Suffolk DA Tim Sini returns donations from Beach Hut

Suffolk District Attorney Timothy Sini, who has made a major issue of ethics, refunded $4,000 in last-minute donations from Beach Hut, a Suffolk and Babylon concessionaire that pleaded guilty last month and paid $1.1 million in restitution and penalties for shortchanging the state and county on sales tax.

According to his post-general election campaign finance filing, Sini returned the money on Nov. 16, eight days after Election Day and a month before the plea agreement was made public in court.

Beach Hut at Smith Point had donated $1,000 to Sini on Nov. 6 and Beach Hut at Venetian Shores donated $3,000.

Justin Meyers, Sini’s chief of staff, said the transition team became aware that Beach Hut had a matter before the district attorney shortly after Election Day. The money was refunded immediately because of Sini’s policy of not taking contributions from anyone with a matter pending in the district attorney’s office, Meyers said.

Sini, who took no personal role in fundraising during the campaign, spent a total of $1,433,240 in his winning bid for office against Republican Ray Perini, and had $43,187 left, according to his postelection report.