Manhattan DA indicts Au Jus barbecue owner for stealing $8,000 in wages from five workers
Owner of Former UWS Barbecue Restaurant Indicted for Wage Theft: Manhattan DA
Patrick Griffin, 71, owner of the now-closed Oklahoma-style barbecue chain Au Jus, was indicted by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg for allegedly withholding at least $8,000 in wages from five employees starting in January 2025. Prosecutors say he blocked workers' calls, refused payment until they returned to work, and once demanded an employee sign a false document claiming he lacked government ID. The Upper West Side location at 2621 Broadway shuttered in September 2025.
Griffin was allegedly vacationing in Europe while his employees were begging him for their money that they earned and need to support their families.