Brief: Litigation over ownership rights to gambling games

Wednesday, Oct. 28, 1998 | 4:09 a.m.

Richards developed the games "Greed" and "Pass or Play."

Last February, Kerkuta invested $25,000 in an agreement that would give 35 percent ownership to him and 65 percent ownership to Richards, the suit states. Kerkuta alleges he was to be the only investor in the games, but later found out there were others. The suit alleges that more than 100 percent interest in the games has been sold by Richards.

Also named as defendants are people the suit alleges have an interest in the games, including Richards wife, Beverly, Gary Liberatore, Patti Avallone, George Chanos, Saied Behnamjou, Shenli Ko, Marc Risman, Edward Bernstein, Harry Weiss, Wayne Slater and Slater Technologies Inc., Jeff Silver, Essex Holdings Ltd. and Essex Enterprises.

One of the defendants, Slater, said his company has an 8 percent interest in the games and had developed the electronics and software for the games.

Bernstein said he knows Richards, he has never invested in casino games with him.

Attempts to locate Richards for comment failed.

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