Judge: Repay Money, Hand Over Keys To Hines Ward's 'Locker Room'

POSTED: 3:26 pm EST November 20, 2007
UPDATED: 5:14 pm EST November 20, 2007

PITTSBURGH -- Allegheny County Sheriff's deputies will change the locks on the Locker Room Bar and Grille after a judge ruled on Tuesday in an ongoing dispute over the business.

Nicholas Lettieri sued co-owners Korry and Kimberly Pitts and Hines Ward, the Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver, over $140,000 in missing funds from their bar on Pittsburgh's South Side.

On Tuesday, a judge ruled that ownership and keys to the East Carson Street establishment would be given to David Rudov, an attorney chosen by the court to run the business for the next 45 days.

"Right now, nothing appears to be wrong," said Rudov. "I met with the general manager. The bar is going to continue to operate. The restaurant is going to continue on a daily basis. The payroll is going to be met, and it's open for business."

"A large amount of money has been looted from the company," Lettieri's attorney, Bruce Fox, said earlier this month. "A lot of it was paid directly to Mr. Pitts and his wife, and that's money that should have been used to run the business."

About $50,000 of the money was used to buy two cars for Ward's longtime friends, according to Fox.

A judge has ordered that Ward pay the money back.

In addition, Korry Pitts has been ordered to repay about $122,000.

Lettieri, Hines Ward and Kimberly Pitts each invested $60,000 under a November 2005 operating agreement, and Lettieri was named the bar's operating manager, according to court filings.

Lettieri resigned as operating manager in October 2006 and was replaced by Kimberly Pitts. Lettieri has since feuded with the others about his share of the profits and access to the bar's financial records.

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