Brooklyn IHOP Waiter Charged with Larceny for Allegedly Giving Out Free Drinks to Customers
NY law enforcement recently arrested a man accused of unlawfully giving out more than $3,000 worth of free drinks to customers at an IHOP restaurant in Brooklyn, New York.
William F. Powell is a 27-year-old male who worked as a waiter at an IHOP located at 253 Livingston Street in Downtown Brooklyn. According to a criminal complaint filed by prosecutors in the case, Powell served free beverages to numerous customers between the dates of August 7, 2015 and February 18, 2016.
The IHOP owner discovered the alleged fraud after noticing that revenue from drinks at the restaurant had declined. When the owner took a closer look at receipts, he saw that Powell’s beverage sales paled in comparison to the beverage sales of other waiters: drinks accounted for just six percent of Powell’s total receipt, while other employees routinely registered drink sales amounting to 20 percent of the total receipt. Moreover, this was true for waiters who worked the same shift as Powell, suggesting that something was amiss with Powell’s activity.
The restaurant owner reviewed surveillance video footage and reportedly noticed that Powell was serving a standard amount of drinks to customers. A review of receipt records confirmed the owner’s suspicions: Powell had allegedly failed to charge many customers for the drinks he was serving them.
When the owner of the IHOP confronted Powell, the waiter reportedly asked, “What’s the big deal?” For the store owner, this was a very big deal: he reportedly lost more than $3,000 in beverage sales as a result of Powell’s “gifts” to customers over the seven-month period.
As a result of his misguided generosity, Powell has been dubbed by some media outlets as the “Robin Hood” of IHOP. Powell himself seemed to embrace the nickname when he reportedly told Brooklyn NY investigators that he was “the modern day Robin Hood.” Powell also reportedly said that he did not consider his actions to be “stealing” or theft because he was “serving the ones in need” by taking from a rich restaurant operator and giving to poor customers in need.
Brooklyn prosecutors did not agree with Powell’s assessment. They have charged him with a number of crimes, including grand larceny, petit larceny and criminal possession of stolen property. If Powell is ultimately convicted on the very serious theft and fraud charges, he faces severe penalties that could include a lengthy prison sentence.
For additional information about this case, view the DNAInfo.com article, “IHOP ‘Robin Hood’ Arrested for Giving Away More Than $3K in Free Drinks: DA.”
If you or a loved one has been arrested and charged with a theft crime like grand larceny, petit larceny or possession of stolen property in New York, it is critical that you speak with a qualified criminal defense lawyer immediately. The experienced criminal defense attorneys at the LaDuca Law Firm can help you fight your criminal charges and avoid the most severe penalties. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation at our Rochester, NY office.
