Case Status Report: Equity Financial Shasta or Tech Traders: 2005 Daily Updates and Court Documents

2005 Updates


Status Updates and Court Documents for 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004

The Commission opposed a motion by a group of foreign entities known as the Sterling Group to intervene in this action and gain release of frozen funds which they claim belong to them. That matter went to hearing on May 7, 13 and 14th, 2004. After the hearing, Judge Kugler denied the Sterling Group's motions to intervene and to gain release of funds, finding that the funds should remain subject to the asset freeze pending a determination of investor claims to the frozen funds. The Sterling Group filed a renewed motion to intervene on September 22, 2004 which Judge Kugler denied on March 4, 2005.

On January 7, 2005, the Receiver filed a Motion for Authority to Make an Interim Distribution on Account of Investor Claims. This motion sets forth the Receiver's proposed plan for making an interim distribution of funds to the investors. The Motion also contained a list of Agreed Claims to which the Receiver is prepared to make an interim distribution and a list of Disputed Claims to which the Receiver does not propose to make a distribution at this time. During a phone conference with the parties, Judge Kugler set the date to file objections to the Receiver's Motion for February 11, 2005, with a reply date for the Receiver of February 25. Fifteen objections to the Receiver's proposed claims process were filed. The Receiver filed his response on February 25. A hearing on the motion was held on March 4 at 1:30 p.m. At the March 4 hearing, Judge Kugler referred the handling of objections to Magistrate Ann Marie Donio.

On March 8, 2005, Magistrate Donio held a phone conference concerning the objection filed by the Sterling Group to the Receiver's Motion for Authority to Make an Interim Distribution. The Magistrate ordered the Receiver and the Commission to send a letter to the Sterling Group's counsel setting forth their outstanding information requests to the Sterling Group by March 14 and the Sterling Group to send a reply to the Receiver and the Commission by March 21. The Magistrate set a further status on this process on April 8 and set a hearing on Sterling's objections for April 20 and 21.

On March 11, 2005, the Receiver filed a Statement which outlined the categories of objections to his proposed interim distribution and discusses those that have disputed issues of fact. Some of the objections that concern disputed issues of fact may be resolved by stipulation between the Receiver and the investor or party who filed the objection. Others may require an evidentiary hearing. Such hearings will be set by Magistrate Donio after the Receiver reports back to the Court.

On March 31, 2005, the Receiver filed an objection to those claims which appear on the Disputed Claims list. The Commission also filed an objection to the Sterling Group's claims based on their failure to comply with the Commission's discovery requests.

On April 8, 2005, Magistrate Donio held a phone conference to determine the outstanding discovery issues that the Receiver and the Commission have with the Sterling Group preparatory to an evidentiary hearing on their claims. At that conference the Magistrate ordered that any motions regarding discovery from the Sterling Entities be raised by way of formal motion no later than April 22, 2005. Any objections and responses thereto were to be served no later than April 29, 2005. A hearing in connection with the objections and discovery issues related to the Sterling Entities was held on May 13, 2005 in Courtroom 3B in the Mitchell Cohen Courthouse, Camden, New Jersey.

The Magistrate also ruled on April 8 that any further submissions regarding legal issues related to the Receiver's motion for interim distribution be filed no later than May 6, 2005 and any further submissions regarding factual issues related to the Receiver's motion be filed no later than May 13, 2005. The evidentiary hearing as to the Sterling Entities previously scheduled for April 20 and 21 was adjourned. The Commission and the Sterling Entities await the Magistrate's ruling on the evidentiary hearing and oral argument held on May 13, 2005.

On May 20, 2005, the Commission filed its Objection to the Claims of Certain Claimants. This Objection was served on the claimants to whose claims the Commission objects. These claimants had until June 10, 2005 to file a response to the Commission's objections. The Receiver also filed a Reply to Investors' Response to Equity Receiver's Objections to Certain Investor Claims. On June 13, July 22 and August 16, 2005, the Magistrate held phone conferences concerning the status of certain claims and whether evidentiary hearings needed to be held on any of the claims to which the Commission or the Receiver objects. At the August 16, 2005 hearing, the Magistrate set a date for hearing on Sterling Trust's entitlement to an account at Man Financial currently being held pursuant to the Receivership. The hearing will be held in Camden, New Jersey on September 28 and 29th starting at 10 a.m. There will also be a status conference concerning the claims of certain Shasta investors who also invested in a failed investment called Kaivalya on that date.

