Richie Akiva’s Recent Legal Troubles

It certainly contrasts with the glamorous images of Richie Akiva rubbing shoulders with stars at the Met Gala afterparties. Now, his latest photo is a mug shot from prison.

These images surfaced just days after Akiva turned himself into authorities on January 7, facing allegations of assaulting a long-time friend.

The former owner of high-profile nightlife venues like 1 Oak and Up and Down was reportedly involved in a violent incident where he allegedly struck entertainment executive Michael Moriatti with a metal pipe. Alongside him was Justin Brown, described as his “henchman” and believed to have been acting in a security role at some of Akiva’s previous clubs. Akiva pleaded not guilty in Manhattan Criminal Court on January 21, as confirmed by police sources.

A bail administrator, Ira Judelson, put up $50,000 for Akiva and managed to arrange bail for Brown as well, according to sources.

Interestingly, the day before turning himself in, Akiva reached out to Page Six, asserting that Moriatti had wronged him.

He expressed a desire to warn others about his former friend’s behavior. However, when contacted for a response, Moriatti claimed, “Whatever he says, it’s not true. He’s lying.”

In light of these events, Akiva has enlisted the help of a crisis management and PR team, which issued a statement asserting Akiva’s willingness to cooperate with a thorough investigation.

The former nightlife figure has been attempting to reestablish himself in the hospitality industry since the closure of 1 Oak in 2022. Since then, he’s tried to leverage his experience to aid in the launch of exclusive clubs like Ned’s, although that venture didn’t last long.