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Construction company files defamation suit vs IPI
A former construction contractor for Imperial Pacific International (CNMI) LLC filed yesterday a defamation lawsuit in federal court against IPI for issuing statements published in two newspapers that allegedly contained libelous statements.
USA Fanter Corp. Ltd., through counsel Samuel I. Mok, asked the U.S. District Court for the NMI to hold IPI liable to pay an unspecified amount of damages.
USA Fanter also asked the court to require IPI to make a public retraction of the allegedly defamatory statements at issue.
Saipan Tribune tried to obtain comments from IPI but the company had yet to reply as of press time yesterday.
USA Fanter said that IPI owes the company $2.08 million for construction work related to the VIP wing and exterior work of the hotel-casino that is currently being built in Garapan.
Mok said IPI transmitted its libelous statements to Saipan Tribune and Marianas Variety on Dec. 19, 2019 and Dec. 20, 2019, respectively.
Mok said IPI stated that USA Fanter purportedly lied about the actual construction work performed, issued false reports, forged project quantity numbers, forged a payment, fabricated units of material used, fabricated prices, and double-billed for work performed.
Mok said IPI’s statements were false and defamatory and that USA Fanter’s business reputation was adversely affected as a result.
The lawyer said USA Fanter demanded a retraction of the defamatory statements at issue which IPI has thus far declined to do.
