Ever associate accused of $1M embezzlement
Aaron Gersonde, a board member linked to Ever — the Chicago restaurant with a Michelin star — is accused of embezzling more than $1 million from a company tied to the restaurant, according to ABC7 Chicago. The allegation is a troubling local development for a high‑profile dining establishment and could have reputational and financial consequences if charges proceed. (abc7chicago.com)
A Chicago restaurant where dinner can run hundreds of dollars is now in court over accusations that one of its own insiders siphoned off more than $1.4 million. The lawsuit says former board member Aaron Gersonde used company money from July 2022 through December 2025 for personal spending while helping oversee the books. (abc7chicago.com) The business at the center of the case is Four Pillars Restaurant Group, the company tied to Ever and its companion cocktail bar After in Chicago’s Fulton Market district. NBC Chicago reported that Four Pillars, Ever Restaurant Group, and After Cocktails all joined the Cook County lawsuit. (nbcchicago.com) This is not a claim about a waiter skimming cash from a register. The complaint says Gersonde had access to bank accounts and company credit cards and also had responsibility for financial oversight, which is closer to giving the scorekeeper the keys to the vault. (nbcchicago.com) Court filings described by local outlets say the alleged spending went to personal expenses, not restaurant operations. CBS Chicago said the suit accuses Gersonde of taking more than $1.4 million for his own use, while WGN reported the complaint lists luxury shopping, travel, and other nonbusiness charges. (cbsnews.com) (wgntv.com) The lawsuit also says the money did not just disappear in plain sight. NBC Chicago reported that the filing accuses Gersonde of manipulating QuickBooks entries, changing payment descriptions, and generating misleading profit-and-loss statements for other board members and investors. (nbcchicago.com) Ever is not just another neighborhood dining room. The Michelin Guide lists Ever in Chicago as a two-star restaurant, and the guide’s profile centers chef Curtis Duffy, whose name carries weight far beyond one address in the West Loop. (guide.michelin.com 1) (guide.michelin.com 2) That profile is part of why the allegations land so hard. Michelin-starred restaurants sell precision and trust as much as food, and this complaint says the company’s internal finances may have been distorted for about three years while owners and investors were relying on those records. (nbcchicago.com) (guide.michelin.com) So far, what is public is a civil lawsuit, not a criminal conviction. ABC7 Chicago and NBC Chicago both framed the allegations as claims made in court filings, which means the next fight is likely to be over records, authorization, and whether the spending was hidden or approved. (abc7chicago.com) (nbcchicago.com)
