Bank Accounts Frozen for Chef Barbara Lynch Amid Tax Dispute

A preliminary ruling has been made preventing Barbara Lynch from withdrawing or transferring money from her accounts at several banks, including Eastern Bank, Bank of America, and TD Bank, among others.

In 2024, the city took legal action against Lynch, accusing her of not paying personal property taxes for her seven Boston restaurants, which have all closed. The city successfully won that case earlier this summer, but Lynch hasn’t made any payments towards her growing debt, which has accrued additional interest, as noted in court documents.

During a conversation on Friday, Lynch told a reporter from the Globe that the city probably wouldn’t find much money in her accounts. “There’s no money to be had. If they freeze my accounts, great,” she stated. “I have about $2,000 left. I mean, I’m literally living on Social Security right now.”

The city’s motion to freeze her accounts was filed without Lynch’s knowledge—an ex parte request—because the city believed she might withdraw all funds if informed, citing her lack of cooperation in the proceedings and her failure to address the outstanding balance.

Lynch mentioned that she found out about the account freeze from the reporter, expressing her resignation to the situation. “I just give up. I’m giving up. I’ve fought too many battles. I can’t fight this one,” she remarked, admitting that she can’t afford legal representation. “What can you do with me? Arrest me?”

This news, first covered by Universal Hub, comes as Lynch attempts a culinary revival, having recently hosted private dinners at her studio in Manchester-by-the-Sea, with plans to kick off cooking trips and a subscription cooking series. Once prominent in the Boston food scene, her restaurants included No. 9 Park, Menton, and B&G Oysters.

However, a 2023 article in the Globe revealed serious allegations against her, with numerous employees claiming inappropriate behavior, which Lynch has denied. This backlash contributed to her decision to close all her restaurants, partly due to the economic difficulties faced by the restaurant industry post-pandemic.

“We had no idea when we were closing the restaurants that we were going to be sued for … what is it? $900,000 or something?” she reflected on Friday.

She further questioned the implications of her debt, saying, “Quite frankly, I just don’t understand it. Where does the tax money go? Where does that $900,000 go to that I owe for property, for my equipment that I don’t even own anymore?”

The city, in its legal filings, stated it believed there are enough funds in Lynch’s accounts that could either partially or fully cover the obligation. They alleged she has either hidden assets or disposed of them, referencing significant cash inflows she has received recently, including nearly $2 million from the sale of her Gloucester home in 2024, a corresponding estate sale, along with the recent sale of a liquor license and restaurant furnishings, and ticketed dinners charging $375 each.

Additionally, the city claimed Lynch had illegally mixed personal and business funds, potentially breaching the Uniform Fraudulent Transfer Act.

A court hearing regarding this matter is set for September 10.