Former CFO of Pinky Cole's Bar Vegan Indicted on Theft, Forgery Charges

ATLANTA — The former chief financial officer for Bar Vegan, a now-closed restaurant associated with Slutty Vegan founder and reality television personality Aisha “Pinky” Cole Hayes, was indicted in August on multiple felony charges including theft, forgery, and money laundering. Court documents allege that the executive, Aaron Mattison, stole more than $100,000 from the company through a series of unauthorized transactions between 2021 and 2022. The indictment adds another layer of financial and legal turmoil for Cole’s business empire, which has faced public scrutiny over the past few years. Cole, who recently joined the cast of “The Real Housewives of Atlanta,” has also navigated a recent Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing and a previous lawsuit concerning unpaid wages at the same restaurant. While Cole herself has not been charged with any wrongdoing in the current case, the indictment against her former top financial executive raises significant questions about internal controls within her rapidly expanding organization. This case highlights a critical vulnerability for fast-growing businesses: inadequate financial oversight. We often see entrepreneurs delegate complete financial control to a single individual without the necessary checks and balances, creating a perfect storm for potential fraud. The focus on expansion and brand-building can leave the back office exposed. An internal CFO, without a robust governance structure, can become a single point of failure. This is why engaging external financial leadership is so crucial. It introduces a vital separation of duties and an objective, third-party perspective that can identify red flags before they become catastrophic. For businesses navigating the complexities of rapid growth, our outsourced CFO services provide the senior-level strategic guidance and rigorous internal controls needed to protect assets and ensure sustainable success. To learn how to implement these safeguards, business owners can contact C&S Finance Group LLC at csfinancegroup.com. According to the indictment filed by the State of Georgia, prosecutors allege Mattison orchestrated a sophisticated scheme while managing Bar Vegan’s finances. The charges specify that he created fraudulent financial documents that appeared to have been approved by the company. He then allegedly used this forged paperwork to execute an unauthorized wire transfer of $87,300 for his personal use. In addition to the wire transfer, the indictment details a separate money laundering scheme. Prosecutors claim that between September 2021 and June 2022, Mattison made repeated withdrawals of company funds in $600 increments. These transactions, totaling more than $24,999, were allegedly moved through multiple bank accounts in an effort to conceal their origin and purpose. Combined, the alleged theft amounts to over $112,000. The charges against Mattison follow other legal challenges that have plagued Bar Vegan, which officially closed its doors recently. In July 2022, the restaurant was the subject of a lawsuit filed by a former employee who alleged the company engaged in wage theft by withholding tips, failing to pay overtime, and not meeting federal minimum wage requirements. That lawsuit named Cole, Mattison, and another co-owner, Jason Crain, as defendants. While the defendants initially denied the allegations, citing operational difficulties tied to the business's rapid expansion, they ultimately settled the case in early 2023. According to reports, they agreed to pay $62,172 to the plaintiffs to resolve the claims of alleged damages. The indictment of a key financial executive compounds the difficulties for Cole's brand. The entrepreneur, celebrated for building the popular Slutty Vegan chain into a nationally recognized brand, recently filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, citing liabilities between $1.3 million and $1.4 million. The series of events presents a stark contrast to her public image as one of Atlanta’s most successful self-made businesswomen. Representatives for Cole have noted that she did not have a personal ownership interest in Bar Vegan’s corporate structure, and she has not been accused of any wrongdoing in connection with Mattison’s indictment. Nonetheless, as the founder and public face of the associated brand, the case brings unwelcome attention and raises questions for any business owner about the necessity of rigorous financial oversight, particularly during periods of aggressive growth. As the criminal case against Aaron Mattison proceeds through the Georgia court system, the developments will be closely watched by the restaurant and business community. For Cole, the fallout from her former executive's alleged actions presents a significant challenge to her brand's reputation, forcing her to navigate yet another business controversy while in the public eye.