T.I.'s Restaurant Employees Are Suing Him for Unpaid Wages

Atlanta-based, Grammy-winning rapper T.I., who ventured into the world of restaurant ownership last year, is catching heat for his latest venture. Former employees of his downtown eatery Scales 925 are suing the recording artist, formally known as Clifford Harris Jr., for unpaid wages, reports the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Harris and business partner Charles Hughes are listed as defendants.

The suit was filed in the United States Northern District of Georgia on Tuesday. Twelve plaintiffs are citing the Fair Labor Standards Act and claim they were deprived of owed wages in a number of ways. Hughes's unscrupulous business practices listed in the complaint include:

Withdrawing money from employees' paychecks to pay Georgia payroll taxes, without actually paying said taxes.
Depositing money from the restaurant into his personal bank account, causing paychecks to bounce.
Deleting overtime hours from the restaurant's payroll software and failing to compensate employees for overtime work.
Coercing employees to work off the clock for three hours "before they were allowed to go home."

The former employees are seeking a jury trial. While no specific dollar amount is listed in the complaint, they're asking for payment of lost wages and attorney fees, plus liquidated, nominal, and punitive damages.

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