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Laguna Grill must close for a week next summer, pay $23,000 fine

The Laguna Grill and Martini Bar in Brigantine, owned by Councilman Dominic A. “Tony” Pullella, must pay a $23,000 fine to the state and will be closed for a week next summer for defrauding patrons by pouring what is described as a significant amount of cheaper-grade vodka and charging them for premium spirits from May to September.

Pullella’s company, Brig Inc., was charged by the state Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control with serving an alcoholic beverage other than ordered, hindering an investigation by having an employee provide false information to an ABC investigator, and failing to produce complete and accurate copies of invoice slips. ABC licensees are liable for any violations of the state ABC laws in their establishments.

Pullella’s sister, Prudenzia “Marie” Pullella, repeatedly lied to the investigators about the scam, authorities said.

“By serving its customers cheaper vodka than what had been ordered and paid for, the Laguna Grill and Martini Bar was dishonest,” ABC Director Jerry Fischer said Monday. “These charges and this investigation are a clear sign that the ABC intends to put an end to this kind of fraud.”

The investigation began on Sept. 2 when ABC investigators questioned the bar’s manager, and Maria Pullella, after receiving two separate anonymous tips the bar may be duping customers. The investigators were shown to the Laguna’s inventory room, which yielded two tip-offs: a large red funnel and a cardboard sign on a liquor cabinet that read “Keep empties in order. Do not put them all over. Only save these vodka bottles. Do not throw any call to top shelf empties out.” Inside the cabinet, ABC investigators found bottles of premium vodkas Three Olives, Ketel One and Stolichnaya with unsealed caps and filled to varying levels. The anonymous tips had alleged that Maria Pullella was pouring Burnett’s flavored vodka into Three Olives flavored vodka bottles and pouring Absolut vodka into Ketel One and Stolichnaya bottles. The investigators asked Maria Pullella if she had done that. She denied it.

After comparing the restaurant’s inventory records and bar receipts, the investigators determined the amount of Three Olives vodka being brought out of the inventory room did not match what was being ordered and had been delivered by distributors. Maria Pullella on two more occasions denied perpetrating the scam to investigators, but after seeking legal counsel, eventually signed a voluntary statement admitting to switching the various vodkas from Aug. 17 to Aug. 25. On Sept. 9, ABC investigators made a follow-up visit to the restaurant and discovered discrepancies in records that suggested the fraud went back as far as May. After being presented with that evidence, Maria Pullella changed her statement, admitting the scam went back to May.

The Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control has a toll-free hotline for citizens to report illegal activity to ABC’s Investigative Unit. Anyone with information on illegal activity is asked to call 1-866-713-8392. All information received via the ABC hotline will remain confidential.

—TOM HESTER SR., NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM