T.I. Settles Lawsuit, Agrees to Pay Ex-Workers of Scales 925 Restaurant
T.I. has settled a lawsuit with employees of Atlanta restaurant Scales 925, which sued the rapper and other business owners over back pay.
The eatery was shut down by the sheriff’s department in 2016 for owing over $1 million in back rent to the establishment’s landlord. Employees who worked at the restaurant were left in a lurch and didn’t know when they would get paid.
Since the closing, Tip has distanced himself from his business associate Charles Hughes and said he “disrespected his brand” with his mishandling of Scales 925 restaurant.
In the class-action lawsuit, 12 former employees alleged that T.I.’s eatery refused to pay them properly for overtime and forced them to work off the clock. The ex-workers also claim that their paychecks have bounced because Hughes allegedly was taking all of the profits from the restaurant and depositing it into his own personal account.
Earlier this month, T.I., whose real name is Clifford Harris, struck a deal with the former employees Avery Lee, Shawn Yarborough, Kyle Vargas and Khori Vargas, according to court documents obtained by Bossip.
T.I., Hughes and and the restaurant denied any wrong doing, but agreed that a settlement would be best to resolve the case.
Under the settlement, Lee will receive $8,500 in back pay and $8,500 in monetary damages, while Kyle and Khori Vargas will each receive $6,000 for overtime and damages, and Yarborough will get a $2,000 payment.
T.I., Scales 925 and Hughes also agreed to pay $43,000 to cover the plaintiff's legal fees. Overall, Tip agreed to pay a total of $39,000, while Hughes and Scales 925 paid another $39,000 to settle the case.
In exchange, the former employees agreed not to hold T.I., Hughes or Scales 925 liable for their wage dispute and not sue them or the restaurant again.
Reps for T.I. had no comment on the matter.
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