Investigating & Recovering Hidden Money & Other Assets
Hiding assets via jewelry or other portable valuable commodities and former Turks & Caicos premier Michael Misick:
…
This Asset Search News Roundup reports on Michael and Linda Mastro’s supposed concealment of two diamond rings-
The October 25, 2012 indictment of Michael Mastro and his wife Linda, alleges violations of money laundering and bankruptcy fraud laws. Among other things, the indictment accuses the Mastros of fraudulently hiding portable valuable commodities, such as…
The U.S. Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations August 1, 2006 report on offshore tax haven abuses explains that assets can be hidden with the assistance of “lawyers, brokers, bankers, offshore service providers, and others” offering offshore asset protection. Seattle lawyer Mary Simon appears to have especially provided offshore asset protection services that…
The pretrial discovery phase of a divorce, bankruptcy or other legal matter is often the best chance one has to collect evidence of any assets hidden offshore. The attached letter rogatory* submitted to the Swiss court, was included in one divorcing wife’s pretrial effort to gather such evidence.
At the time of pretrial discovery…
Investigating assets by issuing a letter rogatory—
…
In one of the largest bankruptcies in Washington state history, Chapter 7 trustee James F. Rigby Jr. is searching for assets that belong to Michael R. Mastro’s bankruptcy estate. The bankruptcy estate assets could include everything from life insurance polices to expensive jewelry and other portable valuable commodities. During the March 24, 2010…
Although real estate developer Michael R. Mastro tried to protect assets by forming three trusts, the Court in Mr. Mastro’s bankruptcy case still found these trusts to be void. According to the Court’s May 28, 2010 order, the trusts were void as to Mr. Mastro’s creditors because the trusts were “self-settled” (i.e. created and…
Today’s “Asset Search News Roundup” deals with the beneficial ownership of assets.
…
Nazi-looted art, bankruptcy estate assets, marital assets and almost anything else can conceivably be secretly transferred by common methods. Just a few of the common methods include the use of intermediaries (i.e. nominees), forgeries, portable valuable commodities and multiple jurisdictions to fraudulently transfer or hide assets.
By studying these kinds of methods, the continuing…
According to his wife’s September 28, 2009 affidavit, Dennis Hecker had stopped financially supporting her and was hiding assets. Dennis Hecker’s wife therefore asked Judge Jay M. Quam of Hennepin County Minnesota, to impute income to Mr. Hecker and to issue an interim order of spousal maintenance and child support. As more fully set…