By Al Calloway
After over 7 years of fighting in Broward County, Florida courts, a jury deliberated more than four hours Monday, March 17th, and returned a verdict of fraud by Sator Investments, LLC, and conspiracy to commit fraud by Kevin Eutsey and Sator Investments, LLC. In addition, the jury cancelled the Elks Lodge deed held by Sator and Eutsey and quieted the deed, which returned the entire property at 712 N.W. 2nd Street in Fort Lauderdale back to the Elks Lodge 652 of the Improved Benevolent and Protective Order Elks of the World, Inc. I.B.P.C.E.W.
The 100-year-old Elks Lodge 652 had been in place on N. W. 2nd Street since 1955. Until in March of 2018, when a few displaced Elks Lodge members and golf buddies of Kevin Eutsey changed that by illegally cutting a supposed 50-50 deal with Eutsey and his Sator Investments, LLC. Plagued by mismanagement and allowing the Lodge property to all but crumble, in desperation they illegally signed papers that gave Eutsey and Sator Investments, LLC. the deed for the Elks Lodge property.
A supposed 50/50 joint venture in which Eutsey would use “his” money to pay off the Elks Lodge’s debts and then turn the property into a profitable club with a room for Elks Lodge activities, turned into a 85 percent deal for Sator and 15 percent for the Lodge. All the men involved in this nefarious illegal deal have been not only expelled from Elks Lodge 652, but also from the entire I.B.P.C.E.W. They had no authority under both the constitution of Elks Lodge 652 and that of the Grand Lodge. With the illegal deed, Eutsey borrowed money and began demolition on the property, ostensibly to construct his club.
After the St. Patrick’s Day decision by a jury of five women and two men–no Black or apparently brown persons included–Leonard J. Polk, Esq., Grand Exalted Ruler, Grand Lodge of Improved Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks of the World, said that the jury decision is “justice for the Elks here, for the community. Elks Lodge 652 has a rich history of service. We [the Grand Lodge] are glad we were able to assist,” he continued. “Thank you for support of our local Elks, for making sure that the legacy of Elks continues for the foreseeable future.” Polk was both a witness for the Plaintiff (Elks Lodge 652) and the Corporate Representative of I.B.P.C.E.W. throughout the more than two-week trial.
There is a story within this story that this reporter will subsequently tell. It involves an entity called the Joint Management Team and The Elks Lodge Project, Inc., and it involves how this more than 7 year long legal suit came about and sustained. The focus now is on the Elks property, actually getting it back, cleaning it up and beginning again, virtually from scratch.
The Elks Lodge Project, Inc., doing business as The Pride of Fort Lauderdale Lodge #652 — Joint Management Team was so ably represented by a Morehouse man, class of 2006, Nicholas P. Merriweather, Esq. His Summation last Friday was unique in its simplicity and clarity. For 45 minutes, Merriweather made the jury and the thin courtroom crowd se a film, beginning, middle and end, through the mind’s eye, using simple words. I doubt that he used any three and four syllable words at any time. It was brilliant.
Rounding out the Elks legal team were two lawyers representing the Grand Lodge of Improved Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks of the World. Terra L. Sickler, Esq., and Morgan Weinstein, Esq. With Grand Exalted Ruler Leonard J. Polk, Esq., at the helm–although he could only participate in the case as a witness–the outcome was hoped for and anticipated.
