New York Post

CEO ‘loots firm’ for wife, stripper, stripper’s mom...

- By JULIA MARSH, OLI COLEMAN and ELIZABETH ROSNER

Like a true gentleman, Manhattan tech CEO Carl Grimstad took care of all the ladies in his life.

For his socialite wife, there were epic shopping sprees at Bergdorf, allegedly on his company’s dime.

For his favorite strip-club “escort,” a sweet job at the firm.

He even allegedly carved out a place at work for the stripper’s mother, in customer service.

The allegation­s against Grimstad were laid out in a lawsuit filed Wednesday by iPayment, which he founded, accusing him of stealing nearly half a million dollars.

“Although the sordid details of his tenure as CEO of iPayment are still under investigat­ion, it has now become clear that Grimstad used the company as a piggy bank for himself and for his wife, Defendant Jessica ‘Gigi’ Grimstad,” the Manhattan Supreme Court suit says.

The “wasteful and lavish spending” by Grimstad, 49, and his spouse included dropping $288,000 at The Mark hotel on the Upper East Side when they relocated from Nashville in 2011, the papers claim.

Four years earlier, Grimstad allegedly jetted out to Las Vegas with an iPayment employee and visited the Spearmint Rhino strip club.

That’s where he took a shine to a 26-year-old escort, papers say.

“According to the escort, Grimstad asked her to return with him to his hotel room, where he offered her $4,000 in exchange for certain sexual activities,” the suit says.

The married dad was so infatuated that he hired her in 2008, “despite [her] lacking any apparent qualificat­ions” — and even brought her momon as well, the suit says.

The mom, who lives in Los Angeles, worked in customer service as a training supervisor for the company’s call center, the source said.

The mother refused to discuss her employment at iPayment.

“I have nothing to say to you, nor does my daughter, regarding that company or anyone associated with it,” she said.

The mother and daughter were eventually fired, with the escort reaping a $37,000 severance in 2012, papers say.

Grimstad also allegedly billed the company $70,000 for Gigi’s shopping at Bergdorf Goodman and other personal expenses. He also paid her interior-design firm $60,000, the suit says.

Grimstad earns a $1 million yearly salary plus a $1.2 million annual cash bonus, a source said. His wife learned about the alleged escort only when the family was served with papers Thursday, the source added.

Grimstad declined to comment when reached by The Post.

His attorney, Marc Kasowitz, said: “These allegation­s were made by a terminated employee, investigat­ed and found to be false.

“Those bringing this lawsuit either know or should have known this.”

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