The operators of a marina in Vancouver allege a third-party company and its owner knowingly profited off the unauthorized use of its docks in an illegal scheme that has cost the leaseholders hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Maritime Market and Marina Ltd. made the claims in a lawsuit filed June 17 with the B.C. Supreme Court. The company operates a marina on Granville Island where it leases moorage and commercial space to dozens of independent businesses.

The marina operator claims the luxury yacht dealer Blackfish Marine Group Inc. failed to pay over $177,000 in moorage fees and $8,900 in commercial rent. Instead, the suit alleges, Blackfish illegally subleased its 25 berths to yacht maintenance firm VTS Marine Yacht Service Inc., headed by Vivekanandan Selvamoorthy.

VTS then leased those berths to third-party boat owners, pocketing the fees for the 2026–27 season, the suit claims.

In an interview, Selvamoorthy rejected the claims brought against him, Blackfish and VTS, describing them at one point as “insane.”

“It’s not true. We’re ready to pay. But give us something that says you’re going to give me my licence,” he said. “If I just give them the money, I’m going to get booted out.”

At one point, Maritime Market and Marina claimed it demanded insurance and paperwork for the vessels, but only received documents for six of the 25 berths. Only one of those had paperwork showing it had paid annual moorage fees, the petition claims.

Selvamoorthy allegedly told Maritime Market and Marina that the rest of the vessels docked there were listed for sale and were not privately owned.

Selvamoorthy also allegedly told the leaseholder that he was not able to pay annual moorage fees for 2026-27 because VTS was paid monthly.

When Maritime Market and Marina went to confirm that information, it claims to have found Selvamoorthy had been collecting a range of undisclosed payments.

The company alleges 16 people with boats parked at the marina have since provided the marina operators with previously undisclosed moorage agreements all signed by Selvamoorthy.

“Nearly all” of those individuals said they paid VTS annual moorage fees for the entire year, with some saying they had paid a “finder’s fee” directly to Selvamoorthy, the petition claims.

Defendant rejects lawsuit’s claims as a ‘lie’

In an interview, Selvamoorthy denied he collected any finder’s fees. He said claims that he had signed the 16 moorage agreements was “a lie.”

In the past, Selvamoorthy said VTS was largely focused on yacht repair and maintenance, with operations in places like Richmond and Tsawwassen. The businessman said he shut down the latter operation to expand at Granville Island and get into the sales side of the yacht business.

“I’m looking to buy more businesses like this that aren’t able to sustain,” he said. “To grow them and make them better.”

The VTS principal said he had been in negotiations to take over Blackfish’s operations and licences since December 2025.

Selvamoorthy said management at Maritime Market and Marina had seen turnover, and in that grey area, the marina operators said they were happy VTS was coming in to “pick up the slack.”

But as the busy summer season came closer and Maritime Market and Marina came under new management, Selvamoorthy said those talks first stalled and then turned hostile.

“I feel like a racial issue was part of this, that they meant to kick us out,” he said. “They used every aspect to throw dirt on us.”

Selvamoorthy added: “You don’t do this to your tenant. We’re the ones who make sure your bills get paid.”

Marina claims damages over trespass, fraud and unjust enrichment

In its petition to the court, Maritime Market and Marina said it wrote to the defendants’ lawyers on June 1 seeking disclosure of all the moorage agreements, amounts paid, identities of the owners, and any finder’s fees and payments that had been received. By the time the lawsuit was filed on June 17, VTS had refused to provide any information, claims the leaseholder.

On May 22, 2026, the marina operators provided Blackfish with notice that it was terminating the unit leases because it had failed to pay rent.

The petition claims that Blackfish and VTS have refused to vacate the property, resulting in a continuous state of trespass since April 1, 2026.

Maritime Market and Marina is seeking court declarations that the VTS’s sub-licences are null and void. It claims damages against VTS and Selvamoorthy for trespass, fraud and unjust enrichment, and against Blackfish for trespass, breach of contract, and failure to pay rent and outstanding moorage fees.

The marina operator is also calling on the court to force an accounting and recovery of the money that changed hands at its berths. That includes Selvamoorthy’s alleged finder’s fees, profits, and any other benefits received through “his wrongful conduct.”

Maritime Market and Marina did not respond to Business in Vancouver’s request for comment.

None of the claims have been tested in court.

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