McGuireWoods terminates Howard "Toby" Vick Jr. over corruption

 McGuireWoods disavows long term partner Howard "Toby" Vick over corruption involving international fugitive.

McGuireWoods law firm has terminated and disavowed one of its most distinguished partners, Howard C. Vick Jr., over deep state corruption allegations spanning over twenty years.

Inside sources at McGuireWoods have stated that Howard "Toby" Vick had been involved in corruption allegations in a FBI complaint filed, which involved bribery, coercion, illegal state and federal government activity, and numerous legal ethics violations.

McGuireWoods law firm is one of the largest firms internationally with over twenty-one offices and 1100 lawyers.

Since joining McGuireWoods, his practice includes all aspects of the white collar practice, from providing counsel on compliance programs, conducting internal investigations and audits, to the handling of trials. Toby has 32 years of trial experience and has tried more than 60 jury trials. He has tried cases in Federal courts in the Eastern and Western District of Virginia, the Southern Districts of Florida and Texas, the District of Louisiana and the State Courts of Virginia.

The complaints originate from a case that Howard Vick had investigated and brought grand jury charges against an international fugitive who was indicted on thirteen indictments of drug trafficking in Richmond, Virginia.  

Howard Vick was the Henrico County Commonwealth Attorney handling the fugitives case in 1998-1999. Howard Vick had tipped off the fugitive that he was being indicted by a multi-jurisdictional grand jury for conspiring to distribute 600 kilos of cocaine over a 10 year period. 

The fugitive named in the grand jury indictments is Nickolas G. Spanos, who fled to Greece and has been protected by Howard Vick and other high profile McGuireWoods partners, for over twenty years.

James B. Comey, a prior McGuireWoods partner, was a U.S. Attorney based in Richmond, had allegedly conspired with Howard Vick to have federal Unlawful Flight warrants dismissed secretly against the fugitive, which allowed him to renew his U.S. passport and evade law authorities.

The foundation of the illegal protection of the fugitive spans over twenty years and has been passed down through three generations of Henrico county Commonwealth attorneys. 

During the term of Howard Vick's career as a Commonwealth attorney, the investigation of the international fugitive Nickolas Spanos came into conflict with Howard Vick's future plans to join his long time friend, Richard Cullen at McGuireWoods law firm. Howard Vick was negotiating a partnership with McGuireWoods but Nickolas Spanos and his family were clients of McGuireWoods with estate holdings worth millions.

Howard Vick was left with a devil dealing decision, either arrest and prosecute Nickolas Spanos for conspiracy to distribute over 600 kilos of cocaine in the Richmond area or assist and protect the fugitive from being extradited back to the United States and be prosecuted in Henrico County Circuit Court.

Howard Vick chose to take the bribe and break his sworn oath as a Virginia Commonwealth attorney, which appears to have paid well economically, as Vick has built a small fortune at McGuireWoods and recently bought a home in Windsor farms for $2.2 million, as well as a vacation home in Coral Cables Florida.

As much as the McGuireWoods criminal syndicate has tried to keep the fugitive off the radar, his case continues to live in Henrico Circuit court.  With no effort from past and present Commonwealth attorneys to successfully extradite Spanos but instead continue the protection by McGuireWoods, even recently as 2019, assisting Spanos to obtain a U.S. passport.

Its no wonder that McGuireWoods is known as the shadow government with powerful connections in all branches of the U.S. government.

HCCA Shannon Taylor refuses to bring international fugitive to trial

Evidence of collusion exhibited  in Henrico County Commonwealth Attorney's office in international fugitives case

Just days before the January 19, 2019 Motion To Dismiss thirteen indictments for conspiracy to distribute cocaine, the HCCA went into negotiations with the defendant Nickolas Spanos and his attorney Jay Pickus, who was recently retained to represent him.

What takes place over the following weeks have raised stronger suspicions of collusion between the HCCA and the FBI. The unanswered question of why Shannon Taylor and the Richmond FBI refuse to bring the defendant Nickolas Spanos back to Virginia to face allegations that he was the "hub of a 600 kilo cocaine distribution organization".

Further investigations produced evidence of the HCCA's main witness, an ex-girlfriend of Spanos, known as witness "L" in the grand jury indictments as not credible, with a history of mental illness, suicide attempt, and perjury.

The most damaging allegations is that witness "L" and the HPD investigator in the Spanos case, were having a personal relationship from 1999 which lasted a few years. The HPD investigator was later employed by the FBI Richmond office.

It is alleged that the original HCCA Howard Vick, knew of witness "L" lack of credibility and serious mental health problems, and later discovered about the personal relationship between his main witness and the HPD investigator.

During negotiations with Spanos's attorney Jay Pickus, the serious allegations surfaced in a blog titled "Henrico County Commonwealth Attorney's con artist Witness "L", in an attempt to keep the evidence from going public, the HCCA and the FBI, immediately moved to dismiss the federal UFAP warrant and the INTERPOL Red notice against Spanos. 

It is unheard of that the HCCA & FBI would support dismissing a federal UFAP warrant and an INTERPOL Red notice without the fugitive being arrested, arraigned and the indictments being decided in a court hearing.

The fact that witness "L" and the HPD investigator were allegedly having a personal relationship, combined with witness "L" serious mental history, including a suicide attempt which kept witness "L" in a St. Mary's hospital mental suicide watch for 48 hours, were never disclosed to Spanos's co-conspirators defense attorneys, which the HCCA was obligated to due so under the Brady Rule Law.

