White Collar Crime Team Wins Dismissal for Client
Thomspon Hine Firm NewsJuly 27, 2009
New York, NY
Thompson Hine announced today that after eight months of pre-trial negotiation, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York agreed to dismiss all criminal charges pending against Spyro Contogouris, a New Orleans-based financial analyst who had been indicted in 2007 on charges of wire fraud arising out of his alleged misappropriation of funds from accounts and properties owned by a wealthy foreign investor. The Government had alleged that Contogouris, who had managed various properties in Texas and New York for the investor, had misappropriated more than $2,000,000 between 1997 and 2002.
In arguing Mr. Contogouris' case, the legal team located and produced documents that convinced the government that the victim's version of the events could not have occurred, and that it would not support the charges alleged in the indictment. In addition, after analyzing the sworn statements of both the alleged victim and several other witnesses who testified in related civil proceedings, the legal team also convinced the government that the conflicting stories from these witnesses had little credibility - and merely served to undermine an already weak case.
The Government agreed with that analysis, and it ultimately concluded that the interests of justice warranted a dismissal of all charges. United States District Judge Barbara S. Jones signed an order of nolle pros on July 22, 2009.
The case was handled by Thompson Hine partners Douglas Grover and John Mitchell, working together with attorneys Timothy Madden of King Krebs & Jurgens (of New Orleans) and James M. Felix of Kilhenny & Felix (of New York).
Both Mr. Grover and Mr. Contogouris thanked the United States Attorney's Office for the time and conscientious effort it invested in making this determination.
