Legal

Police in Malta are investigating lawyer Aron Mifsud Bonnici and businessman Yorgen Fenech regarding "the unlawful acquisition of firearms" on the "Dark Web" using Bitcoin. Details are contained in an application to collect evidence from crypto exchanges Poloniex and Coinbase that was filed at federal court in Delaware by the USA after receiving a request for judicial assistance from Malta.

Application for the appointment of a Commissioner to collect evidence from crypto exchanges Poloniex and Coinbase - pursuant to a request for judicial assistance from Malta - for a criminal investigation into Maltese businessman Yorgen Fenech and Maltese lawyer Aron Mifsud Bonnici for "the unlawful acquisition of firearms".

Summons with Notice for "not less than $10 million" alleging legal malpractice regarding "claims against Ethiopian Airlines Group" in Arena Riparian (Cayman) LLC, of the Cayman Islands, and Arena Riparian LLC v. Brown Rudnick LLP at the Supreme Court of the State of New York, County of New York.

Criminal Indictment alleging securities fraud in USA v. Andrew Coldicutt, a Canadian attorney residing in California, at the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California.

Ten years after OffshoreAlert began exposing his Cayman Islands-domiciled Axiom Legal Financing Fund £120 million investment fraud, causing him to sue us for libel, 61-year-old British national Timothy Schools has been convicted on all five counts against him at Southwark Crown Court, in London, and is in custody pending sentencing on Thursday.

Wyoming-based asset protection law firm Cloud Peak Law Group has applied to quash an IRS summons to provide testimony and records for a tax investigation by Denmark into one of its clients, Wyoming-domiciled 1st International LLC.

Petition to Quash Summons regarding a tax investigation by Denmark into one of its clients, 1st International LLC in Cloud Peak Law Group PC, a law firm in Wyoming specializing in asset protection v. USA at the U.S. District Court for the District of Wyoming.

Plaintiff's Motion for Leave to File Second Amended Complaint alleging the plaintiff "was deceptively lured into an elaborate scam to advance the sum of 12.2 million U.S. dollars for one million nonexistent doses of AstraZeneca vaccine" for COVID-19 and to add James L. Scott, a lawyer in Michigan, and Warner Norcross + Judd LLP, a law firm in Michigan, as defendants for alleged malpractice in Radical Investments Ltd., a St. Lucia company based in Barbados v. Good Vibrations Entertainment LLC, of Florida; Alex Lee Moore, a.k.a. Flex Moore; Prestige Pegasus LLC, of Colorado; Moniladae Coley, a.k.a. Moniladai Coley; Charles Stein, a.k.a. Charlie Stein, a lawyer in California, and Davidovich Stein Law Group LLC, a law firm California, at the U. S. District Court for the Central District of California.

Judgment regarding an application from an anonymous "BVI law firm" that "sought to come off the record as acting for its client on the basis that the firm was professionally embarrassed" in a case styled only as "Ex Parte A Professionally Embarrassed Law Firm" at the British Virgin Islands High Court.

Application by Kuwait Ports Authority and The Public Institution for Social Security, both of Kuwait, to take discovery from Crowell & Moring LLP, a law firm, for use in legal proceedings in the Cayman Islands involving "direct and derivative claims for multiple frauds committed by the general partner of a Cayman limited partnership, The Port Fund, L.P., and persons and entities acting in concert with the general partner", filed at the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.

Judgment regarding an application by Apple law firm to be "removed from the record" regarding its representation of a Russian bank that is subject to sanctions in AO Alfa-Bank v. Kipford Ventures Ltd. at the British Virgin Islands High Court.

Peru is seeking evidence from a New York-based credit union for employees of the United Nations for a criminal investigation into lawyer José Luis Noriega Ludwick, who is suspected of laundering money for "Clan Orellana, the largest criminal organization in Peru's existence".

Application for the appointment of a Commissioner to collect evidence from United Nations Federal Credit Union - pursuant to a request for judicial assistance from Peru - for a criminal investigation into Jose Luis Noriega Ludwick, described as "a lawyer of a Peruvian criminal organization, Clan Orellana", and others for suspected "money laundering and crimes against public order and conspiracy", filed at the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.

