Leva Bonaparte and her husband, Lamar Bonaparte, are facing allegations of federal labor violations. The claims come after a former bartender sued their Charleston bar, Republic Garden & Lounge.
Leva Bonaparte and Lamar Bonaparte face federal labor violations in a new tip-skimming lawsuit
According to The Post and Courier, former Republic bartender Angelica Alberti filed the lawsuit on June 10, 2026. She filed it on behalf of herself and other bartenders who worked at the establishment over the past three years.
Alberti worked at Republic from May 12, 2025, through Nov. 2, 2025, for approximately 30 hours a week. According to the lawsuit, she earned $2.13 per hour plus tips.
Alberti alleged that the restaurant required bartenders to share a portion of their tips with managers or supervisors. She also accused the restaurant of failing to properly notify employees about its tip-credit system. In addition, she claimed the business deducted credit-card processing fees or similar charges from employees’ tips. The lawsuit states that these practices violated the Fair Labor Standards Act…