Celiac.com 03/07/2022 - Gluten-free entrepreneur, website owner, and popular television chef, Carol Kicinski, has been charged by federal prosecutors for allegedly storming the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 while wearing a blue “TRUMP” hat.
Kicinski faces four federal criminal charges for her alleged role in the insurrection mob, including:
- 18 U.S.C. § 1752(a)(1) - Entering and Remaining in a Restricted Building or Grounds
- 18 U.S.C. § 1752(a)(2) - Disorderly and Disruptive Conduct in a Restricted Building or Grounds
- 40 U.S.C. § 5104(e)(2)(D) - Disorderly Conduct in a Capitol Building
- 40 U.S.C. § 5104(e)(2)(G) - Parading, Demonstrating, or Picketing in a Capitol Building
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Her companion, Jon Heneghan, a high-stakes poker player who lives with Kicinski in Dunedin, Florida, faces the same charges.
Kicinski is the owner of the magazine and website (simplygluten-free.com), Simply Gluten-Free, a national print and digital magazine dedicated to the gluten- and allergen-free lifestyle, which claims an annual readership of over 4 million.
Federal prosecutors charge that Kicinski and Heneghan were part of the pro-Trump mob of insurrectionists who breached the northwest doors of the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, before making their way to the Rotunda, where prosecutors say they remained for half an hour.
To date, more than 770 people have been charged with crimes linked to the Capitol insurrection, while more than 213 people have pleaded guilty. The FBI is still seeking to identify people from the riot and siege of the Capitol.
Celiac.com was contacted by the owner of at least one prominent gluten-free product company who has decided to pull its ads, and sever all ties with Simply Gluten Free, effective immediately.
For an updated list of Capitol rioters, charges, and their legal status, check Insider.com or justice.gov
Read more at the Daily Beast
Read the official criminal complaint by the U.S. Department of Justice
Article Update by Scott Adams:
Celiac.com 03/23/2022 - This update is in response to comments on this article that Celiac.com did not perform proper due diligence before publishing it, and specifically regarding the ownership of Simply Gluten Free Magazine and Web site.
Soon after the 03/07/2022 publication date of our story, there were some big changes made to the corporate entities associated with Simply Gluten Free Magazine and Web site, which are detailed below.
According to Carol Kicinski's Wikipedia page: "The magazine is published by Edgewater Park Media, Inc., a media company based in Dunedin, Florida, owned by Simply Gluten Free Omnimedia," and that "She is the founder of Simply Gluten Free Omnimedia, Inc. Kicinski is also the founder and editor-in-chief of Simply Gluten Free magazine."
All information below is supported by publicly available documents:
- SIMPLY GLUTEN FREE OMNIMEDIA, INC. (Florida Profit Corporation) - "Carol Kicinski" was its President and only corporate officer at the time our article ran, but on 03/18/2022 the status of this corporation was changed to "VOLUNTARY DISSOLUTION".
- SIMPLY GLUTEN-FREE, INC. (Florida Profit Corporation) - "Carol Kicinski" was its President and only corporate officer at the time our article ran, but on 03/17/2022 this was changed to "Colin Kicinski." This entity is listed as the owner of the copyright for all material on Simply Gluten Free's Web site.
- EDGEWATER PARK MEDIA, INC. (Florida Profit Corporation) - "Carol Kicinski" was its President and only corporate officer at the time our article ran, but on 03/17/2022 this was changed to "Colin Kicinski."
When the Daily Beast's article broke on 02/23/2022, the "About" page on Simply Gluten Free's Web site was titled "Carol Kicinski: America’s Gluten Free Voice" and included Carol Kicinski's many accomplishments and her photo, and the following statements:
- "...she is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Simply Gluten Free magazine..."
- "Her fans have made her website and her very active blog one of the top gluten-free websites in the world..."
- "Educating hundreds of thousands of people on gluten-free cooking and living through her website/blog."
Soon afterwards the "About" page on Simply Gluten Free's Web site has removed all mention of Carol Kicinski.
Carol Kicinski also claims to own all trademarks associated with the magazine and Web site.
The recent corporate changes leave us with some unanswered questions:
- What is Carol Kicinski's current role in the company?
- Did she resign from Simply Gluten Free? If so, when?
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