Male Escort Gets To Keep $6 Million He Received From 'Love-Starved' Widow After Judge Rules

A New York judge has ruled that a wealthy widow cannot immediately recover nearly $6 million (£4.5 million) she paid to male escort Greggory Starr during a relationship that began after her husband's death.

Marianne Flippo sued Starr, alleging he manipulated her into opening a joint bank account and transferring millions of dollars, including more than $1 million (£757,000) to an overseas account.

However, according to the ruling issued last week, Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Lyle Frank found that the 49-year-old had not established grounds for the relief she was seeking. The judge said she had 'failed to establish entitlement to the relief sought' and 'failed to demonstrate irreparable harm.'

'The allegations in the complaint involve a contract, to which defendants have submitted audio recordings of what appears to be plaintiff's knowing and willing acknowledgement of the contents thereof,' Frank wrote.

The ruling represents a setback for Flippo, although it does not resolve every allegation made in her lawsuit.

Widow Met Escort Through Agency

Flippo was the widow of Chad Flippo, a programmer and early Roblox employee who died in August 2024.

She met Starr through the male escort service Cowboys 4 Angels, and the pair became involved in a relationship lasting about two years.

According to court papers, Flippo alleged that Starr and others exploited her and persuaded her to make increasingly large financial transfers during the relationship.

Starr has disputed those allegations and described their relationship as genuine. Court documents said the pair discussed marriage.

Flippo later expressed regret over the financial arrangements.

'I now realize I was foolish,' she wrote in her Manhattan Supreme Court filing.

Her lawyer, Larry Hutcher, previously claimed Starr had fled to Dubai with her money. Starr, 38, disputed that allegation, saying the trip was simply an overseas holiday.

The lawsuit seeks to recover approximately $5.95 million (£4.5 million) with Flippo alleging she was pressured into placing the funds in a joint account.

Starr's Lawyers Welcome Court Decision

Starr's lawyers welcomed Frank's decision, arguing that the ruling supported their position that the financial transactions were legitimate and had been carried out voluntarily. They maintained that there was no evidence of concealment or wrongdoing in the movement of the funds.

In a statement, attorneys Jeremy Feigenbaum and Todd Spodek said: 'The ruling confirms what we have said from the outset: moving funds between accounts bearing Gregg's own name is not concealment, and suspicion is not a substitute for evidence.'

'The Court rejected the effort to turn an ordinary paper trail into something sinister,' they added. 'Two consenting adults entered into a bona fide agreement, and a later change of heart does not erase the legitimacy of either the relationship or the contract.'

The case has drawn attention because of the amount of money involved and the sharply different accounts offered by the two sides.

Flippo's lawyers portray the payments as the result of manipulation, while Starr's defence maintains that the transactions were voluntary and connected to an agreed relationship and contract.

The latest ruling does not resolve every underlying dispute between the parties. It does, however, represent a significant setback for Flippo's immediate attempt to recover the money.