East Meadow man, a customs inspector at JFK, charged with stealing from handbags

An airport customs inspector from East Meadow was charged in Brooklyn federal court on Thursday with stealing cash from handbags he was checking at JFK Airport while passengers were distracted repacking their luggage.

Joseph Cialone, 39, admitted that he stole $100 bills from the handbags of mostly female passengers over the past year while working in the Smuggling Interdiction Unit, officials said in a criminal complaint.

“Cialone further stated that he only searched deep handbags, because it is easier to conceal his movements,” the government said. “And then, after stealing the currency, he would go to the bathroom, where he would place the stolen money in his wallet.”

Cialone, an employee of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency, was released on a $50,000 bond after a court appearance Thursday. He was arrested earlier in the day and charged with theft of more than $1,000 during the course of his employment. The complaint said he mostly targeted the handbags of female victims. 

The government began surveillance, according to the complaint, after a passenger from Trinidad and Tobago reported that $100 went missing from an envelope that had $350 in it before she went through customs on March 26.

Investigators found six different incidents that followed a similar pattern, according to the complaint, that began with Cialone examining a passenger’s purse while wearing blue latex gloves.

During an April 1 inspection, for example, the complaint said, “He instructed Passenger 4 to repack her previously examined suitcase. Cialone put one hand inside of the purse and moved it around for approximately 10 seconds.”

“Cialone then removed his right hand in a closed a fist,” the complaint continued, “removed both latex gloves, and placed the used gloves in what appeared to be his pants pocket.”

According to court and property records, Cialone had a history of financial problems. He filed a bankruptcy petition in Central Islip federal bankruptcy court in 2015 and again in 2017, records indicate.

Cialone’s lawyer declined to comment.