Process server unable to locate Chinese businessman despite several attempts

Despite several attempts, a process server has failed to locate Mingnan Jin, a Chinese businessman who has been dragged into a legal battle over a disputed $224,585 in a company’s savings account.

Process server Rainaldo S. Agulto has been retained by attorney Mark Scoggins to serve Jin with a copy of the complaint and a summons to appear before the U.S. District Court for the NMI.

“To date, I have been unsuccessful in my attempts to serve Mr. Jin,” said Agulto in a declaration he executed on Friday. Scoggins’ law office filed the declaration in court.

Agulto said he visited Jin’s residence on three to four separate occasions during daytime and nighttime and on both during workweek and weekends.

“To date, I have not been able to locate Mr. Jin at the residence, nor have I been able to locate any suitable person residing and the residence upon which to serve process,” he said.

Agulto said he also visited some eight to 10 times the office where Jin is known to conduct business and has not been able to locate him there.

Agulto noted that he looked into the office several times and that it appears to be in use, but that he has never been able to see any people inside.

On one particular visit, Agulto noted a phone number on the front door of the office and he tried to reach Jin via that number. He said the person who answered the phone agreed to meet him at Jin’s residence.

Agulto said he immediately went to the residence and was told by this individual that Jin had just left and was going to the law office representing Jin.

Agulto said he got the description of the vehicle that Jin drives and immediately went to the law office. He said no such vehicle was parked anywhere in the vicinity of the law office and that he did not find Jin there.

Agulto said he repeatedly attempted to call the cell number but no one answered.

He said he visited the law office three to four times but has been unable to locate Jin there, nor has he seen the vehicle matching the descriptions provided him.

The case involves a dispute in the ownership of a company, Universal Group Development Inc. (Saipan), and $225,000 of its funds in a savings account at First Hawaiian Bank.

Universal Group is suing its former president and shareholder, Wanzhong Yu, for conversion and the First Hawaiian Bank for breach of contract. Universal alleged that Yu and the bank have blocked the company from gaining access to $225,000 of its own funds.

Yu maintains he is still president of Universal Group and that he was detained in China for 22 months caused by political influence exerted by his former business partners.

Jin and Jinwei Guo, however, claim they are the officers and directors of the company and that Guo is now the sole shareholder.

The case is being heard in the U.S. District Court for the NMI.