Previous Story
Yamamoto denies ship owners’ counterclaims for fraud, others
Japanese investor Takahisa Yamamoto has denied the allegations in the counterclaims filed against him by the owners of cargo ship M/V Luta.
Yamamoto, through George Lloyd Hasselback, has denied the allegations contained in the complaint brought by defendants Luta Mermaid LLC, Luta Mermaid president Abelina T. Mendiola, and Luta Mermaid members Deron T. Mendiola and Fidel S. Mendiola III.
Aside from counterclaims for fraud, the M/V Luta owners filed counterclaims against Yamamoto for invalid arrest of the ship and breach of fiduciary duty.
The ship’s owners, through counsel William M. Fitzgerald, asked the U.S. District Court for the NMI to hold Yamamoto liable to pay them damages.
Hasselback said the counterclaims are barred in whole or in part.
Yamamoto is suing Lt. Gov. Victor B. Hocog and the owners of M/V Luta for allegedly refusing to pay back the $3.4 million that he put up for the vessel. The ship was seized shortly after the U.S. Marshal Service arrested the vessel last Oct. 25.
Last Feb. 22, U.S. District Court for the NMI designated judge David O. Carter ordered the immediate release of the ship to its owners after Yamamoto reached a settlement agreement with the vessel’s custodian.
The federal court earlier determined that Yamamoto’s relationship with Abelina Mendiola and her family demonstrated that he was a joint venturer with them in M/V Luta.
