LANDOVER -- Dart Group Corp. has sued members of the company's founding family, the Hafts, marking the first time the court-appointed executive committee running Dart has publicly broken ranks with the family.
The lawsuit is another in a blizzard of litigation that has marked the dealings of the Haft family for more than a year. Family members have sued each other and family-controlled companies they battle to tie down claims to portions of the teetering family empire.
The newest lawsuit concerns three warehouses in Landover leased to Dart by the Hafts. The suit charges the Hafts deceived Dart's board to enrich the family at the expense of shareholders.
"Serving simultaneously as owners of the warehouses and directors or officers of Dart, certain of the Hafts abused their positions of trust to reap personal profits by subjecting the company to long-term escalating rent liability for warehouse space unneeded by Dart," the company said.
Two of the three warehouses are unusable and have been closed because of the presence of asbestos, according to the company.
Dart has asked the court to rule the leases unenforceable and declare that the company needn't make further payments. The company also is demanding $3.5 million in rent plus unspecified sums for taxes, insurance, maintenance and utilities paid since February 1991.
Named as defendants are Herbert Haft, the company's founder and chairman; Ronald Haft, the company's president; Gloria Haft, Herbert's estranged wife; Robert Haft, whom Herbert fired as president of Dart more than a year ago; Charles D. Shipe, a former officer and director; and Ben S. Kovalsky, a former officer and director.
The suit was filed in Prince George's County Circuit Court.
Herbert Haft said the suit is without merit. "I will defend myself vigorously and I expect to prevail," he said.
David Hensler, an attorney with Hogan and Hartson, Washington, representing Robert Haft, said of the lawsuit, "This is a misguided attempt by the directors to justify their own mismanagement and misconduct. The claims against Robert are completely groundless."
In a statement, Ronald Haft said he had not seen the lawsuit. "But I understand it refers to an agreement that was reached with my father 10 years ago when I had no involvement in the management of Dart," Ronald Haft said.
Dart Group owns 65 percent of the common stock of the auto parts dealer Trak Auto, 51 percent of the common stock of Crown Books, more than half of the discount grocery chain Shoppers Food Warehouse, all of Total Beverage Corp. and all of Cabot Morgan Real Estate Co.