Southern District of Georgia - Savannah, GA 2023
Client’s company was a business operating in California, a state that prohibits the selling, possessing, trade, or distribution of shark fins in or from California. Phoenix Fisheries, LLC was a company that operated in Florida and primarily dealt in shark fins. In Florida certain shark fin dealings was lawful. The government alleged that the company hid its shark fin business by operating through Phoenix Fisheries, LLC, in Florida. Members of the conspiracy would, among other things, create fake invoices and paperwork to make it appear that Phoenix Fisheries was invoicing and financing the shark fin business, when Client’s company was actually financing and controlling the shark fin business. Some conspirators mailed marijuana from California to Savannah, Georgia, and elsewhere, and misrepresented financial transactions to hide illegal drug proceeds.
Several motions including severance, bill of particulars, motions to dismiss and Bruton motions were filed. While they were denied by the Magistrate Judge the court’s comments indicated that the case was weak for the government.
