Sirens Strip Club Co-Owners Jailed Over Unpaid Federal Wage Settlement
U.S. District Judge Algenon Marbley ordered Michael Sharrak, Francis Sharrak, and Jay Nelson held in custody until they pay $240,891.60 in settlement debt and legal fees.
Three co-owners of Sirens Gentlemen’s Club were taken into federal custody on Oct. 8, 2026, after a judge found them in civil contempt for failing to pay more than $240,000 owed under a class-action wage settlement ordered into custody.
U.S. District Judge Algenon L. Marbley ordered Michael Sharrak, 58, Francis Sharrak, 58, and Jay Nelson remanded into the custody of the U.S. Marshals following a hearing in Columbus ordered into custody. The trio, who own Cleveland Ave. Restaurant Inc., the company operating Sirens at 6190 Cleveland Ave., were ordered to remain incarcerated until they pay $240,891.60 in overdue settlement obligations, accrued interest, and plaintiffs’ attorney fees held until paid.
The civil contempt order stems from a federal wage case rather than Franklin County local courts, which handled prior municipal matters involving the venue. Former dancers Jessica Hogan and Dejha Valentine initiated the federal lawsuit, Hogan v. Cleveland Ave Restaurant, Inc., in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio in October 2015 federal class action. The lawsuit alleged violations of the federal Fair Labor Standards Act and Ohio law over unpaid wages and entertainer contracts dancers' wage claims. Under the resulting settlement framework, the defendants agreed to deposit $8,000 monthly into an escrow account to cover class member distributions, legal fees, and related costs monthly escrow deposits.
Court records indicate the owners failed to make the required payments, accumulating nearly $250,000 in arrears by July 2026. On July 1, Judge Marbley found the three men in civil contempt, citing the unpaid settlement balance alongside a $1,400 sanction for arriving late to a court hearing and a $2,000 retainer owed to court-appointed special collections counsel civil contempt finding.
By the Oct. 8 hearing, the defendants owed roughly $13,000 in accrued interest and more than $51,000 in legal fees in addition to the principal settlement balance, though $14,000 in cash and other funds was paid to the plaintiffs during the proceeding hearing obligations and payment. Defense attorney Mark Trimble asked the court to extend the deadline to Oct. 14 to allow more time to satisfy the judgment, but Judge Marbley denied the request, citing the owners' unresolved contempt since July extension denied.
Sirens previously drew national attention when adult film performer Stormy Daniels and two other dancers were arrested at the club by Columbus police Vice Unit officers in July 2018 on misdemeanor charges of illegally touching a patron, which a Franklin County judge dismissed within hours at the city’s request 2018 vice arrest. Daniels and the two dancers subsequently settled federal civil rights lawsuits against the city of Columbus for $450,000 and $150,000, respectively, before the Columbus police disbanded the vice unit in 2019 city civil settlements. In the wage litigation, the three club operators remain in federal custody pending full payment of the contempt judgment held until paid.
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The sources and records behind this story, with the facts they support.
https://www.yahoo.com/news/us/articles/owners-sirens-strip-club-arrested-221631230.html
Supporting evidence (9)
Three co-owners of Sirens Gentlemen’s Club were taken into federal custody on Oct. 8, 2026, after a judge found them in civil contempt for failing to pay more than $240,000 owed under a class-action wage settlement ordered into custody.
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Michael and Francis Sharrak, both 58, and Jay Nelson, owners of Cleveland Ave. Restaurant Inc., the company that operates Sirens Gentlemen's Club at 6190 Cleveland Ave., were ordered into federal custody Oct. 8 by U.S. District Judge Algenon Marbley in Columbus.
Marshals following a hearing in Columbus ordered into custody.
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Michael and Francis Sharrak, both 58, and Jay Nelson, owners of Cleveland Ave. Restaurant Inc., the company that operates Sirens Gentlemen's Club at 6190 Cleveland Ave., were ordered into federal custody Oct. 8 by U.S. District Judge Algenon Marbley in Columbus.
Restaurant Inc., the company operating Sirens at 6190 Cleveland Ave., were ordered to remain incarcerated until they pay $240,891.60 in overdue settlement obligations, accrued interest, and plaintiffs’ attorney fees held until paid.
