Montauk Man Charged with $400,000 Theft

A Montauk man has been arrested for allegedly using a pair of companies that he owned to steal nearly $400,000 from local businesses over a three-year span, Suffolk County prosecutors said.

Mark Ripolone pleaded not guilty May 3 at Suffolk County court to five counts of grand larceny and four charges of identity theft, all felonies.

“This defendant financially exploited his customers and a payroll company by allegedly  stealing money to finance his own lifestyle,” said Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney.

Prosecutors said Ripolone, who was the owner of a now-defunct food delivery service called 123 Delivery, stole from his customers after obtaining their bank account information when they paid for his services from September 2018 through October 2021.

He also owned Hampton Management Group Inc., which specialized in providing luxury beach chair set-ups and decorations for special events, through which he allegedly stole $160,000 from a payroll company, authorities said.

He used the stolen funds to pay his personal expenses, including credit cards debts, a home mortgage payment and phone bill, according to investigators.

His attorney could not be reached. Ripolone was released without bail and is due back in court on June 16.