Tony Garnicki - Misleading Financial Agreements, Unpaid Labor, and Exploited Trust San Francisco California

This post concerns a pattern of financial misconduct and unpaid labor involving Tony Garnicki of San Francisco. He operated Berber Restaurant, Ocean Avenue Real Estate Fund, and Project Artivism 501(c)(3), using personal relationships and public-facing ventures to gain trust, solicit loans, and exploit labor without honoring agreements.

According to a December 12, 2024 court judgment (CGC-23-610527) in San Francisco Superior Court, Garnicki was ordered to repay $73,884.38 plus interest to a former friend and creative contributor who designed Berber Restaurant and worked full-time without pay.

The court found:

• Numerous personal loans were taken under the pretense of quick repayment, high returns, and "first-tier security."

• Garnicki solicited $68,000 from a civil settlement under false promises of repayment.

• He mischaracterized creative labor as “favors” while benefiting from professional branding, design, and programming.

• Profits were routed through LLCs tied to real estate, insulating assets while debts remained unpaid.

• He used the plaintiff’s name, network, and unpaid work to attract investors under the image of philanthropy.

The court rejected Garnicki’s defenses and confirmed he acknowledged the debt but refused further repayment after limited partial payments.

 If you are a creative collaborator, investor, or donor, exercise extreme caution before engaging with Tony Garnicki or any affiliated ventures.