Small town pulls together to help Indiana restaurant victimized in fraud case

WOULD HAVE ALREADY IF NOT FOR THE KIND OF HELP THAT CAN ONLY COME FROM AN ENTIRE COMMUNITY CLUB ON WHITE OAK AT CROONERS COUNTRY KITCHEN. WHAT KEEPS CUSTOMERS COMING BACK? AND WE COME BACK 2 TO 3 TIMES A WEEK IS A SMALL TOWN FLAVOR. I’M BRITTANY. I’LL BE TAKING CARE OF YOU GUYS. BUT FOR SOME, IT’S A SMALL TOWN. TOUCHES LIKE THE DAY JAMES WAGNER WAS HERE CUTTING HIS SALAD, SMALLER FOR HIS WIFE, WHO SINCE PASSED AWAY. SO, DIANE, COME OVER. WHAT ARE YOU DOING? I SAID STILL ACTUALLY CUT UP SALAD. FROM THEN ON, SHE TOLD THE GIRLS ANYTIME SHE ORDERED THE SALAD, YOU MAKE SURE YOU GOT A REAL FINE. SHE TOOK CARE OF MY WIFE. THAT KIND OF SERVICE IS ON THE MENU. BUT IN RECENT WEEKS, THE RESTAURANT WAS A VICTIM OF WHAT THEY SAY WAS A CASE OF FRAUD. THE LOSSES ADD UP TO MORE THAN $100,000. I’M ANGRY BECAUSE I’VE ALWAYS WONDERED HOW PEOPLE CAN LET PEOPLE TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THEM AND I FELL FOR THAT. DIANE CORNER IS THE OWNER. SHE SAYS IT’S BEEN DEVASTATING TO HER AND THE 25 EMPLOYEES HERE. I’M HURT THAT SOMEBODY WOULD DO THIS TO US AND MAKE A STRUGGLE. THEY WERE A MATTER OF HOURS FROM CLOSING THE DOORS, BUT LIKE A SCENE FROM AN OLD CHRISTMAS MOVIE, THE TOWN CAME TOGETHER. RAISING $10,000. AMAZING. THEY ALL CAME AND WE’VE HAD PHONE CALLS, MESSAGES. THERE WAS A GO FUND ME. THEY’VE HELPED WITH THEIR DONATING. THEY’VE ALWAYS TREATED PEOPLE GOOD, YOU KNOW, OR THEY HAVE ME ANYWAY. YOU KNOW, YOU’RE JUST LIKE A FAMILY TO ME. THE RESTAURANT IS STILL DAY TO DAY. THE WAY THEY’VE COME TOGETHER HAS AT LEAST PUT OFF WHAT BEGAN AS A RECIPE FOR DISASTER. NOW, WHILE THE OWNERS SAY THEY CAN’T TELL US MUCH ABOUT THEIR CRIME, THAT CAUSED THEM TO LOSE THE MONEY, THEY TELL US IT DOES LOOK LIKE IT’S AN INVESTIGATION THAT’S GOING TO INVOLVE STATE, LOCAL AND EVEN FEDERAL AUTHORITIES. BRIA

A small-town restaurant that survived COVID-19 is fighting to stay open after being hit with something that has been even more devastating – a case of fraud.“I'm angry because I've always wondered how people can let people take advantage of them and then I fell for that,” said Diane Korner.Korner is the owner of Korner Kountry Kitchen in Brookville, Indiana. She said a case of fraud cost them more than $100,000.“I’m hurt that somebody would do this to us and make us struggle,” Korner said.The restaurant was having trouble making payroll for the 25 employees and was a matter of hours from closing when things took an unusual turn. The community came together to raise about $10,000. It’s not enough to bail the restaurant out, but it has kept its doors open.“It's amazing,” said Kountry Kitchen general manager Amanda Merritt. “We've had phone calls, messages, there was a GoFundMe. They've helped with their donating.”The money came from individuals around town who don’t want the restaurant to close.“We come two to three times a week,” said James Wagner, who drives about 10 miles to get to the restaurant.Wagner said it’s not just the food, but the small-town flavor of the business that keeps him coming back. Before his wife died, he would bring her to the restaurant. He said one day he was cutting up a salad to make the pieces smaller for his wife.“So, Diane came over and said, ‘What are you doing?’” Wagner said he explained the situation. “From then on, she told the girls, anytime my wife ordered a salad, you make sure you got to cut it up real fine. She took care of my wife.”Those kinds of details are not overlooked in a small town.Korner said she is unable to talk about the details of the fraud case, but that local, state and federal authorities are looking into the crime.

A small-town restaurant that survived COVID-19 is fighting to stay open after being hit with something that has been even more devastating – a case of fraud.

“I'm angry because I've always wondered how people can let people take advantage of them and then I fell for that,” said Diane Korner.

Korner is the owner of Korner Kountry Kitchen in Brookville, Indiana. She said a case of fraud cost them more than $100,000.

“I’m hurt that somebody would do this to us and make us struggle,” Korner said.

The restaurant was having trouble making payroll for the 25 employees and was a matter of hours from closing when things took an unusual turn.

The community came together to raise about $10,000. It’s not enough to bail the restaurant out, but it has kept its doors open.

“It's amazing,” said Kountry Kitchen general manager Amanda Merritt. “We've had phone calls, messages, there was a GoFundMe. They've helped with their donating.”

The money came from individuals around town who don’t want the restaurant to close.

“We come two to three times a week,” said James Wagner, who drives about 10 miles to get to the restaurant.

Wagner said it’s not just the food, but the small-town flavor of the business that keeps him coming back. Before his wife died, he would bring her to the restaurant. He said one day he was cutting up a salad to make the pieces smaller for his wife.

“So, Diane came over and said, ‘What are you doing?’” Wagner said he explained the situation. “From then on, she told the girls, anytime my wife ordered a salad, you make sure you got to cut it up real fine. She took care of my wife.”

Those kinds of details are not overlooked in a small town.

Korner said she is unable to talk about the details of the fraud case, but that local, state and federal authorities are looking into the crime.

Small town pulls together to help Indiana restaurant victimized in fraud case

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