A LICENSED junket operator, BigBang Entertainment LLC, has asked the local court to order Imperial Pacific International LLC to return the deposited amount the plaintiff made to the casino developer as part of their agreement.
A junket operator in the casino industry is a person or company that arranges trips for wealthy clients, or “VIPs,” to visit and gamble at a particular casino.
BigBang, through attorney Colin Thompson, filed the lawsuit in Superior Court on March 31 and asked for an award of damages not less than $351, 652.65.
BigBang sued IPI for breach of contract, sum certain, conversion by demand and refusal, non-gratuitous bailment, negligent breach of fiduciary duty, intentional breach of fiduciary duty, and unjust enrichment.
IPI, represented by attorney Matthew Holley, removed the lawsuit of BigBang from the local court and filed it in the District Court for the NMI on May 1.
Holley, in the notice of removal, stated that by removing the complaint from the local court to federal court, his client does not waive any defenses available to it.
Moreover, Holley said by removing it from local court to federal court, “IPI does not admit any of the allegations in plaintiff’s complaint.”
According to the complaint, on or about Sept. 26, 2016, BigBang and IPI entered into a junket agreement whereby BigBang would market and promote IPI to casino players and arrange for casino players to visit IPI’s gaming premises.
Pursuant to Article 5 of the junket agreement, BigBang was required to make a “front money” deposit of $500,000 to IPI.
The lawsuit stated that “front money” is defined as “the amount of money made available for gaming at the casino premises by a junket operator.”
The front money deposit made by BigBang for IPI was placed in IPI’s casino cage, the lawsuit stated.
Throughout the duration and pursuant to the junket agreement, BigBang made several front-money deposits to IPI in the amount of $508,652 on Jan. 22, 2020.
From Aug. 28, 2019 to Aug. 31, 2021, BigBang was a licensed casino junket operator in the CNMI.
On or around Jan. 21, 2020, BigBang tendered a $320,000 cashier’s check for the benefit of IPI under Article 5 of the junket agreement.
The amount in IPI’s possession from BigBang’s deposit to the “cage” was $351,652.65, the lawsuit stated.
On or about March 16, 2020, the CNMI Office of the Governor, through an executive directive, temporarily closed all casino gaming, among other activities, in the Commonwealth to prevent the spread of Covid-19.
Following the governor’s directive, IPI ceased operation and BigBang was unable to continue its business as a junket operator and experienced loss of revenue.
Pursuant to Section 6 of the junket agreement, upon BigBang’s request, IPI was supposed to remit money by electronic funds transfer to the nominated overseas bank account of BigBang.
On Aug. 28, 2020, BigBang sought permission from the Commonwealth Casino Commission to seek a refund of the $351,652.65 deposited with IPI.
On Sept. 2, 2020, the commission granted BigBang’s request to seek a refund of the funds deposited with IPI.
On April 30, 2021, IPI received a letter sent by BigBang requesting a refund of the $351,652.65 deposited with IPI.
On Dec. 22, 2022, BigBang, through counsel, sent a demand letter seeking a refund of the remaining funds of $351,652.65 deposited with IPI.
In its Dec. 22, 2022, letter, BigBang demanded that IPI issue a check in the amount of $351,652.65 on or before Dec. 31, 2022.
IPI never responded to any request for the funds deposited by BigBang, the lawsuit stated.
It added that IPI never returned the amount of $351,652.65 to BigBang or BigBang’s counsel.
