An Athens County Judge ordered a Florida man with rental business ties in Athens to pay more than $1 million in damages, ending the longest-running jury trial and awarding the largest amount of damages to be paid in Athens County.
The trial began March 31 and the jury gave a verdict May 12 after 21 hours of deliberation, said John Lavalle, an attorney on the case.
Nickos Prokos, whose family runs Prokos Rentals, rents housing in Athens, Nelsonville, Albany and The Plains. Nickos Prokos must pay $1.1 million to the estate of Laisa Prokos, which is run by his brother, Demetrios.
The lawsuit began when Demetrios Prokos and Pam Hines accused their brother, Nickos Prokos, of taking financial advantage of their mother, Laisa Prokos.
Nickos Prokos must pay $350,000 in compensatory damages and $750,000 in punitive damages to the estate of Laisa Prokos, according to court documents. Demetrios Prokos, Laisa Prokos' other son, is handling her estate.
A jury also returned a verdict stating Barry Kucik and Barry M. Kucik, PA, a Florida corporation, must pay $49,000 in compensatory damages and $300,000 in punitive damages to the estate of Laisa Prokos, according to court documents.
Both settlements stemmed from a lawsuit that began in 2004 when Laisa Prokos filed a complaint against Pam Hines, her daughter.
Laisa Prokos and her husband, Vasilios Prokos, also deceased, entered a verbal agreement with Hines that they would transfer the properties of 61 First St. in Athens in 2003. Hines agreed to obtain an additional mortgage, give Laisa and Vasilios Prokos the financial proceeds and then sell the property back to them, according to court documents.
In 2004 Hines signed a check for $90,000 for the property to Laisa and Vasilios Prokos. Hines told them not to cash the check because she would wire-transfer the money, but the money was never received. Laisa Prokos requested Hines pay the value of the property to her, according to court documents.
Demetrios Prokos, who could not be reached for comment, also filed a claim of fraud and fraudulent transfer against, his brother, Nickos Prokos. The verdict also said that Nickos Prokos must pay Demetrios Prokos $200,000 in compensatory damages and $500,000 in punitive damages, according to court documents.
1 News
Marika Lee
