'Camille's deception knew no bounds': Criminal defrauds family business of $700,000

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — Elaborate vacations, concerts, designer clothes, and even wood-burning stoves. These are just some of the thousands that a once trusted office manager bought with his dime for the company.

This week, Camille Pirone Hess pleaded guilty to stealing more than $700,000 from her family's Lancaster Tank and Steel Works in Buffalo.

June and John Brennan bought the company in 2014 and hired bookkeeper Pirone Hess in 2016. They said that she was very likeable and that she quickly became friends with everyone. It wasn't until 2023, when they sold her business, that they realized she was a criminal.

“When we looked at some of our records, particularly our credit card statements, we realized there were things there that didn't pass the odor test,” John Brennan said.

The price was for a cabana at a luxury resort in Las Vegas.

After investigating, they eventually discovered that Pirone Hess had been stealing from them since the beginning of their employment.

“I don't think I'll ever be able to trust anyone again,” June Brennan said.

The Brennans said when they first started their business, they offered large bonuses along with raises and shared profits with employees. However, a few years later, funds became tight and I had to cut off the bonuses. They now know it's because Pirone Hess was siphoning money from them.

“We saw her every day, and she recognized the challenges of running a small manufacturing business in New York state, but that didn't seem to worry her at all.” said John. “Even though we are struggling to take out loans and make ends meet, she still lives a luxurious life.”

So how could this have happened? June and John said they devised a system to falsify thousands of credit card statements.

“It was pretty elaborate,” June said.

She was also said to have defrauded an outside accountant.

And it was life-changing.

In a June victim impact statement used at Camille's sentencing in July, she said, “Camille's deceptions knew no bounds.”

At John's trial, he told the judge:

• My daughter is still paying off a large amount of student loans. Camille paid for her second son, Connor's tuition with a company credit card, and paid for her oldest son, Ryan's medical school graduation party, which cost about $3,000, and Ryan's trip to evaluate a neurosurgery residency program. paid.
• My wife had a car payment. Camille made a $4,000 down payment on the Jeep and paid for insurance, gas, and auto repairs using his company credit card.
• I bag lunches to save money, Camille uses her company card to buy groceries and booze, and we often eat out with family and friends at Buffalo Chop House, Giancarlo's, and Oliver's, to name a few. Did.
• I buy sale items at Kohl's. Camille used her company credit card to buy jewelry and designer clothes at Saks, Kate Her Spade, and Versace.

He said Pirone Hess jeopardized his retirement by falsifying company records to make it appear that the company's profits were significantly lower, forcing him to sell the company for less than it was worth. Ta.

But what upsets them most is that these white-collar crimes are happening all over New York State. Pironne Hess had previously held jobs at Lancaster Tank Co. and Steel Products Co., and her former employers were never allowed to obtain information about her.

“Employers are so worried about lawsuits that they never say anything negative when they try to check references,” John said. “As a result, bad employees simply pass on to the next employee. New York City also recently enacted a law that prohibits asking job applicants if they have committed a felony. There is no register or database that will prevent you from getting a job that deals with money in the future.”

The Brennans recently discovered that Camille had gone to work for another similar small business while the investigation was ongoing. News 4 called her employer and management said she was fired after her guilty plea was reported.

“Simply put, vetting candidates is very difficult, especially for small businesses,” John says.

The Brennans want eight years in prison, with one year for each year she stole from them.

Sentencing is scheduled for July 29th.