Brady Rule Definition: named after Brady v. Maryland, 373 U.S. 83 (1963), requires prosecutors to disclose materially exculpatory evidence in the government's possession to the defense. A "Brady material" or evidence the prosecutor is required to disclose under this rule includes any evidence favorable to the accused--evidence that goes towards negating a defendant's guilt, that would reduce a defendant's potential sentence, or evidence going to the credibility of a witness.

The serious implications is that the three co-conspirators pleaded guilty in plea bargain agreements, which they possible would not have if the exculpatory evidence was disclosed, as obligated by law, in which the co-conspirators went to prison for three to fifteen years. 

The biggest question goes unanswered by Shannon Taylor and the FBI, "why did Taylor refuse to extradite the fugitive from the Philippines, despite his arrest and U.S. embassy legal attaches demanding his extradition otherwise he would be deported to Greece, his safe haven."

A November 22, 2018 Motion for Transportation to be provided by the Commonwealth of Virginia from Greece to Virginia was submitted to Henrico Circuit Court. The defendant Spanos based his motion on case law that required the HCCA to have him escorted by federal marshals back to Virginia to be present for his January 19, 2019 hearing. 

A December 07, 2018 order signed by Judge Lee A. Harris denied the motion for transportation, which was not objected by HCCA Shannon Taylor. 

The obvious question stands out, why did Henrico Circuit court Judge L.A. Harris deny the motion to transport a suspected drug dealer who allegedly was the hub of an organization that distributed more than 600 kilos of cocaine in the Richmond area?

The other big question is who is Shannon Taylor protecting, in refusing to bring the fugitive back to Virginia? With the new evidence presented, that three generations of HCCA knew that the  main witness "L" with her history of serious mental history and they intentionally hid the exculpatory evidence from the co-conspirators defense attorneys? 

A prosecutors duty is to see that justice is served, if a main witness proves to be not credible or has serious mental issues, then the defense attorneys must be informed as per exculpatory rules. 

HCCA Shannon Taylor will have to disclose at some point on the exact reason who she is protecting and why Henrico County does not want the alleged cocaine dealer to appear in Henrico County.

McGuireWoods Shadow government exposed in Richmond court filing

NIGHTMARES CONTINUE FOR VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH ATTORNEY SHANNON TAYLOR

The day has come that Henrico County Commonwealth Attorney Shannon Taylor has been having nightmares about, on September 26, 2018, "International Fugitive" Nickolas Spanos has filed his "Motion to Dismiss with Prejudice" thirteen indictments for conspiracy to distribute cocaine dating back from 1998-1999. In his motion, he has exposed the "shadow government" that has controlled the Virginia justice system for at least 20 years and has put 3 generations of Henrico Prosecutors in the hot seat.

In his 300 page motion to dismiss the thirteen indictments, 240 pages are exhibits of evidence exposing the McGuireWoods "shadow government" controlling the Henrico Commonwealth Attorneys office, which done its best to keep the "international fugitive" from being prosecuted in the Henrico County courts, for allegedly distributing over 600 kilos of cocaine in the Richmond for over ten years. 

The motion to dismiss is highly unusual in many ways:

• The thirteen grand jury indictments are from 1998-99, twenty years old.

• The Defendant is acting Pro Se, representing himself.

• The Defendant is located in Greece and has filed his motion to be heard by video and audio conference.

• The Defendant has offered numerous times to turn himself in to U.S. DOJ officials and voluntarily be extradited to Virginia to face trial but HCCA Shannon Taylor refused to pay for his flight.

• The Defendant had been arrested in the Philippines in 2012 and was awaiting extradition for 19 months but HCCA Shannon Taylor refused to file an extradition request and the fugitive was sent back to his safe haven of Greece.

The original HCCA Howard "Toby" Vick, who claimed that Spanos was the "hub of an organization that distributed over 600 kilos of cocaine", had the sole responsibility to bring the fugitive to justice but betrayed his sworn duty to the Commonwealth of Virginia in order to get his "golden ticket" with McGuireWoods law firm. Until now, his "bribe" has paid off well, Howard Vick co-heads of the firm's white collar practice of McGuireWoods largest office out of 26 offices located internationally. CLICK TO SEE HOWARD VICK PROFILE

Howard Vick's decision to become deaf and blind as Henrico Chief prosecutor has earned him a mansion in Windsor farms worth over $2,000,000 and a summer home in Coral Cables, Florida.

The evidence of the September 26, 2018 motion exposes the "shadow government" operated by McGuireWoods law firm, the same law firm that represented Nickolas Spanos and his family. During the grand jury hearings, HCCA Howard "Toby" Vick was negotiating his partnership with McGuireWoods law firm and within one year of the last indictments being issued against Spanos, Howard Vick resigned early from the HCCA to join his mentor, Richard Cullen, the managing partner of McGuireWoods law firm.

Evidence of ex-FBI director James B. Comey is entangled in the "shadow government", James Comey was the assistant U.S. Attorney, Eastern District of Virginia in 2001, who for no valid reason, voluntarily dismissed the Federal UFAP warrant against Nickolas Spanos. The 13 indictments were still active, there was no logic in dismissing the UFAP warrant, which took Spanos off the national and international criminal database and allowed him to renew his U.S. passport in 2006. James B. Comey was also a McGuireWoods partner prior to his joining the U.S. DOJ. Richard Cullen is also the godfather of one of James Comey's daughters.

The Motion to dismiss is based on the violation of Spanos's Constitutional rights, primarily the Speedy Trial Act of 1974. The evidence submitted shows that there was highly suspicious activity between the Henrico Commonwealths Attorney's office, U.S. Attorney's office (Richmond) and McGuireWoods law firm, concerning their lack of effort to extradite the fugitive despite knowing his exact location. 

