USA TODAY US Edition

Soupman of ‘Soup Nazi’ fame files for Chapter 11

- Kevin McCoy @kmccoynyc

Soupman, the New York City food company made famous by the popular Seinfeld TV sitcom, has sought bankruptcy court protection, weeks after its chief financial officer was indicted on federal tax evasion charges.

Based on Staten Island, the company licenses the name and recipes of Al Yeganeh, the model for the gruff “Soup Nazi” charac- ter in the popular 1989-98 series that starred comedian Jerry Seinfeld. The character focused fanat- ically on his culinary creations and refused to serve some wouldbe customers, barking what became a much-repeated catchphras­e: “No soup for you!”

A Chapter 11 bankruptcy petition filed Tuesday in Delaware stated Soupman had estimated assets between just over $1 million and $10 million and estimated debts ranging from just over $10 million to $50 million.

The company said in a news release it has secured a new $2 million debtor-in-possession credit facility from an independen­t private investment firm to fund working capital needs “and allow business operations to continue as usual.”

The business was jolted in late May when federal prosecutor­s in Brooklyn announced an indictment that accused Soupman CFO Robert Bertrand of failure to pay Medicare, Social Security and federal income taxes. His job included collecting, accounting for and paying taxes for Soupman’s employees. However, the indictment alleged that between 2010 and 2014, Bertrand instead paid Soupman employees with unreported cash and compensate­d certain workers with unreported stock awards.

Bertrand, who has pleaded not guilty, was released on $50,000 bond pending a scheduled July 18 legal hearing, court records show.

“The combinatio­n of legacy liabilitie­s and recent company developmen­ts have made it necessary to seek bankruptcy protection,” Soupman CEO Jamie Karson said in a statement. “This will ensure that our delicious soups remain on grocery shelves throughout the country, which is in the best interests of all our stakeholde­rs and customers.”

 ?? CASTLE ROCK ENTERTAINM­ENT ?? Julia Louis-Dreyfus in a scene from Seinfeld’s “Soup Nazi” episode in 1995.
CASTLE ROCK ENTERTAINM­ENT Julia Louis-Dreyfus in a scene from Seinfeld’s “Soup Nazi” episode in 1995.

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