The CEO of failed Philips Highway hotspot Latitude 360 says he doesn’t “owe anybody s---.”
In an interview with entertainment and news website BuzzFeed contributor Matt Stroud, Brent Brown didn't apologize for his actions — and said he's the victim.
The BuzzFeed article references Action News Jacksonville's multiple investigations into Latitude 360, starting in Oct. 2015 when the first signs of financial trouble appeared.
The venue was first called Latitude 30 before the name was changed to Latitude 360.
Former CEO Brent Brown defended himself in the wake of multiple lawsuits and allegations that he stole money from investors and employees.
“Well, I’m a victim too,” Brown is quoted in BuzzFeed.
Brown posed for photos in his sprawling riverfront mansion in San Marco for the BuzzFeed story.
“I don’t owe the employees s---. I don’t owe anybody s---. The company owes me money, and I’m an employee of the company, but I owe millions,” Brown is quoted in BuzzFeed.
Related: Action News Jax confronts Latitude 360 CEO who owes millions
“I was a little stunned -- and a little sickened,” said a former employee.
She asked Action News Jax to conceal her identity out of fear of retaliation.
She said the company still owes her $1,000 in unpaid wages.
“Losing my paycheck meant letting a lot of bills go. So we focused mainly – well, we’ll eat ramen noodles if we have to,” said the former employee.
Trending on ActionNewsJax.com:
- Video shows mom overdosing in toy aisle
- Sex trafficking survivor opens up to tell her unbelievable story
- Wife admits to shooting husband in Jacksonville drug money dispute
- Clay High School student threatened with referral over confederate flag
- Jacksonville police: Woman riding scooter dies after being hit by vehicle
[ More popular and trending stories ]
Two weeks after Latitude shut down, she found out she was pregnant.
“It became a nightmare,” she said.
She couldn’t get unemployment benefits because Latitude 360 failed to report any wages to the Florida Department of Revenue.
“Apparently, if you can’t prove loss of income, you can’t get Medicaid either in this state. So I missed out on my first trimester of care.”
When asked about his apparent wealth while his former employees remain unpaid, Brown told BuzzFeed, “Should I die? Should I cut my arm off? Should I move my family into HUD housing?”
Brown faces dozens of lawsuits and the soon-to-be mom is skeptical she’ll see justice — or any money.
She and other employees said they’re worried about what’s going to happen to the investigation into Latitude 360 when newly elected state attorney Melissa Nelson replaces Angela Corey.
"The State Attorney’s Office is charged with investigating and prosecuting cases and I don’t believe there will be any issue with any investigation based on moving from one state attorney to another,” said Andy Kantor, who is the lead investigator on the state attorney’s office Latitude 360 investigation.
Brown sent the following statement:
“The story is not based on hard facts, it centers around an illusion that I took advantage of the company financially. This was painted by a group of people that will choke on the truth soon enough. No one ever took or borrowed money from this company.
We have had three different auditors sign off on financials. An independent audit committee and an independent board. I personally am owed more than $400k in back pay over the years. Many people sacrificed for this company. "
The slanderous defamatory statements and articles have harmed the employees shareholders and creditors The one important asset the company could leverage, to get funding in, to pay its debts is the concept and brand. That has been attacked by individuals with a personal agenda. They are the ones who will be held responsible.”