For over 20 years, FBI officials in Virginia, Manila, Philippines and Greece had given the Henrico Commonwealth Attorneys exact information about Spanos to have him extradited to Virginia to be prosecuted but HCCA Howard Vick, Wade Kizer and Shannon Taylor refused to take any action, despite Spanos being arrested and detained in the Philippines for over 19 months awaiting extradition.

This unusual case is scheduled to be heard on January 17, 2019 at the Henrico Circuit Court and is one to follow as it will put pressure on the hearing judge to either abide by his sworn duty and uphold the Constitution or fall into the claws of the "shadow government".

Ex-FBI Director James Comey tied to corruption involving International Fugitive Nickolas Spanos

James Comey joins the deep corruption involving "International fugitive" Nickolas Spanos

    

On July 06 2001, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia James Comey signed an order to dismiss a Federal Unlawful Flight to Avoid Prosecution warrant against Nickolas Spanos

The original federal UFAP warrant was issued on December 11, 1998, by request of the Henrico County P.D. to the FBI, which issued the affidavit to issues the UFAP warrant. The December 11, 1998 affidavit contained enough information to have Nickolas Spanos extradited from Greece, even his exact location given by family members, "Spanos is currently residing with an Uncle in Athens, Greece". The uncles address is listed in Henrico county property and tax records, as he was a partner with other Spanos family members. Click to View 1998-2001 federal UFAP file

See our previous article, Henrico County Circuit Court and U.S. Attorney federal files go missing in International Fugitives case
The U.S. Attorneys office, Richmond Division, searched effortlessly through numerous archive data files to locate the missing file and recently located them in Richmond City Circuit Court archives. The big question has been answered on who was powerful enough to have these 1998-2001 files go missing.

Why would U.S. Attorney James Comey have the federal UFAP warrant dismissed, if the 1998-99 13 indictments for Conspiracy to distribute cocaine were still active active. 

There is no statute of limitations on a federal UFAP warrant, and the indictments are still active, thus there is no reason to dismiss the subject UFAP warrants unless James Comey was instructed by someone who had a vested interest to dismiss them.

An inside source at the U.S. Attorneys office stated that in an inter-agency letter signed by James Comey, his reasons for dismissing the subject UFAP warrant was that "the U.S. government and Greece have no extradition treaty and Nickolas Spanos could not be extradited back to Virginia". By making this written statement, James Comey has committed both illegal and ethical violations, as the U.S. government and Greece had ratified an extradition treaty in 1932 and narcotics offences are listed in the extradition treaty. Click to view U.S. - Greece 1932 extradition treaty

In our previous articles, the same name keeps appearing, Richard Cullen, one of the most powerful attorneys in the Washington political arena. Click to view Richard Cullen: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know

Lets look at the connection between Richard Cullen and James Comey.

According to The Washington Post, Richard Cullen once worked with James Comey at McGuireWoods; Comey was hired to work at the law firm in 1993, and he became a partner in 1996 and not only is Cullen his “close associate,” as news reports described, Cullen is godfather to one of Comey’s daughters. Click to view Richard Cullen is the "godfather" of James Comey's daughter

When James Comey was picked to be director of the FBI, Richard Cullen expressed his approval, telling the Richmond Times-Dispatch that Comey “will be a great director. There are many people in Richmond who remember him and his family fondly and are very pleased that the president has chosen him for such a vitally important position.”

Richard Cullen obstructed justice by having U.S. Attorney James Comey dismiss the federal UFAP warrants against Nickolas Spanos. This illegal action was for the sole purpose of being able to recruit HCCA Howard Vick to McGuireWoods in 2000, thus covering up the path of corruption.

Furthermore, by having the 1998-2001 federal warrant purged from the Henrico County Circuit Court, the Commonwealth Attorneys office and the U.S. Attorneys office files, adds more seriousness to the obstruction of justice.

Howard Vick, as the HCCA in 1998-2000, was legally and ethically obligated to pursue "International fugitive" Nickolas Spanos by cancelling his U.S. passport and notifying Greek DOJ authorities to have him deported as an "undocumented alien", an extradition request to Greece DOJ would have been an extra step which would have proved successful as Greece has no tolerance for narcotics trafficking/distribution.

In the July 06, 2001 FBI affidavit, Henrico police investigator J.T. Johnson stated "requested the assistance of the FBI in locating Spanos and assured that the Commonwealth of Virginia would extradite Spanos upon his arrest."

This is a very opposite message that HCCA Howard Vick has given, considering Howard Vick knew Spanos's exact location, Spanos was not a citizen of Greece until March 2000 and that the U.S. government and Greece have an extradition treaty.

International Fugitive Federal files suspiciously disappear

Henrico County Circuit Court and U.S. Attorney federal files go missing in International Fugitives case

High profile McGuire-Woods partners allegedly linked to the case of International Fugitive Nickolas Spanos corruption, as suspicions continue to grow in the missing Henrico County Circuit Court and U.S. Attorney federal files.

The missing files are related to federal warrants that had been issued for Nickolas Spanos on December 14, 1998 for Unlawful Flight to avoid prosecution. On December 05, 1998, a Multi-Jurisdictional Grand Jury issued 13 indictments for Nickolas Spanos alleging Conspiracy to Distribute Cocaine in the Richmond, Virginia area. 

Henrico County Commonwealth Attorney Howard Vick had requested for the U.S. Attorney office to issue the December 14, 1998 federal warrants for Unlawful flight to avoid prosecution. Nickolas Spanos had fled to Greece on November 28, 1998 after being tipped off by HCCA Howard Vick that a pending grand jury trial would target him and fellow associates.

