Accounting

The liquidators of an offshore hedge fund and a "pass-through" tax vehicle that were part of the failed $1 billion U.S.-based Platinum Partners investment group have sued the Cayman Islands and New York operations of auditor BDO.

Writ of Summons in Platinum Partners Value Arbitrage Fund (International) Limited (in Official Liquidation) and Platinum Partners Value Arbitrage Intermediate Fund Ltd. (in Official Liquidation) v. BDO USA LLP, of New York; BDO Cayman Islands, and BDO Cayman Ltd., both of the Cayman Islands, at the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands.

Criminal Information alleging conspiracy to defraud the United States in USA v. Strachans SA (in Liquidation), described as "a Jersey-based accounting and financial services company that assisted U.S. taxpayer-clients and others in evading taxes through the use of offshore trusts and entities and offshore bank accounts" that later moved to Switzerland, at the U. S. District Court for the Central District of California. Editor's Note: In the Criminal Information, the USA stated that Strachans moved from Jersey to Switzerland in 1999 and, in 2009, "began doing business as Elston Management". Research by OffshoreAlert in the Swiss Commercial Registry showed that directors, past and present, of Elston Management SA have included Richard Jepson Egglishaw, a citizen of the United Kingdom residing in Monaco; Dino Ferro, a citizen of Italy; Rachel Laure Dupanloup, Henri Bressoud, and Dominique de Weck, of Switzerland.

Plea Agreement in USA v. Strachans SA (in Liquidation), described as "a Jersey-based accounting and financial services company that assisted U.S. taxpayer-clients and others in evading taxes through the use of offshore trusts and entities and offshore bank accounts" that later moved to Switzerland and "began doing business as Elston Management", at the U. S. District Court for the Central District of California.

Order by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board fining and revoking the registration of HLB Mann Judd and barring and fining Darryl Swindells and Aidan Smith, all of Australia, for violating "rules and auditing standards"

Approved Judgment of $11 million in favor of the plaintiff - a whistleblower - against his former employer, Ernst & Young, regarding a claim for negligence involving suspected money laundering by a client, Dubai-based precious metals dealer Kaloti Jewellery International DMCC, in Amjad Rihan v. Ernst & Young Global Limited, Ernst & Young Europe LLP, Ernst & Young (EMEIA) Services Limited, and EYGS LLP at the High Court of Justice, London.

Defense in Circumference Investments (Europe) Limited, of England; Circumference (Luxembourg) Sàrl, of Luxembourg, and Circumference Holdings Ltd., of the Cayman Islands v. Nicholas James Martin, of Luxembourg, at the High Court of Justice, England and Wales.

Notice of Removal, including a copy of the complaint alleging professional malpractice regarding a proposed transaction involving Warid Telecom International, of the United Arab Emirates, in Elko Broadband Ltd., of Reno, Nevada v. HaiderMota BNR, described as a law firm in Pakistan, and A.F. Ferguson & Company, described as an accounting firm in Pakistan, at the U. S. District Court for the District of Nevada.

British accountant Mark Munnelly, who played a leading role in a £40 million-plus investment fraud committed by the now-defunct Privilege Wealth group, has formed three new firms in England over the last three months, OffshoreAlert can reveal.

Administrative Order suspending chartered accountant Jeffery A. Curran, of Calgary, Canada, from appearing before the U. S. Securities and Exchange Commission regarding "false accounting" by Penn West Petroleum Ltd., of which he was Vice President of Accounting and Reporting.

Administrative Order suspending chartered accountant Todd H. Takeyasu, of Calgary, Canada, from practicing before the U. S. Securities and Exchange Commission after the regulator determined that he "engaged in accounting practices that resulted in false and misleading journal entries that had no adequate documentary support or basis in reality" while serving as the Chief Financial Officer of Penn West Petroleum, Ltd.

Originating Summons in BDO Cayman Ltd., of the Cayman Islands, and BDO Trinity Ltd., of Trinidad and Tobago v. Ardent Harmony Fund Inc. (in Official Liquidation) at the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands.

