A Maine wedding caterer has been barred from operating in the state for two decades following allegations of financial impropriety. Bethany Gregory, the owner of Tides Continuation LLC, which traded as TTT and provided catering services, is accused of using funds from future bookings to cover her business expenses without actually fulfilling the contracted services.
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The Attorney General of Maine, Aaron Frey, filed a complaint claiming that Gregory regularly breached contracts and cancelled events at the last minute, failing to provide refunds while knowing she could not deliver on her promises. The court found Gregory liable for over $175,000 in restitution following a hearing on June 25, 2026, which she did not attend.
Gregory allegedly began her catering business in October 2022, advertising her services despite having minimal financial resources. It was reported that she had less than £400 in cash at this time and relied on immediate deposits from clients—either full payments upfront or a 50% deposit—to fund her operations. The funds received from clients were purportedly used to purchase catering equipment and, controversially, to support a café she opened in 2022, which ultimately closed in mid-2023 after operating at a financial loss.
According to the complaint, rather than setting aside money for future events, Gregory repeatedly leveraged incoming payments for new client contracts to cover costs associated with previously scheduled events. Upon forming TTT in June 2023, she allegedly operated under multiple business names, blurring the lines between her personal and business finances.
In December 2023, Gregory is said to have launched another restaurant, the Brackish River Bistro, funded by future catering contracts. However, this venture too failed, operating at a loss until its closure in 2025. By this time, Gregory was reportedly facing numerous cancellation requests and was unable to honour her obligations to clients, which included providing necessary staffing, food, drinks, and transportation for equipment.
Amidst mounting financial strain, Gregory cancelled multiple events on September 5, 2025, knowing that she could not offer refunds to at least seven clients who had fully paid for their services. Subsequently, when clients sought refunds, she allegedly advised them to contact their credit card companies rather than processing refunds through her business, leading to only partial successful reversals.
The total amount owed to customers for cancelled events has been estimated at approximately £232,724. The complaint further alleges that throughout the summer of 2025, Gregory knowingly entered contracts she had no means to fulfil, constituting unfair and deceptive business practices under Maine’s Unfair Trade Practices Act.
The state’s legal action aimed to recoup financial losses suffered by customers, as well as to prevent Gregory from carrying on with her catering business in the future. Following the court’s ruling, Gregory is now prohibited from catering or marketing her services in Maine for an extensive period.
In addition to the restitution, the court imposed a civil penalty of £20,000 due to her practices. Gregory was ordered to pay £175,257.53 for restitution, which will be distributed to the affected consumers. Attempts to reach Gregory for comment regarding the court’s decision have not yet received a response.
As the case unfolds further, it stands as a stark reminder of the potential consequences of mismanaging finances in the events and catering industry, impacting not just the business owner but also the clients who placed their trust in such services.