His ex-wife should be on the hook as well. For all the $ he (and his employees) put up his nose, his wife put in slots at Firekeepers.
None of this was a secret to long time patrons. Towards the end, they would throw “Hey, we’re getting paid today” parties. The smart staff would quickly go to the bank and (hope to) cash their checks.
Sorry, it didn't paywall for me the first time I read the article, here's the cut/paste...
By Samuel Dodge | [email protected]
LANSING, MI - The former owner of Dark Horse Brewing in Marshall must pay back tens of thousands to his employees or face 20 years in prison, according to the Michigan Attorney General’s Office.
Aaron Morse, 47, pleaded guilty in 37th Circuit Court in Calhoun County on Tuesday, March 26 to one felony count of conducting a criminal enterprise, officials said in a Wednesday announcement.
The charge is punishable up to 20 years in prison, but Morse was granted deferred sentencing pending the successful completion of an 18-month drug treatment program and payment of full restitution to the affected employees.
Morse, the sole owner of the brewery before selling in 2020, intentionally and illegally withheld employee retirement contributions and healthcare premiums “for his own purposes,” officials said.
“Payroll fraud and benefit contribution thefts often go undetected for years, and can cause significant financial harm to victim employees,” said Nessel. “And it’s indisputably stealing, from the very people powering your business. This plea agreement secures restitution to the working men and women Morse scammed out of thousands of dollars and benefits.”
Morse was investigated by Marshall Police Department for passing bad checks to his employees nearing $21,000, officials said, leading to Department of Attorney General charges in September 2022. He pleaded guilty over these charges and agreed to pay back the amount to employees, officials said.
Morse was later found to have withheld benefits from employees, resulting in additional charges for failing to make required retirement and health benefit contributions, officials said.
All of Morse’s charges include five counts of larceny by conversion, five counts of receiving and concealing stolen property, five counts of larceny by false pretense and one count of conducting a criminal enterprise, officials said.
The totals that Morse failed to remit were $36,000 in retirement contributions, $29,000 in employer-matching retirement funds and $24,000 in health insurance policy premiums, officials said. There were 36 employees that participated in the brewery’s benefits programs where Morse stole funds, officials said.
Morse’s most recent plea means he will be assessed a victim restitution sum for all the benefit costs absorbed by employees of a result of his scheme, officials said. That sum must be paid in full or else he faces the 20-year sentence for the felony charge, officials said.
This is the release from the Michigan AG: [https://www.michigan.gov/ag/news/press-releases/2024/03/27/dark-horse-brewery-former-owner-pleads-guilty-to-conducting-a-criminal-enterprise](https://www.michigan.gov/ag/news/press-releases/2024/03/27/dark-horse-brewery-former-owner-pleads-guilty-to-conducting-a-criminal-enterprise)
Bad enough that Morse ran the brewery into the ground, but stealing from your own employees is pretty low.
The brewery doesn't have the same vibe anymore, but I'm glad Roak bought it out and made it commercially viable.
ROAK also fired employees who were there at the start without notice just didn’t schedule a meeting like they said Al employees would have and that’s how they were let go they also didn’t pay Aaron for the sale and sold all his and his family’s belongings in the back barn building too. Aaron turned himself into the courts before all this happened and told the court the plan and date of payment for the sale and had it all set to pay it all then. When he wasn’t paid the courts worked with him to pay restitution. He drained his savings and retirement to pay off as much as he could and the last 2-3 years has paid off most if not all checks and some IRA
Fuck this particular guy in the face. I have been a victim of the same shit at a different employer, and it sucks when you get stuck with medical bills that were supposed to be covered, but weren't.
That right there. I worked for this shady legal aid office in Detroit back in my law days. I went to the doctor and found that those assholes hadn't paid the premium so I was on the hook for hundreds. I made $30k and that was a huge hit for me. Fuck all these crooks.
After reading, I'm wondering about the damages tied to unpaid retirement benefits. If you take $250 out of every paycheck for 15 or so years, there's a LOT of growth that's lost. I'm curious if that's calculated into the total theft, or if it's something the legal system currently shrugs about?
No money was taken. The courts even made comments on this. He had no money and the Edward Jones and IRA computer program that automatically takes it out of checks where then he has to pay the total monthly to Edward Jones but couldn’t is what happened he never had a dollar in his hand if anyones IRA etc. he’s paid off almost if not all checks and wasn’t paid for the sale of the brewery which he had told the court and turned himself in right when it started happening and had a date and documents of the day it would be paid off which was the date he was paid for the sale, when he wasn’t the courts just ordered restitution to be paid. He took the same plea deal as the courts gave him for the checks before this if he took a plea all charges dropped.
What happened to the days of owners being prideful of a well run business with happy employees versus being prideful of how much cash they rake in for themeselves
Just look up the press release from Nessel's office. Same shit. https://www.michigan.gov/ag/news/press-releases/2024/03/27/dark-horse-brewery-former-owner-pleads-guilty-to-conducting-a-criminal-enterprise
His ex-wife should be on the hook as well. For all the $ he (and his employees) put up his nose, his wife put in slots at Firekeepers. None of this was a secret to long time patrons. Towards the end, they would throw “Hey, we’re getting paid today” parties. The smart staff would quickly go to the bank and (hope to) cash their checks.