Application by Itáu Unibanco SA to take discovery from Martha L. Mendez, P.A., d.b.a. Title Team, of Coral Gables, Florida, for use in legal proceedings in São Paulo, Brazil, regarding "various loan agreements, import credit agreements, and derivative contracts with a Brazilian company named MapTrade Indústria e Comércio de Produtos Ltda.", filed at the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida.

Judgment for $93,087 in Borah Goldstein Altschuler Nahins & Goidel PC v. Raygan Mills Ltd., of London, England, at the Supreme Court of the State of New York, County of New York.

Judgment in Eurasian Natural Resources Corporation Limited v. Dechert LLP, David Neil Gerrard, and The Director of the Serious Fraud Office at the High Court of Justice of England and Wales.

In a judgment at Bermuda Supreme Court, Australian barrister Evatt Tamine has been ordered to repay nearly $30 million that he allegedly misappropriated from a Bermuda trust he administered on behalf of U.S. businessman Robert Brockman, who was criminally indicted at federal court in California in 2020 for an alleged $2 billion offshore tax fraud scheme.

Ex Parte Request for Judicial Assistance by Susan Elaine Devine, described as "a citizen of the United States and Brazil and a resident of Florida" and a former wife of Florian Homm, a German citizen who was indicted in California in 2013 for alleged investment fraud and is currently a fugitive, to obtain evidence from law firm Spears & Imes LLP for use "in connection with criminal proceedings that have been launched against Ms. Devine in Liechtenstein relating to alleged money laundering" involving "nine hedge funds that were incorporated in the Cayman Islands", namely Absolute Activist Value Master Fund Limited, Absolute East West Fund Limited, Absolute East West Master Fund Limited, Absolute European Catalyst Fund Limited, Absolute Germany Fund Limited, Absolute India Fund Limited, Absolute Octane Fund Limited, Absolute Octane Master Fund Limited, and Absolute Return Europe Fund Limited, filed at the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.

Judgment awarding $16.8 million, $5.395 million, and £5 million against the defendants in BCT Limited, a Cayman Islands subsidiary of Maples Group, as Trustee of the A. Eugene Brockman Charitable Trust, and Spanish Steps Holdings Limited, of the British Virgin Islands v. Evatt Tamine, an Australian barrister, and Tangarra Consultants Limited, of Bermuda, at Bermuda Supreme Court.

Complaint alleging a law firm's negligence caused a client to transfer $2.8 million to an "imposter" who had "spoofed" an email address in LTC (BVI) Ltd., of the British Virgin Islands, described as "an investor and investment manager" v. BraunHagey & Borden LLP, a law firm in California, at the Superior Court of the State of California, County of San Francisco.

Application by Palantir Technologies Inc. to take discovery from Williams & Connolly LLP, a law firm, and laywers Barry S. Simon, and Stephen L. Wohlgemuth for use in "two German proceedings: (i) a patent entitlement litigation before the Regional Court of Munich, Federal Republic of Germany between Palantir and Williams & Connolly's client, Marc L. Abramowitz, and (ii) a criminal investigation by a German public prosecutor of Abramowitz, Simon, and Wohlgemuth" for suspected "attempted litigation fraud", filed at the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.

The Conyers legal and corporate services group, which is one of the offshore industry's biggest professional service providers, has been fined $2.1 million by the Bermuda Monetary Authority for failure to comply with anti-money laundering regulations and legal "obligations".

Originating Application alleging unpaid legal fees incurred while representing PPlive Sports International Limited, described as a subsidiary of Great Mercury Ltd., in a lawsuit brought in England by The Football Association Premier League Limited in Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan LLP v. Great Mercury Ltd. at the British Virgin Islands High Court.

Claim Form in Belfast Services SA v. Harney Westwood & Riegels LP at the British Virgin Islands High Court.

