West Virginia Gov.-elect Jim Justice’s businesses are being sued by a flood restoration company for unpaid bills, after cleanup crews restored parts of the Greenbrier following flooding that hit parts of the state in late June.
Attorneys for BMS CAT, a company based in Fort Worth, Texas, filed the complaint in federal court. The lawsuit alleges Justice’s companies have withheld $771,268s owed to the restoration company, The Charleston Gazette-Mail reported.
BMS says Justice’s companies have paid $113,126 — about 12 percent of what was originally owed.
The CEO of the resort’s insurance company has said the costs would be covered under the Greenbrier’s insurance plan and BMS CAT would be paid in the near future. Elmer Coppoolse, the Greenbrier’s chief operating officer, said Friday the insurer has still not provided that money.
“The insurance company has not given the Greenbrier any allocated payment to handle the BMS CAT expense,” said Coppoolse, who has also been appointed as an adviser to Justice’s transition team.
Justice, a billionaire businessman, is the owner of the Greenbrier resort.
BMS CAT’s attorneys allege the insurance company has already given the Greenbrier indemnity payments for the damage that was caused by the severe flooding that swept across the historic resort’s golf courses, while damaging many nearby buildings.
“Rather than using the indemnity payments to pay (BMS CAT) for the work it performed, the Justice defendants have withheld payment and thus have been unjustly enriched,” the complaint said.
The company is asking that a federal judge order Justice’s companies to pay the debt, with interest, along with BMS CAT’s legal fees.
Throughout his campaign for governor, Justice was plagued by reports that his businesses didn’t pay their bills and taxes on time.
Justice will take the oath of office on Jan. 16.