Jennifer Marchese V Trigram Education Partners Llc Dba Trigram

Key Facts

Issues

• The court addressed whether to grant default judgment given that defendants Trigram Education Partners, Minerva Inflection Strategies, Ample Luck International Capital Group, and Stanford Silverman failed to appear at the hearing or file an answer to the complaint. The court conducted a testimonial hearing on December 9, 2025, and granted the Motions for Default Judgment based on the pleadings, hearing record, and Defendants' default.
• The court sua sponte dismissed the fraud claim in Count III in keeping with a prior Order on Motion to Dismiss. The unjust enrichment claim in Count IV was also dismissed because the contract of employment between the parties precludes maintaining a cause of action for unjust enrichment, as acknowledged by the wage claims awarding judgment.
• The court determined that Plaintiff Jennifer Marchese was an employee who worked for Defendants without payment of wages between August 16, 2020, and December 19, 2020, earning the right to compensation in the amount of $24,230.79. Judgment was entered for Plaintiff on Counts I (Fair Labor Standards Act) and II (Maine wage law) based on the employment relationship and failure to pay wages.

Holdings

Remedies

• Plaintiff awarded statutory liquidated damages totaling $48,461.58, representing the greater amount between double damages under federal law (29 U.S.C. § 216(b)) and treble damages under Maine law (26 M.R.S. § 626-A).
• Plaintiff receives prejudgment interest calculated at the one-year United States Treasury bill rate plus 3%, accruing from the date of filing the Complaint through the date of this Judgment, pursuant to 26 M.R.S. § 626-A and 14 M.R.S. § 1602-B.
• Plaintiff awarded unpaid wages of $24,230.79 for work performed between August 16, 2020 and December 19, 2020 without payment. This covers violations of 29 U.S.C. § 207 and 26 M.R.S. § 626 under Counts I (Fair Labor Standards Act) and II (Maine wage law).
• Plaintiff is entitled to reasonable attorney's fees and costs of suit, but these amounts must be sought through a separate motion as the Court requires additional information to determine the reasonableness of the award per Local Rules 54.2 and 54.3.

Monetary Damages

Legal Principles

• In default judgment proceedings, the well-pleaded factual allegations of the complaint may suffice to establish liability of the defaulted party. The court may conduct a hearing when circumstances suggest a need to establish truth of material allegations or investigate matters of concern.
• The contract of employment between parties precludes maintaining a cause of action for unjust enrichment. Statutory liquidated damages awarded under federal law (double damages under 29 U.S.C. § 216(b)) or state law (treble damages under 26 M.R.S. § 626-A), whichever is greater.
• A party in default effectively admits the truth of the moving party's allegations by declining to participate in the judicial process. The court may inquire into the legal sufficiency of factual allegations but the defaulted party is deemed to have admitted the truth of well-pleaded allegations.

Precedent Name

• In re The Home Restaurants, Inc.
• Ramos-Falcon v. Autoridad de Energía Eléctrica
• Ortiz-Gonzalez v. Fonovisa
• In re Wage Payment Litig.

Cited Statute

• Maine Wage Law Damages
• Maine Wage Law
• Supplemental Jurisdiction
• Fair Labor Standards Act
• Maine Wage Law Interest
• FLSA Liquidated Damages
• Federal Question Jurisdiction

Judge Name

Passage Text

• Plaintiff Jennifer Marchese was Defendants' employee and worked for Defendants without payment of wages between August 16, 2020, and December 19, 2020. In that time, she earned the right to compensation in the amount of $24,230.79.
• Based on the foregoing, the Motions for Default Judgment (ECFs Nos. 58 & 64) are GRANTED as to Counts I and II. Judgment is hereby entered for Plaintiff and against Defendants Trigram Education Partners, Minerva Inflection Strategies, Ample Luck International Capital Group, and Stanford Silverman on Counts I and II of the Complaint, and damages are awarded to Plaintiff in the amount of $24,230.79, plus prejudgment interest at the one-year United States Treasury bill rate plus 3%, accruing from the date of filing of the Complaint through the date of this Judgment. 26 M.R.S. § 626-A; 14 M.R.S. § 1602-B. Plaintiff is also awarded statutory liquidated damages in the additional amount of $48,461.58.
• Based on the employment relationship and the failure to pay wages, Judgment will enter for Plaintiff and against Defendants for unpaid wages on Counts I (Fair Labor Standards Act) and II (Maine wage law). The fraud claim in Count III is sua sponte dismissed in keeping with my prior Order on Motion to Dismiss. Because judgment is awarded on the wage claims, which acknowledge the existence of an employment contract, the unjust enrichment claim in Court IV is also dismissed.