“I'm Not Proud”: Accused Gravestone Gambler Apologizes for Pocketing Cash

A Newington man who police say admitted to stealing from grieving families is apologizing for taking their money and never delivering the headstones he promised to engrave.

Already facing four larceny charges, Larry Sirovsky, 22, appeared in court Tuesday, where prosecutors added three more counts. He’s accused of pocketing $18,000 from at least 15 customers while running the Farmingdale Monument Company in New Britain and gambling it away.

“Believe me, I lose sleep over this too,” Sirovsky said after his court appearance in New Britain. “I’m not happy. I’m not proud of what happened.”

Sirovsky said he never intended to make false promises and painted the picture of a situation that quickly spiraled out of control. During interviews with police at the time of his arrest, Sirovsky admitted to having a serious gambling problem and said he could not return the customers’ money because his addiction took a toll on his bank account.

“I never too money thinking I wasn’t going to do the job. I just, you know, screwed up,” he said. “I screwed up as a young kid trying to do my job and I got myself into a deeper hole thinking I could get out, but I just kept digging it deeper and deeper.”

Sirovsky said he has paid back several customers in full and added that “every dollar” he makes goes toward refunding the others.

“I’ve apologized to everyone emphatically. I’m extremely sorry for what I did. I’m not heartless,” he said. “I’m making my payments and I’m just trying to put this behind me.”

Court records suggest the three latest victims approached police requesting criminal charges after seeing news reports detailing Sirovsky’s original arrest in September.

Sirovsky has been released on a promise to appear and is due back in court in March.

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