Former Employee Sues Betony Over Alleged Abuse

Andrey Dellos, the owner of New York City restaurant Betony is being sued by a former private events manager over claims of "abusive conduct" by general manager Eamon Rockey. According to Eater NY, even though it's Rockey that Maryanne Storms has a problem with, she is suing Dellos because "he failed to discipline Rockey." Storms is alleging that Rockey "assaulted and/or threatened her and several other employees" while she worked there. Courthouse News writes that Storms believes she was also physically assaulted when Rockey once grabbed her arm with "great force and tried to pull her into a locker room."

While no other employees are named in the suit, Storms goes on to name several incidents involving her former co-workers. There are allegations that Rockey also assaulted a pastry chef and targeted waitresses. As a supposed part of a "sadistic effort" to make a particular waitress quit, Storms claims that Rockey, or someone Rockey instructed, put fish sauce in the waitress' sloppy joe knowing that she was allergic to fish. The resulting allergic reaction sent her to the emergency room.

The strangest allegation that Storms makes is that Dellos' company, Maison Dellos Group, has "close ties to Russian president Vladimir Putin." Courthouse News notes that the suit names Dellos' business partner Arkady Novikov as a "member of Putin's 'inner circle'" and it is because of this that Dellos' received Putin's backing to open several restaurants. When Eater NY asked the Betony team to comment on the lawsuit, they responded, "We have learned that a complaint has been filed and have referred it to our counsel to review. We have no further comment."

· Ex-Manager Sues Betony Over Alleged 'Abusive Conduct' [Eater NY]
· Bizarre Tale of a Russian Restaurateur [Courthouse News]
· All Betony Coverage on Eater [-E-]