A former jeweler who worked in Huntington Village has pleaded guilty to stealing $137,000 worth of jewelry and selling fake diamonds, officials said Wednesday.
Laura Bee, of Lake Grove, had served as the manager of Ever Love Jewelry in Huntington. On Wednesday, she pleaded guilty to third-degree grand larceny, according to Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond Tierny.
As part of the plea agreement, Bee is expected to make full restitution.
“Over almost three years, this defendant used her position as the manager of a jewelry store to scam her friends and unsuspecting customers,” Tierney said in a written statement.
“This defendant took advantage of her position for personal gain, and my office will continue to prosecute professionals who steal from their customers,” he added.
According to the investigation and the defendant’s admissions during her guilty plea, from Sept. 27, 2019, to June 26, 2022, Bee agreed to take possession of various jewelry items, valued at approximately $31,000 for the purpose of selling on behalf of her friends, the DA’s office said. Bee kept these items despite numerous demands for the proceeds of the sale or the return of the items.
Between Oct. 7, 2020, and Aug. 19, 2022, Bee had allegedly sold various diamond engagement rings to customers who thought they were buying rings with natural diamonds, according to the DA’s office. When customers later had their rings appraised, they discovered that the stones were lab grown diamonds, worth significantly less than the natural diamonds they paid for. Using this scheme, the investigation revealed that Bee stole approximately $47,000 from unsuspecting couples.
On Dec. 10, 2021, the DA’s office said, Bee allegedly agreed to repair a broken diamond engagement ring for a friend. She was entrusted with the engagement ring valued at approximately $15,000. When Bee returned the ring to her friend, the natural diamond had been replaced with a lab grown diamond, worth approximately $2,000.
In addition, from June 22, 2022, to Dec. 7, 2022, Bee allegedly stole almost $50,000 from other jewelers who sold her jewelry, according to the DA’s office. Throughout this time, Bee issued six bad checks from the Ever Love Jewelry bank account, knowing the funds in the account would not cover the checks.
Bee is due back in court on March 25.
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