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Rucci facing lawsuit from former Go Go operator
By ROBERT CONNELLY
YOUNGSTOWN
Another lawsuit has been filed against embattled business owner Sebastian Rucci.
The lawsuit was filed Tuesday by Norman F. Dunlap Jr. of Struthers in Mahoning County Common Pleas court.
It alleges Dunlap entered into a contract with Rucci on or about April 1, 2012, in which Dunlap Ventures LLC was to purchase one-half of the now-closed Go Go Cabaret in Austintown for $100,000, and that Rucci had power to transfer one-half of the business to him.
That company was named Triple G Investment Inc., and the lawsuit states: “Those tax returns, however, indicated that the company was in fact not owned by Sebastian Rucci, but rather by a Vittori Rucci.”
Vittori Rucci is the father of Sebastian Rucci.
The lawsuit also says that at the time of the contract, Triple G and Go Go were canceled corporations. “The contract appears to contain materially false information which was intended entirely to induce Dunlap and Dunlap Ventures to pay $100,000 to Rucci,” it states.
It also says that Dunlap was to get $5,000 a month to manage the Go Go, and he managed it for six months and didn’t receive any of those payments. The lawsuit alleges counts of breach of contract and fraud and asks for damages to be awarded at trial in excess of $25,000.
“It’s all hogwash,” Rucci said. “The fact is, I sold the place to this guy; he ran it to the ground.”
The building at the corner of 1051 N. Canfield-Niles Road and 5455 Clarkins Drive has now been remodeled and renamed Hotel California.
“A month ago, he walks in and says he is half-owner of the hotel ... so I threw him out,” Rucci said of Dunlap. “Everybody sees you spending money, and they all want to pile on, so you have to deal with it.”