Halcyon Jets exec accused of sabotaging the company

Comments (0) By Gus Garcia-Roberts Thursday, Sep 24 2009

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Tambasco, who lives in Boynton Beach, did not reply to a voicemail message left on his cell phone for comment. Gama has moved from her former residence and could not be located.

As Halcyon's chief operating officer, 37-year-old Matteis earned a base salary of at least $525,000, according to a contract later filed in a Palm Beach County civil suit. He earned half of the profits gleaned from clients he brought to the company, including comedian Dave Chappelle, baseball legend Cal Ripken, and Saudi prince Faisal al Saud. Matteis lives in a 4,800-square-foot Boca Raton home he purchased in 2005 for $934,000. Tambasco earned a $70,000 salary plus stock incentives and commission.

Palm Beach Sheriff's Office

Cops say Christian Matteis stole clients and equipment from his former charter plane company.

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Cohen sent letters terminating all three on May 20. Less than two months later, the trio secretly founded Atlantis Jets. Police say they left their names off incorporation papers, using family members instead. They listed a Boynton Beach address as the headquarters.

On August 10, Halcyon sued them in Palm Beach County Circuit Court. Ten days later, Boca Raton Police charged Matteis, Tambasco, and Gama with grand theft, theft of trade secrets, and an organized scheme to defraud. Their trial is set to begin October 5.

Making matters more bizarre, last week Halcyon announced it was merging with another charter provider: Manhattan-based Apollo Jets, which also lists Palagonia as a "managing director." The newly formed company will operate under the Apollo name.

New Times interviewed senior vice president Dennis S. Amodio in the company's sparse office on North Miami Avenue. He insisted Palagonia is just a "guy in the sales office" and ended the interview when he was asked about the Jet One claim. "That lawsuit's not even real," he said. "It was thrown out."

Amodio said Apollo's legal department or CEO Cohen would phone to answer any further questions. That call never came.