Whistleblower lawsuit filed against high-profile Kentucky distillery, CEO
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Former HR VP sues Bardstown Bourbon, naming CEO Erwin and president Marino.
- Lawsuit alleges discrimination, safety breaches, falsified records and underage drinking.
- Plaintiff seeks various damages and a jury trial; company vows to defend.
A former executive at a high-profile Kentucky bourbon distillery has filed a whistleblower lawsuit against the company.
In the lawsuit, filed Feb. 13, in Nelson County, Sylvia E. Sanders accused Bardstown Bourbon Company, parent Lofted Spirits, Lofted CEO Mark Erwin, BBC president Peter Marino, Pritzker Private Capital Investment Partners and PPC operating partner Christian Brickman of gender discrimination and retaliation.
Bardstown Bourbon and parent Lofted Spirits are part of Pritzker Private Capital., which is owned by Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker and Anthony N. Pritzker.
In a statement, a spokesperson for the distillery said: “We believe these claims are without merit, and we intend to vigorously defend ourselves.”
It’s a potential black eye for an up-and-coming bourbon player that has seen increasing success despite a downturn in the overall spirits business.
In her lawsuit, Sanders said the company created a hostile work environment for female employees and others. According to her complaint, Sanders, 62, was fired in May 2024 after she reported “illegal, unethical, discriminatory and improper conduct” by the defendants.
Sanders served as BBC’s vice president of human resources for five years at Bardstown Bourbon Co. and was responsible for its affiliates, including Green River Distilling in Owensboro.
Erwin was named CEO and president of BBC in September 2019; Marino was later named president of BBC and Erwin was elevated to CEO of Lofted Spirits. The company was purchased by Pritzker in 2022.
What the lawsuit against BBC alleges
Sanders said in her complaint she was fired after she reported “widespread discriminatory animus and slurs; improper protected classification jokes and commentary; blatant racism, ageism and sexist/gender bias; illegal identity-based decision-making; employees arriving, or becoming, while working, under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol and not being properly disciplined or addressed by supervisors; falsification of mandatory occupational health, and incident-related documentation and regulatory mandated reporting; theft of company product; a hit-and-run alcohol-related accident; omission of human resources altogether from mandatory reporting and/or engagement under BBC and Pritzker Policies and Procedures; and employees, including under-aged employees, being served the corporate group’s alcohol during work hours including encouraging under-age drinking.”
Sanders wrote a lengthy memo to Erwin outlining the incidents, and then was fired weeks later after previously receiving only exemplary reviews, according to the lawsuit. She escalated her concerns to Christian Brickman, at PPC, in May 2024, but was escorted from the company premises days later, according to her attorney.
“This case is about corporate accountability at the highest levels,” said James M. Morris, Sanders’ attorney. “Our client was the vice president of human resources — the person charged with protecting employees and ensuring legal compliance. When she reported systemic discrimination, retaliation, and potential regulatory violations, she was silenced and removed. No company — regardless of private equity ownership or political connections — is above Kentucky law.”
The filing seeks compensatory damages, lost wages, lost equity interest, punitive damages, attorneys’ fees, and a jury trial.
This story was originally published February 13, 2026 at 6:49 PM.
