IPI seeks to quash US$500k judgment in defamation lawsuit

Imperial Pacific International has asked the court to vacate the US$500k judgment in a lawsuit filed by USA Fanter.

Northern Mariana Islands.- Imperial Pacific International has asked the US District Court to quash a US$500,000 judgement in favour of USA Fanter Corp in relation to a defamation lawsuit. USA Fanter had sued the casino operator for publishing press releases in 2019 that accused the contractor of lying and inflating its fees.

According to Saipan Tribune, the court ordered IPI to pay US$250,000 in general damages and US$250,000 in punitive damages. IPI wants the court to relieve it from the judgement based on “extraordinary circumstances” due to gross negligence and virtual abandonment by its legal counsel. 

The motion states that IPI’s counsel at the time was negligent in its handling of the case. The motion claims that these extraordinary circumstances justify relief under the federal rule of civil procedure.

The casino operator has faced several lawsuits and regulatory penalties. USA Fanter also sued IPI for its failure to pay US$2.08m for construction work related to the VIP wing and exterior work of its hotel-casino in Garapan. 

Cui Lijie, the majority owner of Imperial Pacific International (IPI), has said that she is seeking new investors to help reopen the operator’s Garapan casino resort. In an interview with Mariana’s Variety, she admitted that investor interest had fallen off due to negative stories about IPI but said the company was doing all it can to improve the situation.