Former TAO hostess, Ariel Roman, was arrested on Monday outside Manhattan Criminal Court for allegedly tainting the koi pond at the upscale downtown nightclub. Roman, 24, was charged with burglary and criminal mischief after entering the establishment, despite being aware of her ban, and damaging property by throwing feces into the pond on June 2. The incident resulted in damages amounting to $3,135, according to court records.
Roman had appeared in court for a separate harassment case related to interactions with a TAO-affiliated promoter. She pleaded not guilty to those charges last month, claiming they were based on false reports. Roman’s arrest came shortly after she accused her ex-coworkers of falsely reporting threatening incidents against her. She alleged that these reports were retaliation for her attempts to expose alleged sexual assault and drink spiking by TAO promoters. Roman also claimed to have received numerous anonymous threats online, warning her of further false police reports.
In another incident, Roman was charged with assault for allegedly throwing a bottle at someone at the Hearsay nightclub in December, causing liquid to splash into the victim’s eye and resulting in burning. She was previously arrested on June 1 for aggravated harassment after allegedly shouting threats outside the Nebula nightclub.
TAO Hospitality Group filed a lawsuit against Roman, describing her as an “unhinged and violent” ex-employee engaged in a campaign of harassment and threatening behavior. However, Roman maintains that she is a #MeToo whistleblower who refuses to be silenced. She claims to have spoken out about alleged sexual assault incidents involving TAO promoters, and the poop toss was an attempt to draw attention to the issue.
The series of events began in late 2022 when Roman broke up with her boyfriend, a TAO promoter, who she alleges threatened her cat, sexually assaulted her, and impregnated two women during their relationship. Following the breakup, Roman experienced a mental health crisis and was subsequently fired from her job in December 2022. She began speaking out on social media platforms after another individual came forward with allegations of assault by her ex.
Roman asserts that the harassment intensified after she started exposing TAO’s alleged misconduct. She claims to have been physically assaulted by her ex and his friends in March 2023, resulting in injuries. Anonymous threats via social media have also targeted her, conspiring to have her incarcerated.
Roman’s ex filed an order of protection against her, leading to her arrest in June 2023. However, the case was dismissed in December due to insufficient evidence. Roman believes that false reports will continue to be filed against her until she can afford legal representation to pursue civil action.
2 Responses
Wow, what a shocking story! I can’t believe Ariel Roman would do something like that. This is definitely something that needs to be shared to raise awareness. I would be more than happy to share this post on my social media accounts to help spread the word. Let’s make sure everyone knows about this incident and its consequences.
I’m curious to know more about the alleged incident involving Ariel Roman and the koi pond at TAO nightclub. Could you please provide more details about what happened and the potential consequences for her actions?