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OAG says NMI has dibs over IPI’s $9M
The Office of the Attorney General argues that the Department of Finance’s Division of Revenue and Taxation’s tax lien over Imperial Pacific International (CNMI) LLC’s unpaid taxes in the amount of over $9 million should come before the claims of IPI’s former contractor, Pacific Rim Land Development LLC.
In a notice of tax lien filed in the U.S. District Court for the NMI, assistant attorney general Dustin Rollins, who represents Finance-DRT, asserted the rights of the CNMI government over IPI’s property and rights to property.
“As the Commonwealth’s tax lien was filed in accordance with applicable law…the Commonwealth asserts that its lien has priority over any unrecorded judgments or unperfected liens of…Pacific Rim Land Development LLC,” Rollins said.
IPI owes the CNMI government $9,416,887.09 in unpaid business gross revenue taxes, the OAG said.
Pacific Rim recently asked the court to seize IPI vehicles and gaming machines to satisfy a court judgment Pacific Rim had won against IPI.
The U.S. District Court for the NMI had ruled last April in favor of Pacific Rim in its lawsuit against IPI for breach of contract and breach of promissory note and awarded it $6.8 million.
The court previously granted the application for a writ of execution of Pacific Rim to seize money owned or controlled by IPI from Bank of Saipan, City Trust Bank, Bank of Guam, and First Hawaiian Bank; and two escrow accounts believed to be owned by IPI at Security Title Inc., and Pacific American Title Inc.
Pacific Rim attorney Colin Thompson said the judgment remains unsatisfied in the amount of $5,525,463.98 plus interest, costs, and fees that have yet to be addressed.
Pacific Rim sued IPI for refusing to pay for services in the amount of $5.65 million involving the agreed-upon construction work for the IPI casino-resort project on Sept. 30, 2018.