HCCA Howard Vick never attempted an extradition request from Greece to have Nickolas Spanos brought back to be prosecuted for the 13 grand jury indictments despite a media battle between Vick and Spanos. Spanos claimed that "Vick was on a witch hunt and had no evidence except false witnesses", Vick had stated that Spanos was the hub of a cocaine organization that distributed more than 600 kilos of cocaine.

On April 15, 1999, three of Spanos's associates pleaded guilty to distribution of cocaine and testified against Spanos. HCCA Howard Vick refused to extradite Spanos from Greece despite Spanos challenging him in the media that the allegations against him are false.

In May 2000, HCCA Howard Vick resigned early from the HCCA position to join McGuire-Woods law firm on June 08, 2000. McGuire-Woods represented Nickolas Spanos and family members in multi-million dollar estate holdings.

Pacer case locater show that the federal case file was assigned to Magistrate Judge Dennis W. Dohnal on August 08, 2000, just two months after Howard Vick joined McGuire-Woods law firm.

Strangely enough on July 11, 2001, after 11 months, a government motion is submitted to have the December 14, 1998 federal warrant for unlawful flight to avoid prosecution dismissed. Why would a federal warrant for an international fugitive be dismissed if the grand jury indictments are still active? The HCCA at the time was Wade Kizer, who was Howard Vick's loyal successor after his resignation.

With no federal warrants appearing, Nickolas Spanos was able to renew his U.S. passport on September 15, 2006 at the U.S. Embassy Athens, Greece and remain off the radar of international law enforcement. 

In a previous blog, we covered on three generations of Henrico Commonwealth Attorneys avoiding to extradite international fugitive Nickolas Spanos. READ ARTICLE Avoiding to "extradite an international fugitive" leads to corruption

Recently, Nickolas Spanos Attorneys began to uncover further corruption in the Henrico County Commonwealth Attorney's office, as the entire Henrico County Circuit Court records of the federal warrants for Unlawful Flight to Avoid Prosecution were missing. The missing documents are:

1. December 11, 1998, Complaint against Nickolas Spanos by HCCA Howard Vick.
2. December 14, 1998, Federal warrant for Unlawful Flight to Avoid Prosecution.
3. July 07, 2001, Motion by Henrico County Commonwealth Attorney's Office to dismiss the December 14, 1998 federal warrant issued against Nickolas Spanos.
4. July 07, 2001, Dismissal order of the December 14, 1998 federal warrant.

Spanos's attorney question the Henrico County Circuit Court Clerk as to the missing case files, in which they answered "only the Henrico County Commonwealth Attorney's office have access to these files and it is highly irregular that files are missing". The present HCCA is Shannon Taylor.

Numerous requests were made to HCCA Shannon Taylor for Brady Materials but Shannon Taylor refused to give the Brady Documents, violating Spanos's constitutional rights. Read article on Is Henrico County CA Shannon Taylor deliberately sabotaging her case to protect the files of Commonwealth v. Spanos?

Spanos's attorney then contacted the U.S. Attorney, Eastern District of Virginia, Richmond Division, who ordered the Nickolas Spanos Federal file from archives. In an email to Spanos's attorney, they stated that there were no records/documents prior to 2007. The Federal motions, warrants and dismissals have now disappeared from the U.S. Attorneys Office in Richmond, Virginia. The U.S. Attorney's office is investigating the missing documents.

The obvious question is who has the most to gain by the 1998-2001 Henrico County Circuit Court  and U.S. Attorney's office federal files to disappear? The first suspect coming to mind is Nickolas Spanos, but he is located in Greece and had no access to both government agency files, besides it does not change the fact that 13 grand jury indictments are still active, thus it greatly rules him out.

The next alleged suspect would be McGuire-Woods partner Howard Vick, the cloud of suspicion grows darker as to the highly irregular actions of Howard Vick while he was the HCCA prosecuting Nickolas Spanos and his refusal to have him extradited despite having federal warrants issued for his unlawful flight. 

Howard Vick was negotiating his partnership with McGuire-Woods, managing partner Richard Cullen, during the investigation and grand jury hearings that indicted Nickolas Spanos on 13 counts of conspiracy to distribute Cocaine. If HCCA Howard Vick would have extradited Spanos from Greece and prosecuted him, it would have shut the door on his partnership with McGuire-Woods law firm. READ ARTICLE ON VICK REUNITED WITH CULLEN AT MCGUIRE-WOODS

Howard Vick worked for Richard Cullen before he was appointed Henrico Commonwealth's attorney when Cullen was U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia.

Our next blog will focus on who is powerful enough to illegally purge the files of both Henrico County Circuit Court and the U.S. Attorneys Office, Eastern District of Virginia, Richmond Division.

Is Henrico County CA Shannon Taylor deliberately sabotaging her case to protect the files of Commonwealth v. Spanos?

Strange turn of events in the case of Commonwealth of Virginia v. Spanos

In a December 20, 2017 letter to Rhetta Daniel, Attorney for Nickolas Spanos, the Henrico Commonwealths Attorney's office is refusing to provide Brady Materials in connection to Commonwealth v. Spanos case.

The Brady Rule, named after Brady v. Maryland, 373 U.S. 83 (1963), requires prosecutors to disclose materially exculpatory evidence in the government's possession to the defense. A "Brady material" or evidence the prosecutor is required to disclose under this rule includes any evidence favourable to the accused--evidence that goes towards negating a defendant's guilt, that would reduce a defendant's potential sentence, or evidence going to the credibility of a witness

If the prosecution does not disclose material exculpatory evidence under this rule, and prejudice has ensued, the evidence will be suppressed. The evidence will be suppressed regardless of whether the prosecutor knew the evidence was in his or her possession, or whether or not the prosecutor intentionally or inadvertently withheld the evidence from the defense.

