United Kingdom

OffshoreAlert has received a bizarre 'Cease and Desist' letter that purports to link last week's prolonged cyber attack on our website to British investment fraudster David Kennedy, who was criminally convicted in England on May 3rd for his involvement in a £121 million investment fraud perpetrated by Cayman Islands-domiciled Axiom Legal Financing Fund, which collapsed after being exposed by OffshoreAlert in 2012.

Application by Cargill Financial Services International Inc. and CFSIT Inc. to take discovery from Doehler Juice Solutions Inc., Doehler North America Inc., and Doehler USA Inc. "for use in an ongoing cross-border multi-proceeding litigation brought by the Cargill Applicants to recover approximately $124 million in debts owed to the Cargill Applicants by Taras Barshchovskiy", filed at the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia.

Bizarre letter from "Kojo Menne Asamoah DBA Hardpink Legal" demanding the removal from OffshoreAlert's website of details of the fraud conviction of David Kennedy for his role in the £121 million scam perpetrated by Cayman Islands-domiciled Axiom Legal Financing Fund, which collapsed after being exposed by OffshoreAlert in 2012. Remarkably, the author - who used a throw-away email address and may have been using a pseudonym - essentially claimed responsibility for a cyber attack on OffshoreAlert's website last week, which began three days after Kennedy's criminal conviction in England on May 3rd, 2024, ending the letter with the threat that "Failure to comply with this demand will continue with disruption of your service provided [by] Rackspace and Armor via all means necessary."

News Release by the United Kingdom's Serious Fraud Office that, following a re-trial, it had "secured the conviction of former investment manager David Kennedy" for his role in cayman Islands-domiciled Axiom Legal Financing Fund, which collapsed after being exposed as a fraud by OffshoreAlert in 2012.

Complaint alleging "a years-long pattern of fraud perpetrated on the lenders of hundreds of millions of dollars of debt by a group of entities operating under the domination and control of Defendants Josh Wander, Steven Pasko, and Kenneth King" in Leadenhall Capital Partners LLP, described as "a London-based asset management company which focuses on granting institutional investors access to insurance-related risks", and Leadenhall Life Insurance Linked Investments Fund Plc, described as "an investment company organized as a public limited company under the laws of Ireland" v. Josh Wander, Steven Pasko, Kenneth King, 777 Partners LLC, 600 Partners LLC, SPLCSS III LLC, Signal SML 4 LLC, Insurety Agency Services LLC, Dorchester Receivables II LLC, SuttonPark Capital LLC, Signal Medical Receivables LLC, Insurety Capital LLC, SuttonPark Servicing LLC, Signal Servicing LLC, Insurety Servicing LLC, and Advantage Capital Holdings LLC at the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.

Order of Dismissal For Lack of Prosecution in Michael Walding, Jr. and Tyler Handley v. Kristina Anne Charles-Jones, a.k.a. Krissy Jones, a citizen of the United Kingdom, at the Circuit Court of the Eleventh Judicial Circuit, in and for Miami-Dade County, Florida.

Application by Município de Mariana, in Brazil, and 730,000 other claimants to take discovery from Thomas DeGeorgio and Sondra Sultemeier for use in legal proceedings in England against BHP Group (UK) Ltd. and BHP Group Ltd. regarding the collapse of the Fundão Dam, near Belo Horizonte, Brazil, causing "the worst environmental disaster in Brazil’s history", filed at the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas.

Application by Município de Mariana, in Brazil, and 730,000 other claimants to take discovery from Rene Mendoza for use in legal proceedings in England against BHP Group (UK) Ltd., formerly BHP Billiton Plc and BHP Group Plc, and BHP Group Ltd. regarding the collapse of the Fundão Dam near Belo Horizonte, in eastern Brazil, "unleashing the worst environmental disaster in Brazil’s history", filed at the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.

Chapter 15 Petition for Recognition of a Foreign Main Proceeding in England by F. G. Savage and John Walters, of Begbies Traynor, as the Foreign Representatives of Miomni Sports Ltd., filed at the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Nevada.

Chapter 15 Petition for Recognition of a Foreign Main Proceeding in England by Mark Riley, as the Foreign Representative of Alicia Schmidt Tucker, filed at the U.S., Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma.

Application by Deloraze Limited to take discovery from Kotaro Shimogori for use in legal proceedings in England against Pan Digital Network Limited alleging "misappropriated funds" totaling $290,000, filed at the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California.

Application by Gregory Gliner, described as "a dual citizen of the United Kingdom and United States, has worked tirelessly for years to become, and earn a reputation as, a successful and ethical businessman and entrepreneur", to take discovery from Dynadot, Inc. "for use in a lawsuit in the United Kingdom against the person(s) who operate the website PoliticalLore.com and anonymously authored and/or caused to be published on PoliticalLore.com an article defaming him", filed at the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.

