Bizjournals.com – A Minneapolis hedge fund has sued Petters Group Worldwide, alleging it was defrauded out of $60 million in a deal involving “imaginary televisions.”
Interlachen Harriet Investments, a Cayman Islands-based unit of Minneapolis-based Interlachen Capital Group, filed the suit Wednesday, saying that it gave $60 million to Petters Co. Inc. to purchase electronic merchandise such as televisions. PCI, a unit of Petters Group Worldwide, was to resell the televisions at a profit. Interlachen alleges that PCI never purchased any merchandise, and used the investment to fund former CEO Tom Petters’ other business ventures, pay down debt and for personal use.
The suit is similar to federal allegations made last week that Petters and several associates bought and sold nonexistent goods with investors’ money for more than a decade by creating the image of a successful retail business.