Further, in cases subsequent to Brady, the Supreme Court has eliminated the requirement for a defendant to have requested a favorable information, stating that the Prosecution has a constitutional duty to disclose, that is triggered by the potential impact of favorable but undisclosed evidence See Kyles v. Whitley 514 U.S. 419, 434 (1955); United States. v. Bagley, 473 U.S. 667 (1985). 

https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/brady_rule

In our earlier blogs, we focused on the numerous constitutional and due process violations in the Spanos case which undoubtedly would be used in filing for a motion to dismiss the 13 pending indictments issued against Spanos.

Also we exposed the irregular actions of the Henrico County Commonwealth Attorney's office & Henrico Police Department which spans over 20 years, which includes tainted evidence/testimony, perjury within Grand Jury indictments, inappropriate behaviour between HPD investigators and their main witness and most of all, human rights violations pertaining to malicious prosecution/illegal arrest.

What better way for the HCCA Shannon Taylor to make this nightmare go away? Refuse to provide Brady Materials, thus a violation of due process which would lead to suppressing all evidence. For certain a motion to dismiss would be filed and case dismissed. 

This is a win-win situation for HCCA Shannon Taylor: 

• the Spanos files would never have to be produced, thus any incriminating evidence against the HCCA would remained sealed.
• HCCA Shannon Taylor cleans up the mess created for over 20 years by the three generations of Commonwealth attorneys.
• Spanos would be satisfied as he feels that justice has been served by his indictments being dismissed.
• It spares the Henrico judicial and law enforcement branches a great deal of embarrassment.

It will be an interesting turn of events to follow.

International fugitive Nickolas G. Spanos files motion for Brady Material.

Withholding of Brady Material by Henrico County Commonwealths Attorney Shannon Taylor continues to violate constitutional rights

Despite repeated written requests for over 30 days by Nickolas Spanos's attorney Rhetta M. Daniel, the Henrico Commonwealth Attorney Shannon Taylor is withholding and claims it is entitled to continue withholding evidence that from the Defendant that he must have to prepare for his defense of  unserved Indictments.  

The denial of providing the Brady Material has provoked a December 19, 2017 filing of a motion & memorandum totalling 40 pages, to compel the production of Brady Material by the Henrico County Commonwealth Attorney.

Furthermore, the motion states "that the Commonwealth failed to provide the requisite documentation to the foreign authorities and the United States authorities in Greece and the Philippines to have the Defendant extradited timely. The Defendant also has reason to believe the Commonwealth has been suppressing evidence that casts grave doubts on the quality of the Commonwealth’s investigation, including evidence that the Commonwealth in its investigation failed to find any physical evidence that the Defendant could be convicted of any of the charges set out in the said Indictments." 

The 1998-99 Grand Jury 13 Indictments against Spanos are for Conspiracy to distribute Cocaine, The indictments claim that Spanos was involved in the trafficking of narcotics from 1987 to 1998.

A meeting, in November 1998, Spanos and his attorney Murray Janus met with Howard Vick and two Henrico detectives, Vick gave Spanos three choices "cooperate by testifying against others, do not cooperate and sit at the table with the big boys or you can leave for Greece". Spanos chose to leave for Greece just weeks before the Grand Jury indictments were issued against him. In various media statements he contended that the indictments were a "witch hunt" by the original Henrico Commonwealth Attorney Howard "Toby" Vick without any material evidence.

Coincidently, Howard Vick resigned from his position as Commonwealth Attorney on June 09, 2000 to join McGuire Woods LLP law firm, who represented Nickolas Spanos as co-trustee for his family trust and other close family members, notably his late father George N. Spanos since 1980.

The motion states that Howard Vick intentionally avoided extraditing Spanos from Greece for reason that it would have dampened his employment opportunity with McGuire Woods LLP by creating a conflict of interest and that employment negotiations were already in place before the Grand jury indictments against Spanos were issued.

The motion also states many irregular actions by the Henrico County Commonwealth Office from 1996 to present day, the most irregular being the failure or inaction of not extraditing Spanos despite knowing where his location has been for 18 years. 

Also stated that on October 18, 2012, Shannon Taylor had Spanos arrested in the Philippines but never processed an extradition request and had denied the Philippines DOJ numerous request for authenticated documents pertaining to the 13 Grand Jury indictments, which led to the illegal detention of Spanos in a Philippine jail for 19 months. The Philippine DOJ deported Spanos to Greece on June 01, 2014.

The motion is specifically requesting the following:

