A few weeks ago the business owners came into the restaurant and said they were closing for an unknown duration of time and advised me to find another job until they reopen for business. They said they wanted to work on revamping the restaurant since business was slow. I did some research on the owners and they seem to fall in a cycle, at that particular location, for closing their establishments due to poor business, and then reopening at the same location under another name.

We asked when we would we receive our last paycheck and they said during the next pay cycle via mail. I received in the mail today a letter from them stating that they are withholding our final paychecks because they are accusing us of stealing money from their POS system, and that they have filed charges with the police who are investigating the matter. There are cameras throughout the restauarant, which they said they had checked and made us the culprits. I'm not worried about the cameras because nothing was taken. What befuddles me is that if there are these charges out there, that were filed over two weeks ago according to their letter, why haven't we been notified by an official?

I'm wondering if this is because we discovered some tax information we shouldn't have and this is their form of retaliation?

I just don't know what to do at this point. File with the DOL?