Ascend Wellness CEO Abner Kurtin Arrested & Charged With Battery in Florida

MIAMI- Abner Kurtin, the CEO of Ascend Wellness (CSE: AAWH), was arrested in Miami-Dade County. He was then charged with violence and freed yesterday after posting a $1,500 bond. A “stay away order” was issued, although conditional victim contact prior to trial was permitted.

The corporation had to respond to this development yesterday night in an after-hours news release.

“[We are] aware of charges against CEO, Chairman, and Founder Abner Kurtin about a domestic-related offense,” the company stated in a statement.  Ascend mentioned that it is “aware of the claims” but that it is conducting its own inquiry in the statement.

When the news broke, the climb’s stock price dropped 10%, although it has since recovered.

The arrest document states that a witness spotted Kurtin, 55, “hitting” his girlfriend, Savannah Rose Sijka, while they were in a car. Kurtin was then detained at the Ritz-Carlton Residence, located at 4701 Meridian Avenue in Miami Beach.

The arrest affidavit for Abner Kurtin

The witness claimed in the affidavit that “he saw Kurtin holding his head and pounding the dashboard of the vehicle. “The witness reported seeing Sijka “trying to avoid being hit by Kurtin” while holding her hands up.

Sijka informed police that there had been a “verbal altercation,” but that “she was alright and nothing occurred” when they located the pair later that evening. Police said they observed a “little protrusion” on his forehead, which Sijka described as a pimple, as well as another small bump above his left eye.

Kurtin said in the affidavit that Sijka had not been physically assaulted by police, but that he had attempted to take her phone and “pushed her hand away.” Based on the evidence of a witness and the mark that the officers saw on Sijka’s head, Kurtin was detained.

According to the Miami-Dade Clerk, his arraignment hearing will take place on September 30 under case number M-22-017755.

(Image: Mr. Kurtin: Miami Dade Police Photo).