Last modified: Wednesday, October 3, 2007 1:04 AM EDT Plaza seeks to evict market BY DAVID LINTON SUN CHRONICLE STAFF NORTH ATTLEBORO - The landlord has filed a court complaint seeking to evict Ocean Fresh Seafood, alleging its owner owes at least $53,140 in back rent. A hearing is scheduled Oct. 11 in Attleboro District Court. The complaint filed by the landlord, Compass Realty/Attleboro LLC, alleges Ocean Fresh Seafood Inc., owes $39,079 in back rent for the seafood store. The landlord also alleges Ocean Fresh Seafood of North Attleboro Inc. owes $14,059 for its corporate office next door to the fish market. The amount sought by Compass Realty/Attleboro does not include interest and lawyer's fees, which would increase the total amount. The complaint alleges the corporations have repeatedly failed to fulfill rental obligations, maintenance charges or insurance and property taxes under the terms of a lease signed in December 2005. The landlord has sent notices beginning May 8 seeking payment without success, according to the complaint filed Monday. Compass Realty/Attleboro minate the lease with Ocean Fresh, which would allow it to lease the property to another tenant. A lawyer representing the landlord could not be reached for comment Tuesday. Ocean Fresh President Robert Coutu could not be reached for comment Tuesday and has not returned calls to The Sun Chronicle since mid-September, when Wells Fargo Business Credit seized the fish market on Route 1. Wells Fargo, which is currently operating the business, alleges in a lawsuit that Coutu defaulted on a loan and owes $9 million. It also alleges that some of Ocean Fresh's assets were transferred to a sham company in the Bahamas. A spokeswoman for Wells Fargo could not be reached for comment Tuesday regarding the landlord's complaint. It is unclear whether Wells Fargo or anyone else would lease the space and continue to run the fish market, one of the most popular in the area before its business troubles came to light in early September. The business's troubles occurred after Wells Fargo conducted a routine audit of Ocean Fresh's inventory and allegedly found that millions of dollars of its collateral was unaccounted for in financial records. Since then, Ocean Fresh's wholesale operation has been shut down, but its retail store has stayed open. The business is no longer honoring gift certificates, which has angered many longtime customers. A spokeswoman for the state Attorney General's Office has received 11 complaints about gift certificates not being honored. Customers with concerns about gift certificates can contact the Attorney General's Office at 617-727-8400 to file a complaint.