One Columbia family business settled a lawsuit last month while another had its name cleared in connection with the suit.

As previously reported, JLP Homes LLC was named in a lawsuit filed in late October in St. Clair County Court which alleged collusion in an attempt to hide the assets of a now-defunct corporation.

The lawsuit also alleged Yellowstone Properties LLP worked with JLP Homes to violate the Illinois Fraudulent Transfers Act by conveying three properties in Columbia in order to prevent recovery of damages awarded in a July 2 judgment.

On Dec. 12, attorneys for the plaintiff in the case reported JLP Homes paid the $85,300 judgment plus interest to satisfy the prior court order.

Additional claims for legal fees and other expenses incurred after the July judgment were also settled, although the details remain confidential. 

The memo shared with the Republic-Times stated, “All of the litigation (in all three cases) have been settled.”

The filing alleged Jon and Dale Poetker “began transferring the assets of JLP Homes to JLP Design (and Build) for the purpose of defrauding (the plaintiff in the suit, Kenneth Caluwe) and preventing Caluwe from collecting the judgment in his favor.”

The filing also alleged that Mark, Steven and Linda Frierdich of Yellowstone Properties “acted in concert” with the Poetkers and their corporations by transferring interests of three Columbia properties to JLP Design and Build this summer ahead of JLP Homes being terminated as an LLC in September.

Lindsey Egner, realtor with The Linda Frierdich Group of CENTURY 21 Advantage Real Estate, Inc., contacted the Republic-Times following the settlement.

During a conference call on Friday, Egner and Mark Frierdich shared their side of the story.

Mark began by saying he did not have any issues with the Nov. 5 article which described the lawsuit, adding he understood the information was taken from the official court filing.

Egner then clarified that Linda’s Century 21 real estate company in Columbia was “not involved in the underlying dispute.”

The company was included in the Nov. 5 report due to its owner being named as a defendant in a suit which involved alleged real estate fraud.

Egner added that having the company named “hurt,” as it led to rumors that Linda and the firm would lose its real estate license.

She was happy to report the counts against Frierdichs and Yellowstone Properties were dismissed, with “no liability” found in connection to the JLP Homes settlement.

Egner explained that ancillary parties are often added to lawsuits as “common practice” in civil law in order to assure the maximum amount of possible damages or restitution. 

Egner also shared documents recorded in Monroe and Madison counties showing the cases involving Yellowstone Properties and Citizens Community Bank – a frequent financier of Poetker-owned businesses –  were “dismissed with prejudice and closed.” 

Speaking on behalf of the Frierdichs, Egner said there was “no knowledge” of the Poetkers’ intentions in connection with the real estate transfers described in the suit.

She added Yellowstone Properties’ actions were simply those of investors in the parcels in question. 

Egner also pointed out the properties were transferred from Yellowstone Properties to JLP Design and Build for appropriate “consideration” – the cost of the property – not the $1 which was stated in the lawsuit.

While Yellowstone Properties is now free of any current legal entailments, several lawsuits remain pending against JLP Homes.

The business is named as a defendant in an ongoing breach of warranty suit from 2024 and a separate civil matter filed in 2023 exceeding $50,000 in Monroe County and two open 2023 civil suits in St. Clair County.