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Mico Rodriguez’s former partners at Mesero Restaurant Group are suing the Dallas restaurateur for more than $1 million.
The lawsuit, filed in a Dallas County district court this week, alleges that Rodriguez stole hundreds of thousands of dollars from the company through his restaurant Mr. Mesero, reports the Dallas Morning News. In addition to seeking a temporary restraining order that would prevent Rodriguez from transferring funds or accessing shared bank accounts, the suit explicitly alleges that Rodriguez used the company’s bank account as a “personal piggy bank,” along with charging exorbitant fees to license his trademarked names.
On the other side of the suit, Rodriguez’s attorney says that Rodriguez was ousted from the company after he sought treatment for cancer, and that the company continued to use trademarks that he owns after he was fired. “I’m shocked that they filed a lawsuit in the middle of negotiations,” attorney Larry Friedman told D Magazine. “I want to know why they’re bullying Mico.” Rodriguez also denies the theft allegations in the suit.
An official trial date has not been set just yet, but a hearing this afternoon will determine whether or not Mesero Restaurant Group will be granted a temporary restraining order against Rodriguez.
