Latest news with #SamRyan
Daily Mail
4 days ago
- Daily Mail
Designer found dead in boat at ritzy yacht club had recently gone through divorce
An up-and-coming fashion designer who was found dead in a boat at a Hamptons yacht club last week had recently finalized a divorce. Martha Nolan-O'Slatarra, 33, was in the middle of uncontested divorce proceedings from her husband, Sam Ryan, as recently as April, according to New York County Supreme Court filings obtained by the New York Post. She had since apparently moved onto a new relationship and was reportedly planning to marry her new boyfriend, who was not onboard the 54-foot SeaRay named Ripple at the Montauk Yacht Club last Tuesday, according to the Irish Independent. Instead, she had texted her new beau that she would take an Uber home following what she described as a business outing. Nolan-O'Slattara had founded luxury bathing suit company East x East in 2021, and had recently set up a new shop showing off her wares at Gurney's Montauk Resort and Seawater Spa. Yet it remains unclear who she was meeting onboard the Ripple, where she was found unconscious in the early morning hours of August 5. Good Samaritans attempted life-saving measures, but East Hampton Town Police pronounced her dead at the scene. Investigators now say Nolan-O'Slatarra's body showed no signs of violence, but have not yet ruled out foul play. Many in the wealthy enclave have now been left reeling as questions remain about what may have happened to the Manhattan resident, whom locals described to the New York Post as 'well-known in the community'. 'She was very friendly, always smiling,' one local said. 'There's going to be a lot of conversation out of this.' One boater at the scene has since described the ship as a 'party boat' and told Daily Mail she heard screams when the woman's body was found. Others said a naked man was seen running for help. The fashion designer lived a ritzy lifestyle in New York City before her untimely death, and often shared pictures of herself enjoying private jets and living it up with her glamorous pals. On her TikTok account, Nolan-O'Slatarra was seen with her friends taking a Falcon jet to Nashville for a concert in 2021, with the designer highlighting her '#milehighclub' and '#privatejet' life in the captions. Last October, she shared a video of herself and a male companion drinking bubbly as they flew over a sunny, rural looking area. She captioned the short clip: 'Heli on up.' Nolan-O'Slattara also shared a TikTok clip of herself with the same man sitting in a luxurious convertible car as it drove through picturesque countryside. But Nolan-O'Slattara's beginnings were more humble, growing up in the small town of Carlow, Ireland, roughly 55 miles outside of Dublin. She had settled a divorce from her husband just months before her untimely death She left home at 16 after her parents sent her to the highly-regarded Institute of Education, a private secondary school in Dublin. From there, Nolan-O'Slattara attended University College Dublin, where she studied the fundamentals of business as an undergraduate and later earned a master's degree in digital marketing. Once she completed her degrees, Nolan-O'Slatarra interviewed for graduate scheme positions at major companies, including Deloitte and Ernst & Young, but said she was told it would be nine months before she would be informed of a hiring decision. The entrepreneur was looking for a 'change' in the interim and ended up in the US in 2015 after her dad bought her a one-way ticket to New York City, the newspaper reports. Although she only intended to be in the city for nine months, Nolan-O'Slatarra got a job at fintech start-up Street Diligence, a company that worked with what she described as 'top-tier hedge funds'. She claimed the firm's CEO offered to pursue visa sponsorship after she successfully landed investment bank Jefferies as a client. Nolan-O'Slattara then left Street Diligence after two years and bounced around between jobs. In late 2021, the fashionista was accused in a civil lawsuit of being terminated from Out East Accessories Inc. for cause, then stealing $34,000 from the company's bank account and its entire inventory of luxury eyewear along with East x East co-owner Dylan Grace, according to Fox News. The suit also claimed the duo locked the owners of the luxury eyeglass outlet out of their bank accounts, emails and social media accounts by changing the passwords. Additionally, Out East Accessories Inc. said Nolan-O'Slatarra and Grace sold or gifted their products without authorization and caused irreparable financial harm to the business. The lawsuit was ultimately settled in July 2022, after Nolan-O'Slatarra had already started her own firm Brand Growth Consultants, and launched her direct-to-consumer Amazon brand Duper as well as the resort wear line. In an interview with the Irish Independent last year, Nolan-O'Slatarra said she 'loved' her new life in New York City. 'I was the small town girl who needed to get out to achieve her big dreams,' she said, highlighting how she was 'money driven', 'business driven' and 'always knew I wanted to be successful.' But now her family is trying desperately to bring her body back home as they demand answers from the local police department. 'I don't know what happened to my daughter,' her mother, Elma Nolan, said days after Martha, 33, was tragically found dead. She said that her youngest daughter and Martha's sister, Jacqui, broke the horrifying news to her, saying she 'arrived on Tuesday night and she was crying and shaking.' 'She said, "I have terrible news. Martha's dead,"' Elma recalled to the Irish Independent. ' Her heartbroken mom said the tragedy came as her daughter was planning a trip home to visit her family in Carlow. Recalling her last phone call with her daughter, Elma said that they briefly discussed Martha's travel plans for her vacation home to Ireland. 'She wanted to know if I would be around to pick her up,' she said.
