Mayor Yemi Mobolade of Colorado Springs has denied allegations that his two coffee shops failed to repay debts owed to a food distributor. Two lawsuits from Shamrock Foods Company claim that Mobolade’s Wild Goose Meeting House and Good Neighbors Meeting House did not repay bills totaling nearly $29,000 and nearly $68,000 in 2018. Shamrock, which operates in 13 western states, is seeking full repayment of the amounts along with interest and attorney’s fees.

However, Mobolade through court responses from his attorney Lyndsay Ressler denies any wrongdoing and instead points the blame at his former business partner, Russ Ware, with whom Mobolade is a co-defendant in the case. According to a crossclaim from Mobolade’s lawyer, Ware has been accused of engaging in fraudulent activities and stealing funds from the business. Ware was also a part-owner of the Latin-fusion restaurant and music venue Epiphany, which closed in 2022 amidst allegations of fund misuse.

During his mayoral campaign, Mobolade addressed questions about his connection to Ware stating that he had confronted his business partner and reported the incident to law enforcement in order to protect residents from someone who had harmed him and others. Mobolade stepped away from his involvement in the two cafes after being elected as mayor as required by the city charter. The businesses are currently being operated by the mayor’s wife, Abbey Mobolade. The mayor’s office declined to provide comments regarding the lawsuits, and neither the Mobolade family nor Ware responded to requests for comments.