Administrative Order Instituting Proceedings alleging "improper professional conduct" involving, inter alia, British Virgin Islands-domiciled, United Kingdom-based Interactive Multi-Media Auction Corporation, now known as Stop Sleep Go Inc., and Delaware-domiciled, South Korea-based IMK Group Inc. against PLS, CPA, a.k.a. PLS CPAs; Chang G. Park, CPA, a.k.a. Changgeun Park; Joseph Yongyun Lee, CPA, a.k.a. Yong Yun Lee, and Juchi Lee, CPA, a.k.a. Juchi Lee Fernandez, a.k.a. Ju-Chi Lee, a.k.a. Ju Chi Lee, a.k.a. Sue Lee, before the U. S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

Judgment of $11 million in favor of the plaintiff - a whistleblower - against his former employer, Ernst & Young, regarding a claim for negligence involving suspected money laundering by a client, Dubai-based precious metals dealer Kaloti Jewellery International DMCC, in Amjad Rihan v. Ernst & Young Global Limited, Ernst & Young Europe LLP, Ernst & Young (EMEIA) Services Limited, and EYGS LLP at the High Court of Justice, London.

Complaint alleging fraud, negligent misrepresentation, and gross negligence involving "secured credit facilities and associated loans and precious metal leases to Republic Metals Corporation" in Coöperatieve Rabobank U.A., New York Branch, a foreign branch office of a bank in the Netherlands; Brown Brothers Harriman & Co., of New York; Bank Hapoalim B.M., a foreign branch office of a bank in Israel; Mitsubishi International Corporation, of New York; ICBC Standard Bank Plc, of England; Techemet Metal Trading, LLC, of Texas; Merced Partners Limited Partnership, and Athilon Capital Corp., LLC, both domiciled in Delaware, based in Minnesota, as successors to Woodforest National Bank, and Hain Capital Investors Master Fund, Ltd., domiciled in the Cayman Islands, based in New Jersey, as successor to Bank Leumi USA v. EisnerAmper LLP at the Circuit Court of the 11th Judicial Circuit, in and for Miami-Dade County, Florida

Opposition to Defendant's Motion to Dismiss regarding allegations of negligence, professional malpractice, and fraudulent concealment in Ardent Harmony Fund Inc. (in Liquidation), of the Cayman Islands v. BDO Trinity Ltd., a.k.a. BDO Trinidad & Tobago, of Trinidad & Tobago, at the Supreme Court of the State of New York.

Administrative Sanction by the Luxembourg CSSF imposing a €1,500 fine against Edward Kostka "for professional misconduct and negligence" concerning the audit profession.

Complaint alleging that "three former CohnReznick partners - Robert DeMeola, Alan Wohl, and Howard Leung - have hatched a carefully-orchestrated scheme to raid CohnReznick's New York office and are exploiting CohnReznick's confidential and proprietary information to solicit and retain CohnReznick's clients, partners and employees" in CohnReznick LLP, described as "a national accounting, tax and business advisory firm" v. Mazars USA LLP, of New York, NY, at the U. S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.

Application by Eurasian Natural Resources Corporation Limited, of England, to take discovery from Deloitte LLP for use in legal proceedings at the High Court of Justice of England and Wales against its former attorneys, Dechert LLP and David Neil Gerrard, for alleged misconduct, filed at the U. S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.

Complaint attempting to hold the defendant "accountable for its failure to alert Ardent to an egregious fraud" in Ardent Harmony Fund Inc. (in Liquidation), of the Cayman Islands v. BDO Trinity Ltd., d.b.a. BDO Trinidad and Tobago, of Trinidad and Tobago, at the Supreme Court of the State of New York, County of Nassau.

The world's 'Big Four' accountancy firms PwC, Deloitte, Ernst & Young, and KPMG have become a gilded elite. Up in the high six figures, an average partner salary rivals that of a Premier League footballer. But

Judgment regarding "the breakdown of a professional relationship" in Sylvia Sutherland v. Pannell Kerr Forster and Floyd Patterson at the Saint Vincent and the Grenadines High Court.

Notice by the Mauritius Financial Services Commission announcing the Revocation of the Management License of Black River Trust Company Ltd., formerly known as Grand Baie Trust Company Ltd., and the Disqualification of its Officers, Luc Allan Penny Hack, a lawyer, and David Perry Gaskell, a British chartered accountant.

