A widow whose late husband helped build software for Roblox is suing a male escort she claims exploited her grief and medical vulnerability before persuading her to transfer nearly $6 million through an alleged $10 million contract buyout.
Marianne Flippo, 49, filed the lawsuit against Greggory Blaine Starr, 38, in Manhattan Supreme Court on September 14. She is seeking the return of $5.95 million, legal fees and an order preventing Starr from spending more of her money, according to court filings.
Flippo’s late husband, Chad Flippo, reportedly joined Roblox when it was still a startup and held multiple patents connected to the company’s software. The court documents say he accumulated “a substantial amount of wealth” before dying by suicide in August 2024. The couple had been together since they were 13 and were married for 28 years.
How the alleged $6M scam unfolded
After her husband’s death, Flippo traveled to Italy to obtain medication that had become difficult to find in the United States. She hired Starr through Cowboys4Angels, paying around $27,000 for him to accompany her because he spoke Italian.
Flippo claims she initially believed the company provided personal assistants and did not realize it was an escort agency. She says she and Starr stayed in separate hotel rooms during the trip, but that they later developed a relationship after the agency repeatedly contacted her and said Starr missed her.
In March 2025, Flippo allegedly paid around $150,000 to keep Starr exclusive for six months. He later moved into her Upper West Side apartment, and she signed additional agreements that brought her total payments for his companionship to roughly $635,000.
The lawsuit claims Starr later told Flippo he wanted to leave Cowboys4Angels permanently, but could only do so if she paid $10 million to buy him out of his existing contracts.
Flippo says the demand came while she was recovering from surgery, dealing with an infection and taking prescription medication, including gabapentin and codeine. She also has vascular Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, a rare disorder that can make a person more sensitive to medication and alcohol.
According to her affidavit, Starr and an agency employee presented her with an “Exit Agreement” during a February 2026 lunch. Flippo claims she had consumed around five drinks and was pressured to sign the document while confused and medicated.
“Unfortunately, I was not capable or perceptive enough to know these statements were false,” Flippo wrote in the filing. “I now realize I was foolish.”
Flippo attempted to wire the $10 million, but the transaction was reportedly recalled by JPMorgan Chase after the bank flagged it as potential fraud. A second attempt through another bank was also stopped.
She claims Starr then directed her to open a joint Charles Schwab account, allowing him to access the money without triggering another fraud review. Flippo transferred $5.95 million into the account.
Bank records cited by Fortune allegedly show Starr moved $5,719,010.37 into an account under his sole control within weeks. By the end of June, the joint account reportedly contained just $12.61.
Flippo’s lawyers became suspicious when Starr allegedly began pressing for another $4 million. During a July meeting, her attorney Larry Hutcher confronted Starr about the arrangement. The filings claim Starr threatened to take the money unless Flippo paid the remaining amount.
The case also includes an expensive luxury detail. The New York Post reported that Flippo bought a $15.9 million Manhattan mansion because she believed it would become a home for her and Starr.
Starr has denied Flippo’s allegations. He told the Post that he was the victim of abuse during the relationship and claimed much of the money was spent on shared expenses and charitable donations. He reportedly said around $3 million remained.
The civil lawsuit does not accuse Roblox of wrongdoing. The platform’s connection to the case comes through Chad Flippo’s early work and the fortune his widow says she inherited from him. It arrives as Roblox faces separate legal scrutiny, including a case covered by Dexerto in which the company argued an 8-year-old user had waived her right to take it to court.
I’m Abhishek Sharma, an author at TigerJek.com. I enjoy exploring games, testing different strategies, and turning what I learn into clear, useful guides. My goal is to help players understand the game better and improve without the usual confusion.
