KANSAS CITY– Jack Eskenazi filed a demand for jury trial against Rural Community Hospitals of America LLC in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri alleging RHCA refused to pay for financial services that helped save the hospital from economic ruin.
Eskenazi's attorney, Steven F. Coronado, filed the demand on April 24.
The complaint alleges two causes of action for breach of contract: one for alleged fraud and one for alleged tortious interference with a contract claim.
RCHA hired Eskenazi in early 2016. The two parties entered into a written agreement, according to court documents.
Under the agreement, Eskenazi agreed to provide a variety of financial services to RCHA. In return, RHCA agreed to pay according to the nature of the services provided.
Around Halloween of 2016, Eskenazi entered into another agreement with RCHA wherein Eskenazi agreed to introduce RCHA to another healthcare provider, Empower Healthcare, and provide other business opportunities. Both RCHA and Empower acted as guarantors of the agreement.
Eskenazi claims he was not paid his commission from the agreement, causing the guarantors to breach their contract.
The complaint alleges RCHA intentionally misrepresented paying the fees required in the agreement, Eskenazi would be compensated according to the benefits received from his services, and that RCHA would not go behind Eskenazi's back and enter into a business agreement without notifying Eskenazi.
Eskenazi alleges RCHA never intended to pay the fees, never tracked the benefits received from his services, and entered into a separate business agreement with Empower without notifying him.
The separate agreement between Empower and RCHA constitutes the tortious interference with a contract claim, the complaint alleges.
Eskenazi is seeking damages exceeding $10,000,000 on each claim.