Angeliki Frangou forced Navios Maritime Holdings' preferred shareholders into a "prisoner's dilemma" in an attempt to push them out and fatten her own bank account, a lawsuit alleges.

The complaint, filed in New York federal court last week, charges the Greek shipping magnate and the company's directors with setting up a scheme to get around paying out accrued dividends owed to preferred shareholders, in an effort to pay dividends on common stock.