Criminal Information alleging money laundering in USA v. Acisclo Valladares Urruela, a Guatemalan attorney and former Economics Minister of Guatemala, at the U. S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida.

Complaint alleging breach of contract in The Bukh Law Firm PLLC v. The Republic of Moldova at the U. S. District Court for the District of Columbia.

Chapter 11 Trustee's Motion for an order enforcing the automatic stay and granting a preliminary injunction in Lawrence Katz, as Chapter 11 Trustee for the Bankruptcy Estate of Samir Andrawos v. Damian Gomez and Charles Mackay, both lawyers in the Bahamas, at the U. S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Maryland.

Complaint to enforce an automatic stay and compel turnover of asset alleging fraudulent transfers and unjust enrichment in Lawrence Katz, as Chapter 11 Trustee for the Bankruptcy Estate of Samir Andrawos v. Damian Gomez and Charles Mackay, both lawyers in the Bahamas, at the U. S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Maryland.

Criminal Indictment alleging insider trading in shares of U.S Goethermal Inc. via a company in the Seychelles and bank accounts in Switzerland in USA v. Moshe Strugano, described as an Israeli "corporate lawyer" whose "law practice specialized in registering and establishing offshore companies and trusts, and opening related financial accounts", at the U. S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.

Judgment on i). Ogier's application to stop representing VTB Bank following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, ii). whether a Receivership Order requires "the Governor's licence" due to sanctions, and iii) whether Arrowcrest is subject to the Court's jurisdiction in JSC VTB Bank, a Russian state-owned bank v. Sergey Taruta and Arrowcrest Ltd. at the British Virgin Islands High Court.

Judgment striking out action for "an abuse of process of the Court" in Andrey Titarenko v. Appleby (BVI) Limited, Terence Wyndham Wong, Andrew Willins, Laure-Astrid Wigglesworth, and Fraser Mitchell at the British Virgin Islands High Court.

Complaint alleging the defendant "participated in fraudulent scheme to create a sham public company and register an offering of its securities with the SEC, concealing from SEC filings the company's true control persons/promoters and source of funding, and his role as its securities attorney" in U. S. Securities and Exchange Commission v. Andrew Coldicutt, described as a citizen of Canada residing in San Diego, California, at the U. S. District Court for the Southern District of California.

Complaint in Conyers Dill & Pearman, a Bermuda law firm v. Velocity Ledger Technology Inc. at the Supreme Court of the State of New York, County of Kings.

Complaint "for aiding and abetting fraud, aiding and abetting breach of fiduciary duty and negligent misrepresentation against Duff & Phelps for enabling a massive fraud orchestrated by Brendan Ross through a $789 million private investment fund structure managed by Direct Lending Investments, LLC" in Atkins Investment Partnership et al v. Duff & Phelps at the U. S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.

Originating Summons in which a Cayman Islands corporate services provider plaintiff "seeks the determination of the Court as to the meaning and effect of Section 255 and Section 281 D of the Companies Act (2022 Revision)" in Walkers Corporate Limited v. The Minister of Financial Services and Commerce, The Registrar of Companies, and The Attorney General of the Cayman Islands at the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands.

Amended Writ of Summons and Statement of Claim in The Port Fund LP, of the Cayman Islands, and General Retirement and Social Insurance Authority, of Qatar v. Walkers (Dubai) LLP, a Dubai-based law firm, at the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands.

Application by Carolina Andraus Lane to take discovery from Morgan Stanley, RBC Bank, Citigroup, Inc., Deutsche Bank AG, Safra Bank of New York, and law firm Fox Horan & Camerini LLP for use in legal proceedings in São Paulo, Brazil, "her former husband and business partner Gilberto Miranda Batista", filed at the U. S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.

Bermuda law firm Conyers Dill & Pearman is suing a now-defunct Bermuda-domiciled crypto client, Velocity Ledger Holdings Ltd., in New York for an alleged debt of $42,000.

