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Thursday, March 28, 2024 | Back issues
Courthouse News Service Courthouse News Service

Stanford Ponzi Receiver Sues State Department

DALLAS (CN) - The receiver for R. Allen Stanford's $7 billion Ponzi scheme demands documents from the State Department and Customs as he hunts for $16.4 million in fraudulent transfers.

Ralph Janvey filed motions to compel the two agencies to deliver records on forrmer Stanford insiders David Miguel Nanes and wife Hasibe Elizabeth Ancona. His May 21 motion in Federal Court seeks their passport records and any contact information on file.

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

"The Receiver believes that Mr. Nanes and Ms. Ancona have both possession and knowledge of the location of several million dollars that Mr. Nanes and his companies received as fraudulent transfers from the Stanford Ponzi scheme," the 20-page motion to compel the State Department states. "Indeed, the receiver has a judgment against Mr. Nanes's company, Wealth Management Services, Ltd., in a separate lawsuit for over $9.8 million in fraudulent transfers."

Janvey said Nanes and his shell companies were paid more than $16.4 million for work in furtherance of the Ponzi scheme. He says the subpoena is necessary to litigate three lawsuits the receivership has filed against Nanes and his companies.

Janvey said Nanes has taken steps to make sure he is not found, including using Russia-based Internet service and multiple mail-drop boxes to get mail. Nanes' attorney in the lawsuits claims to be unaware of his whereabouts.

The State Department's objections to the request were late and unpersuasive, Janvey said.

"Though the Receiver's subpoena was properly served on March 6, 2015, the Department failed to object or otherwise respond prior to the March 19, 2015 deadline set forth in the subpoena," the motion states. "On April 14, 2015, the Department belatedly served the Receiver with written objections on four grounds: (1) disclosure is prohibited under the Privacy Act, (2) disclosure is prohibited under the Immigration and Nationality Act, (3) disclosure would expend Department resources for purposes other than the conduct of official business, and (4) disclosure would reveal information protected by privileges available under federal or state statutory, constitutional, or common law."

Janvey has filed approximately 50 lawsuits against Stanford money recipients since his appointment, according to the Courthouse News database.

His targets have included the Tiger Woods Foundation , the Miami Heat, Texas A&M University, the University of Miami, the PGA Tour and the ATP Tour.

In the first such lawsuit to go to trial, a federal jury in February ordered former Ambassador to Ecuador Peter Romero to return more than $700,000 in fraudulent transfers.

Janvey claimed Romero - a former member of the Stanford International Advisory Board - accepted payments from at least four Stanford entities from 2004 to 2009.

Two weeks ago, a pair of Louisiana law firms agreed to pay $5 million to settle claims they referred clients to the scheme and gave fake opinions to Antiguan banking authorities.

Janvey had sued New Orleans-based Adams & Reese and Baton Rouge-based Breazeale Sachse & Wilson in 2012 for negligence, breach of fiduciary duty, aiding and abetting, one year after a proposed class of Stanford investors sued.

In his demand for records, Janvey is represented by Kevin Sandler, with Baker Botts in Austin.

Follow @davejourno
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