Who is the Director of Franchise Services for Bambu mentioned in the bankruptcy disclosure?
Bambu Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
Our Director of Franchise Services, Willy Mathew, filed a bankruptcy petition jointly with his wife under the reorganization provisions of Chapter 13 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code on January 30, 2015. In re Wily M. Mathew and Caren N. Musembi, No. 15-03080 (Northern District of Illinois). On June 7, 2019, the debtors were dismissed from the case for failure to make plan payments and the bankruptcy case was dismissed on August 8, 2019. Mr. Mathew's current business address is the same as ours.
Source: Item 4 — Bankruptcy (FDD page 13)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Bambu's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, Willy Mathew is identified as the Director of Franchise Services. The document discloses that Mr. Mathew filed a joint bankruptcy petition with his wife under Chapter 13 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code on January 30, 2015. The case, In re Wily M. Mathew and Caren N. Musembi, No. 15-03080, was filed in the Northern District of Illinois.
The bankruptcy case was later dismissed on August 8, 2019, after the debtors were dismissed from the case on June 7, 2019, due to failure to make plan payments. The FDD indicates that Mr. Mathew's current business address is the same as Bambu's.
This disclosure is important for prospective franchisees as it provides transparency regarding the financial history of one of Bambu's key personnel. While the bankruptcy occurred several years ago and was ultimately dismissed, franchisees may want to inquire about the circumstances and any potential impact on Mr. Mathew's role and responsibilities within the company. It is fairly common for FDDs to disclose bankruptcies of key personnel, as it is considered material information that could affect the franchisee's decision.