Dundee Park commissioner blasts lawsuit from family business as 'charade'
A Dundee Township Park District commissioner trying to back out of a $17,500 settlement with his family business called the situation a "charade" as the two sides got another court date on Thursday.
The Meadowdale Shopping Center sued Frank Scarpelli, Jr., of East Dundee, in 2018, arguing he diverted rent funds, charged personal items on company accounts and overcharged Meadowdale for materials and supplies while managing operations until his employment was terminated in February 2015.
Meadowdale lawyers have contended in court filings that Scarpelli owed $500,000 to Meadowdale, but if he paid $17,500 over an 18-month span, the debt would be forgiven, according to court records.
Last summer, Scarpelli contested the settlement, arguing he did not agree to it in early 2019; his former attorney also has said Scarpelli doesn't owe anything to Meadowdale, but only agreed to the settlement to avoid paying more legal fees.
The two sides appeared briefly before Kane County Judge Mark Pheanis and are due back on Feb. 25; the matter was slated for a hearing in November 2019 but was continued and no date for testimony on the settlement has been set.
"The plaintiff is just wasting money," Scarpelli said outside of court, referring to Meadowdale. "It's a complete charade."
Scarpelli has not been charged with any criminal wrongdoing.
"We disagree (with Scarpelli's characterization) and think a settlement has been reached," said Marios Karayannis, attorney for Meadowdale.
Karayannis also has argued in court that Scarpelli is stalling to disburse assets from a "multimillion" settlement with Scarpelli's cousin, Anne Marie Poincelet, of Chicago.
Poincelet sued Scarpelli in 2015, arguing that he systematically siphoned $2.8 million while overseeing and administering the estates and trusts of Poincelet and her mother, Pamela, over two decades.
Pamela Poincelet was one of eight children of Leonard Besinger, who developed numerous malls and shopping centers in and around Carpentersville. Frank is Besinger's grandson, and the family business includes income from several apartment buildings and Meadowdale Shopping Center.