Wednesday, January 8, 2020

Receiver Files Status Report in Lamar Adams Case

SEC Receiver Alysson Mills filed her status report in the Lamar Adams case December 31.  The report is posted below.

The SEC is trying to claw back illegal profits earned by Lamar Adams and  promoters of a $164 million Ponzi scheme based on phony timber investments.   Receiver Alysson Mills represents the SEC. She will recover assets, distribute them among the victims, and provide progress reports to the court. . Adams is currently incarcerated in federal prison after he pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud.   The case is assigned to Judge Carlton Reeves.

Ms. Mills must file a status report every sixty days.  There is no new information in the report for regular JJ readers.







21 comments:

Anonymous said...

How is Seawright still with BD even after filing Chapter 7?

Anonymous said...

It appears to me that she is collecting no “new” money. There was a $100,000.00 collection which was a pre determined payment from Kelly. Since it looks like that is drying up, she appears to be perpetuating her income by filing numerous (in some case frivolous) lawsuits. Give these people their 6 or 7 cents on their dollars and move on. P.S., one avenue of investigation might be looking into McHenry’s gun and Rolex watch collections.

Anonymous said...

I realize McHenry managed acquittal; however, would it be unusual for her to 'claw back' some of the profits he realized for his involvement?

Anonymous said...

"I realize McHenry managed acquittal; however, would it be unusual for her to 'claw back' some of the profits he realized for his involvement?"

It would not be "unusual." An acquittal of criminal conduct is not a release of civil liability. In this case, McHenry being acquitted does not prevent civil actions against him under the same basic fact set of the criminal matter. In matters like this, one can easily be acquitted - even actually innocent - of criminal conduct and yet still have civil liability for monetary damage(s).

Broadly and generally, the standard for criminal conviction is "beyond a reasonable doubt" whereas the civil standard is "preponderance of the evidence" or 50.1%. If someone is criminally convicted of something that has a component of monetary damage, the criminal conviction is a strong indication supporting civil liability. However, a criminal acquittal does not foreclose civil liabillity - see the OJ Simpson situation with Nicole and the Goldman family - nor does a criminal conviction automatically "create" a civil judgment. Criminal and civil would be separate matters and regardless of what happens in the criminal or civil action, on any given(different) day, a particular judge or jury may or may not do what is expected, appropriate or even "required."

Anonymous said...

Let me tell you where the real low hanging fruit money is-
Claw back the interest income paid to early investors who never had a loss.
Why should they be able to keep a profit paid them by money taken from victims

Anonymous said...

3:34 is spot on. I know three people that made money on this early on, and then became suspicious and got out while they were ahead.

Anonymous said...

Any update on Brent Alexander? He seems to be flying under the radar.

Anonymous said...

claw back 10 years of 12% profits and the last round gets their $ back. too simple and not enough legal work

Anonymous said...

Seeing where the scheme was able to borrow $164 million over the years, how much money was owed to the victims when the shit hit the fan?

Hate to say it, but most (85%) of the early investors are also victims. They were giving him money to be able to cash their own check. Kinda funny. Dumb for old investors to have to pay. You must be jealous of a buddy who had money saved to invest and you kissed yours away on toys.

Anon @ McHenry.. said...

@2:18 - Thank you for that very reasoned and understandable reply to my question. I'm obviously no attorney. Again...thanks.

Cynical Sam said...

@2:18 PM - exactly. A very notable example is OJ Simpson. He was acquitted on the murder charge, but received a huge civil judgement, which I don't think much has been paid because his Florida mansion is homesteaded, and his NFL retirement is also protected.

Size 7 narrow too said...

Who got Michael Billings black velvet Gucci loafers?

Anonymous said...

Has the 500 acre development in Oxford been sold?

What about the 30-1A?

Anonymous said...

I am seriously dismayed that Seawright and Alexander continue to be employed by Baker Donelson.

His Day In Court said...

I'm sorry to see McHenry skate, if indeed he has. He got off on the criminal charge and the only thing he had in his favor, which is apparently all he needed, was for the Chief Fraudster to testify that McHenry didn't know it was a scam. Of course he did. And he profited handsomely.

Anonymous said...

FWIW, while it seems fair to allege that a hypothetical reasonable and prudent person in McHenry's position should have been dubious, a prosecutor was unable to convince a jury that McHenry knew _beyond a reasonable doubt based upon the evidence presented_ that it was a scam. I would suggest that it will/would be much easier to convince a jury that he was negligent and has civil liability.

I would again point to the OJ situation. I don't recall the reasons now, but I remember thinking at the time that I agreed with both juries, i.e., the evidence _at the time and as presented to the jury_ and NOT with the benefit of hindsight or later information, did not convince me beyond a reasonable doubt he was criminally guilty but it certainly convinced me that it was more likely than not that he responsible and therefore had civil liability.

The real question is, "does he have the money or assets to satisfy a judgment should one be entered against him?" If he does not have it, it cannot be collected from him.

Anonymous said...

