Restaurant co-owner files suit against partner

Owners of the new Westmoreland Mall eatery, the Pepperwood Grille, have turned to Westmoreland County court to settle a financial dispute.

Co-owner Michele G. Wast filed a lawsuit during the week of Jan. 10 against co-owner Patrick M. Germano, alleging that Germano siphoned more than $10,000 from the business.

Wast and Germano are equal partners in the holding company that operates the restaurant -- G & W Food Co. Inc.

Germano is a former owner of the Baggy Knee in downtown Greensburg.

In one instance, Wast states in the suit that Germano wrote a $5,743 check against the business' account for payment of a personal loan.

Other payments to credit card companies were made with little or no supporting documentation, Wast states.

Wast "believes ... that many of the charges were for personal expense of Germano, wholly unrelated to the business."

"Germano, as manager, has failed to establish any daily, reliable accounting system or other paper trail in accordance with industry standards. There is no breakdown available to plaintiff of the costs of goods sold, profit margins, expenses, deposits, etc.," the suit states.

The restaurant opened in September.

The suit was filed on Wast's behalf by Greensburg attorney Timothy Fedele.

Neither Fedele nor Germano returned phone calls seeking comment.