Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-2_08-cv-02753/USCOURTS-caed-2_08-cv-02753-6/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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BENJAMIN B. WAGNER 

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, ) 2:08-cv-02753 JAM-GGH

)

Plaintiff, ) 

) STIPULATION FOR STAY AND

v. ) ORDER 

)

APPROXIMATELY $23,032.07 IN U.S. )

CURRENCY SEIZED FROM BANK OF )

AMERICA ACCOUNT NO. 03842-03399, )

HELD IN THE NAME OF PAY-LESS ) DATE: N/A

WHOLESALE, ) TIME: N/A

) COURTROOM: N/A

APPROXIMATELY 135,455 CIGARS, )

(SMOKEABLE OTP) IN PACKS OF 5, 10, )

AND 20 RECOVERED FROM PAY-LESS )

WHOLESALE, )

)

APPROXIMATELY 2,297 CIGARS )

(SMOKEABLE OTP) IN PACKS OF 50 )

RECOVERED FROM PAY-LESS WHOLESALE, )

)

APPROXIMATELY 151 CIGARS )

(SMOKEABLE OTP) IN PACKS OF 240 )

RECOVERED FROM PAY-LESS WHOLESALE, )

)

APPROXIMATELY 326,942 INDIVIDUAL )

CIGARS (SMOKEABLE OTP) RECOVERED )

FROM PAY-LESS WHOLESALE, )

)

APPROXIMATELY 57 CASES OF )

SMOKEABLE OTP RECOVERED FROM )

PAY-LESS WHOLESALE, )

)

Case 2:08-cv-02753-JAM-CKD Document 24 Filed 01/29/10 Page 1 of 6
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APPROXIMATELY 4,952 BOXES OF )

SMOKEABLE OTP RECOVERED FROM )

PAY-LESS WHOLESALE, )

)

APPROXIMATELY 11,584 CANS OF )

SMOKEABLE OTP RECOVERED FROM )

PAY-LESS WHOLESALE, )

)

APPROXIMATELY 6,914 TUBS OF )

SMOKEABLE OTP RECOVERED FROM )

PAY-LESS WHOLESALE, )

)

APPROXIMATELY 15,141 UNITS OF )

SMOKEABLE OTP IN PACKS OF 5, 10, )

AND 20 RECOVERED FROM PAY-LESS )

WHOLESALE, )

)

APPROXIMATELY 136,221 BAGS/POUCHES )

OF SMOKEABLE OTP RECOVERED FROM )

PAY-LESS WHOLESALE, )

)

APPROXIMATELY 855 CASES )

(CONTAINING APPROXIMATELY 10,608 )

UNITS) OF AL FAKHER TOBACCO )

SMOKEABLE OTP EVIDENCE RECOVERED )

FROM PAY-LESS WHOLESALE, )

)

APPROXIMATELY 272 CASES )

(CONTAINING APPROXIMATELY 6,676 )

UNITS) OF AL WAHA MOLASSES TOBACCO )

SMOKEABLE OTP EVIDENCE RECOVERED )

FROM PAY-LESS WHOLESALE, )

)

APPROXIMATELY 995 CASES )

(CONTAINING APPROXIMATELY 46,112 )

UNITS) OF EVA MODSAL TOBACCO )

SMOKEABLE OTP EVIDENCE RECOVERED )

FROM PAY-LESS WHOLESALE, )

)

APPROXIMATELY 420 CASES )

(CONTAINING APPROXIMATELY 5,040 )

UNITS) OF JAWATTER TOBACCO )

SMOKEABLE OTP EVIDENCE RECOVERED )

FROM PAY-LESS WHOLESALE, )

)

APPROXIMATELY 1,473 CASES )

(CONTAINING APPROXIMATELY 16,674 )

UNITS) OF LAYALINA TOBACCO )

SMOKEABLE OTP EVIDENCE RECOVERED )

FROM PAY-LESS WHOLESALE, )

)

APPROXIMATELY 352 UNITS OF )

MISCELLANEOUS SMOKEABLE OTP )

Case 2:08-cv-02753-JAM-CKD Document 24 Filed 01/29/10 Page 2 of 6
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EVIDENCE RECOVERED FROM PAY-LESS )

WHOLESALE, )

)

APPROXIMATELY 2,124 CASES )

(CONTAINING APPROXIMATELY 14,740 )

UNITS) OF MOLASSES TOBACCO )

