SAN ANGELO, TX — Three members of a San Angelo family have sued their business partner, accusing him of diverting tens of thousands of dollars from their jointly owned company for personal gambling, credit card payments, vacations and other expenses while denying them access to company records.
Aubrey Dean Trufant Jr., Aubrey Dean Trufant Sr. and Alex Trufant filed the lawsuit individually and on behalf of Integrity Phoenix Company LLC against Tran Quyen on July 29, 2022, in the 119th District Court of Tom Green County.
The company, which started WTX Boba Teahouse, was formed in June 2021 to sell boba tea and other items in San Angelo.
According to the original petition, the Trufants and Quyen were named managing members when the LLC was created. Each of the Trufants contributed $25,000 — a total of $75,000 — for a combined 30% membership interest. The suit alleges Quyen unilaterally amended the certificate of formation without their consent to name himself the sole manager, exercised exclusive control over company assets and operations, and refused repeated requests for financial information and access to books and records.
The petition details specific examples of alleged misconduct, including:
- Diverting substantial company revenue for gambling at Winstar World Casinos.
- Using company funds to pay the car note on his wife’s Honda, personal credit cards, fast food, haircuts, pedicures, clothing, vacations, cell phones and cryptocurrency investments.
- Transferring money to his personal accounts via internal transfers and Venmo.
- Failing to make his own required capital contribution while the Trufants funded startup operations.
The Trufants claim Quyen operated the company “like his personal piggy bank” and later tried to buy them out at a below-market price as relations soured. They assert causes of action including equitable accounting, breach of fiduciary duty, and derivative claims on behalf of the company.
The lawsuit seeks a full accounting of company books and records, actual and exemplary damages, pre- and post-judgment interest, attorney fees, costs, and both temporary and permanent injunctive relief to prevent further distributions or asset transfers. The plaintiffs also request involuntary dissolution and liquidation of the LLC, arguing that Quyen’s alleged actions have made continued operation impracticable due to irreconcilable differences and harm to the business.
Quyen filed a pro se original answer on Aug. 29, 2022. He entered a general denial of all allegations in the petition and requested general relief.
The case is set for a dismissal docket hearing at 1 p.m. June 10 before 119th District Judge Gonzalo Rios.
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