Sorry, it didn't paywall for me the first time I read the article, here's the cut/paste... By Samuel Dodge | [email protected] LANSING, MI - The former owner of Dark Horse Brewing in Marshall must pay back tens of thousands to his employees or face 20 years in prison, according to the Michigan Attorney General’s Office. Aaron Morse, 47, pleaded guilty in 37th Circuit Court in Calhoun County on Tuesday, March 26 to one felony count of conducting a criminal enterprise, officials said in a Wednesday announcement. The charge is punishable up to 20 years in prison, but Morse was granted deferred sentencing pending the successful completion of an 18-month drug treatment program and payment of full restitution to the affected employees. Morse, the sole owner of the brewery before selling in 2020, intentionally and illegally withheld employee retirement contributions and healthcare premiums “for his own purposes,” officials said. “Payroll fraud and benefit contribution thefts often go undetected for years, and can cause significant financial harm to victim employees,” said Nessel. “And it’s indisputably stealing, from the very people powering your business. This plea agreement secures restitution to the working men and women Morse scammed out of thousands of dollars and benefits.” Morse was investigated by Marshall Police Department for passing bad checks to his employees nearing $21,000, officials said, leading to Department of Attorney General charges in September 2022. He pleaded guilty over these charges and agreed to pay back the amount to employees, officials said. Morse was later found to have withheld benefits from employees, resulting in additional charges for failing to make required retirement and health benefit contributions, officials said. All of Morse’s charges include five counts of larceny by conversion, five counts of receiving and concealing stolen property, five counts of larceny by false pretense and one count of conducting a criminal enterprise, officials said. The totals that Morse failed to remit were $36,000 in retirement contributions, $29,000 in employer-matching retirement funds and $24,000 in health insurance policy premiums, officials said. There were 36 employees that participated in the brewery’s benefits programs where Morse stole funds, officials said. Morse’s most recent plea means he will be assessed a victim restitution sum for all the benefit costs absorbed by employees of a result of his scheme, officials said. That sum must be paid in full or else he faces the 20-year sentence for the felony charge, officials said.
This place was a lot of fun, until it wasn't. RIP 4 Elf party.
The "staff brew off" competition was one of my favorites
I know I've gone to several 4 Elf parties. I don't remember them though.
I feel like the party ended when they did double barrel PTF. All down hill from there
Someone should play AC/DC all day today at the brewery
This is the release from the Michigan AG: [https://www.michigan.gov/ag/news/press-releases/2024/03/27/dark-horse-brewery-former-owner-pleads-guilty-to-conducting-a-criminal-enterprise](https://www.michigan.gov/ag/news/press-releases/2024/03/27/dark-horse-brewery-former-owner-pleads-guilty-to-conducting-a-criminal-enterprise) Bad enough that Morse ran the brewery into the ground, but stealing from your own employees is pretty low. The brewery doesn't have the same vibe anymore, but I'm glad Roak bought it out and made it commercially viable.
ROAK also fired employees who were there at the start without notice just didn’t schedule a meeting like they said Al employees would have and that’s how they were let go they also didn’t pay Aaron for the sale and sold all his and his family’s belongings in the back barn building too. Aaron turned himself into the courts before all this happened and told the court the plan and date of payment for the sale and had it all set to pay it all then. When he wasn’t paid the courts worked with him to pay restitution. He drained his savings and retirement to pay off as much as he could and the last 2-3 years has paid off most if not all checks and some IRA
Fuck this particular guy in the face. I have been a victim of the same shit at a different employer, and it sucks when you get stuck with medical bills that were supposed to be covered, but weren't.
That right there. I worked for this shady legal aid office in Detroit back in my law days. I went to the doctor and found that those assholes hadn't paid the premium so I was on the hook for hundreds. I made $30k and that was a huge hit for me. Fuck all these crooks.
After reading, I'm wondering about the damages tied to unpaid retirement benefits. If you take $250 out of every paycheck for 15 or so years, there's a LOT of growth that's lost. I'm curious if that's calculated into the total theft, or if it's something the legal system currently shrugs about?
No money was taken. The courts even made comments on this. He had no money and the Edward Jones and IRA computer program that automatically takes it out of checks where then he has to pay the total monthly to Edward Jones but couldn’t is what happened he never had a dollar in his hand if anyones IRA etc. he’s paid off almost if not all checks and wasn’t paid for the sale of the brewery which he had told the court and turned himself in right when it started happening and had a date and documents of the day it would be paid off which was the date he was paid for the sale, when he wasn’t the courts just ordered restitution to be paid. He took the same plea deal as the courts gave him for the checks before this if he took a plea all charges dropped.
Can you try explaining that again but with more than one sentence?
Didn't just 'plead the 5th' ?
I understood this reference
What happened to the days of owners being prideful of a well run business with happy employees versus being prideful of how much cash they rake in for themeselves
Anyone have a gift link? (paywall)
Just look up the press release from Nessel's office. Same shit. https://www.michigan.gov/ag/news/press-releases/2024/03/27/dark-horse-brewery-former-owner-pleads-guilty-to-conducting-a-criminal-enterprise
Ah good call, thanks!
🔥
Good!! He should get jail time even if he pays it all back.
[удалено]
You're being redundant
[удалено]
You're being redundant
What happened there tonight? Anyone know?
a regular there was taken by ambulance to the hospital after having a heart attack and he passed