The financial fallout surrounding Pinky Cole and her restaurant ventures just took another dramatic turn.
Aaron Mattison, the former chief financial officer and co-owner tied to Bar Vegan, has been indicted in Georgia on multiple felony charges connected to the now-shuttered Atlanta restaurant once linked to the Slutty Vegan brand. According to court filings, prosecutors charged Mattison with theft by taking, first-degree forgery, and money laundering over alleged financial activity that took place between 2021 and 2022.
Authorities claim Mattison created fraudulent financial documents that appeared to be approved by Bar Vegan, which he then used to execute an $87,300 wire transfer for personal gain. In addition, prosecutors allege he withdrew company funds in repeated $600 increments totaling more than $24,999 before allegedly moving the money across several accounts. Investigators described the activity as part of a laundering scheme.
Before the indictment, Mattison publicly positioned himself as a finance-minded hospitality executive helping expand Pinky Cole vegan restaurant empire. In past interviews, he said he started his career on Wall Street working in “traditional investment banking and private equity” before pivoting into strategy and consulting after business school. He also attended Morehouse College and later became a visible operator behind Bar Vegan and other Atlanta hospitality concepts, according to Ga Restaurant News.
“Bar Vegan started from conversations with Pinky once I joined the executive team of Slutty Vegan,” Mattison previously said in a 2021 interview, per AfroTech.
The indictment arrives years after Bar Vegan faced a lawsuit from former employees over alleged unpaid wages and withheld tips. That case later settled for tens of thousands of dollars. Court filings from the Northern District of Georgia listed Mattison, Bar Vegan LLC, Jason Crain, and Aisha Cole as defendants in the 2022 labor dispute, Justia Dockets & Filings reports.
Bar Vegan officially closed in May 2025. Cole has not been charged in connection with Mattison’s case and previously denied intentionally withholding wages, citing operational strain tied to rapid growth. The latest legal developments also follow her March 2026 Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing tied to reported liabilities between $1.3 million and $1.4 million.
