ST. CROIX — A St. Croix-based contractor has filed a lawsuit against the Caribbean Drag Racing Association and its current and former presidents, alleging the nonprofit organization failed to repay nearly $88,000 in loans and services provided over a three-year period.
In the complaint filed in Superior Court on August 2, plaintiffs MacGarvey Henry and his company, VI Industrial Services LLC, claim they provided $87,988.33 to CDRA between February 2022 and May 2025.
The contributions, according to the lawsuit, included more than $20,000 in concrete work to improve CDRA’s racing pit infrastructure and parking area, as well as over $60,000 in cash advances for things like insurance premiums, utility bills, and other operating expenses.
The lawsuit names CDRA, along with its former president, Arthur Hector, and current president, Burton Edney, as defendants. Both Hector and Edney are accused of personally requesting the loans and guaranteeing repayment from CDRA’s event proceeds and revenues. The plaintiffs say they relied on these assurances and continued advancing funds as recently as March.
According to the lawsuit, plaintiff Henry met with defendant Edney, who was a member of CDRA’s board at the time, and other CDRA board members in early March at Joe’s Restaurant in Estate Diamond. At that time, Edney allegedly acknowledged the debt and requested Henry continue to loan CDRA money for insurance premiums and other expenses.
Despite personally guaranteeing to reimburse Henry, only $2,440 has been paid to date by CDRA, the lawsuit states. The plaintiffs allege that despite repeated demands, the defendants have not engaged in any efforts to settle the debt.
According to a letter dated June 12, and attached as an exhibit to the complaint, the plaintiffs’ attorney, Semaj Johnson, requested a meeting with CDRA’s legal counsel, Natalie Nelson Tang How, to confirm the Association’s intent to satisfy its outstanding debt and establish a clear path forward. Tang How responded in an email the following day.
“Debt owed by CDRA is acknowledged,” she wrote.
While Attorney Johnson declined to answer specific questions or offer broader comment on the case, he did offer a brief statement from his client on the matter.
“My client is looking forward to a meaningful and discreet resolution with CDRA,” Johnson said.
Henry and VI Industrial Services are suing for breach of contract, breach of agreement, fraudulent and negligent misrepresentation, unjust enrichment, and promissory estoppel. They are seeking the full amount owed, along with interest, attorney’s fees, and other costs.
