IMPERIAL Pacific International LLC has submitted a $1 million appeal bond as part of the stay agreement with seven workers who agreed to delay the enforcement of a default judgment against the casino investor.
IPI, through attorney Kevin T. Abikoff, also informed the federal court that IPI, on Feb. 9, made payments totaling $68,799.48 for the reasonable fees and costs incurred by the plaintiffs’ counsel and third parties in the effort to liquidate IPI’s personal property, in accordance with paragraph 4 of the stay agreement.
According to the stay agreement, IPI will provide a $6 million supersedeas or appeal bond by June 30, 2022, and will provide various collateral until it does so, including recognizing the plaintiffs’ right to proceed with the receivership in the event that IPI fails to comply with the stay agreement.
In a motion previously filed in the District Court for the NMI, the parties stated that they will execute a stipulation in which IPI agrees that the seven construction workers may take over the limited receivership to sell the gaming equipment and assume all rights previously held by U.S.A. Fanter Corp. Ltd., a contractor that sued IPI for nonpayment of labor and materials amounting to $2 million.
The seven workers have agreed to stay any action by the receiver for a set period of time. They also agreed that the stay will be further extended so long as IPI performs all of its obligations under the stay agreement.
On May 26, 2021 Chief Judge Ramona V. Manglona of the District Court for the NMI entered a default judgment in favor of the workers plus post-judgment interest and attorneys’ fees for a total amount of $5.9 million.
After IPI’s motion for reconsideration was denied by the federal court, the casino investor appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.
Represented by attorneys Aaron Halegua and Bruce Berline, the plaintiffs are Tianming Wang, Dong Han, Yongjun Meng, Liangcai Sun, Youli Wang, Qingchun Xu, and Duxin Yan. They sued IPI over labor violation and human trafficking allegations.
The plaintiffs were previously employed by IPI’s former contractor and subcontractor, MCC International and Gold Mantis, both of which have already settled with the workers.
The United States Courthouse in Gualo Rai, Saipan.
