A former U.S. Department of Defense insider who wrote a book calling for the federal government to be transparent about UFOs is now suing his Buffalo, Wyoming, business partner – whom he accuses of cheating him and trying to threaten him out of their tavern and restaurant business.
Luis “Lue” Elizondo, author of “Imminent: Inside The Pentagon’s Hunt For UFOs,” filed suit last week in the U.S. District Court for Wyoming against his former best friend, Tucker Alger.
The lawsuit complaint details an expensive falling-out while the pair started the WWII-themed cocktail lounge and restaurant Bombshells American Cantina.
It also calls Alger’s wife, Haley, a defendant and mentions her twice, but it doesn’t tie her to any of the allegations.
Cowboy State Daily featured the two friends’ plan in August. They sought to create a lounge with the vintage feel of a military officers’ club.
Elizondo wanted to strike a patriotic vibe and decorate the bar with military memorabilia he’d gathered over his career.
Back It Up
Elizondo was a former military and intelligence officer “who had become famous for his role in … revealing the United States government’s investigation into the UFO phenomenon,” the complaint begins.
Elizondo’s book hit the New York Times bestseller list. He became a frequent public speaker and a witness before Congress.
In 2020, Elizondo and his wife moved from San Diego to Buffalo, the complaint says.
Alger ran a local gym, the Buffalo Athletic Club.
The pair became friends in April 2023, says the complaint.
Elizondo occasionally employed Alger for security and personal assistance in Elizondo’s appearances and speeches.
They decided to open Bombshells.
Elizondo incorporated the business under the LLC Hotel Juliette, in Wyoming, in May of 2025. The complaint says each man was to be a 50% member of the LLC.
Get That Liquor License Though
They knew they needed a lease, and a liquor license, the complaint says.
The document says Elizondo had enough money for the initial rent and the liquor license, but Alger didn’t.
“Tucker told Lue that, after he – Tucker – sold his mobile home, he would be able to repay Lue for 50% of the purchase prices of the liquor license.. and the deposit on the lease,” the complaint says.
The document says the men agreed they’d split management of the cantina, but Alger would be the day-to-day manager during that first year because Elizondo was writing a second book and would need to go on the road to promote it. The complaint says Alger was aware of the demands of Elizondo’s publicity obligations, and Alger agreed to manage the cantina daily that first year.
The men opened two bank accounts; Elizondo deposited $500 and Alger $250, says the complaint.
Elizondo entered into an agreement with a local couple to buy a $55,000 liquor license, and he put down $5,000 of his own money to secure it, the document adds.
It says Elizondo also entered into the lease, for $3,240 per month, and advanced two months of rent and one month’s security deposit.
Elizondo wired $65,000 from his personal account to the bar’s bank account, the complaint says.
By June 2025, the business had paid the full liquor license balance plus rent from that money, says the complaint.
They started the remodel in July 2025 and opened soon after.
Meanwhile, “Tucker admitted to Lue” that he was distracted about a competing 24/7 gym in town jeopardizing his own athletic club, says the complaint.
So Elizondo worked “more than 60 hours per week as the primary manager of the Cantina,” it adds.
Tensions surfaced.
By September 2025, Elizondo concluded “that Tucker had misrepresented his financial ability to invest in the Cantina and to be present as a full-time manager,” the complaint says, so Elizondo offered to buy out Alger’s membership in the business.
That December, Elizondo loaned the business $130,000, which includes a $36,600 mural he lent to the business, the complaint says.
The Motorcycle Accident
The complaint says that on March 17, 2026, Elizondo was involved in a life-threatening motorcycle accident and underwent 10 weeks of surgical procedures, including the reattachment of a retina.
Alger ignored Elizondo’s requests for information about their business during this time, the complaint alleges.
By the end of the month, Elizondo and his wife decided to move to Maryland.
“When Tucker finally responded to Lue,” the complaint says, “Tucker explained his refusal to (communicate) by claiming that he had concerns about statements that unidentified Cantina patrons had made to him about Lue on the night of the incident.”
The complaint says Alger was implying Elizondo had been drinking before the motorcycle accident, which Elizondo denies. The accident report didn’t identify alcohol as a factor, Elizondo’s complaint says.
The complaint claims Alger was threatening to reveal evidence that alcohol was involved, then Alger “made an unusual cash withdrawal of $2,000.”
After Elizondo’s attorney pressed Alger in May to dissolve the business, Alger sent a letter to Elizondo saying he has “serious concerns” about the motorcycle accident, the complaint says.
Out On Tour
Elizondo went out on a scheduled speaking tour May 27.
Meanwhile, Alger started working with a new food vendor and fired the business’ accountant unilaterally, the complaint alleges.
The document claims Alger made an implicit threat to disclose “alleged evidence about alcohol being involved in Lue’s motorcycle accident to gain leverage against Lue for purposes of trying to oust Lue from Hotel Juliette LLC.”
Alger also tried transferring $4,405.79 into a new “secret” bank account, the complaint alleges, but the bank later closed the account and reverted the money, saying the new account wasn’t authorized under the business agreement.
On Aug. 17, the complaint alleges, the bar’s insurance broker told Elizondo that Alger failed to pay for the new liquor liability insurance policy and ignored an audit request – costing the business $3,800.
Elizondo got his mural back that month, the complaint says.
But management of the bar stood in a “deadlock,” it adds.
The Ask
So Elizondo is asking the court to:
- dissolve the business;
- pay back the $93,400 remaining of the $130,000 loan – less the cost of the mural;;
- award damages for Alger allegedly breaching his fiduciary duty to Elizondo;
- repay $29,860 in liquor license purchase price and rent payments;
- block Alger from more maneuvers with the business.
Alger did not comment by publication. Cowboy State Daily sent him the lawsuit complaint upon his request.
Elizondo referred Cowboy State Daily to his attorney, Bradley Booke, who did not return a voicemail request for comment by publication.
Clair McFarland can be reached at clair@cowboystatedaily.com.