• Legible copies of all documents missing from the Henrico Circuit Court files from 1996 through the present;
• Legible copies of all statements by the defendant and any co-defendants;
• Legible copies of all documents and tangible objects in your possession or under your control that the prosecution will use at any Hearing or a trial;
• A Complete Witness List of all the witnesses the prosecution plans to have testify at a Hearing or at trial, including Ms. Shannon Taylor and Mr. Feinmel, as well as all prior recorded verbal and all written statements, letters, notes, computer documents containing any statements made by those witnesses that are relevant to the underlying Indictments or the extradition procedures engaged in by any person in the Office of the Henrico County Commonwealth's Attorney;
• Legible copies of all reports of scientific tests and/or medical and physical examinations that have been prepared for the prosecution of Mr. Spanos;
• Legible copies of all exculpatory evidence within the possession or control of the Henrico County Office of the Commonwealth's Attorney, the Richmond Circuit Court and/or the Multi-Jurisdictional Grand Jury;
• Legible copies of all documentary or other evidence that will aid in defense of the Defendant's cases that is in possession of or under the control of Henrico County Office of the Commonwealth's Attorney, the Henrico Police Department, the Richmond Circuit Court and/or the Multi-Jurisdictional Grand Jury;
• Legible copies of all documents and all recorded information that affects the credibility of any prosecution witnesses, such as the prosecution offered its witness leniency in exchange for testimony, but not excluding any other type of information that may affect the credibility of any witness, including Ms. Taylor and Mr. Feinmel; [See: Giglio v. United States, 405 U.S. 150 (1972)];
• Legible copies of all other exculpatory evidence such as the identity of all missing, senile or dead witnesses, but not excluding any other type of exculpatory evidence;
• All evidence and documents that contain any reference to any efforts or procedures instituted by Howard C. (Toby) Vick, former Henrico County Commonwealth’s Attorney to have the Defendant extradited or returned from Greece to the United States;
• All evidence and document that contain any reference to any negotiations for employment or offers of employment from McGuire Woods LLP, or any previous entity to McGuire Woods LLP, related in any manner to Howard C. (Toby) Vick, former Henrico County Commonwealth’s Attorney, when he was applying for any position or any employment with McGuire Woods LLP, Richmond, VA;
• All evidence and document that contain any reference to any negotiations or offers from McGuire Woods LLP, or any previous entity before McGuireWoods LLP was established, related to Howard C. (Toby) Vick’s, former Henrico County Commonwealth’s Attorney, having contact with Richard Cullen, Esquire, who was employed by McGuire Woods LLP, Richmond, VA, when Howard C. (Toby) Vick, Esquire, resigned as the Henrico County Commonwealth’s Attorney and became employed by McGuire Wood LLP or any previous entity that became McGuireWoods LLP; https://www.mcguirewoods.com/People/V/Howard-C-Vick-Jr.aspx & https://www.mcguirewoods.com/People/C/Richard-Cullen.aspx; and
• All evidence of any type of personal relationship with any witness between Henrico Detective/Officer J. T. Johnson and/or Detective/Officer . . . Clavert, who were/are or may have been employed by the Henrico County Virginia Police Department, but not excluding any other employees of Henrico County, Virginia, from 1980 through the present.

For additional clarity, I am including and requesting the following described materials, but not excluding any other documents, physical evidence or intangible evidence:

(a) The names and addresses of persons the prosecutor intends to call or may call as witnesses at trial.

(b) Statements of all other defendants and Mr. Spanos.

(c) All relevant "real evidence" seized or obtained as a part of the investigation of the offenses charged.

(d) The existence of a felony conviction of any material witness whose credibility is likely to be critical to the outcome of the trial.

(e) Any exculpatory evidence.

(f) Relevant written or recorded statements of witnesses or reports of the statements of witnesses whom the prosecutor intends to call at the trial, including any reports or statements of experts made in conjunction with the case, including the results of physical or mental examinations, scientific tests, experiments, or comparisons which the prosecutor intends to offer in evidence at the trial.

Spanos's attorney Rhetta M. Daniel states in the motion, that because of the irregular actions and violation of Spanos's constitutional rights, by the three (3) generations of Commonwealths attorneys Shannon Taylor, Wade Kizer and Howard Vick, all charges and indictments against Spanos must be dismissed.

Attorney Daniel inquired concerning whether the Commonwealth had copies of the document(s) that clearly had been removed from the official Henrico Circuit Court files for the Defendant and which documents by name appeared to be critical to the defense of the Defendant, the Deputy Commonwealth’s Attorney did not know if the Office of the Commonwealth’s Attorney had copies or not.

Copies of the motions filed can be viewed at this link:         

Motion for Brady Material

Avoiding to "extradite an international fugitive" leads to corruption.

Three generations (19 years) of Henrico County Virginia Commonwealth Prosecutors covering up an Extradition for "International Fugitive" 

Grand jury indictments were issued against Nickolas G. Spanos in December 1998 and April 1999 for 13 counts of conspiracy to distribute cocaine. Henrico County Commonwealth attorney Howard "Toby" Vick had stated in numerous media statements that Spanos was the hub of organization that distributed more than 600 kilos in the Richmond, Virginia area. Toby Vick alleged that Spanos customers were middle to upper-class businessmen, lawyers, doctors and other professionals, Spanos had operated the drug syndicate for over 10 years. Vick stated that Spanos fled to Greece before the indictments were issued and that the USA DEA has an office in Athens, Greece; Spanos will stand trial in Henrico county for the Grand Jury indictments, a bold statement by Henrico county C.A. Howard "Toby" Vick.
                               

      
Spanos responded back to Richmond Times Dispatch reporter Bill Wasson, "that Vick is going on a witch hunt", yes people were partying but not what it has been made out to be. Spanos challenged Vick by stating "I an just a bean in a bag of beans, a regular guy blending in the streets", basically telling Vick that there was no way he would bring him back. RTD reporter Bill Wasson asked if Spanos had dual citizenship, which Spanos replied yes and he would be going to the islands shortly. Also stating was that Vick's case was based on testimonies alone and that the main witness was his disgruntled jealous ex-gf that was lying and exaggerating for revenge, and that a brutal custody case led to all this.

From a non-biased view, certain questions rise, If Spanos was such a major cocaine dealer in the Richmond area for over 10 years, why couldn't the Henrico Police department catch him? Would there not be a money trail? 600 kilos of cocaine has a street value of over $18,000,000. (18 million USD.)

