Cohn Restaurant Group will take over four restaurants owned by The Patio Group in the wake of fraud charges against the Patio chain’s owner.
Gina Champion-Cain, owner of The Patio Group, is accused of defrauding investors out of $300 million through her real estate company, American National Investments.
The court-appointed receiver announced Tuesday it will place The Patio on Lamont, Surf Rider restaurants in La Mesa and Ocean Beach, and Saska’s under the operational guidance of the Cohn Restaurant Group effective Sept. 30.
“We understand this is a challenging situation, but we believe The Patio on Lamont, Surf Rider and Saska’s are great restaurants that guests will continue to enjoy into the future. We look forward to working with the teams at each location so they can continue to provide great food, ambiance and hospitality.” said David Cohn, founder and president.
The Patio on Goldfinch and Fireside by the Patio will remain open through the end of San Diego Restaurant Week and then close. The Patio Marketplace cafes will continue to be operate, as will the La Casa del Zorro resort in Borrego Springs.
A civil complaint filed last month by the Securities and Exchange Commission alleges Champion-Cain misled investors about an opportunity to fund high-interest, short-term loans to people seeking California liquor licenses.