Director Details for Fat Projects Acquisition Corp., obtained from the Cayman Islands General Registry on April 11th, 2024.

Post-Sentencing Order in USA v. Joseph Lewis, a.k.a. Joe Lewis, a citizen of the United Kingdom residing in the Bahamas, at the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.

USA's Sentencing Submission in USA v. Joseph Lewis, a.k.a. Joe Lewis, a citizen of the United Kingdom residing in the Bahamas, at the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.

Application by Evgeny Mariashin, a Russian lawyer residing in Cyprus, to take discovery from Google, LLC for use in legal proceedings in England brought by Alexander Gorbachev against Andrey Grigoryevich Guriev, filed at the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.

Complaint alleging "outrageous conduct and misappropriation of SAF’s confidential information and trade secrets through its unauthorized access and use of SAF’s +Subscribe platform, a proprietary enterprise software platform for the alternative investment industry" in Strategic Alternative Funds Group LLC v. Asset Class Ltd., described as a United Kingdom company based in Ireland, and Asset Class Software Inc. at the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.

Notice of Motion to Compel Production of Documents for use in the defense of a class action complaint in the USA in Vega Capital London Limited, of England, and Adrian Spires, a citizen of the United Kingdom residing in England v. Glencore Ltd., of New York, at the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.

Defendant's Sentencing Memorandum in USA v. Joseph Lewis, a.k.a. Joe Lewis, a citizen of the United Kingdom residing in the Bahamas, at the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.

Complaint in Amrit Singh and 1SatnamWaheguru, LLC v. Kristina Jones, a.k.a. Kristina Anne Charles-Jones, a.k.a. Krissy Jones, who is a citizen of the United Kingdom residing in California, USA; Options Trading LLC, of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines; Bellablanc LLC, and Peak Foreclosure Services, Inc. at the Superior Court of the State of California, for the County of Los Angeles, California, USA.

Amended Claim Form and Amended Complaint in Saudi Arabian Airlines Corporation, described as "the national airline of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia" v. International Airfinance Corporation, of the Cayman Islands, and Various Lessors at the High Court of Justice of England and Wales.

Petition "to preclude any sale or transfer of assets, including any real estate assets in Florida, owned by Defendants 777 Partners LLC and Joshua Craig Wander pending the arbitration in London, United Kingdom" in Nakula Management Limited, of Cyprus, described as part of a group whose "founder and principal investor" was "Oleg Viktorovich Boyko, a Russian and Italian citizen residing in Switzerland" v. Joshua Wander and 777 Partners LLC, described as "guarantors owing more than EURO 9 million to Petitioner" at the Circuit Court for the Eleventh Judicial Circuit, in and for Miami-Dade County, Florida, USA.

Originating Application in the matter of CAP Master Fund at the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands.

Chapter 15 Petition for Recognition of a Foreign Main Proceeding in Canada by Peter Kravitz, as the Foreign Representative of Canadian Overseas Petroleum Limited, COPL Technical Services Limited, Canadian Overseas Petroleum (Ontario) Limited, Canadian Overseas Petroleum (UK) Limited, Canadian Overseas Petroleum (Bermuda Holdings) Limited, Canadian Overseas Petroleum (Bermuda) Limited, COPL America Holding Inc., COPL America Inc., Atomic Oil & Gas LLC, Southwestern Production Corporation, and Pipeco LLC, described as "an international oil and gas exploration, development, and production company", filed at the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware.

Director Details for Elysium Yacht Limited, obtained from the Cayman Islands General Registry on March 11th, 2024.

Judgment regarding an application for an asset freeze injunction, the appointment of receivers, service out of the jurisdiction, and substituted service in HRH Princess Deema bint Sultan bin Abdulaziz al Saud, of Saudi Arabia v. Ronald William Gibbs, a lawyer based in England, and Elysium Yacht Limited, of the Cayman Islands, at the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands.

Complaint alleging "a fraudulent scheme perpetrated by Information Grid Ltd." in K Street Capital Investments LLC AQ-1 v. Information Grid Ltd., of England; William Cowell de Gruchy, Cleve Adams, Daniel Young, Gregory Dewerpe, described as a resident of the United Kingdom, and Aquicore, Inc. at the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware.

Fixed Date Claim Form regarding Goodwill Group Investment Limited in Ayam Uddin, of Birmingham, England v. The Registrar of Corporate Affairs at the British Virgin Islands High Court.

Criminal Sentencing Order in USA v. Stephen Schechter, described as a retired investment banker who is a dual citizen of the United Kingdom and USA residing in Monaco, at the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.

