Investors and lawyer fight over Rota poker machines

A businessman has filed a lawsuit against attorney Ramon Quichocho and his wife, along with other persons, in a squabble over 10 poker machines on Rota.

Quichocho, however, also filed a lawsuit on behalf of his wife and company, Tan Dingo LLC, against businessman Byung Kook Choi, Pacific Rota LLC, and five unnamed co-defendants.

Choi and his company, Pacific Rota LLC, sued Ramon Quichocho, Frances Quichocho, Vianney Hocog, Fidel S. Mendiola, Abelina T. Mendiola, Jung Ja Kim, and Dan Bi Choi.

Choi and Pacific Rota, through counsel Stephen Woodruff, sued the defendants for interference with prospective advantage and contractual relations, trespass, wrongful ejectment, civil breach of peace, conversion, conspiracy, breach of contract, and fraud.

In addition, Choi and Pacific Rota sued attorney Quichocho for eye poking assault, screwdriver assault, and false imprisonment.

According to Woodruff, Choi and his wife are members of Pacific Rota that owns Rota Poker II in Sinapalo.

Choi and Pacific Rota wants the Superior Court to issue a temporary restraining order restoring them to their business premises and the defendants from interfering with that business.

Choi and Pacific Rota asked the court to order the defendants to stay at least 200 yards away from the premises of Rota Poker II. They also asked the court to protect them from business interference or threats to person or property pending final disposition of the case.

Woodruff said that in 2004, Choi leased an 800-square-foot building in Sinapalo from Abelina Mendiola for use as the business premises of Rota Poker II for a term of five years.

Due to delays in construction, the expiration date of the lease was extended to Sept. 30, 2009, according to Woodruff.

In October 2006, Woodruff said, attorney Quichocho told Choi that his wife Frances holds leasehold ownership of the Rota Poker II business premises as of Oct. 1, 2008.

Woodruff said the defendants, or some of them, overpowered Choi and ejected him the premises by forcing Rota Poker II customers to leave, changing the locks, and taking physical control of the premises.

But Mrs. Quichocho and Tan Dingco LLC, through Ramon Quichocho, also sued Choi and Pacific Rota, for conversion.

Attorney Quichocho asked the court to order the defendants to pay them damages for lost earnings. He also asked for a temporary restraining order and injunction restraining Choi from selling or damaging 10 poker machines at Rota Poker II.

Attorney Quichocho said that on Oct. 7, 2008, Pacific Saipan LLC sold and transferred its rights and ownership of 10 poker machines to Tan Dingco for $25,000 pursuant to a written bill of sale.

Attorney Quichocho said that even after the purchase of the 10 machines, Choi continued to manage the business and refused to report any income or expenses.

He said that on Oct. 13, 2008, Choi brought the 10 poker machines out of the Sinapalo premises and took them to Rota Poker I in Songsong Village.