Toby Vick had brought in many members of his family for questioning, in which they had no idea of the alleged cocaine distribution, one sister asked Vick "where did all the money go?" Vick replied " he was buying a lot of drinks for people in the bars"

The Henrico narcotics police served 2 search warrants, one at Spanos home in Hanover county and another one at his mothers home in Henrico county, their main witness had given the information that was the location of drugs and money. No drugs or money was found but they did find Spanos's mothers stash of Greek coffee wrapped in aluminium foils sealed with plastic in the freezer.

A non-biased view would say that the Henrico C.A. main witness has led them on a wild story since she was the disgruntled, jealous ex that was in a hard custody battle with a good chance of losing custody. The Henrico C.A. Toby Vick probably did not mention in the multi-jurisdictional grand jury hearings that the ex had a history of mental illness and that she attempted suicide on Christmas day, leading to confinement at a psychiatric ward for a 48 hour suicide watch.

In the statements C.A. Toby Vick made to the media, no mention of the confiscation of drugs or money was mentioned, only that there were witnesses that testified that they bought cocaine from Spanos.

Henrico County C.A. Toby Vick had a Federal warrant of arrest for Unlawful Flight to Avoid Prosecution issued on December 14, 1998, 1 week after the Multi-jurisdictional Grand Jury issued the 13 indictments against Spanos (18 days after Spanos left for Greece)   

Despite having the Federal warrant issued, no request to the DOJ Office of International Affairs to have an Interpol Red Notice issued for Spanos and begin extradition procedures, which would have alerted the International law enforcement community to arrest Spanos.

C.A. Toby Vick did not even inform the U.S. State Department in order to cancel Spanos's USA passport, this would have made him "undocumented" and his deportation would have even been easier than an Extradition request.

The question might come up that Vick was an inexperienced prosecutor that did not know the procedures when a suspect becomes an "international fugitive", lets take a look at Henrico C.A. Howard Vick's resume:

Commonwealth's Attorney, Henrico County, Virginia; 
Head of the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Virginia’s Organized Crime-Drug Enforcement Task Force; 
Head of the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida’s (Miami) Organized Crime-Drug Enforcement Task Force; 
Member of the DOJ’s Organized Crime Strike Force in New Orleans; 
Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney in Arlington, Virginia 
Assistant Attorney General, Commonwealth of Virginia (Richmond), 

With a resume like this, Toby Vick could easily extradite someone like Spanos who was on limited funds in a foreign country with only a USA passport that would only give him 60 days visa in Greece.

The case against Spanos became stronger as three of his associates pleaded guilty to lesser charges and testified against Spanos as part of their plea bargains in April 1999.
Again no attempt was made by C.A. Toby Vick to have Spanos extradited from Greece, Europe or any other destination he might attempt to travel to.

The non-biased view might ask if Spanos was the "hub of a drug syndicate that distributed over 600 kilos of cocaine" , why Henrico C.A. Toby Vick not even make an attempt to take any legal action to extradite Spanos?

To go through a Multi-jurisdictional Grand Jury bringing in more that 15 witnesses to testify, also presenting evidence to a jury, thousands of police hours to investigate and interview witnesses, issuing subpoenas and other legal instruments is no small task. Toby Vick would have just had to cross the hall from his office, go to the Henrico county clerks office, have a capias issued and signed by a judge. Then send it to various agencies to have the necessary action taken to bring Spanos back, either by extradition or deportation, pretty simple maybe 1 hours worth of work?

The surprising point is that on July 06, 2001, the December 14, 1998 Federal warrant for Unlawful Flight to Avoid Prosecution was dismissed based on a government motion.

Coincidently, Henrico county CA Toby Vick resigned from his position with the Henrico County CA office on June 09, 2000 and joined the McGuire-Woods law firm, which was the law firm handling Spanos's late father’s estate, which Spanos was co-trustee with his mother. Toby Vick’s decision to join McGuire-Woods law firm did not happen overnight, he had planned this for quite a while, possibly before the 1998-99 grand jury hearings. 
http://www.richmond.com/city-life/news/article_511631a5-9b51-5583-b112-6b944498564b.html

The position will reunite him with former Virginia Attorney General Richard Cullen, who now heads up that team for the firm. Vick worked for Cullen before he was appointed Henrico Commonwealth's attorney when Cullen was U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia.

• Would there be some sort of conflict of interest if Spanos was to be returned and stand trial for the 13 Grand Jury indictments for drug charges? 

• Could it have shut the door on Toby Vick’s partnership with McGuire-Woods law firm? 

Howard Vick's partnership with McGuire Woods LLP. was his golden ticket. McGuire Woods LLP. is a U.S. law firm with more than 1,000 attorneys in 23 offices across the United States, Asia and Europe. The firm's largest offices are in Richmond, VA, Charlotte, NC, and Chicago, IL.. Very suspicious?

On September 10, 2006, Nickolas Spanos walks into the U.S. Embassy Athens and applies to renew his USA passport, 4 days later, he picks up his brand new USA Passport with no questions asked. His previous USA passport expired on June 14, 2003.

A non-biased view might ask, why isn't the most powerful embassy of the civilized world not putting out a wanted notice if this "international fugitive" might happen to visit the most secured embassy in the world?

On February 20, 2007, a Federal warrant was issued for Spanos arrest, the charge is Unlawful Flight to Avoid Prosecution warrant which is a request by the state for federal assistance in apprehending someone who is charged with a felony and has crossed state lines or fled the country.

