Chelsea Piers sues ex-worker for $80,000 theft

A former employee of Chelsea Piers is facing a lawsuit for allegedly stealing $80,000 using fake invoices. The sports and athletic facility is seeking to recover that money, along with the full salary paid to Gregory Rodriguez during his 14 months of work. Rodriguez and his partner, Larieny Fernandez, are accused of running a fraudulent operation. The lawsuit states they created a sham business called ImpactPro to submit inflated invoices for services that were never provided. Chelsea Piers claims this scheme netted the couple about $79,397. Rodriguez held the position of senior director of operations and facilities. Part of his job involved approving invoices before payment. The lawsuit details how Rodriguez manipulated invoices to add extra amounts without any actual deliveries of goods or services. The lawsuit claims this fraudulent activity included at least 28 instances where Rodriguez approved expenses for the fake business. The scheme reportedly continued until Rodriguez was fired last month after it was discovered. An attorney for Rodriguez and Fernandez disputes the allegations, calling them "baseless." He claims that his clients acted with integrity in their business dealings but did not elaborate on the defense. Chelsea Piers has not commented on the lawsuit. Chelsea Piers operates a large facility in Manhattan, along with locations in Brooklyn and Connecticut, providing various athletic activities. Memberships start at $220 per month.