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A Few Clouds Oceanside gym owner pleads guilty
Thomas Donovan, 39, of Island Park, owner of 5 Star Kickboxing — formerly KOXO Kickboxing — in Oceanside, has pleaded guilty to stealing thousands of dollars in merchandise using his customers’ credit cards.
On Feb. 25, acting Nassau Supreme Court Justice Jerald Carter sentenced Donovan to three years in prison followed by three years of post-release supervision for his guilty pleas to second-degree attempted criminal possession of a weapon and third-degree grand larceny. Donovan agreed to make restitution of $17,700 to Home Depot and $690 to an Oceanside scrap metal recycler. He is due back in court on April 8.
Acting Nassau County District Attorney Madeline Singas detailed how Donovan obtained the credit card information used to pay for the Home Depot merchandise from clients of his kickboxing gym. He worked with an unnamed partner who visited various Home Depot locations in Nassau and Suffolk counties, selected items for purchase, brought them to the Pro Desk and gave the cashier the name and phone number of a fictitious contractor.
A Home Depot employee would call the phone number to obtain credit card information for payment. Donovan would answer the phone, assume the identity of the fictitious contractor and use account numbers, security codes and expiration dates of his customer’s credit cards.
As part of the scheme, Donovan also sold stolen wire to an Oceanside scrap metal recycler.
During the investigation, eight search warrants were issued and executed at Donovan’s Island Park home, business and vehicles. He was arrested at his home on Dec. 9.
“Using personal financial information to steal comes with serious consequences,” Singas said. “Thanks to our partnership with the Nassau County Police Department’s Crimes Against Property Squad, we are actively combating this growing sector of crime in order to protect consumers, as well as the legitimate businesses they patronize.”
Members of 5 Star Kickboxing and KOXO Kickboxing who suspect unauthorized charges to their credit card accounts should contact Singas’s tipline for crimes in Nassau County, at (516) 571-7755.
