Inset: Jacob Bickelhaupt (Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office). Background: Palm Beach County Jail (Google Maps).
A chef who has a Michelin star and is currently in jail in Florida for allegedly assaulting a woman is facing additional charges. The police claim that Jacob Bickelhaupt, aged 41, used an unauthorized phone to contact his victim and ask her to bail him out.
Bickelhaupt, the owner of Konro restaurant in West Palm Beach, has been in Palm Beach County Jail since June 2 for charges of aggravated battery. This was after he reportedly caused severe injuries to a woman that required emergency brain surgery. Despite the allegations, his restaurant had been awarded a prestigious Michelin star.
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At his initial court appearance, Bickelhaupt was instructed by a judge to refrain from contacting the victim. However, three days later, on June 5, he apparently managed to get hold of a smuggled cellphone in jail and reached out to the victim through a business line shared with another business partner.
“This is Jacob, if you haven’t given up on me please call the public defender Jasmine,” Bickelhaupt allegedly said. “I love you so much, I don’t know what to say, I don’t have much time. Again, call the public defender and tell them you don’t want an order of no contact, it’s a $90,000 bail, no order of contact, with house arrest bracelet. I have nowhere to stay, nowhere to sleep. I need your help; I have a way to probably pay some of the bail. But we need to get someone to pay $1,500 of $9,000 upfront. I need a call back with a phone number so we can work this out. I’m just calling my business and hopefully I can work things out.”
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The suspect called the same number again about 20 minutes later with a similar plea. According to the affidavit, Bickelhaupt said:
Hey this is Jacob again, trying to get a hold of you. I know there is a lot going on and you’re in really bad shape. I’m going to be here for a very long time if you so choose, maybe a year. If not, then I don’t post my bond for 90k so 10% 9k. I have a way to get out for $1,500.00 with payments, I will explain how to do that, when I get out I have house arrest with ankle bracelet and no order to contact. So I need to find somewhere else to sleep, and I can’t do the restaurant. I don’t have any money, they took all my ID’s and I don’t have any shoes, it’s in evidence. You have to call this number if you want to help me out … and will Zelle and cash app 1,500 and the bail bondsmen will pay the 9K and we’ll clear out the rest. I’m not trying to sound inconsiderate right now, I really don’t have a lot of time. I love you, please call that number. Okay.
Then the voicemail ends.
The victim reported the messages to police. Cops added two counts tampering with a witness or victim and an obstruction of justice charge against him. His bond was in increased to $99,000.
Local CBS affiliate WPEC reported the victim was subjected to a two-hour assault at the hands of Bickelhaupt. In addition to the brain bleed, she apparently also suffered two black eyes and bruising down her arms. She went to the hospital and said she was involved in a car accident, but hospital staff called police because her injuries did not match her story.
Officers reportedly found blood on the walls of the West Palm Beach home in question.
Bickelhaupt was previously accused of domestic violence when he owned the restaurant 42 Grams in Chicago, where he earned two Michelin stars, per WPEC. The controversy led to the restaurant’s closure and his move to the Sunshine State.
