Another Lawsuit Filed In Florida Treasure Coast Escrow Scandal

TC Palm reports:

• In the latest court action against former Coastal Escrow Services owner Ira Hatch, a Vero Beach man is accusing Michael Thorpe Real Estate of conspiring with Coastal to defraud their common clients. Jeffrey D. Wilber filed suit Wednesday in Circuit Court against both Thorpe and Coastal, as well as Hatch and Thorpe agent Rick Krulikowski.

• The new lawsuit follows Thorpe’s suit last week against Coastal, in which the brokerage seeks to represent a class of 175 clients all owed money after Hatch shuttered Coastal.
  But Vero Beach attorney Elizabeth Brooker, representing Wilber, said she is seeking to represent the clients. She said Thorpe can’t honestly represent the real estate clients because the brokerage would have a conflict of interest after steering clients to Coastal.

This mess involves the abrupt closing of Coastal Escrow Services leaving dozens of people in a lurch, and out an estimated $3 million. For more, see Vero Beach man files suit alleging real estate, escrow firms conspired to defraud common clients.

Go here for other posts and links to stories on this ongoing investigation.