New Haven Independent: Benny Calls In A Chit

Benny Calls In A Chit

by Paul Bass | May 14, 2007 4:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (21)

Benny%20Mezza.jpg Benny Mezza (pictured) asked Colleen Kelley, who buys coffee at his Coliseum News shop, to cash two winning lottery tickets for him. She did. On the way back someone mugged her, she said. Said Mezza: “I want my money.”

Call it the Lotto Fish Tale.

It started like this: Colleen Kelley got to know Benny Mezza because she works next door to his newsstand, which sits in the shadow of the late Coliseum’s orphan spiral parking garage ramp. Kelley manages the 1 Church St. office of Keystone mortgage company. She regularly bought coffee at Mezza’s stand.

Last Wednesday, Mezza had two winning state lottery tickets he needed to cash. They were worth $625. He said he needed to stay at the shop.

He was telling this to Kelley and her office mate Michelle. Mezza asked Michelle to cash the tickets for him. She said no. It involved using her social security card and paying taxes. She didn’t want to bother.

Kelley said yes. She and Michelle drove to a shop in West Haven where Mezza had bought the tickets. Kelley filled out the paperwork and got the cash.

She returned to work. She pulled her Dodge Durango into the 1 Church St. parking lot around 5 p.m.

That’s the part they all agree on — Mezza, Kelley and Michelle, all three of whom were interviewed Monday. From there two different stories emerge.

Colleen%20Kelley.jpg Kelley (pictured) said that she walked to the front door of her building, facing Church Street. There’s usually a crowd of people waiting for the bus at that time of day. This time, there wasn’t.

But there was a tall white man, about 6 foot 5, waiting there, according to Kelley and Michelle. They said the man grabbed Kelley’s $600 Coach handbag, which besides the lottery winnings had a total of $1,500 in cash stuffed into a $270 wallet. (Kelley had just been paid.) Kelley will also be out the $60 she said Mezza promised to pay her — $30 for running the errand, $30 to cover subsequent taxes.

The mugger ran off.

Click on the play arrow to watch Kelley, who’s 34 and lives in Fair Haven, describe the incident.

Kelley claimed that she saw Benny Mezza through two sets of glass doors at either end of the 1 Church St. lobby. He saw what happened, she said.

She screamed for help. Someone from the building chased after the mugger but didn’t catch him. Kelley called police and reported the incident.

Since then, instead of expressing sympathy, Mezza has hounded her for his money, she said.

“I go to his store every day,” she said. “He’s always asking me for my business. I was friends with Benny. Now he’s trying to exploit me!” Click on the play arrow to hear more of her story.

Mezza, who’s 60, told a different story.

He said he never saw a mugging. He said he doesn’t know whether or not there was a mugging. “I ask her as a favor. I expect a favor to be done right,” he said. “Am I right? Or am I wrong?” Click on the play arrow here, and on the play arrow below, to watch him tell his side.

“I want my money back,” he said. “I deserve my money. I won.”

He has a further complaint: Kelley, he said, “never comes here anymore. I think that’s right either. Am I right? Or am I wrong?”

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Comments

Posted by: SWHAT | May 14, 2007 4:48 PM

You're wrong buddy. Have a little sympathy!

Posted by: Rudy | May 14, 2007 6:46 PM

Hey Benny, if you're not going to cash your own ticket, you deserve to lose the money....mugging or not.

Posted by: Susan | May 14, 2007 7:38 PM

Please do not have that much sympathy for Ms. Kelley. Sometimes there can be a little more to every story and I would certainly question this one.

Posted by: MARYROSARIO | May 14, 2007 11:18 PM

omg are you kidding me.you didnt cash the ticket so you wouldnt pay taxes and she was mugged.life goes on and noone got hurt get over it.

Posted by: Cobra1 | May 15, 2007 4:06 AM

You should've cashed your own tickets, it was your winnings. Were you trying to avoid paying tax?

Posted by: TrueBlueCT | May 15, 2007 8:47 AM

My gut reaction? Concern that the mugging might have been pre-arranged. (The whole "please cash my lotto tickets for me" thing seems so weird!)

