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"Belleville attorney John Vassen is suing Madison County Treasurer Kurt Prenzler for allegedly not obtaining a court order to conduct a delinquent tax sale in 2012, according to a lawsuit filed Friday in Madison County Circuit Court.<br /><br />Vassen claims the 2012 tax sale is null and void due to Prenzler's alleged failure to obtain the order.<br /><br />The suit filed by Vassen&nbsp;and several of his co-plaintiff entities claims they spent&nbsp;$421,152.81 to purchase&nbsp;272 tax certificates in 2012.<br /><br />&ldquo;The defendant&rsquo;s failure to obtain a court order is without reasonable excuse, has caused great damage to the plaintiffs, other tax buyers and the citizens of Madison County,&rdquo; the lawsuit stated.<br /><br />Vassen's suit claims that Prenzler's inaction violated the Illinois Constitution and state statute by failing to perform a requisite duty.<br /><br />The suit also claims that if a County Treasurer fails that duty, &nbsp;the office holder must forfeit no less than $50 and no more than $1,000 \"according to the nature and aggravation of the offense,\" according to 55 ILCS 5/3-10021.<br /><br />The Vassen entities also claim unjust enrichment and fraudulent misrepresentation.<br /><br />&ldquo;Defendant&rsquo;s conduct conferred a benefit upon himself and Madison County, Illinois at the expense of the plaintiffs,&rdquo; the lawsuit stated.<br /><br />The suit accuses Prenzler of continuing to improperly charge interest on redemptions made by home buyers, even after he knew the tax sale was null and void, the lawsuit states.<br /><br />&ldquo;Interest continues to accrue on the tax certificates of purchase issued by the defense to the plaintiffs pursuant to the Feb. 22, 2012 annual delinquent tax sale.&rdquo;<br /><br />V&amp; V, Vex Properties, Vi, Inc., and Vi Inc Profit Sharing are also listed as plaintiffs in the case.<br /><br />Paul T. Slocomb of Hoffman Slocomb in St. Louis represents the plaintiff.<br /><br />The case is assigned to Madison County Chief Judge Ann Callis.<br /><br />VAssen's suit was filed shortly after St. Jacob attorney John Barberis and Collinsville lawyer Steve Giacoletto filed a class action against the County over delinquent tax sales &nbsp;handled by former Madison County treasurer Fred Bathon.<br /><br />Bathon, 58, who was treasurer from 1998 until he resigned in December 2009, pleaded guilty Feb. 5 in federal court to violating the Sherman Antitrust Act. He was convicted of structuring Madison County property tax sales in a way that increased prices and rewarded campaign contributors.<br /><br />Giacoletto and Barberis claim their lawsuit seeks to represent property owners who suffered financial losses in relation to fraudulent delinquent tax sale auctions administered by Madison County officials from 2005-2009.<br /><br />According to Barberis and Giacoletto, Madison County, Bathon, and &ldquo;individuals linked to the tax sale&rdquo; were named as defendants in the class action lawsuit, including Vassen, Dennis Ballinger, Robert Luken, John Scott, Scott McClean and Edward Beasley.<br /><br /><i>Madison County case number 13-L-278.</i>"^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://madisonrecord.com/stories/510575017-tax-buyer-claims-prenzler-failed-to-get-court-order-for-12-tax-sale>