Order Instituting Public Administrative and Cease-and-Desist Proceedings, Making Findings and Imposing Remedial Sanctions in the matter of RSM US LLP, formerly McGladrey LLP, before the U. S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

Public Statement by the Guernsey Financial Services Commission regarding Bruce David McNaught.

Notice of Removal, including a copy of the complaint, in Cooperatieve Rabobank U.A., New York Branch; Brown Brothers Harriman & Co., of New York; Bank Hapoalim B.M., of Israel; Mitsubishi International Corporation, of New York; ICBC Standard Bank Plc, of England and Wales; Techemet Metal Trading LLC, of Texas; Woodforest National Bank, of Texas, and Hain Capital Investors Master Fund Ltd., of the Cayman Islands v. Crowe LP, an accounting firm in Florida and a member of Switzerland-based Crowe Global, at the U. S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida.

Judgment in Robert Patraulea, a citizen of Canada residing in the Cayman Islands v. The Council of the Cayman Islands Institute of Professional Accountants at the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands.

Originating Application for the appointment of liquidators based in Bermuda and the British Virgin Islands in Carter Backer Winter LLP, an accounting and business advisory firm based in the United Kingdom v. Cranborne Enterprises Limited at the British Virgin Islands High Court.

A class action complaint has been filed in the United States against professional advisers in Arizona, Florida, and New York, captive insurers in Saint Kitts and Nevis, and others for allegedly designing and promoting "illegal and abusive tax shelters" into which "premiums" totaling tens of millions of dollars were paid.

Complaint alleging fraud regarding "illegal and abusive tax shelters" involving offshore captive insurers in the Caribbean in Feedback Insurance Company, Ltd., of Saint Kitts and Nevis; Benyamin Avrahami, Orna Avrahami, BYS Company, ACC, Chandler One, LLC, Junction Development, LLC, O & E Corporation, White Mountain Equities, LLC, and White Knight Investment, ACC, all of Arizona v. Celia Clark, of New York; Clark & Gentry, PLLC, of New York; John Garcia, of New York, as Personal Representative for the Estate of Craig McEntee; McEntee & Associates PC, of New York; Neil Hiller, of Arizona; Fennemore Craig, PC, of Arizona; Allen Rosenbach, of Florida; ACR Solutions Group, of Florida; RMS Solutions, Inc., of Illinois; Heritor Management, Ltd., of Saint Kitts and Nevis; and Pan American Reinsurance Company, Ltd., of Saint Kitts and Nevis, at the U. S. District Court for the District of Arizona.

Accounting firm Grant Thornton and law firms Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft, and Greene Espel have agreed to pay a combined $849,243 to settle claims that they aided and abetted a $150 million investment fraud perpetrated by the Providence Financial Group, which was based in Guernsey, Miami, and Brazil.

KPMG Bermuda and its Managing Director, Damion Henderson, have been fined and censured by the U.S. Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, which regulates auditors of public-traded companies.

Order of Findings and Imposing Sanctions in Public Company Accounting Oversight Board v. KPMG Audit Limited and Damion J. Henderson, both of Bermuda.

Motion to Quash Subpoena Issued to accounting firm Goldberg Gluck & Brusilovsky LLP by Lessia Shatalin and Katerina Duncan in USA v. All Assets Held at Bank Julius Baer & Company Ltd., Guernsey Branch, in the name of Pavlo Lazarenko at the U. S. District Court for the Northern District of California.

Opinion in RS Investments Ltd., Corrado Investments Limited, Eden Rock Finance Master Limited, Eden Rock Asset Based Lending Master Limited, Eden Rock Unleveraged Finance Master Limited, and Solid Rock Special Situations 2 Limited v. RSM US, LLP, RSM Cayman Ltd., and Simon Lesser at the Appellate Court of Illinois, First Judicial District.

