The cookie monster of Rye has pleaded guilty.
The former manager of The Snackery Bake Shop on Purchase Street in Rye has pleaded guilty in connection with his theft of over $100,000 from the bakery during his employment there. Westchester County District Attorney Susan Cacace said Friday that Paul DiPietro, age 39 of White Plains, pleaded guilty Thursday to one count of Grand Larceny in the Third Degree, a class D felony. He is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge George Fufidio on April 9.
Unrelated to the crime, The Snackery announced just ten days ago it would be closing its doors.
“Small businesses are the lifeblood of our county’s economy, and they often have the fewest resources to defend themselves against fraudulent conduct,” said Cacace. “That Mr. DiPietro targeted his then-employer, a beloved bake shop in the Rye community, for his misdeeds is deeply troubling. We are working to ensure the victim in this case is made whole, as we do for all victims of economic crimes.”
“This was a lengthy and intensive investigation by the Rye Police Detective Bureau and I am pleased that their efforts have resulted in a plea of guilt prior to trial,” said City of Rye Public Safety Commissioner Mike Kopy. “Hopefully the victim will be fully reimbursed for their losses and the police department stands ready to assist in any fashion necessary to ensure that this happens.”
Between 2021 and 2022, DiPietro stole $105,379 from The Snackery Bake Shop by adding unauthorized salary increases to his biweekly paycheck, making unauthorized personal charges on the bakery’s credit card and using company funds to pay for his personal American Express bill. The investigation was conducted by the City of Rye Police Department (See our 2023 story on the Rye PD arrest: Cookie Monster: Snackery Manager Steals Over $100K in Dough).
The case is being prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Emily Rowe-Smith, of the Economic Crimes Bureau, with the assistance of Forensic Accountant Michael Frenza.
