Copyright nypost
A Manhattan bar bizarrely stole its employee’s identity, then saddled her with $2.5 million in tax liabilities by misrepresenting the worker as an owner or officer of the company, a lawsuit claims. Aleksandra Putnam worked as a payroll processor and operations manager, between 2016 and 2023, for Elizabeth Slavutsky and Armando Soto — a married couple who own and operate Blue Dog Cookhouse and Bar at Two Worldwide Plaza in Hell’s Kitchen. She even helped the pair expand its operations into Florida, moving to the Sunshine State in 2021 to oversee the opening of a Blue Dog location in Boca Raton. But this summer, Putnam began receiving notices, claiming she owed taxes on Blue Dog’s behalf. When she reached out to Slavutsky, the restaurateur claimed it was a mistake, according to a lawsuit filed in Manhattan Supreme Court. Yet Putnam’s bank accounts were frozen soon after and tax records reported her owing $2.5 million in arrears. “I can’t sleep normally, and I have a lot of health issues caused by all of this,” Putnam, who lives on the Upper West Side, told The Post, adding she’s been unable to pay for her elderly mother’s care in Macedonia as her accounts remain frozen. Putnam has even resorted to asking friends for financial support, she said. The suit alleges the couple knew what they were doing, and have done nothing to remedy the situation. “Aleksandra needs her life back,” said her attorney, James DeCristofaro. Putnam is urging the courts to unblock her accounts, order the New York tax department to return the money they took, and produce a formal declaration that it’s her ex-employers who owe the $2.5 million in back taxes. Both Blue Dog establishments remain open. The defamation and fraud suit also seeks unspecified punitive and compensatory damages. “Defendants knowingly made false representations, including statements to financial institutions, enforcement officers, and agencies, asserting that plaintiff was responsible for Blue Dog’s debts,” the suit reads. The restaurant did not respond to emails seeking comment.