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Court filings show the defendants were ordered to remain incarcerated until they pay $240,891.60 and are currently in the custody of the U.S. Marshals.
On July 1, Judge Marbley found the three men in civil contempt, citing the unpaid settlement balance alongside a $1,400 sanction for arriving late to a court hearing and a $2,000 retainer owed to court-appointed special collections counsel civil contempt finding.
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The arrest comes more than a year after the defendants were ordered to make monthly $8,000 payments to the plaintiffs as part of a class-action settlement. Court records show the trio failed to comply, accumulating nearly $250,000 in unpaid settlement obligations by July. On July 1, Marbley found the three in civil contempt, citing the unpaid settlement balance as well as a $1,400 sanction for arriving late to a court hearing and a $2,000 retainer owed to a special collections counsel appointed by the court.
By the Oct. 8 hearing, the defendants owed roughly $13,000 in accrued interest and more than $51,000 in legal fees in addition to the principal settlement balance, though $14,000 in cash and other funds was paid to the plaintiffs during the proceeding hearing obligations and payment.
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In addition to the unpaid settlement balance, the three defendants owed roughly $13,000 in accrued interest and more than $51,000 in plaintiffs' attorney fees and costs, according to federal court filings. A total of $14,000 in cash and additional money was paid to the plaintiffs at the hearing, court records show.
Defense attorney Mark Trimble asked the court to extend the deadline to Oct. 14 to allow more time to satisfy the judgment, but Judge Marbley denied the request, citing the owners' unresolved contempt since July extension denied.
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Defense attorney Mark Trimble asked the court to extend the payment deadline until Oct. 14 to allow the trio more time to satisfy the judgment, court records show. Marbley denied the request, noting that the defendants had been in contempt of court since July 1 for failing to comply with a previous court order.
Sirens previously drew national attention when adult film performer Stormy Daniels and two other dancers were arrested at the club by Columbus police Vice Unit officers in July 2018 on misdemeanor charges of illegally touching a patron, which a Franklin County judge dismissed within hours at the city’s request 2018 vice arrest.
Read supporting passage
Sirens became famous after the arrest there of Stormy Daniels in July 2018 by members of the Columbus police Vice Unit during a performance at the club. Daniels and two other dancers were charged with a misdemeanor charge of illegally touching a customer. Within hours, a Franklin County judge dismissed the charges at the city's request.
Daniels and the two dancers subsequently settled federal civil rights lawsuits against the city of Columbus for $450,000 and $150,000, respectively, before the Columbus police disbanded the vice unit in 2019 city civil settlements.
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Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, sued the city for $2 million and settled in 2019 for $450,000. Two other dancers arrested with her on the same charges by the vice unit were paid a total $150,000 to settle their suit.
In the wage litigation, the three club operators remain in federal custody pending full payment of the contempt judgment held until paid.
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Court filings show the defendants were ordered to remain incarcerated until they pay $240,891.60 and are currently in the custody of the U.S. Marshals.
https://www.ohiostripclubcase.com/
Supporting evidence (1)
District Court for the Southern District of Ohio in October 2015 federal class action.
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A lawsuit is pending, and a class action settlement has been preliminarily approved, against Cleveland Ave Restaurant, Inc. in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio, Eastern Division, Case No. 2:15-cv-2883.
Supporting evidence (2)
The lawsuit alleged violations of the federal Fair Labor Standards Act and Ohio law over unpaid wages and entertainer contracts dancers' wage claims.
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Jessica Hogan and Dejha Valentine (the “Plaintiffs”), former dancers for Sirens, brought the Lawsuit asserting claims under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act and Ohio law to recover damages from alleged unpaid wages, spoliation of evidence, and unjust enrichment on behalf of themselves and other dancers.
Under the resulting settlement framework, the defendants agreed to deposit $8,000 monthly into an escrow account to cover class member distributions, legal fees, and related costs monthly escrow deposits.
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Defendants will deposit $8,000 in an escrow account to cover remaining Class Member payments, attorney’s fees, service awards, sanction awards, and litigation expenses.