United States v. Smith

953 F. Supp. 2d 1260, 2013 WL 3744111, 2013 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 101143
CourtDistrict Court, M.D. Florida
DecidedJuly 12, 2013
DocketCase No. 6:10-cr-232-35DAB
StatusPublished

This text of 953 F. Supp. 2d 1260 (United States v. Smith) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, M.D. Florida primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
United States v. Smith, 953 F. Supp. 2d 1260, 2013 WL 3744111, 2013 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 101143 (M.D. Fla. 2013).

Opinion

ORDER

MARY S. SCRIVEN, District Judge.

THIS CAUSE comes before the Court for consideration of the Motion for Summary Judgment (Dkt. 72) filed by the Government. The Government’s motion has gone unopposed and the time for opposition has long since passed. Upon consideration of all relevant filings, case law, and being otherwise fully advised, the Court GRANTS the Government’s Motion for Summary Judgment, as described herein.

I. BACKGROUND

This ancillary matter arises from Petitioner Joseph Connolly’s claim of interest in funds held in the name of TCI FX Traders in Forex Capital Markets Account Number 100005600. Joseph Connolly is the liquidator of TCI FX Traders LTD, a debtor in the Turks and Caicos Islands. TCI FX Traders LTD, a purported investment company, was used by criminal Defendant, David A. Smith (“Smith” or “Defendant”), to defraud investors out of millions of dollars. Defendant Smith consented to the forfeiture of the funds in this TCI FX Traders’ Account.

A. Procedural History

On August 18, 2010, Smith was charged in a twenty-three count indictment with wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and money laundering. (Dkt. 1) As the result of the wire fraud violations and the money laundering violations, the Forfeiture Allegations of the Information sought the forfeiture of Smith’s interest in any property constituting or derived from proceeds obtained directly or indirectly as a result of the wire fraud violations and any property, real or personal, involved in or any property traceable to such property as the result of the money laundering violations. (Id. at P. 13-15.)

On March 28, 2011, the United States and Defendant entered into a plea agreement. (Dkt. 25) As part of his plea agreement, Defendant agreed that he is liable for the forfeiture of “any and all assets and property, or portions thereof, subject to forfeiture, pursuant to 18 U.S.C. §§ 981(a)(1)(C), 982(a)(1), and 28 U.S.C. § 2461(c), whether in the possession or control of the United States or in the possession or control of the defendant or defendant’s nominees.” (Id. at P. 11) On March 29, 2011, Defendant pled guilty to Counts One through Twenty-three of the Indictment. (Dkt. 26) Thereafter, on August 4, 2011, the United States filed, pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 981(a)(1)(C), 28 U.S.C. § 2461(c), 18 U.S.C. § 982(a)(1), and Fed.R.Crim.P. 32.2(e)(1)(B), a Motion for Preliminary Order of Forfeiture seeking the forfeiture of, in relevant part, Defendant’s interest in approximately $1,662,715.50 seized from Forex Capital Markets Account No. 1000056010 held in the name of TCI FX Traders LTD (TCI FX Traders’ Account). (Dkt. 41) The [1263]*1263Court orally granted the motion for preliminary order of forfeiture at Defendant’s sentencing on August 11, 2011, and entered the written order on August 19, 2011. (Dkt. 64)

Thereafter, Joseph Connolly (“Petitioner”), as liquidator for TCI FX Traders LTD (TCI FX Traders), filed a claim to contest the forfeiture of the funds held in the TCI FX Traders’ Account. (Dkt. 66) The claim does not specify whether Petitioner is seeking relief pursuant to 21 U.S.C. § 853(n)(6)(A) or (B). Id. Petitioner filed an amended claim to comply with the requirement of 21 U.S.C. § 853(n)(3) that the claim be filed under penalty of perjury. (Dkt. 68)

The United States seeks summary judgment based on its assertion that the facts of this case are not in dispute and that Petitioner has failed to meet his burden of establishing by a preponderance of the evidence that Petitioner (1) has a superior title or (2) is a bona fide purchaser for value. (Dkt. 69) Petitioner has not filed a response to the United States’ summary judgment motion either to argue the asserted position or to contest the facts that the United States asserts are undisputed. The facts presented by the United States are supported by evidence and remain uncontested.

B. Undisputed Facts

Defendant executed a scheme to defraud thousands of investors located in the Middle District of Florida, Turks & Caicos Islands (“TCI”), and Jamaica out of over $220 million over a period of approximately three years. (Dkt. 25) In addition to defrauding those investors, Defendant conspired to launder the proceeds received and participated in the laundering of millions of dollars of proceeds obtained as a result of his fraud. (Id.) Specifically, beginning no later than February 2005, and continuing until July 15, 2008, Defendant executed a scheme to defraud thousands of investors in Olint, Olint Corporation, Olint TCI and TCI FX Traders, by operating a massive Ponzi scheme, in which Defendant paid returns to separate investors from their own money or money paid by subsequent investors, rather than from any profit actually earned. (Dkt. at P. 20)

Defendant solicited prospective clients to open trading accounts with Olint, Olint Corporation, Olint TCI, and TCI FX Traders, based upon, among other things, his promise to use investors’ funds to engage in foreign currency trading (Forex) and representations that, by investing in Forex trading through him, clients could expect a high rate of return on their investment each month, with only twenty percent of their investment at any risk. (Id. at P. 21) To induce new and continued investments by clients and prospective clients, Defendant created client account statements each month showing purported profits in varying amounts of no less than five percent monthly, but on average, ten percent each month, and never with a loss during any monthly reporting period. (Id. at P. 21-22) Defendant also orally advised potential and current investors that he had never suffered a loss during a single trading period and that he had always experienced gains. (Id. at P. 22) In actuality, Defendant knew those representations were false. (Id. at p. 21)

Defendant failed to honor his promises to his clients by, among other things, failing to invest their funds in Forex trading as he had promised. (Id. at P. 22) Instead, Defendant used investors’ funds to meet the periodic and specific redemption requests of other investors. (Id. at P. 22-23) For example, Defendant transferred funds deposited by Olint TCI and TCI FX Traders clients to individual Olint and Olint Corporation investors to meet specific re[1264]*1264demption requests of Olint investors. (Id. at P.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

United States v. Moustafa Eldick
223 F. App'x 837 (Eleventh Circuit, 2007)
United States v. Kennedy
201 F.3d 1324 (Eleventh Circuit, 2000)
United States v. Eric Watkins
320 F.3d 1279 (Eleventh Circuit, 2003)
Nathaniel Porter, Jr. v. Walter S. Ray, Jr.
461 F.3d 1315 (Eleventh Circuit, 2006)
Welding Services, Inc. v. Forman
509 F.3d 1351 (Eleventh Circuit, 2007)
Fennell v. Gilstrap
559 F.3d 1212 (Eleventh Circuit, 2009)
United States v. Marion
562 F.3d 1330 (Eleventh Circuit, 2009)
Anderson v. Liberty Lobby, Inc.
477 U.S. 242 (Supreme Court, 1986)
Libretti v. United States
516 U.S. 29 (Supreme Court, 1995)
United States v. Brown
509 F. Supp. 2d 1239 (M.D. Florida, 2007)
United States v. McCorkle
143 F. Supp. 2d 1311 (M.D. Florida, 2001)
United States v. Reckmeyer
836 F.2d 200 (Fourth Circuit, 1987)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
953 F. Supp. 2d 1260, 2013 WL 3744111, 2013 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 101143, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-smith-flmd-2013.