Compass Coffee Continues To Blaze Messy Path Across Embarrassing Lawsuit – CoffeeTalk

Compass Coffee cofounder Harrison Suarez has filed a lawsuit against his former business partner, friend, and fellow Marine Michael Haft. The complaint alleges five counts, including RICO violations, fraud, and breach of contract by various combinations of the parties. Suarez and Haft met while studying at Washington University in St. Louis and bonded through serving in the Marine Corps together. They opened their first Compass Coffee location in Shaw in 2014, discovering a common interest after years of drinking terrible coffee on deployment.

Suarez’s attorneys allege that the Hafts misrepresented that Suarez equally shared ownership of Compass Coffee with Haft since the first operating agreement, when in retrospect he believes he never did. Suarez also recounts his termination from Compass Coffee in summer 2021. Michael Haft wrote of Suarez’s allegations that “all of his claims are utterly untrue.” He continued:

As the pandemic disrupted their lives a few years ago, Harrison began experiencing more severe behavioral health challenges. Unfortunately, this led to a series of accusations and threats directed at him and his family, the same family who welcomed him into their home, supported him financially, and treated him as one of their own. His accusations have only intensified over time, and while Harrison has not been involved with the business for several years, he has made many offers to settle these matters amicably, and he will continue to pursue a meaningful path of settlement in the hopes of finding resolution.

Suarez’s legal complaint includes several striking details and claims, including an ended relationship, a perilous partnership, a bitcoin investment, and a lie about receiving RFF Funds. In 2016, Suarez claims he agreed to be terminated “at any time,” based on his belief that Michael Haft would agree to the same terms. In November 2021, without Harrison’s knowledge, Compass used RRF grant funds to make an approximately $2.1 million investment in a bitcoin play through Virginia firm MicroStrategy. Michael also made a misrepresentation to conceal the fact that Compass had received its RRF funds, which could have caused landlords to come knocking for past-due rent.

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