MONTAUK, NY – A former Montauk resident, Mark Ripolone, 36, has been sentenced to 3 to 9 years in prison for orchestrating multiple fraudulent schemes that resulted in the theft of nearly $400,000 over a three-year period.
Between September 2018 and October 2021, Ripolone exploited his customers at “123 Delivery” by obtaining their bank account and routing numbers under the pretense of legitimate business operations. Instead of fulfilling his obligations, Ripolone siphoned approximately $225,000 from their accounts through unauthorized ACH withdrawals, using the funds to cover personal expenses such as credit card payments, mortgage bills, and phone charges.
In a separate scheme between April and May 2020, Ripolone stole $160,000 from a payroll company he had contracted with. He redirected payroll funds into his personal bank account without possessing the necessary funds to reimburse the company.
Ripolone pleaded guilty on October 24, 2023, to three counts of Grand Larceny in the Second Degree (class C felonies) and two counts of Grand Larceny in the Third Degree (class D felonies). Initially, he made a restitution payment of $30,000 but failed to make further payments.
In addition, Ripolone faced new charges in Westchester County, where he was arrested in October 2024 for stealing wallets from gym lockers. He pleaded guilty to two counts of Petit Larceny and received a 6-month jail sentence in November 2024.
On December 2, 2024, Supreme Court Justice John B. Collins sentenced Ripolone to 3 to 9 years in prison. Justice Collins also signed restitution orders totaling $113,379 in favor of East End Rotisserie, Paychex, Inc., and American Express.
The investigation was carried out by Detective Ryan Hogan of the East Hampton Town Police Department, Lt. Robert Drake of the Sag Harbor Village Police Department, and Investigator Michael Ferris from the New York State Police. Assistant District Attorney Donna M. Planty of the Financial Crimes Bureau prosecuted the case.
Ripolone was represented by attorney Jeremy Scileppi, Esq.
