PORTLAND, Ore. — A former employee stole hundreds of thousands of dollars from Verde Cocina last year, leaving the family-owned restaurant struggling, co-owner Anne Sorenson Garnica said.
The restaurant was already facing financial strain after a 2020 fire forced the closure of its Sylvan-Highlands location. As the couple worked to rebuild that site and operate their remaining restaurants, they discovered problems with their catering funds.
“It’s hard for small businesses out here, and we’re no exception,” Sorenson Garnica said…