WHEELING – A man is suing PTL LLC after he claims it failed to repay loans and give him fringe benefits as promised.
Ruth M. Latos was also named as a defendant in the suit.
For years prior to 2010, Paul Latos ran a successful pottery business in Gilmer County known as Linn Pottery and, over its years of operations, the business garnered a reputation for fine pottery and Paul Latos’ work as a potter has been shown at the Greenbrier Resort and the Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., according to a complaint filed June 1 in Ohio Circuit Court.
Paul Latos claims he also provided his pottery to the Tamarack Center in Beckley since its opening in 1996.
In 2010, Paul Latos closed his business and relocated to Wheeling, according to the suit.
Paul Latos claims he was experiencing certain financial difficulties due to the termination of a long marriage and, as such, Ruth Latos and her husband, Derrick Latos, assisted him financially.
The financial assistance provided to Paul Latos was reduced to a note and, at some point, Ruth Latos and Derrick Latos decided to re-open Linn Pottery Studio and Gallery in Wheeling, according to the suit.
Paul Latos claims in July 2010, Ruth Latos, Derrick Latos and their son, Michael Latos, formed PTL LLC for the primary purpose of re-opening Linn Pottery.
In Fall 2010, the defendants approached Paul Latos, offering him a contract of employment with PTL and he accepted and began employment on Nov. 26, 2010, according to the suit.
Paul Latos claims from later 2010 through 2011, Ruth Latos was assisting Paul Latos with his checkbook and was added as a signatory to his checking account, which she utilized to assist him in managing his finances.
By Aug. 19, 2011, Paul Latos had paid back the more than $150,000 that had been lent to him by Ruth Latos during his financial hardships after the termination of his marriage, according to the suit.
Paul Latos claims upon the re-opening of Linn Pottery, the plaintiff let PTL equipment and supplies with an approximate value of $45,249. He claims the defendants also utilized his equipment and supplies with no compensation to him from the re-opining until Linn Pottery closed in 2017.
PTL religiously took federal and state tax depreciation write-offs of the $45,249 worth of equipment and supplies until it had depreciated the same to zero, according to the suit.
Paul Latos claims he loaned Ruth Latos sums totaling $28,000 and that she still owed $20,000 on that loan.
The plaintiff’s contract was also supposed to give him two weeks paid vacation after the first year, however, he never received any paid vacation except for the year 2013, according to the suit.
Paul Latos claims he also worked approximately 6,450 overtime hours for which he did not receive compensation.
Paul Latos is seeking compensatory damages in the amount of $160,058.84 and punitive damages. He is being represented by Gail W. Kahle.
Ohio Circuit Court case number: 17-C-165