A former employee of the alternative bar owned by Medicaid and Identity Fraud suspect Anthony Christopher in Eureka Springs has come forth on Facebook with allegations that Christopher encouraged him to not tell employees of the bar that he had contracted Covid-19 and possibly exposed other employees and bar patrons.
Bobby Hise, who no longer lives in Eureka Springs, posted just after 3 p.m. on Friday the following rant on his Facebook page (edited structure version for easier reading):
"So many people have been inquiring why I no longer work at Eureka Live.
As many of you know a few months ago I got sick with COVID-19. I’m guessing it happened while I was bartending or at home in Independence for my mother’s surgery.
When I got back to Eureka I was sick but I went into work and 4 hours later I told the owner of the bar (Christopher) I need to go to the hospital. I went to the hospital and was eventually diagnosed with COVID-19,
I immediately let the owner (Christopher) know and he told me that I should not tell anybody that was at the bar because he didn’t want to lose business, customers, or staff.
While the owner (Christopher) did deliver packages to me at home while I was sick they did not take the time to sanitize or close and make sure the bar was sterilized and the people around me were (not?) tested. Instead they stayed open and tested nobody and I was asked to not tell anybody.
Yes by all means this is vile and disgusting and I should have spoken up before now however I need to make sure that I received all my monies owed to me and my stuff was all out of the bar.
Just wanted you all to know about who Anthony Christopher/ Facebook name Bridget Christopher is and what kind of business he runs. It’s never about the customer or the employee it’s about the almighty dollar with him.
Eureka Springs, Arkansas Heart of Eureka hopefully you make sure to sanitize and wash your hands."
In a telephone conversation Friday, Hise said he moved to Arkansas from Kansas in late August and started working at Eureka Live. He went back to Kansas in later September for his mother's surgery, but it was postponed and he was back to work on September 23.
On that date, he worked a shift in the bar starting at 6:30 p.m. Hise said he felt sick while working and eventually went to an area hospital where he was diagnosed with Covid -19.
"Anthony texted me several times showing concern, and he and others in the 'family' of friends from the bar were bringing me stuff and checking on me," said Hise. "Then I got the text asking me to keep it quiet."
(Today in Fort Smith has verified that the redacted number on top of the text belongs to Anthony. We redacted the number to protect Christopher's privacy.)
Hise said there were two employees, Anthony and Anthony's roommate, as well as a handful of patrons in and out of the establishment during the September 23 shift he worked.
Hise says in his rant above "they did not take the time to sanitize or close and make sure the bar was sterilized and the people around me were (not?) tested. Instead they stayed open and tested nobody and I was asked to not tell anybody."
In addition, Hise said the establishment also did not follow Covid-19 guidelines as set forth by the state of Arkansas, including violations of dancing guidelines and the number of patrons allowed in the bar.
"After hours they would shut down and there would be all kinds of people in the bar, sometimes until 4am in the morning," said Hise. "I know that for a fact, because I was forced to work from 11 am one day until 4 am the next morning a few times."
Hise said "the queens" would bring people up on stage for shots on a regular basis, violating state "social distancing" guidelines.
"I just want people to know what kind of person he is and the way he runs his business," said Hise. "I was truly excited when I moved down here and I loved the bar and the people there, but it's just being run by the wrong person."
Christopher faces felony charges on Medicaid and Identity Fraud and has a plea and arraignment hearing set for December 3 in front of the Honorable Wendall Griffin in courtroom 410 of the Fifth Division of the Pulaski County.
Christopher, Eureka Live and several other people are also currently facing a lawsuit from Cordale Moore of Eureka Springs who claims to be the legal owner of the establishment and says the bar was taken from him illegally.
