Onetime Sugar Loaf suitor Liko Smith continues to “Google poorly”

From staff reports

Following his ill-fated alleged attempt to acquire Sugar Loaf resort in Leelanau County a year ago, Eneliko Sean “Liko” Smith once again finds himself in legal hot water for his role with LV Air, ultra-luxury carrier that was supposed to fly between Las Vegas and New York, and received national media attention when it was announced in February.

The Las Vegas Review-Journal is on Liko Smith like a bad smell. The Samoan boxer turned businessman has left behind a trail of broken promises and failed business ventures in “Sin City”. And here’s one more for the resume (read the Review-Journal’s entire story here):

The Las Vegas Review-Journal has learned that Smith has failed to pay more than $100,000 in outstanding business debts associated with an airline that exists only on paper. Most of the money is owed for rent, salaries and utilities, but the Golden Gate hotel also paid Smith $24,000 to be included as an LV Air preferred vendor in a program that has yet to materialize.

Smith received national media attention in February when he announced creation of an ultra-luxury carrier to fly between Las Vegas and New York.

But on May 6, the Review-Journal reported that Smith claimed partnerships with resorts that he did not have, listed respected industry leaders as employees or advisers without their knowledge, and lacked financing to obtain jets he said he would use. Meanwhile, Smith is wanted by authorities in California for violating probation and failing to make restitution following a felony embezzlement conviction and faces a large IRS tax lien.

Smith’s last known address was in North Las Vegas, but his current location is unknown. He continues to promote LV Air, and on Sunday the Samoa News published a news release in which he identified himself as a Samoan entrepreneur and repeated plans to start flights later this year.