New defendants added in Five Star Bank’s lawsuit against restaurant owner over alleged fraud

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — An updated civil complaint in a lawsuit by Five Star Bank against local restaurant owner Katherine Mott has revealed new details, implicating additional defendants in a nearly $19-million fraud scheme.

According to a report from Buffalo Business First, the lawsuit now includes defendants Kristina Bourne, Robert Harris, Timothy LaRocca, and Taylor Pagano. The complaint alleges these people assisted Mott in a complex check-kiting scheme that targeted Five Star Bank. The scheme reportedly allowed Mott to fraudulently obtain nearly $19 million.

Further details in the complaint suggest this wasn’t an isolated incident. It states that multiple other banks had closed accounts with Mott between 2019 and 2022 due to suspicious activities.

Mott is the owner of several restaurants, including the former Crescent Beach Hotel and the Winter Garden.

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