The Kendal Rich lawsuit is a Palm Beach County Circuit Court case in which Kendal Rich and her husband Daniel Rich accuse Mark McLeod, Robert Sukhman, Lana Sukhman, and several affiliated entities of a fraudulent scheme that took roughly $548,000 of the couple’s money and stripped their ownership stakes in two I Heart Mac & Cheese franchise locations in South Florida. Filed on October 31, 2023, the case seeks more than $500,000 in damages and remains open, with the court having issued a mixed set of summary judgment rulings in June 2025.1UniCourt. Rich, Daniel v. McLeod, Mark
What the Riches Invested
According to the complaint, the Riches were exploring a Duck Donuts franchise in late 2022 when McLeod, a friend and former business client, steered them toward I Heart Mac & Cheese. He told them he and the Sukhmans were already running a successful Jupiter location and were about to acquire a second one in Coral Springs.2Trellis Law. Complaint, Rich v. McLeod
The couple put $105,540 into the Jupiter location for a 30% stake, held through a partnership called IHMAC Jupiter with MRT1, LLC. They then invested $300,000 for a 49% stake in Coral Springs through IHMAC Coral Springs, partnered with I Heart Ventures, Inc. In May 2023, they added $142,919.73 to raise their Coral Springs stake to 80%. Their combined outlay came to roughly $548,000.3Squarespace-hosted PDF. Fourth Amended Complaint, Rich v. I Heart Ventures
The Alleged Scheme
The Fourth Amended Complaint, filed June 23, 2025, centers on three factual claims.
First, the acquisition price. The Riches say they were told Coral Springs cost $300,000 to acquire, which matched their initial investment. The complaint alleges the actual purchase price was $50,000 plus a $17,500 franchise transfer fee, meaning most of the $300,000 went somewhere other than the stated purpose.3Squarespace-hosted PDF. Fourth Amended Complaint, Rich v. I Heart Ventures
Second, an unauthorized ownership cut. In April 2023, Robert Sukhman allegedly reduced the Riches’ 80% Coral Springs stake to 39% by claiming “sweat equity” for himself, despite not being a formal partner. No partnership vote was taken and the Riches did not consent, the complaint says. Sukhman is also alleged to have used the Riches’ personal bank account without permission to pay Sysco food supply invoices, leaving $9,437.79 unreimbursed.
Third, the transfer that zeroed them out. In August 2024, the defendants allegedly transferred ownership of the Coral Springs location to the franchisor, Mac & Cheese Franchise Operations, LLC, without notifying the Riches and without the unanimous partnership vote the complaint says was required. The Riches’ interest was reduced to zero.
Neither IHMAC Coral Springs nor IHMAC Jupiter was ever registered with the Florida Secretary of State, according to the complaint; the businesses operated under the names of I Heart Ventures and MRT1.
Who Is Being Sued
The lawsuit names eight defendants: Mark McLeod, Robert Sukhman, Lana Sukhman, I Heart Ventures Inc., MRT1 LLC, IHMAC Coral Springs, IHMAC Jupiter, and Mac & Cheese Franchise Operations LLC. Stephen Giordanella, the franchisor’s CEO, was originally named but was later removed from the case.4Franchise Reality Check. The Evolving Litigation Trail of Stephen Giordanella
Florida corporate records show McLeod served as Vice President of I Heart Ventures, Inc., which was administratively dissolved in September 2024 for failing to file an annual report.5Florida Division of Corporations. Sunbiz Record for IHeart Ventures Inc The Riches are represented by Pavel Kogan of The Kogan Firm in Fort Lauderdale. Leonard K. Samuels and John Strohsahl represent the defendants.
The Claims and Money at Stake
The Fourth Amended Complaint sets out ten counts:
- Fraudulent misrepresentation, Counts I and II, one for each investment, seeking $442,919.73 for Coral Springs and $105,540 for Jupiter.
- Accounting, Counts III through VI, demanding a full accounting from the Coral Springs and Jupiter partnerships, MRT1, and I Heart Ventures.
- Civil theft, Count VII, brought under Florida’s civil theft statute and seeking treble damages of $28,313.37.
- Unjust enrichment, Counts VIII and IX, seeking $467,441.43 from I Heart Ventures and $105,540 from MRT1.
- Breach of fiduciary duty, Count X, alleging the defendants schemed to remove the Riches as partners for their own benefit.
Where the Case Stands Now
The case is assigned to Judge Carolyn R. Bell under case number 50-2023-CA-015268-XXXA-MB. On June 20, 2025, the court issued a batch of summary judgment rulings with mixed results. Robert Sukhman’s motion on the civil theft count was denied, so that claim proceeds against him. The fraud motion filed by McLeod and Sukhman was granted in part and denied in part; the public docket does not specify which portions survived. McLeod’s motion on the unjust enrichment count against MRT1 was granted, eliminating that claim. The court also directed the plaintiffs to file a corrected complaint to fix count numbering.6Trellis Law. Rich, Daniel v. McLeod, Mark – Docket
On July 2, 2025, Lana Sukhman filed a motion for sanctions against the plaintiffs and their counsel. The case remains open.
The Wider I Heart Mac and Cheese Picture
The Rich case is not the only complaint against the franchise system. A separate group of franchisees led by Cody Molyneaux sued in Palm Beach County in December 2024, alleging deceptive financial performance claims and misuse of marketing fees.7UniCourt. Molyneaux, Cody v. Mac and Cheese Franchise Operations LLC The California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation penalized the company $43,000 in March 2024 for selling franchises with an expired registration and omitting material litigation from filings across five consecutive years.8California DFPI. I Heart Mac and Cheese Consent Order Indiana went further, with a 132-page administrative order imposing $377,500 in penalties, barring the company from selling franchises in the state, and voiding existing agreements.9Restaurant Business Online. Indiana Sanctions I Heart Mac & Cheese Over Franchise Violations As of May 2025, the brand had 17 open restaurants, down from roughly 78 at its peak.10Franchise Times. Saga Continues at I Heart Mac & Cheese as More Franchisees Allege Fraud