On May 16, 2023, a civil jury in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, awarded $9.6 million in damages to Yellowfin Steak & Fish House in a unanimous verdict against its former managing member, The Ritz LLC, and Harvey Blonder.
This case was premised on allegations that The Ritz and Blonder siphoned off Yellowfin profits for many years. Yellowfin, through its current managing member and two other members, sued Blonder and The Ritz, alleging breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duties, and fraud.
The case was tried over a two-week period in the Circuit Court for Anne Arundel County in Annapolis before Judge Pamela K. Alban. The six-person jury deliberated for nearly eight hours before finding in favor of Yellowfin on counts of fraud, breach of contract, and breach of fiduciary duty. The jury’s verdict included compensatory and punitive damages, as well as prejudgment interest, against The Ritz LLC and Blonder individually.
Yellowfin was represented by attorneys Richard A. DeTar and Steven A. Brown of McAllister, DeTar, Showalter & Walker LLC.
“This case was always about what is best for Yellowfin,” DeTar stated, following the verdict. “The jury had the wisdom and insight to see through the static and conclude that all of those funds should be returned to Yellowfin.”