Long Island Valet Parking Manager Stole $23,000 in Tips

John Mitty Tuesday, February 11, 2014

John Benevento, a valet parking manager who works on Long Island, was charged on Saturday with stealing more than $23,000 in tips from his workers.  According to the office of the District Attorney, Benevento forced his employees to give him a percentage of all of their tips.  He threatened to take away their jobs if they did not provide him with this tithe.  In a time when jobs are hard to come by, workers chose to forfeit their tips rather than face unemployment.  According to the prosecutor, many of the valets working for him were struggling college students trying to pay their way.  Without their jobs, they would have been unable to make ends meet.  “Giving workers a choice between keeping their jobs and handing over their hard-earned tips is really no choice at all,” said the prosecutor.

Benevento operated One Way Valet; his employees worked the parking lots of Capital Grille and Season 52.  Neither restaurant was implicated as having any part in the scam. Benevento was arraigned in Nassau District Court in Mineola, where he pleaded not guilty to one count of fourth degree grand larceny, and was released on $20,000 bail.  He is due to report back to court tomorrow.  If convicted, he could serve up to four years in prison.

jmitty@longislandyellowpages.com

Appears In: Business News

 

 

• Business News
• Education
• Entertainment
• Jobs & Careers
• Local Events
• Local Steals, Deals & More
• Press Releases
• Restaurants & Food
• Sports & Recreation

Columnists John M.   Show all Columnists