Peter Thomas Accused Of Defrauding Investor

An Atlanta investor filed a lawsuit against Peter Thomas Thursday, claiming the reality star defrauded him out of $150k for a Charlotte-based nightclub.

Tony Taylor says he put up more than $150,000 towards a nightclub in Charlotte and has yet to see it come into fruition. According to Taylor, in early February he met Peter’s brother Clyde at Peter’s Sports One Bar and Lounge in Charlotte. Taylor says that Clyde informed him that Peter was looking to open a new club in Charlotte called Club 1 and was looking for business partners. Taylor says that he returned two days later and met with Peter, where he was offered 30% ownership for an investment of $300,000. Thomas said he was already investing $2-$3million of his own money into the club and had already arranged for Bravo producers to film multiple episodes of Real Housewives of Atlanta at the upcoming hot spot. Taylor says that Thomas also told him that he was getting his own spin-off show called  “What’s Peter Doing Now”  that would be focusing on his business ventures in Charlotte and when he traveled,  Taylor would take an “active role in management from time to time.”

The two met yet again, several weeks later, just ahead of CIAA. This time they met at Club 1 and Thomas allegedly offered to let Taylor host a CIAA party with singer Carl Thomas if he loaned him $50,000 to cover the cost of the event. In exchange, the lawsuit states that Taylor would be able to keep the money from cover charges and 20 percent of bar sales. Taylor agreed and was later paid back the loan plus $10,000 and an additional $4,000 for the bar sales.

Taylor apparently was enticed enough to eventually do business again with Peter after the two stayed in contact several times over the course of a month.  On March 30th they met with Thomas’ lawyer and agreed to a $150,000 investment for 15% ownership.  Taylor paid the money through wire transfers and bank deposits over the course of 60 days. Now nearly 6 months later, Taylor believes he’s been defrauded, saying that he  has seen “nothing evidencing an ownership or equity interest in Club 1.” 

Taylor is suing for fraudulent inducement, securities fraud, unjust enrichment, constructive fraud, obtaining property by false pretense and violation of punitive damages.

Source