Law Firm Says FCPA Defendant Breached Contract After Failing to Pay for Its Services

Boutique law firm Fick & Marx filed suit against Joseph Baptiste, a defendant in a previous Foreign Corrupt Practices Act case, for breach of contract since he has allegedly failed to pay the firm for services rendered on his behalf in the FCPA case. Taking to the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts, the firm said that Baptiste has "repeatedly promised to pay" his tab, which now amounts to over $160,000, but has failed to do so even over a year later (Fick & Marx v. Joseph Baptiste, D. Mass. # 23-12097).

The FCPA case against Baptiste, a Haitian-American businessman, was tossed by the district court in Massachusetts over a year ago (see 2206280041). The businessman was previously convicted of FCPA charges after being found guilty of offering millions of dollars in bribes to Haitian government officials for an $84 million port project in northwest Haiti. Following the jury verdict, retrials were granted due to the ineffectiveness of Baptiste's defense. The U.S. then later moved to dismiss the case.

Fick & Marx claimed that now Baptiste is not paying after entering into an "enforceable contract with" the firm. "Baptiste breached the implied covenant by failing to pay F&M for its fees and expenses as required by the contract and by repeatedly, but falsely, promising to pay," the complaint said.