larceny and two counts of third-degree grand larceny, Tierney said.

He reportedly stole the money over a three-year period, Tierney said.

“This defendant allegedly financially exploited his customers, most of them small businesses, to
steal funds from their bank accounts and allegedly took money from a payroll company to pay for
employees who did not exist,” said Tierney.

Tierney thanked the East Hampton Town Police Department, the Sag Harbor Village Police Department and the New York State Police, all of whom participated in the joint investigation and said due to their efforts, "This defendant will no longer be in a position to con others out of their hard-earned money.”

Ripolone's businesses were located in Montauk and he primarily did business on the East End of
Long Island during the busy summer months, Tierney said.

Ripolone stole $168,000 from September 1, 2018 through October 15, 2021 by obtaining the bank account information and routing numbers of his customers' accounts for the purpose of depositing money he received on their behalf, Tierney said.

Ripolone would then use the customers' bank account information to make ACH withdrawals from their accounts, which he used to pay his credit card bills, the mortgage for his house, and his Verizon phone bill, Tierney said. Ripolone also stole $160,000 from a payroll company that he had contracted to do payroll for Hampton Management Group Inc., Tierney said.

He stole the funds by having the payroll money transferred to his personal bank account rather than having the funds available to reimburse the payroll company, Tierney said.

Ripolone surrendered to East Hampton Town Police and the Sag Harbor Village Police Monday morning and was arraigned in East Hampton Justice Court, Tierney said.

His charges are considered non-bail eligible under New York State law and he was released on his own recognizance, Tierney said.

Ripolone is due back in East Hampton Justice Court on July 7 to face two counts of second-degree grand larceny and two counts of third-degree grand larceny; he is due back in Sag Harbor Justice Court on July 8 to face one count of second-degree grand larceny, Tierney said.

An attorney for Ripolone could not immediately be reached for comment.

Anyone who believes they may have been victimized by Mark Ripolone is asked to call the Suffolk County District Attorney's Office at 631-853-5602.