Prominent Ohio restaurateur Robert “Bobby” George, 44, who owns popular establishments like TownHall and Barley House in Cleveland, plans to plead guilty to an attempted strangulation charge following a vicious assault on a woman he was dating.
The attack, which occurred in June 2024, allegedly involved George forcing a towel down the 25-year-old victim’s throat, biting her nose, and spitting in her face. According to prosecutors, George also choked the woman multiple times over several hours, threw her around their shared home, and refused to let her leave.
During the terrifying ordeal, the victim was allegedly hiding and praying when George taunted her, asking, “you think God is going to help you?”
George’s plea to attempted strangulation will bypass grand jury proceedings, per reports from Cleveland.com. This charge relates to an indictment stating George “did knowingly attempt to cause or create a substantial risk of physical harm to Jane Doe by means of strangulation.”
According to The Plain Dealer, the plea deal was worked out between prosecutors, including Jefferson County prosecutor Jane Hanlin (who took over the case due to a conflict of interest with the initial prosecutor), and the victim.
Hanlin expressed immense respect for the victim, stating, “I wanted to do something that was in line with how the victim wanted the case to resolve, and I wanted to do something that would protect the victim as well.”
The arrest has already resulted in financial fallout for George, who reportedly lost $3.5 million in Ohio Senate funding intended for a major $35 million entertainment complex project, per the outlet.
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