In a courtroom saga blending family tension, business ambition, and legal gray areas, a Michigan judge has ruled that an $18.3 million lawsuit between two brothers over a cannabis company buyout will move forward.
Oakland County Circuit Judge Victoria A. Valentine on Tuesday denied Christopher Yatooma’s bid to dismiss the suit filed by his brother, Gregory Yatooma, who is also an attorney. The case centers on allegations that Christopher failed to pay nearly $18 million he owed under an agreement to purchase Gregory’s stake in their joint marijuana business, MSY Capital Partners LLC.
Family Business Turns into Legal Battlefield
Gregory Yatooma filed the lawsuit in May 2023, accusing his brother of paying only $500,000 of the agreed $18.3 million buyout. The dispute has already taken a legal roller-coaster ride — first filed in state court, then moved to federal court, and finally sent back to state jurisdiction in November 2024.
The complaint paints a picture of betrayal, alleging that Christopher, with help from his technology manager, Rich Stopczy, and assistant, Michelle Houbeck, gained unauthorized access to Gregory’s law firm email account at Fleming & Borowicz PLC. The breach, Gregory claims, exposed confidential client information and forced the firm to remove his name from the masthead and expel him as a partner.
