Whitney St. John and James B. Fairchild’s acrimonious divorce began in 2011, and the couple has been fighting over how to divide their fabulous collection of art and antiques ever since. With no amicable resolution in sight, last week, a Suffolk County judge ordered the couple to liquidate their possessions and equally divide the proceeds.
Finding Hidden Antique Cars
PROBLEM:
Your debtor has loved the Aston Martin DB5 ever since James Bond drove it across the silver screen in 1964. He has wanted one for years, and you suspect that he finally took the plunge and bought one the minute you moved out of the house.
[light]
SOLUTIONS:
As we have explained in previous
Anchors Away: Tracking Down a Hidden Boat
PROBLEM:
The debtor has chosen to hide his beloved boat to avoid having to relinquish it or sell it to pay off debts. Or he decides to liquidate some cash by purchasing a boat and storing it out of sight from his creditors.
[light]
SOLUTION:
There is no nationwide vessel identification system for
Take Off: Finding Aircraft
PROBLEM:
Not only do you have to worry about offshore bank accounts, but sometimes debtors go visit their offshore accountants in planes you don’t know they own. Planes are expensive and good things to seize if you can track them down.
[light]
SOLUTIONS:
U.S. planes have to be registered with the Federal
Carjacked: Tracking Down Hidden Cars
PROBLEM:
Your debtor has “no money,” but you hear he’s been seen driving around in a car worth $48,000. Your trace the car’s ownership and find it’s owned by a Delaware corporation. Or, worse, your debtor is rumored to have a car but has not registered it. It’s in storage and hidden, to be