If you are out and about in downtown Phoenix near 3rd and Portland streets, you might notice a packed restaurant drawing crowds for its unique atmosphere and name.
We're talking about Breakfast Bitch, which opened up in November 2020 in the growing Roosevelt Row area and is known for serving up brunch with a side of swear words and sass.
But owner Tracii Hutsona is also catching the eye of the federal government after being accused of bringing home another person’s bacon.
Hutsona was arrested in February in Arizona on wire fraud and aggravated identity theft charges for allegedly stealing more than $1 million from actress Joumana Kidd, former NBA star Jason Kidd's ex-wife.
Kidd has spoken out about this but did not respond to 12 News’ request for an interview.
In documents filed in federal court, prosecutors accuse Hutsona of taking the money between 2015 and 2019 while she was working as an assistant for Kidd.
The documents detail that the money was set aside for the victim's children's education but accuse Hutsona of using it to fund her own luxury lifestyle.
According to the company website, Hutsona and her husband run a luxury lifestyle company in addition to running the restaurants. The San Diego spot opened in 2019, the one in Phoenix opened in 2020.
This isn’t the first time Hutsona's been in hot water. In 2008, records show she was convicted in an embezzlement scheme and spent more than six years in federal prison. The U.S. Attorney's Office called her a "serial con artist" in the current case, but Hutsona denied it all.
Hutsona, who is now out on bail, pleaded not guilty. She declined an interview with 12 News, but her attorney sent the following statement:
“Ms. Hutsona maintains her innocence and looks forward to her day in court. In the meantime, her employees are her number one priority. Her staff is finally back to work after a year plus of uncertainty, and her restaurants are thriving.”
The next court hearing is a pre-trial conference scheduled for next month in New York.
I-Team
Learn more about other 12 News investigations by subscribing to the 12 News YouTube channel and watching our I-Team playlist.