$CENE ‘STEALER’
Ex-exec swiped De Niro’s dinero: $3M suit
You stealin’ from me? You stealin’ from me?
Robert De Niro’s production company is suing a former executive for $3 million, claiming the employee raided company coffers to pay for lavish trips and fancy dinners.
The worker even allegedly stole De Niro’s frequent-flyer miles — all while binge-watching “astounding hours” of Netflix at work.
Chase Robinson allegedly went on a two-year spending spree while working for De Niro’s Canal Productions, blowing through $256,619 — including $32,000 on personal Uber and taxi rides and $13,000 at the Upper East Side restaurant Paola’s using the company’s American Express card, the suit claims.
She splurged on a $1,311 floral arrangement for her birthday and dropped $8,923 at expensive grocery stores near her Carnegie Hill home, papers filed in Manhattan Supreme Court on Saturday charge.
Robinson began working as the “Taxi Driver” star’s personal assistant in 2008, eventually rising to the position of Vice President of Production & Finance — for which she netted a $300,000 annual salary.
But she abruptly quit on April 6 when “suspicions arose” regarding her “honesty, integrity, work ethic and motivation.”
After Robinson left, a review of the company’s books showed she allegedly raided company funds between May 2017 and this spring — purchasing iPhones and a Louis Vuitton handbag and paying for dogsitters.
She also allegedly used 3 million of De Niro’s frequent-flyer miles for personal trips while transferring 5 million to her personal account — estimated to be valued at $125,000 in total.
Because of her senior role, Robinson was able to approve her own expenses, including a bogus LA “business trip” in March 2018 that turned out to be for a friend’s birthday, court papers say. She racked up a $5,000 bill during the three-day trip, according to the suit.
Canal Productions also claims Robinson “loafed at work,” watching at least 42 hours of Netflix, and redeemed pay for 96 days of “unused” vacation, worth $70,000, that she actually took.
The suit is seeking $3 million worth of damages, including repayment of all cash, goods and frequent-flyer miles.
De Niro’s agent and lawyer declined to comment. Robinson could not be reached.
De Niro, 76, has become a regular at Manhattan Supreme Court, where he is also locked in a bitter divorce battle over his alleged halfbillion dollar fortune with his estranged wife, Grace Hightower.