Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-2_07-cv-00930/USCOURTS-caed-2_07-cv-00930-6/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 690
Nature of Suit: Other Forfeiture and Penalty Suits
Cause of Action: 28:1345 Complaint for Forfeiture

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McGREGOR W. SCOTT

United States Attorney

KRISTIN S. DOOR, SBN 84307

Assistant U.S. Attorney

501 I Street, Suite 10-100

Sacramento, CA 95814

Telephone: (916) 554-2723

Attorney for Plaintiff

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, )

) 2:07-CV-00930 LKK-CMK

Plaintiff, )

) STIPULATION TO EXTEND STAY

v. ) AND ORDER 

)

APPROXIMATELY $76,474.16 IN U.S. )

CURRENCY SEIZED FROM UNION BANK )

OF CALIFORNIA, ACCOUNT NUMBER )

1280024941, ) 

)

Defendant. )

 )

Plaintiff United States of America, and Claimant Surinder Pal,

by and through their respective counsel, hereby stipulate that a

extension of the stay previously entered in this case is necessary

and request that the Court enter an order staying all further

proceedings for an additional three months pending the outcome of a

on-going related criminal investigation against Claimant Pal. 

1. Claimant Pal filed a claim to the defendant property on 

June 14, 2007.

2. The stay is requested pursuant to 18 U.S.C. §§ 981(g)(1)

Case 2:07-cv-00930-LKK -CMK Document 20 Filed 09/25/08 Page 1 of 4
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and 981(g)(2). The plaintiff contends that Pal structured cash

deposits into his account at Union Bank by breaking the deposits

into amounts under $10,000 so as to avoid the currency transaction

reporting requirements of 31 U.S.C. § 5324(a)(3), and that the

defendant property is therefore forfeitable to the United States

pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 984 and 31 U.S.C. § 5317(c)(2).

3. To date claimant Pal, the owner of the property, has not

been charged with any criminal offense by state, local, or federal

authorities, and the statute of limitations has not expired on some

of the potential criminal charges relating to the currency

structuring offenses. The investigation into this conduct is ongoing. Nevertheless, plaintiff intends to depose claimant Pal

regarding his claim and his structuring of his cash deposits. If

discovery proceeds at this time, claimant will be placed in the

difficult position of either invoking his Fifth Amendment right

against self-incrimination and losing the ability to pursue his

claim to the defendant real property, or waiving his Fifth

Amendment right and submitting to a deposition and potentially

incriminating himself. If he invokes his Fifth Amendment right,

the plaintiff will be deprived of the ability to explore the

factual basis for the claim he filed with this court. 

4. In addition, claimant intends to depose the IRS agents

involved in this investigation. Allowing depositions of the law

enforcement officers at this time would adversely affect the

ability of federal authorities to investigate the underlying

criminal conduct.

 5. The parties recognize that proceeding with this action at

Case 2:07-cv-00930-LKK -CMK Document 20 Filed 09/25/08 Page 2 of 4
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this time has potential adverse affects on the investigation of the

underlying criminal conduct and/or upon claimant's ability to prove

his claim to the property and assert any defenses to forfeiture. 

For these reasons, the parties jointly request that this matter be

stayed for three months. At that time the parties will advise the

court of the status of the criminal investigation and will advise

the court whether a further stay is necessary.

6. The parties request that the status conference currently

scheduled for October 6, 2008, be vacated and rescheduled to

sometime in January 2009.

Dated: September 23, 2008 McGREGOR W. SCOTT

United States Attorney

By /s/ Kristin S. Door 

KRISTIN S. DOOR

Assistant U.S. Attorney

Attorneys for Plaintiff

United States of America

Dated: September 23, 2008

/s/ Malcolm S. Segal 

MALCOLM S. SEGAL

Attorney for Claimant 

Surinder Pal

(Original signature retained by

plaintiff)

ORDER

For the reasons set forth above, this matter is stayed

pursuant to 18 U.S.C. §§ 981(g)(1) and 981(g)(2) for a period of

three months. The status conference scheduled for October 6, 2008

is vacated and will be rescheduled to January 12, 2009 at 3:30 p.m.

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at which time the parties will advise the court whether a further

stay is necessary.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: September 25, 2008.

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