The former manager of a Long Island jewelry store pleaded guilty on Jan. 16 to one count of grand larceny in the third degree, after allegedly selling lab-grown diamonds as naturals, swapping the natural diamond in a client’s ring for a synthetic one, stealing jewelry from customers, and knowingly writing bad checks.
These actions by Laura Bee, 59, former manager of the now-closed Ever Love Jewelry in Huntington Village, N.Y., amounted to stealing over $137,000 worth of jewelry, according to a statement from the Suffolk County district attorney’s office.
According to the DA’s press release, between October 2020 and August 2022, Bee stole approximately $47,000 from customers by selling them engagement rings with lab-created diamonds that the clients thought were natural diamonds. When customers later had the rings appraised, they discovered the stones were lab-grown and worth far less than they’d paid.
In a 2021 incident cited in the plea, Bee had agreed to repair a diamond engagement ring, worth approximately $15,000, but she returned the ring to its owner with a synthetic stone worth about $2,000 in place of its natural diamond. (A jeweler in Oregon was recently charged for a similar crime.)
Bee also allegedly stole almost $50,000 from other jewelers who sold her jewelry by writing bad checks when she knew there were insufficient funds in Ever Love’s bank account. She was also accused of taking $31,000 worth of jewelry from friends, saying she would sell it on their behalf but never giving them money for the pieces or returning them. These incidents spanned mid-2019 through 2022.
As part of her plea deal, Bee has agreed to make restitution to victims.
Bee’s lawyer, Matthew Tuohy, did not return JCK’s request for comment by press time, but he told Newsday: “I am happy that we were able to work with the Suffolk County district attorney’s office to arrive at a beneficial plea bargain for Laura. who has accepted responsibility for her mistakes and has agreed to pay back all monies that she owes. In addition, this plea agreement ensures that any victims from her place of business will be fully made whole.”
(Photo: Getty Images)
Follow JCK on Instagram: @jckmagazine
Follow JCK on Twitter: @jckmagazine
Follow JCK on Facebook: @jckmagazine