On April 14 and 15, 2005, Defendants Shimer and Firth filed a motion to dismiss and motion for summary judgment against the Commission. Shimer and Firth later withdrew their motion for summary judgment. Equity Financial joined the motion to dismiss. The Commission filed a response to the motion to dismiss on June 2, 2005. The Defendants filed a response on June 10. On July 7, 2005, Defendants Shimer and Firth filed renewed motions for summary judgment, to which the Commission responded on August 5, 2005. Defendant Shimer filed a reply on August 16, 2005. The parties are awaiting ruling by the Court on both motions.

Status Updates and Court Documents: 2005


December 22, 2005

December 14, 2005

  • Order entered by Judge Donio setting schedule for resolution of certain claims: the Receiver and claimants Green, List, Omaha Boy and Marrongelle shall serve all document requests and written discovery requests no later than December 23, 2005, and shall produce responsive documents and serve responses to written discovery requests no later than January 10, 2006. On the basis of this document and written discovery, the Receiver shall, if possible, submit to each of the claimants a proposed stipulation of facts no later than January 17, 2006. Those claimants to whom the Receiver submits a proposed stipulation of facts shall respond no later than January 24, 2006. The Court will conduct a telephonic conference on January 25, 2006 at 2:30 PM, initiated by counsel for plaintiff, at which time the Receiver and the claimants shall inform the Court whether they are ready to schedule a hearing on the merit of their claims or whether they will need to take depositions before a hearing can be scheduled.

December 12, 2005

December 9, 2005

December 7, 2005

December 6, 2005

December 5, 2005

  • Status Conference held before Judge Donio

December 2, 2005

November 15, 2005

November 7, 2005

November 4, 2005

  • Order entered by Judge Donio: granting Pro Hac Vice Application of Thomas Gallagher, Esq.

November 3, 2005

November 2, 2005

  • Hearing in front of Judge Donio to Show Cause with oral argument
  • Teleconference held in front of Judge Donio on claims of Claimants List, Green, Omaha Boy, Marongelles and Sterling entities

October 28, 2005

October 27, 2005

October 26, 2005

  • Order entered by Judge Kugler: adopting Report and Recommendation of Judge Donio dated September 9, 2005 and instructing the Sterling entities to turn over the Colorado backup tape to the CFTC no later than November 10, 2005

October 19, 2005

October 6, 2005

October 4, 2005

  • Opinion and Order of Judge Kugler: denying Defendants’ Shimer, Firth and Equity Financial Group various Motions to Dismiss and Motions for Summary Judgment; and granting Defendant Shimer’s motion to allow a previously filed overlong brief to stand

October 3, 2005

September 29, 2005

  • Scheduling Order entered by Judge Donio: setting telephone conference for 11/2/05 to determine the extent to which the parties have been able to reach agreement on the Receiver's objections to the following claims: Green, List, Omaha Boy, Marrongelles, and on the Sterling objections related to the funds held in Account #37923 in the name of Sterling Trust (Anguilla) Ltd. at Man Financial

September 28, 2005

September 26, 2005

  • Order entered by Judge Kugler: granting Receiver’s Motion for Disbursement of Funds and adopting Judge Donio’s Report and Recommendation of September 2, 2005

September 21, 2005

  • Scheduling Order entered by Judge Donio: telephone conference set for 9/28/05 at 10:00 AM to determine the extent to which the parties have been able to reach agreement on the Receiver's objections to the following claims: Green, List, Omaha Boy, Marrongelles, and on the Sterling objections related to the funds held in Account #37923 in the name of Sterling Trust (Anguilla) Ltd. at Man Financial. A telephone status conference shall be conducted on December 5, 2005 at 2:30 PM with respect to the status of discovery in the case

September 19, 2005

  • Telephonic Status Conference held before Judge Donio

September 15, 2005

September 9, 2005

September 6, 2005

September 2, 2005

  • Report and Recommendation entered by Judge Donio on Receiver’s Motion to Make Interim Distribution on Account of Investor Claims

August 18, 2005

  • Scheduling Order entered by Judge Donio: hearings on the Receiver’s objections to the claimants Green, List, Omaha Boy, Marrongelle and Sterling as to the funds in the #37923 Account at Man Financial are set for September 28, and September 29, 2005 at 10:00 AM; a telephone status conference with respect to the listed claim objections as well as on the status of discovery in the case is set for September 19, 2005
  • Letter from Defendant Firth joining Defendant Shimer’s reply to CFTC’s response to Motions for Summary Judgment of Robert Shimer and Vincent Firth
  • Alison Shimer’s challenge to CFTC’s May 20, 2005 Objections to Certain Claims

