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IPI told to pay USA Fanter
The U.S. District Court for the NMI ruled in favor of U.S.A Fanter Corp. yesterday in its petition for a mechanic’s lien, netting over $2 million against Imperial Pacific International (CNMI) LLC.
According to District Court for the NMI chief Judge Ramona V. Manglona’s ruling, after considering the testimony and exhibits presented at the bench trial back in June and the admissions of the parties in their pleadings, she found that U.S.A Fanter is entitled to a mechanic’s lien in the amount of $2,089,345.28.
In her ruling, Manglona added that the most reliable calculation for the value of the work that U.S.A Fanter completed is $2,389,345.28 because IPI only paid USA Fanter $300,000 and it still owes the contractor $2,089,345.28 for the value of improvements made to the property.
USA Fanter applied for a mechanic’s lien on the IPI casino back in Feb. 6, 2020.
Attorney Colin Thompson, who represents U.S.A Fanter, originally sued IPI for breach of contract in the amount of $2 million. Thompson said IPI did not pay the full amount due to USA Fanter under the construction contract for the labor and materials the company provided for the improvement of the IPI property. Thompson said IPI only paid USA Fanter $300,000 and that the unpaid balance due is not less than $2,089,345.28.
IPI, through counsel Stephen Nutting, claimed during trial that USA Fanter overcharged IPI for some of the work the contractor performed for the casino-resort project.
U.S.A. Fanter is suing IPI for allegedly refusing to pay $2,089,345 for landscaping services at IPI’s hotel-casino project. U.S.A. Fanter asked the court to hold IPI liable to pay $2.08 million in contract damages. The company also sought payment for interest and attorney’s fees.
