Flaky Crust Beef Patty King Commits Suicide.
Some people see a spook on every corner and panic and call the police. Some people see the IRS coming and pay up what’s owed — others kill themselves.
Lowell Hawthrone, the 57-year-old founder and CEO of franchised chain restaurant Golden Krust, whom by all measures had a thriving restaurant chain business going and supportive family members, on Saturday, cracked under pressure from a burgeoning tax-debt and killed himself.
Hawthrone built his empire, Golden Krust Caribbean Bakery & Grill from a single restaurant set-up in the Bronx (in 1989) to 120 locations in nine states across the US.
Friends (such as C. Broughton and E Allman) who went to school with and grew up with Hawthrone in St. Andrews Jamaica reminisced about the days of their youth.
They said the business magnate displayed an exceptional and was “genius” when he attended Oberlin High School in St. Andrews, Jamaica.
As a child, Lowell was known as Lolo in the neighborhood where he grew up — as his friends affectionately nicknamed him.
He worked in his parents’ namesaked bakery — “Hawthrone Bakery,” alongside his brothers: Lloyd, Patrick, Raymond, and Milton — where he inculcated some of his father’s unique recipes.
After migrating to New York, from Jamaica, at the age of 21, Lowell attended Bronx Community College and City University of New York (Herbert H. Lerman College) where he earned a B.B.A.
Before opening his first restaurant, Hawthrone worked as an accountant for nine years for the NYPD.
In addition to owing the government millions of dollars in back taxes, Hawthrone and his restaurant empire have recently served with a lawsuit filed by more than 100 employees alleging that he cheated them out of overtime pay.
On Saturday Lowell called two of his employees into his office in the Bronx factory, briefly talked with them. After they exited the room, he shot himself in the head.
surveillance video shows the meat-pie mogul shooting himself in the head at his office inside the Golden Krust bakery and warehouse in the Bronx, said the source, who was briefed on the NYPD investigation into the shooting.
Before the shooting, the video shows Hawthorne speaking with a pair of workers who left the room, both of whom were crouched down when they later returned to his office, sources said. The New York Post has reported
A family member informed NYPD detectives that Hawthrone had been acting strange and talked to himself just hours before he applied the fatal self-inflicted gunshot to his head.
Behold, the tax man cometh.
Reportedly, Hawthrone had an estimated net worth of USD 71 million with an annual income of $10 million; he owned two houses, seven luxury vehicles, including a recently purchased Bently for $650,000.
The company now has more than 120 outlets in nine states, and sells its beef patties in more than 20,000 supermarkets, as well as to the city school system, state penal system, and US military, according to a news release issued last year. New York Post.
But not unlike some other “rags” to riches personalities such as Wesley Snipes, Ron Isley, Nicolas Cage, Sophia Loren, Lauryn Hill, Judy Garland, Al Capone and Chuck Berry, etc Hawthrone failed to pay his portion taxes to maintain the nation’s infrastructure and keep its citizens secure and safe.
Hawthrone also appeared on Undercover Boss Season 7 Episode 12, where he changed his appearance to work alongside his employees to get a feel for what they go through.
Lowell Hawthrone is survived by his wife Lorna, and four children — three sons and a daughter.
Staff Writer: Clinton Alfred
