Pinky Cole, founder of plant-based restaurant franchise Slutty Vegan and the newest cast member on RHOA, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.
The entrepreneur, born Aisha Cole, listed nearly $1.4 million in debt in the Feb. 12 U.S. Bankruptcy Court filing in Atlanta, which was viewed by Complex.
The documents state Cole owes about $1.2 million to the U.S. Small Business Administration for a COVID recovery loan, and another $192,000 in taxes to the Georgia Department of Revenue.
Cole has a bankruptcy court date on March 12 and must submit a financial plan to the court within four weeks, according to Atlanta news station WSB-TV.
She got her start selling Slutty Vegan burgers via a food truck and social media, before opening her first restaurant location in 2018, the company’s website says.
At one point, she had 14 restaurants across the country, although some locations have since closed.
Adding to her financial problems, the landlord for two Slutty Vegan eateries in Atlanta filed a lawsuit against Cole in August 2025, alleging she owed more than $87,000 in past due rent, late fees, and interest.
On Feb. 24, Bravo announced Cole would be joining the season 17 cast of The Real Housewives of Atlanta, which premieres on April 5.
In a press release, the network described Cole as “the entrepreneur behind the $100 million Slutty Vegan empire.” There was no mention of the bankruptcy filing.
Cole appeared on Tamron Hall in July 2025, and revealed she had lost ownership and control of the company after a series of missteps.
“Financially I couldn’t do it anymore. I went from having $10 million in real estate to selling the real estate to [fund] the business,” she said.
Cole told host Tamron Hall that as a new entrepreneur she was “green,” and previously hired “from the heart” — instead of bringing in people with business experience who could help her successfully grow the franchise.
“Now that I know that, I need to hire expertise — people who have scaled businesses before, people who have the same mindset and ethos that I do,” Cole said.
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