A federal court judge has authorized issuing another warrant for the maritime arrest of cargo ship M\/V Luta.<\/p>\n
U.S. District Court for the NMI designated Judge Frances M. Tydingco-Gatewood on Wednesday ordered the clerk of court to issue a warrant of maritime arrest after she reviewed the complaint filed by Norton Lilly International, Inc.<\/p>\n
Norton Lilly is an Alabama corporation that recently filed a complaint of intervention in order to collect from M\/V Luta $131,801.10 in alleged unpaid goods and services. <\/p>\n
Norton Lilly, through counsel Bruce Berline, asked the court to order the sale of M\/V Luta and that proceeds of the sale be applied to satisfy the judgment. <\/p>\n
Berline stated in the complaint that Luta Mermaid LLC president Abelina T. Mendiola entered into an agreement with Norton Lilly for it to supply necessities to M\/V Luta.<\/p>\n
Berline said that, from June 18, 2016 to Nov. 2, 2016, Norton Lilly was the agent of M\/V Luta on Saipan and Guam, arranging for and\/or shipping services for the vessel. <\/p>\n
The lawyer said the services include stevedoring, time handling mooring, dockage, cargo\/wharf storage, and terminal handling charges.<\/p>\n
Japanese investor Takahisa Yamamoto is suing Lt. Gov. Victor Hocog and the owner\/operators of M\/V Luta. In his lawsuit, Yamamoto alleged that Hocog and his co-defendants refused to pay back the $3.4 million that he put up for M\/V Luta. <\/p>\n
Yamamoto is suing Hocog, M\/V Luta, Luta Mermaid LLC, Abelina T. Mendiola, Deron T. Mendiola, Fidel S. Mendiola III, Fidel Mendiola Jr., and Robert Toelkes. <\/p>\n
Luta Mermaid owns M\/V Luta. Abelina Mendiola, Fidel S. Mendiola III, and Deron Mendiola are members of the company. <\/p>\n
Abelina Mendiola is based on Rota, while Fidel Mendiola is a resident of Louisiana, and Deron Mendiola is a resident of Idaho, according to court papers. Yamamoto is suing them for breach of contract, fraud, and unjust enrichment. <\/p>\n
The U.S. Marshal Service seized M\/V Luta last Oct. 25 and appointed the National Maritime Services Inc. as custodian of the vessel. <\/p>\n
After Yamamoto filed the case in federal court, two companies, including Norton Lilly, and crewmembers of M\/V Luta, also joined in the lawsuit.<\/p>\n
The captain and six other crewmembers of M\/V Luta have also intervened in Yamamoto\u2019s lawsuit, because they allegedly have not been paid their wages, totaling $183,647.77.<\/p>\n
Long Consulting LLC, a limited liability company, has also claimed a maritime lien on M\/V Luta after the vessel\u2019s owners\/operators allegedly failed to repay any part of their $300,000 loan.<\/p>\n
Hocog recently filed a motion asking the court to dismiss Yamamoto\u2019s lawsuit. <\/p>\n
Hocog, through Guam-based counsel Jeffrey A. Moots, asserted that there is nothing to indicate that he participated in any of the factual allegations.<\/p>\n
Former Department of Public Lands secretary John DelRosario first filed a lawsuit against Hocog over M\/V Luta. Last May, DelRosario filed the taxpayer\u2019s lawsuit against Hocog and Finance Secretary Larrisa Larson over the alleged adoption of a Rota resolution without public notice that purportedly authorized payment of $400,000 to Luta Mermaid, a private company owned by Hocog\u2019s relatives.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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