Application by ACT Maritime LLC and Wilmington Savings Fund Society FSB to take discovery from Bank of America, N.A., Bank of New York Mellon, BNP Paribas S.A., Barclays Bank PLC, Citibank, N.A., Commerzbank AG, Deutsche Bank AG, HSBC Bank (USA) N.A., JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., Société Générale, Standard Chartered Bank, UBS AG, Wells Fargo Bank N.A., and International Registries Inc., as agent for the Trust Company of the Marshall Islands, for use in legal proceedings in England involving Panormos Crude Carriers Ltd., of the Marshall Islands; London Maritime Holdings Ltd., of the Marshall Islands, and their "ultimate beneficial owner", Athanasios Kairaktidis, "in connection with a fraud believed to have been perpetrated by him which undermines Petitioners’ ability to recover on its first preferred vessel mortgage, underlying loan agreement and corporate guarantee", filed at the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.

British/Thai businessman Christopher Harborne has filed a defamation complaint against The Wall Street Journal over an article headlined 'Crypto Companies Behind Tether Used Falsified Documents and Shell Companies to Get Bank Accounts'.

Complaint alleging defamation regarding an article headlined 'Crypto Companies Behind Tether Used Falsified Documents and Shell Companies to Get Bank Accounts' in Christopher Harborne, described as "a dual British and Thai citizen, businessman, and technology investor with extensive holdings in aviation and cryptocurrency who has lived and worked in Thailand for over two decades"; AML Global Ltd., of the British Virgin Islands; AML Global Ltd., of Hong Kong; AML Global (HK) Ltd., of Hong Kong, and AML Global Payments LLC, of Wyoming v. Dow Jones & Company, Inc., d.b.a. The Wall Street Journal, at the Superior Court of the State of Delaware, New Castle County, USA.

Fixed Date Claim Form regarding Four Casablanca Limited in Douglas Peter Clackett, of Goldfield, West Midlands, England v. The Registrar of Corporate Affairs at the British Virgin Islands High Court.

USA's Sentencing Memorandum regarding "a retired multimillionaire investment banker" who "schemed to defraud the IRS by concealing over $5 million in income in offshore accounts, which he failed to report on his individual income tax returns and required Foreign Bank Account Reports" in USA v. Stephen Schechter, described as a dual citizen of the United States and United Kingdom residing in Monaco, at the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.

Complaint for the extradition of Marianne Smyth from the USA to Northern Ireland to face criminal charges of fraud and theft while she "worked as an independent mortgage adviser for An Independent Mortgage Solution Ltd.".

Application by Loudmila Bourlakova, described as "a resident of Monaco who was born in Ukraine", and Veronica Bourlakova, who "lives in the United Kingdom, and was born in Ukraine", described as the widow and daughter, respectively, of Oleg Bourlakov, described as "a Ukrainian, Russian and Canadian national" who "developed and set into motion a plan to hide Bourlakov Family Assets from his wife and adult daughters", to take discovery from The Clearing House Payments Company L.L.C. for use in legal proceedings in England, filed at the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.

Director Details for Hamilton Opportunity Fund SPC, obtained from the Cayman Islands General Registry on February 18th, 2024.

Director Details for Hamilton Investment Management Limited, obtained from the Cayman Islands General Registry on February 18th, 2024.

Decision & Order awarding the plaintiff $364 million and banning Donald Trump, Allen Weisselberg, Jeffrey McConney, Eric Trump, and Donald Trump, Jr. from serving as an officer or director of any New York corporation or other legal entity in People of the State of New York v. Donald J. Trump, Donald Trump Jr., Eric Trump, Allen Weisselberg, Jeffrey McConney, The Donald J. Trump Organization Inc., Trump Organization LLC, DJT Holdings LLC, DJT Holdings Managing Member, Trump Endeavor 12 LLC, 401 North Wabash Venture LLC, Trump Old Post Office LLC, 40 Wall Street LLC, and Seven Springs LLC at the Supreme Court of the State of New York, County of New York.

