Herbert's Market, the small Sullivant Avenue grocery that has long drawn extra attention from neighbors and police in Franklinton, agreed Wednesday to settle a civil racketeering lawsuit brought by the city of Columbus and Franklin County. Under a consent order, the shop is now under a permanent injunction, faces fines and must overhaul how it operates, including installing a full security system and keeping invoices much longer so officials can track where its merchandise comes from. City and county officials said the move follows repeated inspections and police calls that raised safety and theft concerns, capped by a months-long investigation into how the store was stocking its shelves.
Settlement terms and requirements
As reported by NBC4, the consent order bars Herbert's Market from selling certain designer-brand clothing and fragrances and requires the installation of a full security system. The store must also keep invoices for five years to document where its goods come from. On top of that, the deal imposes an $8,000 fine, a permanent injunction preventing the market from maintaining a nuisance and a 30-day deadline to fix all code violations. According to NBC4, the agreement resolves the civil claims filed by the city and county, and there has been no immediate announcement of criminal charges.
Inspections, evidence and police calls
Columbus City Attorney Zach Klein and Franklin County Prosecutor Shayla D. Favor filed the original complaint last July after a series of inspections and police visits. According to the City Attorney's Office, detectives reported finding name-brand items with other retailers' tags still attached and a cache of removed theft-prevention devices inside the shop. The lawsuit identifies the store at 1121 Sullivant Ave. and notes that Columbus police responded to 138 calls for the market and its immediate vicinity between July 31, 2022, and the summer of 2025. Columbus Fire inspectors, meanwhile, documented code problems that included blocked exit paths and inadequate signage. Those findings formed the backbone of the civil racketeering claims under state law.
Owner's admission and official remarks
When detectives questioned owner Ahmad Arman about high-end merchandise, including Gucci and Adidas items, the complaint says he admitted buying stolen goods on at least one occasion and offered to pull certain products off the shelves, according to the City Attorney's Office. In a statement quoted in the same release, Prosecutor Shayla D. Favor said, "We remain committed to ensuring that those who put our communities at risk face real consequences." The settlement wraps up the government's civil case while spelling out specific steps Herbert's Market must take if it wants to keep its doors open.
What the law allows
The lawsuit was brought under the Ohio Corrupt Practices Act, which allows civil plaintiffs to seek injunctions, fines and other remedies when a business is accused of engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity. Ohio law defines what it means to engage in such a pattern and gives courts broad authority to impose penalties and forfeiture in these cases. The statute is codified at Ohio Revised Code.
Why this matters locally
City and county officials have argued that Herbert's Market drained police resources along the Sullivant Avenue corridor and undercut law-abiding small businesses nearby, a concern first flagged when the lawsuit was filed, as reported in target Herbert's Market for alleged resale of stolen goods. Under the consent order, the court will keep an eye on the business while the tougher rules take effect, and the neighborhood will be watching to see whether the market stays open and the block gets a little safer.
