Daaaaaamn.
That's all we can say about the mess Lee Hnetinka finds himself in after allegedly throwing post-prom and graduation parties in several houses he rented in the area. On Friday, he was arraigned in Southampton Town Justice Court on charges that included unsafe conditions to transient rentals and renting without a permit...59 in all. He pleaded not guilty.
His now-defunct company faces another 21 charges. His partner in the venture, Leslie W. Jennemann, earned herself a handful as well?only after turning herself in after a bench warrant was issued for failure to appear. And, just for good measure, a pair of bodygaurds that Mr. Hnetinka had hired to chaperone the affairs were also slapped with a few rental-related town code violations.
Keep in mind, this is just in Southampton. According to 27 East (subscription required), since East Hampton doesn't have a rental permit requirement, the town can't charge him with any enforcement violations for his below-board entrepreneurship. Southampton, though, , "could seek to recoup as much as double the amount of income Mr. Hnetinka and Ms. Jenneman took in from their illegal rentals as a fine." Town enforcement officials say he was making as much as $80K a week...add a few civil suits and that could end up being a rather sizeable chunk of change.
· Prom Party Host Charged In Southampton [27 East, Subscription required]
· Man charged in Hamptons prom party rentals [Newsday]
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