Reps for Rita Ora allegedly offered a London restaurant roughly $8,800 to ignore COVID-19 regulations so the singer could celebrate her 30th birthday last November.
According to UK tabloid The Sun, police also said the venue’s surveillance cameras were turned off for 30 minutes as guests arrived for the party on Nov. 28 at Casa Cruz, at the request of Ora’s security.
Officers who arrived at the restaurant to enforce London’s lockdown rules found windows blacked out and the doors locked.
Ora reportedly paid the $17,300 fine and issued an apology via Instagram Story.
“It was a spur of the moment decision made with the misguided view that we were coming out of lockdown and this would be OK,” she explained. “I’m deeply sorry for breaking the rules and in turn understand that this puts people at risk. This was a serious and inexcusable error of judgement … I realize how irresponsible these actions were and I take full responsibility.”
Ora added: “Even though this won’t make it right, I want to sincerely apologize.”