Former bookkeeper indicted for pocketing more than $300k from Sheepshead market

A former bookkeeper has been slapped with a 14-count indictment for allegedly pocketing close to $316,000 from a popular family-owned fruit and vegetable market in Sheepshead Bay by misdirecting funds from the business’ bank account to pay off his credit card.

The accused – 36-year-old Ibrahim Elgreaty, of Sheepshead Bay himself – is further said to have stolen $17,000 in rental property income from one of the market’s owners.

According to the indictment, Produce Market 2000, located at 2518 Avenue U, hired Elgreaty as a customer service rep in August, 2014. In July, 2015, he was promoted to bookkeeper, at which time he was given the password to the business’ accounting software and to its’ bank accounts and credit cards.

The defendant’s duties, as bookkeeper, included verifying and entering the bills, making payments to vendors, paying Produce Market’s rent and utilities, verifying and posting transactions on the bank accounts and depositing cash on a daily basis, among others.

Instead, the indictment alleges, Elgreaty stole more than $300,000 from Produce Market in two ways – first, by misdirected funds by making checks payable to his personal credit card to pay off personal debt. He allegedly did this by making false entries into Produce Market’s software, deleting them, and making new checks payable to his own account. Additionally, he allegedly used the business’ company cards to purchase products for his own benefit, such as laser printers, Apple TVs, Bose headphones, and more – all of which were shipped to his home.

He is also said to have pocketed cash rental payments from two properties owned by one of his bosses and failing to deposit it into the proper bank account.

Elgreaty has been charged with one count of second-degree grand larceny, two counts of third-degree grand larceny and 11 counts of first-degree falsifying business records. He is set to return to court on February 28, 2018.