Daily Mail
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Heartbreaking revelation about fashion designer found dead in boat at Hamptons yacht club
An up-and-coming fashion designer who was found dead in a boat at a Hamptons yacht club last week had recently finalized a divorce. Martha Nolan-O'Slatarra, 33, was in the middle of uncontested divorce proceedings from her husband, Sam Ryan, as recently as April, according to New York County Supreme Court filings obtained by the New York Post. She had since apparently moved onto a new relationship and was reportedly planning to marry her new boyfriend, who was not onboard the 54-foot SeaRay named Ripple at the Montauk Yacht Club last Tuesday, according to the Irish Independent. Instead, she had texted her new beau that she would take an Uber home following what she described as a business outing. Nolan-O'Slattara had founded luxury bathing suit company East x East in 2021, and had recently set up a new shop showing off her wares at Gurney's Montauk Resort and Seawater Spa. Yet it remains unclear who she was meeting onboard the Ripple, where she was found unconscious in the early morning hours of August 5. Good Samaritans attempted life-saving measures, but East Hampton Town Police pronounced her dead at the scene. Investigators now say Nolan-O'Slatarra's body showed no signs of violence, but have not yet ruled out foul play. The fashion designer lived a ritzy lifestyle in New York City before her untimely death, and often shared pictures of herself enjoying private jets and living it up with her glamorous pals. On her TikTok account, Nolan-O'Slatarra was seen with her friends taking a Falcon jet to Nashville for a concert in 2021, with the designer highlighting her '#milehighclub' and '#privatejet' life in the captions. Last October, she shared a video of herself and a male companion drinking bubbly as they flew over a sunny, rural looking area. She captioned the short clip: 'Heli on up.' Nolan-O'Slattara also shared a TikTok clip of herself with the same man sitting in a luxurious convertible car as it drove through picturesque countryside. She grew up in the small town of Carlow, Ireland, roughly 55 miles outside of Dublin. She left home at 16 after her parents sent her to the highly regarded Institute of Education, a private secondary school in Dublin.
Fox News
4 days ago
- Fox News
Irish bikini designer found dead on yacht months after divorce and prior legal dispute
In the months before her death aboard a yacht in Montauk, New York, swimwear designer Martha Nolan-O'Slatarra had recently finalized a divorce and previously resolved a legal dispute tied to her business dealings. According to documents processed by the New York County Supreme Court, viewed by Fox News Digital, the 33-year-old designer was in the midst of an uncontested divorce from her husband, Sam Ryan, as recently as April 8, 2025. The filings include a separation agreement, affidavits from both parties, and a certificate of dissolution, signaling that the couple's marriage had officially ended just months prior to her untimely death on Aug. 5. Nolan-O'Slatarra was found dead aboard a docked yacht in the early hours of Tuesday. Despite efforts by good Samaritans to perform CPR, she was pronounced dead on the yacht. The fashion entrepreneur, originally from Ireland, known for her high-end bikini brand and infectious social media presence, was in a new romantic relationship, according to She was reportedly engaged to marry her boyfriend. Her boyfriend, as reported by the Irish Independent, was not on board the 54-foot SeaRay named Ripple on the night of her death and she had texted him that she would "Uber home" following what was described as a business outing. The boat's owner, described by as being in his 60s, was reportedly found alone and naked with Nolan-O'Slatarra when authorities responded. People who were aboard other boats at the Montauk Yacht Club late Monday night told 27East that a man who owns two boats docked next to each other at the marina came crying for help from others on the dock at about midnight, throwing items at neighboring boats to wake up their crews. One witness, who declined to give his name, told the local outlet the man was naked and was shouting, "Do something, do something," as he ran along the dock trying to awaken others. In his haste, the outlet reported, he threw a tube of sunscreen at a neighboring vessel. In addition to her personal issues, Nolan-O'Slatarra also had legal conflicts stemming from her business dealings. According to a 2022 civil lawsuit filed by Out East Accessories Inc., viewed by Fox News Digital, she was accused of being terminated for cause in late 2021 and then stealing $34,000 from the company's bank account and its entire inventory of luxury eyewear. According to the court filing, she and another individual "ransacked Out East," sold or gifted the products without authorization, and caused irreparable financial harm to the business. Nolan-O'Slatarra denied the allegations through counsel. The case was dismissed with prejudice in July 2022 after both parties reached a confidential settlement, effectively closing the matter permanently. The Irish entrepreneur's swimwear label, East X East, in New York was taking off in the highly competitive