Complaint against entities in Australia, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, England, Hong Kong, Puerto Rico, and USA in Luc Despins, as the Chapter 11 Trustee for Ho Wan Kwok, a citizen of China currently in custody in the United States awaiting trial for an alleged $1 billion fraud and money laundering scheme v. ACA Capital Group Ltd., Alfa Global Ventures Limited, Alfonso Global Ventures Limited, Anton Development Limited, Bravo Luck Limited, Celestial Tide Limited, China Golden Spring Group (Hong Kong) Ltd., Eastern Profit Corporation Limited, Freedom Media Ventures Limited, G Club International Limited, G Club Operations LLC, G Fashion (CA), G Fashion Hold Co A Limited, G Fashion Hold Co B Limited, G Fashion International Limited, GFashion Media Group Inc., G Music LLC, GF IP, LLC, GF Italy, LLC, GFNY, Inc., Hamilton Capital Holding Limited, Hamilton Investment Management Limited, Hamilton Opportunity Fund SPC, Haoran He, Himalaya Currency Clearing Pty Ltd., Himalaya International Clearing Limited, Himalaya International Financial Group Limited, Himalaya International Payments Limited, Himalaya International Reserves Limited, Jovial Century International Limited, K Legacy Ltd., Karin Maistrello, Leading Shine Limited, Major Lead International Limited, Mei Guo, Next Tycoon Investments Limited, Qiang Guo, Rule of Law Foundation III, Inc., Rule of Law Society IV, Inc., Saraca Media Group, Inc., Seven Mission Group LLC, William Je, and Wise Creation International Limited at the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Connecticut.

Complaint to avoid and recover “fraudulent” transfers of $3,723,302 in Luc Despins, as the Chapter 11 Trustee for Ho Wan Kwok, a citizen of China currently in custody in the United States awaiting trial for an alleged $1 billion fraud and money laundering scheme v. Rising Sun Capital Ltd., of England, at the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Connecticut.

Complaint to avoid and recover “fraudulent” transfers of $5,531,945 in Luc Despins, as the Chapter 11 Trustee for Ho Wan Kwok, a citizen of China currently in custody in the United States awaiting trial for an alleged $1 billion fraud and money laundering scheme v. Starling Bank, of England, at the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Connecticut.

Fixed Date Claim Form regarding ICML Investments Limited in Philip Bowles, of West Sussex, England v. The Registrar of Corporate Affairs at the British Virgin Islands High Court.

Fixed Date Claim Form regarding Excellent Management Services Inc. in Jennifer Ward, of Bromsgrove, England v. The Registrar of Corporate Affairs at the British Virgin Islands High Court.

The U.S. Bankruptcy Trustee of New York-based, Chinese national Ho Wan Kwok, who is in custody awaiting trial for allegedly laundering more than $1 billion of fraud proceeds, has sued British Virgin Islands law firm Ogier in an attempt to recover $350,000 in 'unauthorized transfers', one of 23 recently-filed complaints against entities in Australia, BVI, England, Italy, Japan, and U.S. seeking to recover a total of $28.7 million in 'unauthorized or fraudulent' transfers.

Second Amended Complaint in Vitaly Ivanovich Smagin, described as a citizen and resident of Russia v. Compagnie Monégasque de Banque, a.k.a. CMB Bank, of Monaco; Ashot Yegiazaryan, a.k.a. Ashot Egiazaryan, described as "a Russian criminal on the Interpol “Red” list living amongst us in a luxury estate in Beverly Hills as a citizen of California"; Suren Yegiazaryan, a.k.a. Suren Egiazarian; Artem Yegiazaryan, a.k.a. Artem Egiazaryan; Stephan Yegiazaryan, a.k.a. Stephan Egiazaryan; Vitaly Gogokhia, described as a resident of London, England; Natalia Dozortseva, described as a citizen of Russia residing in France; Murielle Jouniaux, described as a resident of France; Alexis Gaston Thielen, described as a resident of Luxembourg; Ratnikov Evgeny Nikolaevich, described as a citizen of Russia who "falsely and fraudulently held himself out to be an impartial Russian bankruptcy officer overseeing Plaintiff’s bankruptcy filing in Russia"; H. Edward Ryals, described as a lawyer residing in St. Louis, Missouri, USA, and Prestige Trust Company, Ltd., described as "a Nevis company" whose "managing director, Stevyn L. Bartlette, is an individual residing in Florida", at the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California.

Complaint in Luc Despins, as the Chapter 11 Trustee for Ho Wan Kwok, a citizen of China currently in custody in the United States awaiting trial for an alleged $1 billion fraud and money laundering scheme v. Farrant Group Limited, of England, at the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Connecticut.

Fixed Date Claim Form regarding Broadstream Investments Limited in George W. W. Hudson, of England v. The Registrar of Corporate Affairs at the British Virgin Islands High Court.

Public Notice by the Guernsey Financial Services Commission that it has issued a £10,000 fine and two-year prohibition against Iskander Karam, a.k.a. Alexander Karam, a.k.a. Alexander Kaymen, who appears to be a citizen and resident of the United Kingdom, after finding that he "deliberately or recklessly made a number of false and/or misleading statements in his Personal Questionnaire submitted in connection with an application for a licence and for the authorisation of a collective investment scheme".

A Luxembourg property firm seeking to collect on a CHF 63 million arbitration award for unpaid rent on leased premises in Switzerland has applied to wind up a Cayman Islands entity that is part of the GEMS Education Group, which is one of the world's largest operators of private schools.