August 16, 2005

August 5, 2005

August 4, 2005

July 22, 2005

July 20, 2005

July 19, 2005

July 8, 2005

July 6, 2005

June 30, 2005

June 23, 2005

  • Application for Interim Compensation and Expense Reimbursement filed by Receiver Bobo, Part I & Part II

June 17, 2005

June 14, 2005

June 13, 2005

June 10, 2005

June 9, 2005

June 3, 2005

June 2, 2005

May 20, 2005

May 17, 2005

May 16, 2005

  • SCHEDULING ORDER: Telephone Conference set for 6/10/2005 11:00 AM before Magistrate Judge Donio

May 13, 2005

May 11, 2005

  • Robert Shimer's Motion for an Order to allow previously filed overlength brief to stand
  • Return date set as to Shimer's Motion for an Order allowing previously filed overlength brief to stand for 6/17/2005

May 9, 2005

  • Proceedings held before Judge Donio : Telephone Conference held on 5/9/2005 on the record

May 6, 2005

May 5, 2005

May 3, 2005

May 2, 2005

April 29, 2005

  • Minute Entry for proceedings held before Judge Ann Marie Donio : Telephone Conference held on 4/29/2005. Hearing on motion to file brief in excess of 15 pages. No objections placed on the record. Ordered motion granted. Evidentiary hearing set for 5/13/05 at 10:00am
  • Receiver Bobo's RESPONSE in Support of MOTION for Disbursement of Funds (to Make Interim Distribution on Account of Investor Claims)
  • Return date set as to MOTION to Dismiss Pursuant to Fed. R. Civ. P. 12(b)(1) and 12(b)(6) for 6/3/2005 before Judge Robert B. Kugler

April 28, 2005

April 22, 2005:

  • ORDER Entered By Judge Donio: Defendant Robert W. Shimer's Motion For Summary Judgment Is Dismissed Without Prejudice And Defendant Vincent J. Firth's Motion For Summary Judgment Is Dismissed Without Prejudice
  • ORDER Entered By Judge Donio: Informal Application Of Samuel F. Abernethy, Esq. To Withdraw As Counsel For Vincent Firth Is GRANTED
  • AMENDED SCHEDULING ORDER Entered: Final Pretrial Conference Set For 4/20/2006 10:00 AM Before Magistrate Judge Ann Marie Donio. Status Conference Set For 5/9/2005 03:30 PM Before Magistrate Judge Ann Marie Donio. Amended Pleadings Due By 9/30/2005. Discovery Due By 12/30/2005. Motions Due By 2/6/2006
  • Sterling Group's BRIEF In Opposition To CFTC's Objection, (Attachments: Declaration Of Martin Russo, Esq., Exhibits thereto available upon request)

April 21, 2005

  • Status conference held before Judge Donio. Hearing on oral application to withdraw as counsel by Samuel Abernathy, Esq. Ordered application Granted. Order to be entered and filed. Hearing on oral application to extend discovery deadlines by pltf. CFTC. Ordered application granted. Amended Scheduling Order to be entered and filed. Hearing on oral application by CFTC to extend May 2005 return date date of defendants' motion. Ordered application granted. Return date extended to 6/17/05. Ordered defendants Shimer and Firth motion for summary judgment is withdrawn without prejudice. Order to be entered. Phone/Status conference set for 5/9/05 at 3:00pm and for 9/19/05 at 2:00pm.

April 15, 2005

April 14, 2005

April 13, 2005

  • SCHEDULING ORDER entered by Judge Donio settling telephone conference set for 4/29/2005 at 10:00 AM.
  • NOTICE by STEPHEN T. BOBO with Respect to Equity Receivers Objections to Certain Investor Claims with Certificate of Service

April 8, 2005

  • Status conference held before Judge Donio

April 5, 2005

April 4, 2005

March 31, 2005

March 22, 2005

  • ORDER of Judge Donio granting in part and denying in part Motion to Withdraw by Samuel Abernethy to Withdraw as Attorney for Robert Shimer, Equity Financial Group and Vincent Firth
  • Return date set on Quarterly Motion for Interim Compensation and Expense Reimbursement for 4/15/2005

March 21, 2005

March 16, 2005

  • Scheduling ORDER entered by Magistrate Judge Donio:

    Any further discovery requests to the Sterling Entities by the CFTC and the Receiver shall be served no later than March 14, 2005. Any objections and responses thereto shall be served no later than March 21, 2005. The parties will meet and confer in an attempt to resolve further discovery issues concerning the Sterling Entities. Any issues that are not resolved will be addressed during a telephone conference call with the Court on April 8, 2005 at 2:00 p.m. The Court shall conduct an evidentiary hearing on April 20, 2005 and April 21, 2005, beginning at 10:00 A.M. respectively, in Courtroom 3B, Mitchell H. Cohen U.S. Courthouse, Camden, New Jersey, in connection with the objections.

