United States of America v. $54,400.00 In U S Currency

Filing 42

CONSENT JUDGMENT OF FOREFEITURE by Judge R. Gary Klausner Related to: Notice of Lodging 41 . See judgment for details. ( MD JS-6. Case Terminated ) (ah)

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1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 EILEEN M. DECKER United States Attorney LAWRENCE S. MIDDLETON Assistant United States Attorney Chief, Criminal Division STEVEN R. WELK Assistant United States Attorney Chief, Asset Forfeiture Section VICTOR A. RODGERS California Bar No. 101281 Assistant United States Attorney Asset Forfeiture Section Federal Courthouse, 14th Floor 312 North Spring Street Los Angeles, California 90012 Telephone: (213) 894-2569 Facsimile: (213) 894-7177 E-mail: Victor.Rodgers@usdoj.gov JS-6 Attorneys for Plaintiff UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 12 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 13 FOR THE CENTRAL DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 14 WESTERN DIVISION 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, ) Case No. CV 13-00310-RGK(MRWx) ) Plaintiff, ) [PROPOSED] ) v. ) CONSENT JUDGMENT OF FORFEITURE ) $54,400.00 IN U.S. ) CURRENCY, ) ) Defendant. ) ) ) ) VIOLETA ATIGA, ) ) Claimant. ) 24 25 26 On or about March 6, 2013, Plaintiff United States of 27 America (“the government,” “the United States of America” or 28 “plaintiff”) filed a First Amended Complaint for Forfeiture 1 alleging that the defendant $54,400.00 in U.S. Currency (the 2 “defendant currency”) is subject to forfeiture pursuant to 18 3 U.S.C. § 981(a)(1)(C) and 21 U.S.C. § 881(a)(6). Claimant Violeta Atiga (“Claimant”) filed a claim to the 4 5 defendant currency on or about August 9, 2013 and an answer to 6 the First Amended Complaint for Forfeiture on or about June 27, 7 2013. 8 2013, Rolando Lodevico Atiga waived any and all right to the 9 defendant currency and averred that Claimant was the sole and In the claim filed by Claimant on or about August 9, 10 lawful owner of the defendant currency. No other parties have 11 appeared in this case and the time for filing claims and answers 12 has expired. The government and Claimant have now agreed to settle this 13 14 action and to avoid further litigation by entering into this 15 Consent Judgment of Forfeiture. The Court, having been duly advised of and having 16 17 considered the matter, and based upon the mutual consent of the 18 parties hereto, 19 IT IS HEREBY ORDERED, ADJUDGED, AND DECREED: 20 1. The Court has jurisdiction over the subject matter of 21 this action and the parties to this Consent Judgment of 22 Forfeiture. 2. 23 The First Amended Complaint for Forfeiture states a 24 claim for relief pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 981(a)(1)(C) and 21 25 U.S.C. § 881(a)(6). 3. 26 Notice of this action has been given as required by 27 law. No appearances have been made in the litigation by any 28 person other than Claimant. The Court deems that all other 2 1 potential claimants admit the allegations of the First Amended 2 Complaint for Forfeiture to be true. 3 4. The sum of $30,000.00 only (without interest) shall be 4 returned to Claimant. 5 (i.e., $24,400.00), plus the interest earned by the United 6 States of America on the defendant currency shall be condemned 7 and forfeited to the United States of America, which shall 8 dispose of those funds in accordance with law. 9 5. The remainder of the defendant currency The funds to be returned to Claimant pursuant to 10 paragraph 4 above shall be paid to Claimant by electronic 11 transfer directly into the client trust account of Claimant’s 12 attorneys of record in this case. 13 attorney of record) shall provide all information and complete 14 all documents requested by the United States of America in order 15 for the United States of America to complete the transfer 16 including, without limitation, Claimant’s social security and 17 taxpayer identification numbers (if any), Claimant’s attorney of 18 record’s taxpayer identification number, and the identity of the 19 bank, the bank’s address and the account name, account number, 20 account type and wire transfer routing number for the attorney- 21 client trust account to which the transfer of funds is to be 22 made. 23 6. Claimant (through Claimant’s Claimant hereby releases the United States of America, 24 its agencies, agents, officers, employees and representatives, 25 including, without limitation, all agents, officers, employees 26 and representatives of the Drug Enforcement Administration or 27 the Department of Justice and their respective agencies, as well 28 as all agents, officers, employees and representatives of any 3 1 state or local governmental or law enforcement agency involved 2 in the investigation or prosecution of this matter, from any and 3 all claims, actions or liabilities arising out of or related to 4 this action, including, without limitation, any claim for 5 attorney fees, costs and interest, which may be asserted by or 6 on behalf of Claimant, whether pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 2465 or 7 otherwise. 8 9 7. The Court finds that there was reasonable cause for the seizure of the defendant currency and institution of these 10 proceedings. 11 of reasonable cause pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 2465. 12 8. This judgment shall be construed as a certificate The Court further finds that Claimant did not 13 substantially prevail in this action, and the parties hereto 14 shall bear their own attorney fees and costs. 15 Dated: February 16, 2017 _ 16 17 THE HONORABLE R. GARY KLAUSNER UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 4 1 2 CONSENT The parties hereto consent to the above consent judgment of 3 forfeiture and waive any right of appeal. 4 Dated: February 10, 2017 5 6 7 EILEEN M. DECKER United States Attorney LAWRENCE S. MIDDLETON Assistant United States Attorney Chief, Criminal Division STEVEN R. WELK Assistant United States Attorney Chief, Asset Forfeiture Section 8 9 /s/ Victor A. Rodgers _ VICTOR A. RODGERS Assistant United States Attorney Asset Forfeiture Section 10 11 Attorneys for Plaintiff UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 12 13 Dated: February 10, 2017 LAW OFFICES OF GARY A. LAFF 14 15 16 17 By: Gary A. Laff GARY A. LAFF Attorneys for Claimant VIOLETA ATIGA 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 5

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