A competent forensic CPA can find the money these fraudsters have hidden away. There are certified forensic CPAs around.I know because I have used one.

Anonymous said...

"A competent forensic CPA can find the money these fraudsters have hidden away."

A few points: 1. It appears that the only source of income for some parties, and a significant source for other parties, was from the scam. 2. If the only person who truly KNEW it was a scam was Adams, there would have been little reason for anyone else to "hide away" any monies received. 3. I'll accept that many of those receiving monies didn't actually KNOW it was a scam (which doesn't excuse their negligence, civil liability, or blind & stupid greed). 4. It appears all those who got anything out of the scam lived relatively "large," i.e., at the limit of, or even in excess of, their income, whatever the source(s). 5. Lawyers, especially criminal defense attorneys, are expensive (see, for example, the various filings of Seawright and Alexander).

Now, is it possible that some of those involved have relatively small amounts "hidden away" or in portable, off-the-books assets like guns, jewelry/watches, bullion, etc.? Sure, not only possible, it would not surprise me if one or more of the parties do have minor amounts ($10-100K kinds of amounts) in such things. But do I think McHenry or any of the others put the bulk of what they allegedly received as a result of Adams' scam into offshore accounts or "portable assets" and that spending 10s of thousands of dollars on attorney's and forensic accountants' fees _per party_ would uncover 100s of thousands or millions of dollars _per party_? Nope, and in fact, I think the fees could easily exceed any recovery of "hidden" assets; admittedly, primarily because, as above, I just don't think the recipients ever had significant amounts left to "hide" after lifestyle funding.

Anonymous said...

"A competent forensic CPA can find the money these fraudsters have hidden away."

A few points: 1. It appears that the only source of income for some parties, and a significant source for other parties, was from the scam. 2. If the only person who truly KNEW it was a scam was Adams, there would have been little reason for anyone else to "hide away" any monies received. 3. I'll accept that many of those receiving monies didn't actually KNOW it was a scam (which doesn't excuse their negligence, civil liability, or blind & stupid greed). 4. It appears all those who got anything out of the scam lived relatively "large," i.e., at the limit of, or even in excess of, their income, whatever the source(s). 5. Lawyers, especially criminal defense attorneys, are expensive (see, for example, the various filings of Seawright and Alexander).

Now, is it possible that some of those involved have relatively small amounts "hidden away" or in portable, off-the-books assets like guns, jewelry/watches, bullion, etc.? Sure, not only possible, it would not surprise me if one or more of the parties do have minor amounts ($10-100K kinds of amounts) in such things. But do I think McHenry or any of the others put the bulk of what they allegedly received as a result of Adams' scam into offshore accounts or "portable assets" and that spending 10s of thousands of dollars on attorney's and forensic accountants' fees _per party_ would uncover 100s of thousands or millions of dollars _per party_? Nope, and in fact, I think the fees could easily exceed any recovery of "hidden" assets; admittedly, primarily because, as above, I just don't think the recipients ever had significant amounts left to "hide" after lifestyle funding.

Anonymous said...

Attn 8:31. Well written Mr. McHenry.

Anonymous said...

"Attn 8:31. Well written Mr. McHenry."

1:10PM, Jan 9, responding:

I'm not Mr. McHenry so I have no idea why he copied my post...(smirk).

That said, I have no problem with Mills (or anyone else) leaving Adams, McHenry, Seawright, Alexander, and the other folks involved in this scam standing on a corner (or in prison) with nothing but the clothes on their backs, but I also know it won't help the "investors," especially those who are less-sophisticated victims actually conned by these douchebags, to eat into the recovery amount by spending dollars to chase dimes. Fortunately, I suspect that Mills and the other recovery attorneys know that. Plus, I'm not going to track down and review fee agreement but I'd hope it disincentivized doing such things.


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Trollfest '07 was such a success that Jackson Jambalaya will once again host Trollfest '09. Catch this great event which will leave NE Jackson & Fondren in flames. Othor Cain and his band, The Black Power Structure headline the night while Sonjay Poontang returns for an encore performance. Former Frank Melton bodyguard Marcus Wright makes his premier appearance at Trollfest singing "I'm a Sweet Transvestite" from "The Rocky Horror Picture Show." Kamikaze will sing his new hit, “How I sold out to da Man.” Robbie Bell again performs: “Mamas, don't let your babies grow up to be Bells” and “Any friend of Ed Peters is a friend of mine”. After the show, Ms. Bell will autograph copies of her mug shot photos. In a salute to “Dancing with the Stars”, Ms. Bell and Hinds County District Attorney Robert Smith will dance the Wango Tango.

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This is definitely a Beaver production.


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If you get tired come relax at the Fox News Tent. To gain admittance to the VIP section, bring either your Republican Party ID card or a Rebel Flag. Bringing both will entitle you to free drinks.Get your tickets now. Since this is an event for trolls, no ID is required, just bring the hate. Bring the family, Trollfest '07 is for EVERYONE!!!

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