Developer Sean Dunne's wife suing Lawyers in New York

Degsy

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/finance/2011/0105/1224286778974.html

GAYLE KILLILEA Dunne, the wife of property developer Seán Dunne, has initiated legal proceedings against her New York immigration lawyer over $500,000 she wants returned to her.
Ms Dunne initiated proceedings in the Supreme Court of New York State against Philip Teplen of New York firm Teplen Associates in December.
In her complaint she said she was living in the state of Connecticut and that, in November 2010, she engaged Mr Teplen to “prepare and submit an investment visa application” on her behalf.
She said the visa “was to be used in connection with a potential real-estate property investment Dunne was planning to make in Chicago, Illinois. The downpayment for this investment was anticipated to be $500,000”.
She said Mr Teplen advised her to place such an amount in an escrow account of his firm as this would bolster her visa application.
However, she subsequently decided not to proceed with the Chicago investment and told Mr Teplen to return $170,000 of the money, saying she needed it for an alternative investment.
When the law firm failed to return the money, she said she sought the return of the entire amount. At the time of her filing her complaint, she said, the money had not yet been returned. She also said she had been told the money was no longer in the account. Ms Dunne is seeking in excess of $500,000 in damages.
The filings available from the New York court do not indicate any response as yet from Mr Teplen. An interim order made on December 21st remains sealed, though an earlier order indicates the court has ordered the New York lawyer to return the money.
E-mails included in one court submission show lawyer Jordan Stern, for Ms Dunne, in communication with George Mayer, for Mr Teplen. In one e-mail, Mr Mayer said he understood the firm Heagney, Lennon and Slane were also acting for the Dunnes and said they were co-operating fully with them. He did not say anything further in that regard.
“You may know that Mr Teplen executed a deed to the Dunnes which has been sent by overnight mail which will be delivered tomorrow morning. I also understand that Mr Teplen has turned over the file that was requested,” the December 19th e-mail states.
Mr Teplen acts as trustee for the purchasers of a house in Greenwich, Connecticut, which was bought in April 2010 for $2 million. The house has subsequently been substantially demolished, creating difficulties with the local planning authorities, which have halted work on the site.
The Dunnes are understood to be the owners, although Mr Dunne has denied that this is so. Dick Case, a retired IBM executive who lives adjacent to the house, has said Mr Dunne introduced himself as the owner of the property.
Mr Dunne was one of Ireland’s most prominent property developers during the boom years, with his companies spending hundreds of millions of euro on property in Ballsbridge, Dublin.
The Dunnes could not be contacted yesterday and Mr Teplen did not return calls to his office.

"Investing" in New York now is she?
Wonder where she got the money..:rolleyes:

Killer Pigeon

This is all becoming so terribly complex it's hurting my head. Not even Jeremy Kyle could sort this one out.

Degsy

Killer Pigeon wrote: »

This is all becoming so terribly complex it's hurting my head. Not even Jeremy Kyle could sort this one out.

A hangman could sort it out better.

jimthemental

Will the lawyer use the "It was only resting in my account" line:)

Jonniealan

you can only hope he takes them to the cleaners. They'll eventually be rub out of the states..... Hopefully !

prinz

It is my current belief that Ms Killilea has in fact a doctorate in law (or is in the course of achieving it). She knows what she's doing. She could well have her own cash/assets.

Seanie has been acting the bollix since he got to the States. Small fish in a big pond springs to mind. Didn't he get into trouble already for flouting planning laws by demolishing part of a house to build an 'extension' when permission to do so was expressly refused him. He should be f*cking deported for it. Trying to throw his weight around again, if it was here a few years ago he would've gotten away with it too.

Degsy

prinz wrote: »

It is my current belief that Ms Killilea has in fact a doctorate in law (or is in the course of achieving it)..

Nope she has a primary degree in law..big deal!

amacca

In a contest between a lawyer and a developers wife I'm unsure who to root for

One no, both no, neither yes.

Latchy

The Dunnes could not be contacted yesterday and Mr Teplen did not return calls to his office.

