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Cipriani Empire May Lose Liquor License Soon
By
John Del Signore
Published May 9, 2008
Modified May 9, 2008
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By
John Del Signore
Published May 9, 2008
Modified May 9, 2008
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Society swells attending glamorous events at Cipriani Dolci may soon have to develop a taste for Shirley Temples. The State Liquor Authority [SLA] is threatening to revoke the liquor licenses at all the swank restaurants and catering halls run by the Cipriani family – including the Rainbow Room and Socialista. The SLA says operators Giuseppe Cipriani and his father, Arrigo Cipriani, have illegally let their licenses be used by unauthorized relatives and companies.
Last August the Ciprianis pleaded guilty to charges of tax evasion and were fined $10 million; the SLA is citing that snafu as additional grounds for license revocation. (A state law prohibits felons from selling booze.) A spokesman for the authority intoned that the family has “serious charges against them.” But a lawyer for the Ciprianis played dumb, telling the Times that he “thought there had been a resolution.” Not quite counselor; a hearing on the charges is scheduled for June 11.
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cipriani
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John Del Signore
Originally from the Albany area, John Del Signore has called NYC home since 1995. In addition to his thousands of meticulously-crafted bespoke blog posts for Gothamist, his writing has also been published in The Awl, Deadspin, The Nervous Breakdown, and performed at The Brick Theater in Brooklyn.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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