HOUSTON — A Harris County diamond wholesaler is suing his business partner, alleging breach of their business agreement.
Brett S. Stettner, doing business as Stettner Investment Diamonds, filed a lawsuit July 27 in the Houston Division of the Southern District of Texas against Leon Cohen, doing business as SRW International, and Ben Kinzler, alleging unjust enrichment and failure to exercise their fiduciary duty of good faith and fair dealing.
According to the complaint, Stettner has suffered damages for loss of jewelries and gemstones, plus related costs of more than $2 million, loss of business opportunities, loss of profits and a damaged business reputation.
The plaintiff alleges the defendants conspired to defraud Stettner and to take his jewelries and gemstones that Cohen had in his possession by refusing to settle partnership accounts. The lawsuit states Cohen failed to submit the merchandise for a trunk show and since has retained the property for his own enrichment.
The suit says Cohen had agreed to reimburse Stettner for a $20,000 deposit but has breached the agreement.
Stettner seeks a trial by jury, damages and costs incurred in an amount equal to the fair value of his property taken by the defendants, pre-judgment and post-judgment interest and such relief the court deems proper. He is represented by attorneys W. Joel Bryant and T. Kyle Bryant of Bryant Law in Houston.
Houston Division of the Southern District of Texas Case number 4:16-cv-02236