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The organizers of a polo fundraiser match in Poolesville who are in the spotlight for allegedly crashing a state dinner at the White House last month are being sued by the county for failing to pay their liquor bill for the event.

The America's Cup of Polo, hosted at the Capitol Polo Club's polo grounds on Hughes Road in May, was touted as a star-studded event but was plagued by low attendance, disorganization and no-show performers.

The event caused thousands of dollars in damages to the fields that the property owner said has not been repaid.

The county is suing event organizers Tareq and Michaele Salahi, who attended a Nov. 24 state dinner in honor of India's prime minister allegedly without an invitation, for the match's outstanding liquor bill.

How the couple gained entry to the dinner is under investigation by the U.S. Secret Service.

Tareq Salahi did not respond to an e-mail for comment. His cell phone was disconnected. Their attorneys did not return calls for comment.

The county filed a lawsuit in Montgomery County Circuit Court against the Salahis on Nov. 30 to recoup $13,405 owed to its liquor department plus $1,035 in fees, county spokesman Patrick K. Lacefield said. A check from Tareq Salahi for nearly $24,000 bounced, and the county took back $10,378 worth of unconsumed liquor, he said.

The county plans to begin requiring that liquor purchases be paid for by cashier's check, Lacefield said.

"Generally we don't have a problem with people not paying because most people we're selling to are rooted here," he said Monday.

Property owner Mike Rubin, who leases the polo grounds to the Capitol Polo Club, said nearly $40,000 in damages caused by the event have not been paid for.

The county issued a press release promoting the polo cup and touting it as a boon to the local economy, and Gov. Martin O'Malley wrote a welcome letter that described the event as the "world's most prestigious polo competition."

Poolesville lawyer William J. Roberts said last week he advised local business owners earlier this year not to sponsor the event after cursory research revealed problems at two polo cups held in Virginia.

The Virginia Office of Consumer Affairs issued a statement in May warning consumers not to donate to Journey for the Cure, an IRS-registered nonprofit founded by Tareq Salahi and listed as the beneficiary of the charity polo cup, because it had not registered with the state. Virginia announced this month that it will investigate the charity, according to media reports. Journey for the Cure, which reportedly distributes 100 percent of the money it collects to other nonprofits, is not in Maryland's online database of charities registered with the state.

Event organizers initially said that the cup would be held in Poolesville for three years, which polo club President Robert T. Do disputed in May, saying the club committed to one year but would be open to discussing future events. Do said last week that the cup would not return to the grounds.

Staff Writer Erin Donaghue contributed to this report.