March 11, 2005

  • Statement By Receiver Regarding Categories of Objections to Interim Distribution Motion and Statement of Disputed Issues of Fact

March 8, 2005

  • Return date set for April 1, 2004 on Motion to Withdraw
  • Status conference held in front of Magistrate Judge Donio

March 7, 2005

  • Motion and Declaration by Samuel Abernethy to Withdraw as Attorney for Robert Shimer, Equity Financial Group and Vincent Firth

March 4, 2005

  • Order and Opinion entered by Judge Kugler denying Sterling's 9/22/04 Motion to Intervene
  • Order entered by Magistrate Judge Donio dismissing motion to strike and ordering that any party that seeks to amend its pleadings to assert additional claims shall file a formal motion for leave to amend.

March 3, 2005

March 2, 2005

February 25, 2005

February 24, 2005

January 28, 2005 through February 15, 2005

  • Objections filed to Receiver's Motion for an Interim Distribution by claimants and parties.

February 2, 2005

  • Crossclaim against CFTC by Shimer, Equity Financial Group, LLC and Vincent Firth

January 31, 2005

  • Order denying without prejudice Motion by Gusrae, Kaplan and Bruno, PLLC's to Withdraw as Counsel to the Tech Trader entities

January 28, 2005

  • Appearance filed by Rocell Cyrus on behalf of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission
  • Objection to Receiver's Motion for an Interim Distribution by Donald DiIenno
  • Scheduling ORDER entered by Magistrate Judge Donio:

    Plaintiff is hereby granted leave to file an Amended Complaint on or before June 30, 2005; Pretrial factual discovery is hereby extended to September 30, 2005. All pretrial discovery shall be concluded by that date. All experts' reports on behalf of plaintiff shall be served upon counsel for defendants not later than October 31, 2005. All experts' reports on behalf of defendants shall be served upon counsel for plaintiff no later than November 30, 2005. Depositions of proposed expert witnesses shall be concluded by December 20, 2005. Dispositive motions shall be filed with the Clerk of the Court no later than November 4, 2005. Opposition to the motion should be served in a timely fashion. The final Pretrial Conference of October 6, 2005 is rescheduled to January 26, 2005 at 10:00 a.m. The form Joint Final Pretrial Order shall be delivered at the conference. The plaintiff's portion of the proposed order shall be prepared and sent to defense counsel not later than January 9, 2006. Defendants' portion of the proposed order shall be prepared and returned to counsel for plaintiff not later than January 19, 2006. The Court will conduct a telephone status conference on April 21, 2005 at 10:00 a.m.

January 27, 2005

  • Status conference held before Magistrate Judge Donio

January 19, 2005

  • Order granting Receiver's Unopposed Motion for Authority to Sell Equipment entered by Judge Kugler

January 18, 2005

  • Unopposed MotionAffidavit and Proposed Order by Receiver, Stephen Bobo for Authorization to Sell Existing Equipment, Furniture and Supplies of Tech Traders.

January 14, 2005

  • Supplemental Affidavit of Stephen T. Bobo in Support of Motion for Authority to make Interim Distribution with Amended Distribution Schedules

January 7, 2005

  • MOTION to Make Interim Distribution on Account of Investor Claims by Receiver, Stephen Bobo. (Attachments: # 1 Proposed Form of Order# 2Memorandum in Support of Motion of Equity Receiver for Authority to Make Interim Distribution on Account of Investor Claims# 3 Affidavit of Stephen T. Bobo in Support of Motion for Authority to make Interim Distribution)

Related Documents:

Media Contact:
Rosemary Hollinger
Associate Director and Regional Counsel
CFTC Division of Enforcement
525 West Monroe Street
Suite 1100
Chicago, IL 60661
(No investor inquiries, please.)

Investor Inquiries: 
Joy McCormack, Investigator
CFTC Division of Enforcement
525 West Monroe Street
Suite 1100
Chicago, IL 60661
[email protected]

Receiver Contact and Claims Inquiries:
Stephen Bobo
Sachnoff & Weaver, Ltd.
30 South Wacker Drive
29th Floor
Chicago, IL 60606-7484

Last Updated: March 23, 2011