market. Earlier in the summer, she secured a pop-up shop position at Gurney's, regarded as one of the most exclusive shops in the Hamptons. On her social media account, Nolan-O'Slatarra captured behind-the-scenes compilations of her brand, including photoshoots and pop-up events. In a statement to Fox News Digital, a spokesperson for Gurney's Resort said: "We are deeply saddened by the tragic news regarding Martha Nolan and extend our sincere condolences to her family and loved ones." "While Martha was not an employee of Gurney's, we were proud to host her East x East pop-up and admired her entrepreneurial spirit and creative vision," they said. "The safety and well-being of our guests, staff, and community remain our top priority. Gurney's remains a safe and welcoming environment, and our team is available to support guests with any questions or concerns." As Fox News Digital previously reported, the picturesque harbor town has seen its share of tragedy in recent years, including violent incidents that have shaken its peaceful image. Officials have not yet determined an official cause of death, but authorities said Wednesday an initial autopsy "did not show evidence of violence." Renowned forensic pathologist Dr. Michael Baden told Fox News Digital that authorities in Suffolk County should know the cause of death "within a week," pending toxicology results. The Suffolk County Police Department told Fox News Digital Monday morning that they did not have an update. The Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust, according to is assisting the family with bringing Nolan-O'Slatarra's remains home. Fox News Digital has reached out to the trust. Nolan's relatives in Ireland say they are devastated and in disbelief. "I don't know what happened to my daughter," her mother, Elma Nolan, told The Irish Independent, describing herself as "numb with shock." She recalled how her youngest daughter, Jacqui, arrived at their home in Carlow, Ireland, Tuesday night "crying and shaking" to deliver the news no parent wants to hear. Elma said she later spoke with a detective in Montauk but was told no further information could be released due to the early stage of the investigation. "We weren't told anything about the circumstances," she said, adding that Martha had planned to return to Ireland this week, and had called just days earlier to ask about a ride from the airport. "That was the last time we spoke."
Times
24-06-2025
- Automotive
- Times
Transport tech firm Zeelo raises $23m for US expansion
A business that improves the efficiency of using private school buses and commuter coaches has raised $23 million from investors to expand in the US and explore the adoption of autonomous vehicles. Zeelo, founded by Sam Ryan, Barney Williams and Dani Ruiz in 2016, has attracted the cash from venture capital firm Blue Earth Capital, with other existing investors also chipping in. The company, which generates annual recurring revenues of $80 million and works for businesses including Barclays, Amazon and UPS, has raised almost $61 million in total. Ryan, the chief executive, said Zeelo's fleet management and route optimisation software was now handling 500,000 rides a month in the UK, through its 650 vehicle providers. Its customers include more than 100 private schools, as well as manufacturers such as Jaguar Land Rover, supermarkets such as Tesco and Morrison's, and logistics operators. Ryan, 32, said that he and Williams had relocated to Boston to pursue expansion in the US, which could include the use of autonomous vehicles. 'We are running some pilots behind the scenes with partners,' he said. 'Our goal is not to be the provider of the vehicle, but we see some opportunities for autonomous vehicles in our customer base. 'We take a lot of people to work but then we also manage transportation in the campus environment in some of our companies: last mile shuttles, building-to-building. That is where we see the opportunity for autonomous vehicles, in the first instance.' Williams, the chief marketing officer, added: 'The autonomous vehicle providers are very good at building the technology and the operations but are not great at finding the people who would pay for it. We find that demand, so become attractive, as we can slot them into a potential client if they think it's a good fit. They nerd-out on the technology but forget who is going to buy it.' Ryan said companies outside of the defence sector, and particularly in the UK, were slowing their hiring, instead focusing on retention, using free transport to work as a benefit. Zeelo's rides are increasingly being paid for by employers. The proportion prior to the pandemic was around 30 per cent; this jumped to 60 per cent in 2024 and Ryan said had since risen to 75 per cent. 'We serve such a wide array of customers and segments that we get a front row seat into how companies are thinking,' he said. Private schools were adopting a mixed response to the pressure to attract more students in the wake of the imposition of VAT on school fees, he said. Some were offering more free transportation, while others were rationalising their routes to save money. Zeelo featured on our Sunday Times 100 Tech ranking of Britain's fastest-growing private technology companies. To enter this year, visit here
