Soul Food Eatery Owner Faces Serious Financial Fraud Allegations

The co-owner of Middletown's recently closed upscale soul food restaurant is in some hot water after he's being investigated for a number of violations involving failure to pay wages, defaulting on a state loan and insurance premium fraud, according to the Hartford Courant.

Earl O'Garro, who along with his wife Kendra operated Us Restaurant at 412 Main Street, in the building that formerly housed Titanium Nightclub in Middletown, is accused of defaulting on a $100,000 state loan for his Hybrid Insurance Group and failing to pay $670,000 in premiums to Starr Indemnity and National Casualty, excess liability insurers for the city of Hartford, the Courant reports.

Earlier this month, the owner of 412 Main Street filed eviction paperwork in court for non-payment of rent. Us Restaurant & Lounge, which opened in March, is charged with failing to pay its July and September rent and now, the Courant reports, of non-payment of wages.

Kevin Rennie reports in his Daily Ructions blog that Earl also filed divorce paperwork last week from his wife Kendra in Hartford court. Rennie also reports that despite O'Garro's financial troubles, he made hefty political donations to Democratic legislators.

According to Daily Ructions, O’Garro gave $2,000 to Christopher Donovan’s run for Congress in late 2011. In September 2012, he donated $500 to John Larson’s re-election bid and in 2012, gave $5,000 to U.S. Senator Christopher Murphy’s 2012 campaign.