Crock pots are typically associated with cozy domestic scenes. But in the case of cookware maker Instant Brands and the private equity firm Cornell Capital, the devices gave rise to a bitter bankruptcy case featuring accusations of greed, deceit and self-dealing. Other litigation puts forward troubling claims of children scalded by the pressure cookers.
The ugly saga began in 2019 amid a crock-pot craze when millions of home cooks turned to them as an easy way to make hearty, comforting meals. That’s when Cornell Capital, the PE vehicle of former Goldman Sachs senior executive, Henry Cornell, bought Instant Brands for $615 million.
