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A former co-owner of CF Environmental Laboratory has filed a breach of contract lawsuit alleging the company defaulted on a settlement agreement that was supposed to compensate him for his 47% ownership stake.
Paul Knott, who left the Fort Wayne-based company in 2019, filed the complaint June 2 in Allen Commercial Court. According to the lawsuit, Knott and co-owners Cynthia and Michael Fuhrman agreed in 2020 that Knott would sell his ownership interest in the environmental lab back to the company for $140,000.
That agreement was formalized through a series of contracts, including a promissory note for $112,000 to be paid in six annual installments.
Cynthia Fuhrman did not immediately respond to a telephone message left at the company’s office seeking comment on the lawsuit.
Knott alleges CF Environmental, which specializes in the analytical testing and field collection of water, made its scheduled payments in 2020, 2021 and 2022 but missed the 2023 payment deadline. The company eventually submitted the 2023 installment four days late — but did not pay the $1,044 in late fees required by the note, Knott claims.
The complaint alleges the situation escalated in December 2024 when, according to the complaint, CF failed to make that year’s installment payment entirely. Knott sent a formal notice of default in January 2025, seeking immediate repayment of the full remaining balance, totaling more than $67,000 including interest, fees and legal costs.
According to the lawsuit, the parties attempted to negotiate a resolution in early 2025, but no settlement was reached. Knott now seeks a court judgment for the outstanding balance plus ongoing attorneys’ fees.
Knott is represented by attorneys Lisa Starks and Logan Stevens of Barnes & Thornburg LLP.
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