Mourant Ozannes law firm has applied to liquidate MultiBank FX International Corporation in the British Virgin Islands over alleged unpaid legal fees of $77,711. The alleged debtor is part of the MultiBank Group, which claims to have companies or offices in Australia, Austria, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, China, Cyprus, Egypt, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Kuwait, Malaysia, Mexico, Nigeria, Philippines, Spain, Turkey, USA, and Vietnam.

Complaint alleging breach of contract in Caetano Rosa Holding Corp., described as a Marshall Islands company owned by Jobelino Locatelli, who "died on February 17, 2020" and was "the patriarch of the Locatelli family; a prominent family from Sao Paulo, Brazil, with extensive business interests" v. Kravitz Law PA and Genilde Guerra at the Circuit Court of the 11th Judicial Circuit, in and for Miami-Dade County, Florida.

Judgment regarding "a troubling case" in which "Fernando Toledo ... has failed to fully and properly comply with a court order" in Arnage Holdings Limited, Brooklands Holdings Limited, East Farthing Holdings Limited, Katia Rabello, and Fernando Toledo v. Walkers, a law firm, at the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands.

Writ of Summons for $1.1 million, plus interest, in allegedly unpaid legal fees and expenses in Travers Thorp Alberga, a law firm v. Kurt Scott, of Milton Keynes, England, at the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands.

Writ of Summons for $55,919, plus interest, in allegedly unpaid legal fees and expenses in HSM Chambers, a law firm v. Island Restaurants Ltd., trading as Green Parrot, and Kevin Doyle at the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands.

Judgment imposing a fine of £25,000 and costs of £32,500 against MdR Solicitors and dismissing allegations against Elizabeth Ellen in Solicitors Regulation Authority Ltd. v. Elizabeth Ellen and MdR Solicitors, formerly known as Mishcon de Reya Solicitors, at the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal.

Motion to Quash Service and Dismiss Complaint by Charles Stein and Davidovich Stein Law Group LLP regarding an alleged $6.7 million fraud involving “non-existent doses” of a COVID-19 vaccine “for the purpose of vaccinating nearly 300,000 citizens of the island of Barbados” in Radical Investments Ltd., described as a St. Lucia company based in Barbados v. Good Vibrations Entertainment LLC, of Florida; Alex Lee Moore, a.k.a. Flex Moore; Prestige Pegasus LLC, of Colorado; Moniladae Coley, a.k.a. Moniladai Coley; Charles Stein, a.k.a. Charlie Stein, a lawyer in California, and Davidovich Stein Law Group LLC, a law firm California, at the U. S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida.

Decision by the Solicitors Regulatory Authority for England and Wales imposing a fine of £232,500, plus costs of £50,000, on Mishcon de Reya LLP, a law firm, for regulatory breaches.

Generally Endorsed Writ of Summons alleging breach of fiduciary duty, breach of trust, fraudulent disposal of trust property by trustee, dishonest appropriation of property, and conspiracy to defraud in Geoffrey Lynn Randall Willcocks v. Joseph E. Wakefield, a lawyer, and Wakefield Quin Limited, a law firm, at Bermuda Supreme Court.

Writ of Summons and Statement of Claim in The Port Fund LP, of the Cayman Islands, and General Retirement and Social Insurance Authority, of Qatar v. Walkers (Dubai) LLP, a Dubai-based law firm, at the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands.

Complaint in Conyers Dill & Pearson [sic], of Bermuda, which appears to be a mis-identification of Conyers Dill & Pearman law firm v. Velocity Ledger Holdings Ltd. at the Supreme Court of the State of New York, County of Kings.

Shareholder Derivative Complaint alleging legal malpractice that "caused the Company to suffer damages in excess of USD$180,400,000" in China AI Capital Limited, of the British Virgin Islands, derivatively on behalf of Link Motion Inc., f.k.a. NQ Mobile Inc., described as a Cayman Islands-domiciled, China-based "technology business" v. DLA Piper LLP, a law firm domiciled in Maryland, and Caryn G. Schechtman, an attorney with DLA Piper, in New York, as Defendants, and Link Motion Inc., as Nominal Defendant, at the U. S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.