King of Caulk gets no jail time for embezzling union funds
The man who caulked Times Square was sentenced to time served Friday for embezzling funds from a union.
John Squitieri, 56, was indicted in 2012 along with a gaggle of Genovese gangsters caught in a related investigation, but prosecutors say he has no ties to organized crime himself.
Squitieri is a self-styled king of caulking who won praise from the Times Square Alliance for sealing the plaza around Duffy Square with a special grout he invented.
His grout graces the bathrooms of the Ritz-Carlton and Fours Seasons Hotels, Cheesecake Factory, Ruth's Chris Steak House and Morton's, according to court papers.
Brooklyn Federal Judge Nicholas Garaufis paid homage to the defendant's “profound contribution” to the upkeep of bathroom tiles and urged him to move past this transgression.
“When I read the presentence report I thought of Walt Disney,” Garaufis said. “As you know, Walt Disney declared bankruptcy and then built a mouse into a multi-billion dollar empire.
“Grout has done a lot for you, but I'm not so sure I'm crazy about the architect who turned Times Square into a pedestrian mall.”
“Please, don't, I didn't design it,” Squitieri laughed.
The judge ordered him to pay a $2,000 fine. Squitieri faced up to six months in prison for the misdemeanor crime.
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