Nadig Press - Wednesday September 12, 2001
Front Page

Charybdis closes, charges settled

The saga of the Charybdis Multi-Arts Complex, 4423 N. Milwaukee Ave., came to an end last week as the art studio closed and its founder settled a criminal case against him.

As part of a plea bargaining agreement, Gregor Mortis Tatro entered a guilty plea during a Sept. 6 court hearing to not having a public place of amusement license in connection with a May 20 interactive show at the studio and to violating a cease and desist order during a May 31 film discussion workshop, said city law department spokeswoman Jennifer Hoyle.

Tatro, who had been facing more than $30,000 in fines, was ordered to pay $625, Hoyle said.

A female member of Charybdis, a for-profit company, was sentenced to 6 months of court supervision in connection with the May 31 cease and desist order violation, Hoyle said.

Several charges, including allegations of operating a “teen juice bar” without a license, operating without a retail food license and allowing liquor consumption, were dismissed as part of the agreement, Hoyle said. “We are pleased with the outcome,” she said.

While evidence demonstrating that Charybdis was operating without a public place of amusement license was “very clear,” proving the juice bar and liquor-related charges would have been more difficult, Hoyle said.

During the May 20 raid, city Department of Revenue investigators reported finding representatives of Charybdis collecting admission fees for the interactive performance being held there. City officials said that Charybdis was prohibited from hosting shows until it received a public place of amusement license.

Tatro contended that he would have applied for the license but was prevented from doing so until a zoning change for the building’s location was made. Alderman Patrick Levar (45th) had said that he would delay the zoning change until he surveyed the surrounding neighborhood regarding the matter.

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