Leonard Stokes back in court

BUFFALO, NY (WIVB) - Leonard Stokes, whose One Sunset business fell flat on its face after receiving over $100,000 in government money, had nothing to stay today.

Stokes only made a brief appearance in Buffalo City Court today in connection with a non-criminal trespass charge that was lodged against him.

He's accused of being involved in an altercation at a Herman St. beauty shop in January.

He's also a key figure in a separate, but very public scandal involving his failed restaurant and money he received from City Hall.

"It was a bad loan. It will always be a bad loan," said Buffalo City Comptroller Andrew Sanfilippo.

Sanflippo says that his office is about a week or two away from releasing a final audit.

Over the summer, Sanfilippo said up to $90,000 was unaccounted for. But he says that figure will likely be less, although, he says nearly $40,000 in inventory from the restaurant is still unaccounted for.

"They owe a lot of people a lot of money. There are, I think, several liens on file. One is the BERC. I think also the ECIDA has a lien on file," Sanfilippo said.

Sanfilippo's audit includes the Buffalo Economic Renaissance Corporation (BERC), the city's development arm, which approved loans to Stokes and his restaurant.

Sanfilippo is now proposing that his office provide financial oversight to BERC.

"I think it's important that you have another set of eyes looking at the operation. It's all about checks and balances," he said.

The One Sunset-City Hall financing deal is also the subject of a Federal investigation. City records connected to the project have been subpoenaed.

Stokes is back in court next month for the unrelated matter involving the trespass charge.