Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-2_07-cv-01153/USCOURTS-caed-2_07-cv-01153-2/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 United States Attorney

501 I Street, Suite 10-100

Sacramento, CA 95814

Telephone: (916)554-2723

Attorneys for Plaintiff

United States of America

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, ) 2:07-CV-1153 GEB-DAD

)

Plaintiff, )

) STIPULATION FOR STAY OF

v. ) FURTHER PROCEEDINGS AND ORDER

) THEREON [PROPOSED]

2003 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX, VIN: )

1G2WR52163F114111, CALIFORNIA )

LICENSE 4ZLC890, )

)

Defendant. )

______________________________)

Plaintiff United States of America, and Claimant Gloria

Elaine Giannini, [hereafter “Claimant”], by and through their

respective counsel, hereby stipulate that a stay is necessary in

the above-entitled action, and request that the Court enter an

order staying all further proceedings pending the outcome of a

related criminal case against Claimant now pending in this Court

(U.S. v. Gloria Giannini, 2:07-CR-0018 EJG). 

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

30, 2007. No other parties have filed a claim in this

forfeiture action.

2. Pursuant to 18 U.S.C. §§ 981(g)(1) and 981(g)(2), the

Case 2:07-cv-01153-WBS-DAD Document 16 Filed 09/06/07 Page 1 of 4
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parties seek a stay of further proceedings in this case. The

United States contends that the defendant vehicle was purchased

with the proceeds of a “specified unlawful activity” (wire fraud,

a violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1343), and is therefore forfeitable to

the United States pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 981(a)(1)(C). The

United States also contends that the defendant vehicle was

involved in a money laundering transaction in violation of 18

U.S.C. § 1957 and is therefore forfeitable to the United States

pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 981(a)(1)(A). 

3. The United States intends to depose Claimant about the

claim she filed in this case and the facts surrounding the

investment scheme that promised an investor a high yield on his

investment. Instead, the investor lost more than $4,000,000 to

claimant. If discovery proceeds, Claimant would be placed in the

difficult position of either invoking her Fifth Amendment right

against self-incrimination and losing the ability to protect her

alleged interest in the defendant property, or waiving her Fifth

Amendment right and submitting to a deposition and potentially

incriminating herself in the pending criminal matter. If

Claimant invokes her Fifth Amendment right, the United States

will be deprived of the ability to explore the factual basis for

the claim she filed in this action. 

4. In addition, Claimant intends to depose law enforcement

officers involved in the investigation that led to the federal

indictment, and intends to depose the alleged victim of the

fraudulent scheme. Allowing depositions of these individuals

would adversely affect the ability of the federal prosecutors to

properly prosecute the case.

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5. Accordingly, the parties recognize that proceeding with

this action at this time has potential adverse affects on the

prosecution of the related-criminal case and/or upon Claimant’s 

ability to prove her claim to the property and to contest the

government's allegations that the property is forfeitable. For

these reasons, the parties jointly request that this matter be

stayed until the conclusion of the criminal case now pending in

this Court. 

Dated: August 28, 2007 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: August 31, 2007

/s/ Daniel A. Nicholson DANIEL A. NICHOLSON

Attorney for Claimant 

Gloria Elaine Giannini

ORDER

For the reasons set forth above, this matter is stayed

pursuant to 18 U.S.C. §§ 981(g)(1) and 981(g)(2) until the

related criminal case currently pending in federal court is

resolved. 

The status conference scheduled for September 17, 2007, is

rescheduled to commence at 9:00 a.m. on March 17, 2008. A joint 

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status report shall be filed no later than fourteen days prior to

the status conference.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: September 6, 2007

 

GARLAND E. BURRELL, JR.

United States District Judge

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