Consignment Shop Owner’s Scam Hits Local Residents Hard

Area residents ripped off by a local consignment shop owner are looking to recover their money and merchandise after the proprietor suddenly vanished in recent weeks.

Elegance II Consignment Shop, a popular fixture for years on South Greeley Avenue in Chappaqua run by Babette Faotto, suddenly left that site near the end of last year to move to 486 Bedford Rd. in Pleasantville, but hasn’t operated since.

Over the last two years, Faotto’s daughter, Julia, began to take a larger role in the day-to-day operations, said some of the victims reached by The Examiner last week. Then Babette Faotto suddenly moved to Costa Rica with her boyfriend and her daughter took over the shop.

After the ownership change, longtime patrons began running into problems, including receiving reimbursement checks that bounced, according to several victims who asked that their identities be concealed.

“I don’t know where my merchandise is. I got nothing from her,” said Karen, a Thornwood resident who had brought a large number of items valued at about $45,000 to the shop to sell. “It’s like this girl just scammed everybody and she got away with it.”

One victim, who identified herself as Alexis, had been a customer at Elegance II for nearly 15 years and never ran into problems. Last September, Alexis said she brought a Chanel bag with a retail value of $6,000 into the shop to sell on consignment and has not seen it since.

Alexis said she later received two checks from Elegance II for previously sold merchandise, both of which bounced. After weeks of not hearing from Faotto, Alexis visited the Chappaqua store, only to find it closed.

A Pleasantville woman had a similar experience after bringing three pairs of Manolo Blahnik shoes to the shop in December. The woman said she had never sold through consignment before, but had seen Elegance II in Chappaqua for years and figured it would be safer than attempting to sell the unwanted shoes through eBay or Craigslist.

In December, she was told by Faotto to return in February, at which point she would receive a check or would be able to reclaim the shoes if they hadn’t sold. However, the victim arrived at the shop to find it closed, with no forwarding address.

“They have an obligation to let their customers know they’re going to move,” said the resident. “At least put a sign on the door.”

Since Elegance II was located in Chappaqua at the time victims allegedly started getting fleeced, reports were filed with the New Castle Police Department. But some have complained about a lack of updates from detectives.

New Castle Police Detective Sgt. James Wilson said he could not speak in detail about the open investigation but confirmed that the department has received about six complaints related to Elegance II. He hinted that police have had trouble locating Faotto.

“We’d like to talk to her, let’s put it at that,” said Wilson.

George, a Chappaqua resident, also had a bad experience when he brought in a fur coat to sell last fall.

When he returned to the shop, he found the Chappaqua store closed without warning. Through Internet searches, he eventually learned the store had moved to Bedford Road in Pleasantville.

Upon learning the new location of the shop, the Pleasantville woman paid a visit to find a note on the door from Faotto apologizing for the inconvenience and promising that the shop would be open soon. As the weeks went by, that note became surrounded by others from people demanding their money and merchandise back.

“It’s Lise, you don’t return calls,” read one note posted on the door. “You have a lot of my valuable possessions and jewelry and I trusted you. I am an attorney, as you know. What you have done is illegal.”

When the new Pleasantville location failed to open, many of the victims reached out to Faotto, but said they were met with a variety of excuses. Alexis contacted her several times via text and e-mail to inquire when she would receive her money. Each time Faotto said she was having personal problems, ranging from fighting the flu to her father’s death, according to Alexis. Finally, in February, Faotto agreed to meet Alexis at Starbucks on Memorial Plaza in Pleasantville to return the Chanel bag and reissue the checks that bounced. Faotto never showed up.

Karen, the Thornwood resident, said she was met with excuses even before Faotto abruptly closed the Chappaqua shop. Each time she attempted to claim money, Faotto told her that computer glitches were preventing checks from being issued. Karen received one $500 check, which bounced in December.

After corresponding via e-mail with Faotto, George said he was promised that a check for his fur coat, priced at $2,990, would be mailed to him on Feb. 1. He has never received the money. The Pleasantville woman, who said she is owed more than $700 for her shoes, never received a response to multiple e-mails sent to Faotto.

Calls to a cell phone number provided by some of the victims that supposedly belongs to Faotto are met with a message stating that “this mobile subscriber does not accept incoming calls.” Messages left at the Pleasantville shop remain unanswered.

At least two of the victims were told that their claims against Elegance II would be handled in New Castle Town Court Apr. 9, but they aren’t confident that date will remain on the calendar if Faotto isn’t located.

“We’re at a standstill until they find her,” said Alexis.

Some victims, including Paulette, a Briarcliff resident, are concerned about whether they have any legal recourse. Paulette had been doing business with Elegance II for over a decade and considered the Faottos, who she frequently saw around the village, to be friends.

After years of successful transactions with Babette Faotto, Paulette stopped signing contracts and left merchandise with the shop in good faith. Because of this, Paulette has no proof that she brought in a Hermes bag she said was valued at $14,000 to be sold last October.

“I have no recourse at this point, legally, because I don’t have any paperwork. I trusted because I never had a problem in the past,” Paulette said.

Also worrisome to the victims is that while the unopened Pleasantville shop has merchandise inside, none of them can see their items when they peer through the window. Many are concerned that Faotto filled the Bedford Road shop with cheap knock-offs and took the high-end merchandise for herself.

Those who attempted to sell merchandise aren’t the only ones affected by Faotto’s sudden disappearance. The owner of a Mount Kisco check cashing company, who asked not to be identified, said he is owed more than $4,000. He said Faotto brought in two separate checks from Elegance II. Her checks were accepted by an employee who was unaware that Faotto was Elegance II’s owner.

“She knew the account was no good. It’s total fraud,” said the check cashing company owner.

He said he has a copy of Faotto’s driver’s license as well as video surveillance of her in the shop, but she has eluded authorities.