New liquidators of Bear Stearns funds sue Cayman service providers, seek $1.5 b
Four individuals and companies in the Cayman Islands have been added as defendants to a civil complaint in the United States in which the liquidators of two Bear Stearns-sponsored offshore hedge funds are trying to recover $1.5 billion. Walkers Fund Services Limited, two of its officers, Canadian national Scott Lennon, and U. S. national Michelle Wilson-Clarke, and Deloitte & Touche (Cayman) have been accused of participating in a scheme to defraud investors in the funds and then cover it up. They were added as defendants in an amended complaint that was filed at the U. S. District Court for the Southern District of New York on June 30, 2008, amending an original complaint that was filed on April 4, 2008. The causes of action against the Walkers defendants are aiding and abetting fraud, breach of fiduciary duty, and aiding and abetting breach of fiduciary duty and, against Deloitte and Touche (Cayman), violations of the Securities Exchange Act, fraud; professional malpractice, gross negligence and negligence; breach of contract, aiding and abetting fraud, and aiding and abetting breach of fiduciary duty.