DC restaurant owner arrested for illegal alcohol sales says he's 'been targeted'

DC restaurant owner arrested for illegal sale of alcohol: police

A D.C. restaurant owner has been arrested for alleged illegal alcohol sales. The charge comes after years of violence tied to the restaurant, including shootings and assaults, according to police.

WASHINGTON - A D.C. restaurant owner has been arrested for alleged illegal alcohol sales. The charge comes after years of violence tied to the restaurant, including shootings and assaults, according to police.

The backstory:

Moi Moi, located in the 1600 block of K Street NW, was linked to violent crimes in 2023 and 2024, D.C. police said in a press release.

That includes an incident from January 2024, when according to court documents, Moi Moi security kicked out a customer, a fight ensued, and "the security personnel shot one of the individuals" who was later pronounced dead. 

The filings go on to say Cham was seen "attempting to clean the blood off the sidewalk" and "MPD was initially unable to get a response from Moi Moi when they responded and knocked on the door."

The restaurant’s license to sell alcohol was ultimately revoked because of the incidents.

Then, earlier this month, there was another shooting outside the restaurant. Not long after, undercover officers were able to buy an alcoholic beverage at Moi Moi, the court documents said, and in the end, Cham was charged with the sale of alcohol without a license.

The other side:

Reached by phone Wednesday, Cham did not deny that an undercover officer was served alcohol but he claimed the drink was not on the menu, that the officer asked for liquor and the server agreed to provide it from a "personal" bottle.

Cham also told FOX 5, "I’ve been targeted since I’ve been there and I don’t know why."