MARBLEHEAD – A Marblehead woman is suing her two sons to recover more than $2 million in loans paid to their Salem-based hotel, according to a lawsuit filed Friday in Essex County Superior Court.In a civil complaint obtained from the court, M. Denise Rockett of Marblehead and her late husband J. Hilary Rockett Sr. loaned more than $2 million through Derby and Congress Street Realty Trust to the Salem Waterfront Hotel and Suites in 2005.According to the complaint, the Rocketts’ sons, T. Michael Rockett and Richard Rockett, each took a one-third ownership in the hotel in 2009. In February 2011, the complaint alleges the two sons “intentionally ceased SWHS’s payment of the loans and breached the loan repayment agreement as a means to inflict direct financial and personal damage to Mrs. Rockett.”The complaint goes on to say that the sons knew non-payment would cause their mother “severe economic and personal distress.””SWHS did not repay the loaned amounts as a means to intentionally cause Mrs. Rockett severe emotional distress,” said the complaint. “SWHS’s non-performance of its loan repayment obligation at the direction of Richard Rockett and Michael Rockett was extreme and outrageous, and beyond the bounds of decency in civilized society.”The complaint seeks an award of all direct and consequential damages along will attorney’s fees.Calls to attorney Stephen G. Howard, who is representing M. Denise Rockett, were not returned Friday.This is not the first time Rockett took her sons to court over financial issues. Last may Rockett filed a lawsuit claiming her sons misappropriated money that belonged to her, and payed themselves excessive salaries and took illegitimate business expenses while working for Rockett Management & Realty Co., Inc., of Marblehead and Salem.Matt Tempesta can be reached at [email protected].
