Former owner of Old City’s Eulogy Belgian Tavern jailed for allegedly threatening Philly judge

UPDATE: In September 2021, the charges against Michael Naessens reported on below were dropped by prosecutors.”

The former owner of Old City’s Eulogy Belgian Tavern is in a Las Vegas jail awaiting extradition to Philadelphia for allegedly sending a letter with racist and threatening language to a Philadelphia judge last year, according to law enforcement officials, court records, and sources familiar with the situation.

Michael Naessens, 54, was arrested Jan. 22 in Clark County, Nev., and was being held as a fugitive wanted in another state, according to online court records.

Ben Waxman, spokesperson for Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner, said Tuesday that the warrant was for charges including “threats and other improper influence in official and political matters," a felony because the target of Naessens' alleged threats was a Common Pleas Court judge. Waxman declined to comment further because Naessens has not been extradited.

Philadelphia police said the alleged threat occurred in Overbrook on June 5. A police spokesperson declined to elaborate.

Sources familiar with the case, who asked not to be identified, said Naessens is accused of sending a letter that appeared like a greeting card to the home of Common Pleas Court Judge Timika Lane. The sources said the letter included a menacing and racist remark directed at Lane, who is black. Lane was elected to the bench in 2013 and oversees criminal cases, having imposed prison sentences against convicted child molesters and white supremacists, among others.

A call to Lane’s chambers Tuesday was returned by Gabriel Roberts, spokesperson for the First Judicial District, who said neither he nor the judge would comment.

Attempts to reach officials in Clark County were unsuccessful.

It was not immediately clear whether Naessens had an attorney or when he might be extradited. It also was not clear why Naessens allegedly threatened the judge, or if he is accused of threatening anyone else.

Naessens, who says he is of Belgian ancestry, was a financial executive at Campbell Soup Co. with an MBA from Drexel University before he became a restaurateur. In addition to Eulogy, he opened and operated the former Old City bars Beneluxx and Bierstube. He has lived in Las Vegas off and on for at least the last decade.

In 2017 Naessens closed Eulogy, saying he was concerned for his safety because employees at the bar had gotten caught up in drugs or criminal charges. He also said that he had been threatened after working with prosecutors on several cases.

Eulogy, 136 Chestnut St., had an extensive beer collection, including many rare or unusual varieties from Belgium. It was open for 15 years and was a pioneer in the city for offering hard-to-find or imported beers.