DR. KIA Rahmani, chairman of the Guam Board of Medical Examiners, is facing a civil suit in federal court for allegedly deceiving a Hawaii-based couple into buying a yacht that he purportedly knew was in poor condition.
According to the complaint filed Tuesday, the 50-foot vessel M/V Makena sank at Agat Marina barely two weeks after Rahmani and the plaintiffs, U.S. Coast Guard officer Charles Longley and his wife Ellen, sealed the deal on Feb. 15.
Demanding a jury trial, the Longleys are claiming damages in an amount to be determined at trial.
Court documents said Rahmani received a downpayment of $3,500 and acquired the Longleys’ interests in two homes in Bain Bridge Island, Wash. The Longleys also issued him a promissory note in the amount of $346,500 representing the marine mortgage.
On Feb. 26, court documents state, the yacht “sank to the gunwales at dock in Agat Marine, incurring significant damage for flooding and requiring Coast Guard-mandated pollution abatement measures.”
A subsequent Coast Guard investigation found water in the bilge “from a rusted-out hot water tank,” the complaint said.
“The value of the vessel has been adversely affected by the swamping and significant exposure has been and is being incurred to remediate the damage from the seawater intrusion, oil and fuel contamination.”
Trust
The Longleys said they relied on their trust in Rahmani and thus agreed to purchase the water craft even without a sea trial and in the absence of the latest survey report as to the actual condition of the water craft.
The most recent survey report, which Rahmani allegedly withheld from the Longleys, reflected the vessel’s value at only $195,000.
“By purposely withholding the referenced survey report, Rahmani deceived the Longleys and thereby induced them to proceed with the closing of the purchase and sale agreement,” the complaint said. “Rahmani intentionally misled the Longleys as to the condition and valuation of the vessel to take advantage of their trust,” the complaint said.
Comments
I am speechless, he should have known about the vessel and he can easily find the expertise to check the vessel in his own office.
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