Posted by: jms | May 15, 2007 9:43 AM

This has got to be the single most compelling news story of our generation. Where is 20/20? Where is 60 Minutes? Where is the Hollywood version with David Hasslehoff as Benny and Pam Anderson as Kelly? Who will play the mysterious mugger? Am I really reading this? How can I go on with my day until this is resolved?

The horror.

Posted by: Fargo | May 15, 2007 2:19 PM

Sell some deals Colleen and get to work. Forget about that Benny character. Why would he ask you to cash his lottery tickets. DOESNT make sense benny boy.

Posted by: cedarhillresident | May 15, 2007 2:42 PM

I read the story, I watched the videos. They both seem shadey to me. I am sorry...$600.00 ticket you give to someone else to cash??? None of this feels right at all. I am sorry if I am wrong. But there has to be more to this story.

But lets not forget Michelle who wanted no part of this..Bravo!!

jms perfecct comment.

Posted by: Da Hill | May 15, 2007 3:19 PM

JMS,
the mugger should be somone from the city, that is stealing lotto winnings to help offset the cities budget. the mugger should be none other than john destefano. Now we have a movie worthy of an oscar...maybe, kelly murphy can be his evil side kick. I dont see any other money generating entities coming to the city, so they start robbing people. it could be a dark comedy.

Posted by: Philip | May 15, 2007 4:33 PM

Benny and Colleen, you are both diabolical and conniving thieves, but I guess the best thief won. That's the way it goes Benny. Suck it up.

Posted by: Craig | May 15, 2007 5:00 PM

Benny, I believe your story over Colleens and believe you are entitled to the money. You should take her to small claims court. I think you have a good case. You were paying her good money to do a job and she failed miserably. GET YOUR MONEY BACK!!!!!!! Don't be a sucker.

Posted by: justice | May 15, 2007 7:20 PM

maybe the police should take a look at the camera on the roof at 55 church st and get to the bottom of this, then they should cuff you both together and throw you in the same cell.

Posted by: jms | May 15, 2007 9:17 PM

DA HILL,

Oliver Stone could direct. I think we may have a winner.

Posted by: MUGGER | May 16, 2007 9:42 AM

Colleen,

We pulled it off. Kudos to you.

That was an excellent plan you hatched. I didn't get caught. Someone tried to chase me, but I lost them in one block. I expect my half to be in the prearranged spot by noon today, as discussed. I have your pocket book and wallet. I'll leave them by your car.

Thanks,
Mugger

Posted by: Timmy | May 16, 2007 10:05 AM

Justice,

Do you actually think this building has cameras? The building doesn't even have a burglar alarm. People could walk in off the street any time they please. Word is getting out that this building is an easy mark.

They can't even get the parking gate to work!

Timmy

Posted by: Da Hill | May 16, 2007 12:53 PM

JMS,
I think we are talking major blockbuster here. A city results to stealing from its citizens to help balance its budget. They even use rogue cops to assist with their diabolical plan. I will call oliver tonight to pitch the idea. Even hosting card games to make bring in additional income to pay some salaries on the side....(this is too funny...)

Posted by: cedarhillresident | May 16, 2007 6:34 PM

Hey, we have some card games with a little drug dealing on the side, plus they may throw in an edge up or two on State Street in Cedar Hill Area. Maybe the high rollers in that lovley place will invest in your movie! Plus we think the deli is now part of that whole thing so they may cater the filming. While we are at it you guys need to find so other locations for the film...hmmmm where would these two fit in the best???

Posted by: Colleen | May 17, 2007 9:56 AM

Someone who serves day old bread is certainly too cheap to pay someone $60 to cash his own ticket- unless he has a problem with the IRS or INS. Maybe he doesnt have a SS number.

Why not cash your ticket in your own store?? It would have been free.

Posted by: coach | May 17, 2007 1:26 PM

I'm cold and tired and soaking wet.
Somebody come get me.

The Pocketbook

Posted by: MR TRUTH | May 18, 2007 3:39 PM

Coleen/ Benny

You are both THEIVES. The mugging story sounds very scripted. I think we should contact the 55 Church street building mgmt for cameras ... its funny benny - you have your own newstand but could not cash the ticket at your store??? ODD? Colen, you are a manager at your company and needed this 30 dollars - what shame. ...The only honest person appears to be the michle character. If they really exists.

New Haven Independent

Benny Calls In A Chit

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