Owner of popular Connecticut brunch spot arrested for issuing bad $10,000 check

WEST HARTFORD, Conn. (WFSB) - The owner of a popular brunch spot in West Hartford has been arrested, accused of writing bad checks.

East Hartford Police arrested the owner of “The Place 2 Be” this week. 

Gina Luari is accused of writing two bad checks totaling more than $10,000.

Police say they learned of the problem when the manager from a restaurant equipment store in East Hartford, came to file a fraud complaint.

The manager said Luari, a routine customer, had written them two checks from a closed bank account.

Her arrest warrant says the manager “stated this is approximately the fifth time this has occurred with Gina writing out a bad check and not having the money” - but added that she typically paid them back a couple weeks later.

The warrant goes on to say that on June 18th, Luari told the manager in an email “I didn’t realize the error until afterward, you will be receiving a bank check for the total amount of those checks. I just haven’t had a minute to grab it with everything going around this bakery launch.”

Luari also told police she did not realize the account was closed and was going to pay the store back.

A spokesperson for Restaurant Equipment Paradise, the company in question, told the I-Team the “owner of the company has given her months to resolve this.”

They say they were left with no choice but to go to the police and said they are willing to take the equipment they sold her, back as payment.

 The I-Team found two other companies are suing Luari, claiming she owes them each more than $5,000 for services they provided.

A judge also ruled Luari owes more than $124,000 to a credit company.

Other issues with the Place 2 Be and their locations have been going on for over a year.

The New Haven location permanently closed due to unpaid rent; there was also an eviction in Springfield MA.

The West Hartford location closed last month, after the state suspended their sales tax permit. On Friday, a Department of Revenue Services says the location now has a valid license/permit once again. It appears the West Hartford location remains closed.

Luari has not answered our texts or calls. Her attorney said they have no comment at this time.