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Man hospitalized for reported gunshot wound in Wilkes-Barre

<p>WILKES-BARRE &#8212; Sheriff&#8217;s deputies removed the head chef of a popular French restaurant from the downtown eatery Friday afternoon, and court records show he owes more than $60,000 in rent and other fees.</p><p>Gwena&#235;l Le Pape was quietly led out of Le Manhattan Bistro so a locksmith could change locks on the doors at the 268 S. Main St. restaurant.</p><p>Court records show a judgment had been entered in favor of the building&#8217;s owners, Main &amp; Ross Street Properties LLC.</p><p>A complaint filed in Luzerne County Court on Nov. 19 alleges Le Pape, also the owner of the restaurant, had failed to pay rent when due both Aug. 1 and Sept. 1. The complaint suggests Le Pape&#8217;s late rent amounted to nearly $15,000. He also allegedly owes, by having defaulted on rent, an advance rent payment for the next eight months, totaling nearly $38,000.</p><p>With additional fees for having missed rent and attorney costs, the amount Le Pape owes to Main &amp; Ross Street Properties comes out to $63,570.</p><p>The complaint, filed through the corporation&#8217;s attorney, James J. Haggerty, requested the restaurant&#8217;s eviction from the premises, leading to the sheriff department&#8217;s actions Friday.</p><p><strong>&#8216;Never come back&#8217;</strong></p><p>A records check shows this isn&#8217;t the only large amount of money Le Pape owes to a company.</p><p>In June, a judgment against him and his restaurant from Broome County, N.Y., was transferred to Luzerne County. Maines Paper &amp; Food Service, a restaurant supply company with branches in Kingston and Scranton but headquartered in New York, accused Le Pape of defaulting on delivery fees, leading to a judgment which ordered him to pay nearly $30,000.</p><p>The judgment was transferred to Luzerne County to allow the county sheriff&#8217;s department to attempt to collect the money. However, a report filed by Sheriff Brian Szumski shows deputies attempted to serve the notice to Le Pape several times throughout the month of September, culminating Sept. 26 when Le Pape allegedly refused to allow a deputy into the building.</p><p>Le Manhattan Bistro opened in November 2014. A Times Leader feature story on Le Pape in June of this year showed Le Pape viewed the opening of the restaurant as the culmination of a lifelong dream.</p><p>Le Pape, originally from France, rubbed elbows with celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain, striking up a friendship with him. Le Pape said in June he had very strong opinions about his food.</p><p>&#8220;If you tell me something is not to your liking, we can discuss it. But if you say the food (is disgusting), I have no tolerance,&#8221; he said. &#8220;I don&#8217;t care if you think I am arrogant. I&#8217;ll say, &#8216;See that green (exit) sign? Follow it and never come back.&#8217;&#8221;</p><p>Up until this week, Le Pape had a weekly tradition on Monday nights: a three course French meal with a French film for $20.18. It&#8217;s currently unclear if Le Pape will be able to reopen.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">A locksmith prepares to change the locks at Le Manhattan Bistro on South Main Street in Wilkes-Barre after the restaurant&#8217;s owner was evicted from the building by sheriff&#8217;s deputies Friday afternoon. Gwena&#235;l Le Pape has a judgment against him for more than $60,000 in rent and fees. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/web1_TTL120118Manhattan1-1.jpg</photo0><caption0>A locksmith prepares to change the locks at Le Manhattan Bistro on South Main Street in Wilkes-Barre after the restaurant&#8217;s owner was evicted from the building by sheriff&#8217;s deputies Friday afternoon. Gwena&#235;l Le Pape has a judgment against him for more than $60,000 in rent and fees. </caption0><photoCredit0>Aimee Dilger | Times Leader </photoCredit0></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Patrick Kernan</p><p>pkernan@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Patrick Kernan at 570-991-6386 or on Twitter @PatKernan</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Owner of Le Manhattan Bistro booted from restaurant, owes $60K in rent and fees