NEW HAVEN, Conn. (AFX) - Hotel magnate Len Wolman sued his former business partners Friday, demanding they reimburse him millions of dollars in legal fees he spent successfully fighting to keep the money he made as an investor in the Mohegan Sun casino.
Wolman's fight has lasted for five years. His former partners said that while Wolman was negotiating a deal that effectively ended his relationship with them, he also was working up massive deal with the casino -- a deal they said should have yielded them a profit.
The state Supreme Court rejected that claim in January. Wolman maintains it was a case of sour grapes and on Friday, he returned to court demanding about $2 million in legal fees. Attorneys also left open the possibility of up to $6 million in damages.
'If they would compensate us for our legal out-of-pocket expenses, we could talk about settling,' Wolman said Friday.
Wolman sued the business partnership Leisure Resort Technology, which he said is insolvent, and eight of its investors, including directors Lee and Joanne Tyrol. The Tyrols have an unlisted telephone number and messages were left with their attorneys.
The business partnership sued Wolman in 2000 over a revenue-sharing deal he made with the casino in 1998. While that deal was in the works, he was negotiating a $7 million settlement with Leisure Resort Technology that ended its interest in Wolman's companies.
Shortly after his deal with Leisure Resort Technology was complete, the Mohegan Sun deal was announced. Hugh Keefe, Wolman's lawyer, said Leisure Resort sued, hoping his client would settle to avoid a costly court battle.
'There wasn't anything to settle,' Wolman said. 'We had an agreement.'
The countersuit, which was filed on a special docket for complicated cases in Waterbury Superior Court, likely will take up to a year to resolve, Keefe said.
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