Texan sues St. Clair County business over unpaid loan

A Texas man has filed suit against the St. Clair County company he claims failed to repay him the more than $50,000 he lent it.

Terence Morris claims he lent Sintzel Investments and John C. Sintzel $52,500 so they could purchase property at 129 Barrington Dr. in Belleville. The property in question acted as collateral on the loan, according to the complaint filed May 10 in St. Clair County Circuit Court.

Sintzel Investments agreed to repay the loan on Nov. 6, 2010, but failed to do so, the suit states.

In addition, the defendants transferred their ownership in the Belleville property to a third party on March 25, 2011, the complaint says. They proceeded to lie to Morris about the status of the real estate, saying they still possessed it at some point after March 25, 2011.

“Sintzel Investments was aware at the time it made the statements that these statements were false,” the suit states. “In reliance upon the belief that the security and collateral for the loan agreement continued to be owned by Sintzel Investments after March 25, 2011, Morris failed to take any actions by which it could protect its security and collateral for the loan agreement.”

Morris alleges breach of contract, breach of mortgage and common law fraud against the defendants.

He names John C. Sintzel as a defendant, asking the court to declare him and Sintzel Investments as one entity because John Sintzel organized the company in 2003.

He is seeking the money he claims he is owed, plus interest at 15 percent per annum, attorney’s fees, costs and other relief the court deems just.

Brian T. McCarthy of Belleville will be representing him.

St. Clair County Circuit Court case number: 13-L-246.