Restaurant owner accused in check-kiting scheme sues bank

ROCHESTER, N.Y. – An owner of some of the most popular restaurants in town who is accused of a check-kiting scheme by one bank is now suing another.

Katherine Mott has been accused by Five Star Bank of shuffling money between multiple bank accounts in order to inflate their value. The bank says it resulted in $18 million in overdrafts.

Mott, whose businesses include Monroe’s and the old Crescent Beach, is now suing Community Bank for freezing her out of half a million dollars. According to the lawsuit, that money is separate from the other case and accuses Community Bank of shutting down the accounts and sending the money to Five Star.

It says when Mott went into a Community Bank brand and demanded the money, one of the bank employees told her, “Sue us.”

So she did.

Community Bank’s public relations firm declined to comment because of the lawsuit.

We asked Mott’s attorney for a statement. He told us the restaurants and wedding venues she owns are open.