Ruling on Motion for Default Judgment Against Alphonse 'Buddy' Fletcher, Jr. and Fletcher Asset Management Inc. in Firefighters' Retirement System, Municipal Employees' Retirement System of Louisiana, and New Orleans Firefighters' Pension & Relief Fund v. Alphonse 'Buddy' Fletcher, Jr., Fletcher Asset Management, Inc., Citco Group Limited, Citco Fund Services (Cayman Islands) Limited, Citco Fund Services (Bermuda) Limited, Citco Fund Services (Suisse) S.A., Citco Fund Services (Europe) B.V., Citco Global Custody N.V., Citco (Canada) Inc., Citco Bank Nederland N.V. Dublin Branch, Citco Banking Corporation N.V., Citco Curacao N.V., Citco (USA) Holdings Inc., Citco Fund Services (SA) Inc., Citco Technology Management, Inc., Denis Kiely, Duhallow Financial Services, LLC, Lisa Alexander, Peter M. Zayfert, Consulting Group Services, LLC, Joe Meals, Grant Thornton International Ltd., and Skadden, Arps, Meagher & Flom, LLP at the U. S. District Court for the Middle District of Louisiana.

Notice of Removal, including copy of the complaint, in Reliant Group & Casualty ICC Ltd., formerly known as Bancroft Life & Casualty ICC Ltd. v. CBIZ MHM LLC at the U. S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida.

Claim Form and Particulars of Claim for breach of contract, negligence, breach of fiduciary duty, and dishonest assistance in Northern and Western Insurance Company Limited (in Liquidation), of Nevis, represented by its Joint Liquidators, Keiran Hutchison and Roy Bailey, of the British Virgin Islands v. BSG Valentine, an accounting firm in London, at the High Court of Justice for England and Wales.

Complaint in Reliant Group & Casualty ICC Ltd., formerly known as Bancroft Life & Casualty ICC Ltd., of Saint Lucia v. CBIZ MHM LLC at the Circuit Court of the 11th Judicial Court, in and for Miami-Dade County, Florida.

Judgment in Argyle Funds SPC Inc. (in liquidation) v. BDO Cayman Ltd. at the Cayman Islands Court of Appeal.

Amended Complaint in Maria Yip, as Trustee of Providence Financial Investments, Inc. and Providence Fixed Income Fund, LLC v. Grant Thornton LLP, Cadwalader Wickersham & Taft LLP, and Greene Espel PLLP at the U. S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Florida.

Complaint in Maria Yip, as Trustee of Providence Financial Investments, Inc. and Providence Fixed Income Fund, LLC v. Grant Thornton LLP, Cadwalader Wickersham & Taft LLP, and Greene Espel PLLP at the U. S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Florida.

Public Statement by the Guernsey Financial Services Commission regarding Bruce David McNaught.

Canadian hedge fund accountant Robert Patraulea, who has worked in Cayman since at least 2004, is appealing against a decision by the Council of the Cayman Islands Institute of Professional Accountants not to renew his license to practice.

Second Amended Complaint in Leo Ford v. KPMG LLP, KPMG BVI Limited, James Drury, Russell Crumpler, Belmont Insurance Management, Casey McDonald, Kris Beighton, Andrea Douglas, Greenberg Traurig, PA, Greenberg Traurig, LLP, Jerome Hesch, GFAN, ABG, Bancroft Property & Casualty, Ltd., a.k.a. Bancroft Life & Casualty, Ltd., and Bancroft Life & Casualty ICC, Ltd.; Bradley Barros, and Philip Sigel at the U. S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida.

Notice of Originating Motion in Robert Patraulea v. Council of the Cayman Islands Institute of Professional Accountants at the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands.

Bermuda-based accountant Belaid Jheengoor is seeking a judicial review of professional disciplinary action taken against him by the Chartered Professional Accountants of Bermuda.

Accounting group Deloitte's operations in Guernsey, Britain and Russia are being sued for fraud and negligence by a Dutch investment firm that claims to have lost at least $110 million by investing in a Russian bank that turned out to be insolvent.

Ex Parte Application for Leave to Apply for Judicial Review in Belaid Jheengoor v. Chartered Professional Accountants of Bermuda at Bermuda Supreme Court.

Amended Complaint in Argyle Funds SPC Inc. v. BDO USA LLP, BDO Cayman Ltd., BDO Trinity Ltd., d.b.a. BDO Trinidad & Tobago, and Schwartz & Company LLP at New York State Supreme Court.