Money chasing money ,nothing new there .

prinz

Degsy wrote: »

Nope she has a primary degree in law..big deal!

from Trinity and a Masters in Law from the London School of Economics. Last I heard she was looking to do the doctorate in the States. At least according to some newspaper reports.

Augmerson

Pleasegetrippedoffpleasegetrippedoffpleasegetrippedoffpleasegetrippedoff....

Capt'n Midnight

Of course I'm not suggesting that any developer would ever contemplate tax evasion or anything immoral (apart from those who have been proven guilt in court)


It's so depressing talking about developers, so here is an interlude that has noting to do with anyone.

Howard Hughes used to promise his employees a golden handshake upon completion of contract. He'd refuse to pay them. They'd sue and win the money in court.

So in the end the employee would get the money. And avoid paying income tax on the bonus because there was no tax paid on the the court payment.

funk-you

Developers are all evil etc...etc...BUT...who honestly wouldn't try any of this if they had the means or know-how?

-Funk

Ghandee

She needs a good ride says me!

damoz

After reading this im rooting for the lawyer...

http://www.independent.ie/lifestyle/independent-woman/celebrity-news-gossip/gayleforce-wedding-shows-alisters-how-to-do-it-with-style-482264.html

Degsy

Well she doesnt have an "investment visa" and she's plainly never going to do any work so the two of them could get kicked out quick-smart...oh life can sometimes be sweet

Degsy

damoz wrote: »

After reading this im rooting for the lawyer...

http://www.independent.ie/lifestyle/independent-woman/celebrity-news-gossip/gayleforce-wedding-shows-alisters-how-to-do-it-with-style-482264.html

During the speeches, where Sean Dunne's children, Stephen, John and Elaine, welcomed Gayle into the family, the phone rang. Charlie McCreevy's distinctive tones could be heard on the loud speaker. Twenty minutes later in the middle of somebody's else speech the phone went again - it was the Taoiseach.
"Dunner, you and I go back a long way. I wish I could be there," he said. "I'm sorry I couldn't come but I would have been more trouble to you than I'd be worth."
For some, it seemed that the converse might be the problem, that attending such a luxurious and opulent affair might not reflect well on the Taoiseach. Indeed the conspiracy theorists suspect that the leaking of the story of Bertie heading off on a merry jaunt to Italy for five days, was political.

:rolleyes:

Slideshowbob

funk-you wrote: »

Developers are all evil etc...etc...BUT...who honestly wouldn't try any of this if they had the means or know-how?

-Funk

These guys made millions on investments in the good times - the reward for their risk. Now things have gone bad they are not being held accountable for their bad investments.

Killer Pigeon

What shocks me is that a large amount of these evil developers have roots in Roscommon and haven't a shred of education. Beware the Roscommon Mafia.

Son Of A Vidic

OP - Scum like this need a little bit of 'extraordinary Rendition'.

amacca

funk-you wrote: »

Developers are all evil etc...etc...BUT...who honestly wouldn't try any of this if they had the means or know-how?

-Funk

Well, im not such a wonderful person that I wouldn't try some of it if i thought I'd get away with it.

However I like to think that if I owed, I'd pay it back to the best of my ability......I may be a cnut but I've always paid my debts and consequently try not to take on too much.

Maybe things change when you're in the business though and I suppose if I had a family I'd try to protect them and to hell with everyone else.


... but I'm not a huge risktaker in business and investment and prefer stability/"safer" investments and small returns to high risk mega bucks if it works.... lose everything if it doesn't style ventures - so I could probably never run a rapid expansion credit fueled shell company castle in the sky type enterprise and sleep soundly at night.

...what irks me is they should have lost everything but they appear to be getting away with quite a lot of loot

if any gambler knew there was a good chance large percentages of his losses would be covered then he would just keep doubling up - I don't think its good if these people get away with a massively high standard of living after this....it just aint cricket.

you played you lost - do not pass go - do not collect $200 - pay what you owe and then you can start again if you wish