Two lawsuits from Shamrock Foods Company accuse Colorado Springs Mayor Yemi Mobolade and his co-defendant, Russ Ware, of failing to repay debts owed for their coffee shops, Wild Goose Meeting House and Good Neighbors Meeting House. The suits claim that the two businesses failed to pay bills totaling nearly $29,000 and nearly $68,000 in 2018. Shamrock, which operates in 13 western states, is seeking full repayment of the amounts along with interest and attorney’s fees.
However, Mobolade through court responses from his attorney Lyndsay Ressler denies any wrongdoing and instead points the blame at Ware. According to a crossclaim from Mobolade’s lawyer, Ware has been accused of engaging in fraudulent activities and stealing funds from the business. Ware was also a part-owner of the Latin-fusion restaurant and music venue Epiphany, which closed in 2022 amidst allegations of fund misuse.
During his mayoral campaign, Mobolade addressed questions about his connection to Ware stating that he had confronted his business partner and reported the incident to law enforcement in order to protect residents from someone who had harmed him and others. After being elected as mayor as required by the city charter, Mobolade stepped away from his involvement in the two cafes which are currently being operated by his wife Abbey Mobolade. The mayor’s office declined to provide comments regarding the lawsuits and neither the Mobolade family nor Ware responded to requests for comments.