Attorneys at Almeida Law Group are investigating whether a class action lawsuit can be filed on behalf of individuals affected by a possible The Fifty/50 data breach. According to dark web monitoring sources, a hacker group calling itself qilin claimed responsibility for a cyberattack on The Fifty/50 in a post first observed in September 2026, alleging it had gained access to internal company systems. As of this writing, The Fifty/50 has not issued a public confirmation of the incident, and the exact scope of any exposed data remains unknown. If you believe you were affected, contact Almeida Law Group.
About The Fifty/50
The Fifty/50 is the flagship brand of The Fifty/50 Restaurant Group (also known as Fifty/50 Management Group LLC), a Chicago-based hospitality company founded in 2008 by Scott Weiner and Greg Mohr. The group owns or manages approximately 14 restaurant and bar concepts across Chicago, including Roots Handmade Pizza, The Berkshire Room, Homestead on the Roof, Kindling, and West Town Bakery, among others. The corporate address is 1914 West Chicago Avenue, Chicago, IL 60622. The original Fifty/50 sports bar location in Wicker Park permanently closed in September 2024, but the parent restaurant group continues to operate and its domain, thefifty50.com, remains active.
What Happened?
On September 22nd, 2026, Ransomware.live reported that the Qilin ransomware group added The Fifty/50 (domain: thefifty50.com) to its dark web leak site. This is an attacker-side allegation only. The Qilin group’s listing included no description of the attack, no claimed data size, and no information about what types of data may have been accessed or stolen. No public confirmation from The Fifty/50, any regulatory body, or any independent news source has been found. HackNotice also noted the listing on the same date but provided no independent verification.
Qilin, also known as Agenda, is a Russian-speaking ransomware-as-a-service operation active since 2022. It has been ranked among the most prolific ransomware groups in 2026, reportedly claiming over 1,000 victims in 2025 and carrying out approximately 370 attacks in North America in the first half of 2026 alone. Qilin practices double extortion, meaning it both encrypts victims’ data and threatens to publish stolen information publicly. Leak-site postings of this kind are attacker-side claims and have not been independently verified as confirmed breaches.
Key Facts at a Glance
- Company or Organization: The Fifty/50 (Fifty/50 Management Group LLC / The Fifty/50 Restaurant Group)
- Industry: Hospitality / Restaurant Group
- Location: Chicago, Illinois, USA
- Incident type: Ransomware leak-site allegation (Qilin)
- Claim first observed: September 22nd, 2026
- Source: Ransomware.live – The Fifty/50 Qilin claim listing; BitSight – Qilin Ransomware Group Threat Actor Profile; Barracuda Blog – Qilin ransomware surges into 2026
What Should You Do?
If you believe your information may have been involved, there are practical steps you can take now. Consider placing a free fraud alert or credit freeze with the three major credit bureaus—Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion—to make it harder for anyone to open new accounts in your name. You can request free copies of your credit reports at AnnualCreditReport.com and review them carefully for unfamiliar accounts or activity. Monitor your existing financial accounts for unauthorized transactions. If you become a victim of identity theft, report it and get a recovery plan at IdentityTheft.gov.
Your Legal Rights
If your personal information was involved in this breach, you may have legal rights depending on the facts of the incident and the law in your state. Almeida Law Group represents consumers in data breach and privacy litigation and can help you evaluate whether you may have a claim. Contact us at (708) 529-5418 or through our contact page for a free case evaluation.
