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Friday, March 29, 2024 | Back issues
Courthouse News Service Courthouse News Service

Ponzi Receiver Sues|Tiger Woods Foundation

DALLAS (CN) - The court-appointed receiver for R. Allen Stanford's $7 billion Ponzi scheme demands $500,000 that Stanford donated to the Tiger Woods Foundation.

Ralph Janvey, with Krage Janvey in Dallas, sued the Tiger Woods Foundation and Tiger Woods Charity Event Corp. in Federal Court.

Janvey claims they received the money in two transfers from Stanford Capital Management LLC, Stanford Financial Group Co. and the Stanford Financial Group Building Inc.

"These contributions amount to fraudulent transfers because defendants exchanged no reasonably equivalent consideration for what they received," the 12-page complaint states. "The receiver brings this complaint to rescind these transfers because the funds used were those of innocent, unwitting investors in the bank's fraudulent Ponzi scheme."

Janvey says the contributions the foundation was promised are based on "illegal contracts" that are no basis for keeping money that belongs to Stanford's injured investors.

"The claims of the [Stanford entity] defendants' creditors, including the defrauded investors in the Ponzi scheme, arose before or within a reasonable time after the transfers," the complaint states. "Stanford Financial Group Company made the transfers with the actual intent to hinder, delay, or defraud its creditors."

Stanford, 63, was convicted in 2012 in Houston Federal Court of selling phony certificates of deposit. He is serving 110 years in federal prison .

The foundation did not immediately respond to a request for comment Monday evening.

Founded in 1996, the foundation funds scholarships and several Tiger Woods Leaning Centers in Southern California and Washington, D.C., according to its website.

Janvey seeks disgorgement of $502,000 for fraudulent transfer and unjust enrichment. He is represented by Richard Roper with Thompson Knight in Dallas.

Janvey has aggressively tried to recover funds originating from the Ponzi scheme, filing approximately 50 lawsuits against recipients since his appointment, according to the Courthouse News database.

His targets have included the Miami Heat basketball team, Texas A&M University, the University of Miami, the PGA Tour and the ATP Tour, among others.

In January, the New Orleans-based 5th Circuit ruled that Janvey could go after $1.98 million held by Trustmark National Bank. A three-judge panel with the federal appeals court determined the cash collateral was Stanford's property and part of the receivership estate.

Woods' foundation is not accused of participating in the Ponzi scam, only of receiving money from it.

Follow @davejourno
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