SMOKEABLE OTP EVIDENCE RECOVERED )

FROM PAY-LESS WHOLESALE, )

 )

APPROXIMATELY 640 CASES )

(CONTAINING APPROXIMATELY 19,884 )

UNITS) OF PRIME TIME CIGARS )

SMOKEABLE OTP EVIDENCE RECOVERED )

FROM PAY-LESS WHOLESALE, )

 )

APPROXIMATELY 113 CASES )

(CONTAINING APPROXIMATELY 5,112 )

UNITS) OF ERIK CIGARS SMOKEABLE )

OTP EVIDENCE RECOVERED FROM )

PAY-LESS WHOLESALE, )

 )

APPROXIMATELY 11 CASES )

(CONTAINING APPROXIMATELY 440 )

UNITS) OF HAV-A-TAMPA JEWLS )

CIGARS SMOKEABLE OTP EVIDENCE )

RECOVERED FROM PAY-LESS )

WHOLESALE, )

 )

APPROXIMATELY 5,906 POUCHES OF )

MOLASSES SMOKEABLE OTP EVIDENCE )

RECOVERED FROM PAY-LESS )

WHOLESALE, )

 )

APPROXIMATELY 1,200 PACKS OF )

PHILLIES CIGARILLOS SMOKEABLE )

OTP EVIDENCE RECOVERED FROM )

PAY-LESS WHOLESALE, )

 )

Defendants. )

___________________________________)

Plaintiff United States of America, and Claimants Adib Sirope

and Rimoun Mansour (hereafter collectively “Claimants”), 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 further proceedings for an additional six

months pending the outcome of a related criminal investigation

Case 2:08-cv-02753-JAM-CKD Document 24 Filed 01/29/10 Page 3 of 6
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against claimants. The stay currently in effect expires February t

1, 2010.

1. Claimants filed a claim to the defendant property on

December 30, 2008, and filed an Answer to the complaint on January

13, 2009. 

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

and 981(g)(2). The plaintiff contends that claimants and others

conspired to defraud the California Board of Equalization out of

excise taxes due on the sale of tobacco products in California. 

The plaintiff alleges that the U.S. mail and interstate

communications systems were used to perpetrate the fraud. 

Claimants deny these allegations. 

3. To date claimants, the owners of the property, have not

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

authorities, and the statute of limitations has not expired on

potential criminal charges relating to the fraud scheme. 

Nevertheless, the plaintiff intends to depose claimants regarding

their claim to the defendant property, their operation of Pay-Less

Wholesale Tobacco, and their business dealings with others in the

tobacco industry. If discovery proceeds at this time, claimants 

will be placed in the difficult position of either invoking their

Fifth Amendment rights against self-incrimination and losing the

ability to pursue their claim to the defendant property, or waiving

their Fifth Amendment right and submitting to a deposition and

potentially incriminating themselves. If either person invokes his

Fifth Amendment right, the plaintiff will be deprived of the

ability to explore the factual basis for the claims they filed with

Case 2:08-cv-02753-JAM-CKD Document 24 Filed 01/29/10 Page 4 of 6
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this court. 

4. In addition, claimants intend to depose the law

enforcement 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

this time has potential adverse affects on the investigation of the

underlying criminal conduct and/or upon claimants’ ability to prove

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

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

stayed for an additional six months. At that time the parties will

advise the court of the status of the criminal investigation, if

any, and will advise the court whether a further stay is necessary.

Dated: January 28, 2010 BENJAMIN B. WAGNER 

United States Attorney

By /s/ Kristin S. Door 

KRISTIN S. DOOR

Assistant U.S. Attorney

Attorneys for Plaintiff

United States of America

Dated: January 28, 2010 GERAGOS & GERAGOS

By /s/ Mark J. Geragos 

MARK J. GERAGOS

Attorneys for claimants

Adib Sirope and Rimoun Mansour

 (Original signatures retained by

Plaintiff’s counsel)

Case 2:08-cv-02753-JAM-CKD Document 24 Filed 01/29/10 Page 5 of 6
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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 an additional 

six months. On or before August 1, 2010, the parties will advise

the court whether a further stay is necessary.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: 01/29/2010

_____________________________

/s/ John A. Mendez 

U. S. DISTRICT COURT JUDGE

Case 2:08-cv-02753-JAM-CKD Document 24 Filed 01/29/10 Page 6 of 6