On Tuesday, as FBI agents were scouring Sherry-Lehmann’s shop on the Upper East Side, another FBI team made their way to a suburban tower in Pearl River, NY, in what looked like an orchestrated blitz. The reason? That’s where sources say the winery has secretly been stashing a fortune in fine wines.
The FBI appears to have been looking for a stash of prize booze in an underground space at Blue Hill Plaza where computer servers are located, a source with knowledge of the investigation told The New York Post
News 12 Hudson Valley, a local TV station, reported the FBI raid in New York’s Rockland County. They also confirmed (with word from the feds themselves) that agents had been at the office park called Blue Hill Plaza.
Sources close to Sherry-Lehmann, however, note that Blue Hill Plaza is owned by Hong Kong-based Glorious Sun Group. The group also owns the glass-and-steel tower at 505 Park Ave; Sherry-Lehmann has been an anchor tenant there for over 15 years.
Sherry-Lehmann owes Glorious Sun $3.6 million in rent that goes back to 2020.
The coordinated raids on the 88-year-old vintner come as the feds investigate the disappearance of clients’ prized vintages even as the shop closed. Sherry-Lehmann faces multiple threats, from its customers and vendors who were allegedly stiffed by the venerable retailer.
