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As the legal battle intensifies between former partners, Houston legend Bun B and his Trill Burgers team face significant complications.
Court documents reveal that former partners Benson and Patsy Vivares were granted a temporary injunction against the Trill O.G., whose real name is Bernard Freeman, and his Trill Burgers partners in late May. The Vivares siblings accuse Bun B of stealing their recipe, while Trill Burgers’ co-owners claim the Vivares misappropriated funds, leading to their departure, Click2Houston reported.
Legal Disputes and Financial Restrictions
The injunction orders Trill Burgers owners to cease paying themselves management fees and report expenditures over $10,000. It also mandates the company to repay attorney’s fees and forbids hiring new counsel, warning that violations would cause “irreparable injury to Trill Burgers, LLC.”
The Trill Burgers lawsuit initiated last August alleges that the Vivares siblings engaged in “forming and operating competing businesses, misappropriation of corporate opportunities, and other breaches of fiduciary duties.” These actions have allegedly caused significant harm to Trill Burgers, including the loss of customers, assets, and goodwill, as well as the disruption of business operations. The Vivares siblings would respond with a countersuit.
Bun B’s Legal Team Responds
Bun B’s attorney, Charles D. Adams, expressed confidence that the injunction would not stand on appeal. He emphasized that Trill Burgers will continue serving Houston’s best burgers and pursue their claims against the Vivares siblings. Adams stated they are eager to present their case to an arbitrator or jury to expose the truth and seek compensation for the alleged wrongdoing by Patsy and Benson Vivares.
In a voicemail from December 2022, shared by Adams, Patsy Vivares asked for proof that she and her brother were no longer part of Trill Burgers, indicating they needed documentation for state taxes.
Adams provided a detailed statement on the lawsuit, noting that the temporary injunction hearing supported his clients’ claims about the dissolution of the original partnership and the alleged misappropriation of funds by Patsy Vivares. He pointed out that Patsy and Benson Vivares failed to substantiate their accusations against Bun B and could not explain the handling of missing funds.
Despite this, Harris County Judge Tamika Craft-Demming signed the temporary injunction, restricting the business operations of the current and future parties involved.
Bun B’s Empire: From Music to Business
From his early days as part of the iconic rap duo UGK to his solo career, Bun B has remained an influential figure in the music industry. Formed in 1987 with Pimp C, UGK quickly became a cornerstone of Southern hip-hop. Their debut album, “Too Hard to Swallow,” and the follow-up, “Ridin’ Dirty,” solidified their reputation despite limited mainstream promotion.
After a rough patch in the early 2000s, Bun B pursued a successful solo career. His estimated net worth, as of 2024, is around $4 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth.
The Future of Trill Burger
As the legal proceedings unfold, the outcome of this dispute will undoubtedly impact the future operations of Trill Burgers and the legacy of its co-owners.
They still plan to open a second location in the second location in the Houston area later this year.
