Former Myrtle Beach restaurant owner faces new charges

HORRY COUNTY, SC (WMBF) – The former owner of an Italian restaurant in Myrtle Beach, Café Vincenzo’s, is again in trouble with the law.

The 15th Circuit Solicitor’s Office Fraudulent Check Division charged Genci Cake Monday with two counts of fraudulent check or stop payment.

Genci Cake(J. Reuben Long Detention Center)

On April 28, 2025, Cake issued a $7,160 check made payable to Performance Food Service and from that check, he received cash, merchandise and other consideration, according to arrest warrants.

The check was deposited within 10 days and was returned from a bank marked “insufficient funds, unable to locate account or account closed or stopped payment,” the warrants read.

On July 11, 2025, Cake was accused of another bad check, this time for $1,880 and, the check was made payable to Owens Liquors, Inc, the warrants state.

He was released from the J. Reuben Long Detention Center Monday night on a $10,000 bond, records show.

This comes off the heels of another arrest in August.

The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division accused Cake of allowing staff at Café Vincenzo’s to serve alcohol without a license to an undercover agent.

Days after that arrest, the original owner of the restaurant took back over.

Public records show that Cake’s charges from that arrest are still pending.

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