Roblox widow sues male escort over alleged $6M grief scam

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.

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.