Again, Henrico County Commonwealths Attorney Wade Kizer makes no attempt to have Spanos extradited or even cancel his newly acquired USA passport which is less than 7 months old and would expire 10 years later in 2016. In the February 20, 2007 Affidavit signed by Christopher Doering, Special Agent, FBI, he states the exact location of Spanos, as listed on his passport application, Messologion 21, Athens, Greece. January 12, 2007, Henrico Police Investigator E.S. Brown requests from the FBI in locating Spanos. 

A non-biased view would continue to ask the same questions, why wasn't one single attempt made to bring Spanos to justice? What was the Henrico C.A. office and now the federal law enforcement agencies waiting for? What or who was the Henrico C.A. office protecting?

Another five years pass and a situation which was brought in detail in our previous article, 
U.S. Embassy legal attaches tied to extortion and human trafficking., in which Spanos was arrested in the Philippines On October 18, 2012 and detained  for 19 months, USA DOJ, U.S.Embassy Manila legal attaches (FBI) and more importantly Henrico County C.A. Shannon Taylor never processed an extradition request. They kept the arrest hidden from the media until the Richmond Times Dispatch received a tip that a relative of Spanos had requested authenticated copies of the 1998-99 Multi-jurisdictional Grand Jury on February 28, 2013.

A Richmond Times Dispatch news article on March 01, 2013 published that Nickolas Spanos was found in the Philippines and detained by Philippine Immigration. 
http://www.richmond.com/news/alleged-coke-dealer-located-in-philippines-after-years-on-the/article_6e331ad0-599d-5d2b-b6c8-310144479dc1.html


Henrico County authorities and the FBI confirmed Thursday that Nickolas George Spanos, 48, is in the custody of Philippine authorities on separate, unresolved charges there, Henrico C.A. Shannon Taylor states "that it is not clear when the former seafood dealer could be returned to this country"

"Henrico County authorities and the FBI confirmed Thursday that Nickolas George Spanos, 48, is in the custody of Philippine authorities on separate, unresolved charges there."

"Vick said in an email Thursday that he was aware that Spanos had been arrested; he had predicted in 1999 that it would happen. “I'm fully confident that Nick Spanos will stand trial in Henrico Circuit Court,” Vick said then."

The fact is that Spanos's arrest by Philippine authorities was based on the request of Henrico County CA office and the U.S.Embassy Manila legal attaches, there was no other pending charges against Spanos.

On September 10, 2013, 11 months after Spanos arrest in the Philippines, the Henrico county Circuit court issues an arrest warrant for Spanos for the 1998-99 Grand jury indictments.

A non-biased view would question the delay in issuing a September 10, 2013 arrest warrant, 11 months after Spanos arrest in the Philippines. Why did C.A. Shannon Taylor hide the fact of Spanos arrest in the Philippines?

The Philippine DOJ made several requests to Henrico County CA office to send them authenticated copies of the 1998-99 Grand jury indictments and other important documents. Henrico county CA Shannon Taylor refused their request.

Despite numerous letters from the U.S. FBI to Philippines Immigration officials demanding Spanos's deportation to the USA, he was deported to Greece on June 01, 2014.

Upon Spanos's arrival in Athens, Greece on June 02, 2014, he was greeted by Greek national security officials, in which they presented an Interpol Red notice asking for his provisional arrest in order for the U.S. DOJ could process the request for extradition.

Nickolas Spanos aka Nikolaos Spanoudis was brought before a Greek DOJ Prosecutor and was presented with the attached documents to the Interpol Red notice, a Capias from Henrico county Circuit court showing a September 13, 2013 certified date, 15 years after the multi-jurisdictional grand jury had issued the 13 indictments.


Greek DOJ Prosecutor held Spanos under the 60 day provisional arrest article listed in most USA Extradition treaties. The USA DOJ Office of international Affairs has to submit the required documents as stipulated in the USA-Greece Extradition treaty. On July 30, 2014, the U.S. Embassy Athens submitted all the required documents to the Greek DOJ Prosecutor, Spanos was ordered to be detained until the September 23 2014 Extradition hearing. To view: USA DOJ Extradition request with supporting documents 

During his Extradition detention, Greek justice authorities charged Spanos with the 1998-99 Grand Jury indictments that the USA DOJ submitted. Under the USA-Greece Extradition treaty, Greece may prosecute a Greek national under Greek law if the Extradition is refused.

On September 24, 2014, a Greek Tribunal denied the USA Extradition request. No USA embassy official attended the trial nor did the USA embassy retain an attorney to present evidence on their behalf.

The Greek DOJ Prosecutors office informed the USA DOJ OIA and the USA Embassy Athens of the Greek tribunals decision and also of the Greek DOJ obligation to prosecute Spanos under Greek law, the Greek DOJ requested that any evidence that Henrico county C.A wanted to present, that they should to forward it to Greek Prosecutors. No evidence was ever sent or a reply by Henrico county C.A.

On March 27, 2015, A Greek Tribunal dismissed all 13 indictments against Spanos and ordered his release. The Greek DOJ notified the USA Embassy Athens and the USA DOJ OIA of the decision, the USA DOJ refused to file an appeal to the decision.
Below are the short decision of the Greek tribunal.

The main issue is why did Henrico county CA Shannon Taylor not attempt to process an extradition request in the Philippines, where she had the best chance to bring Spanos back to the USA to face the 13 indictments? 

Why did Shannon Taylor attempt an Extradition request from Greece, where she knew that Greece was Spanos's safe haven and that Greece does not extradite its own nationals?

The conclusion of all the facts is that the three generations of Henrico County Commonwealth Attorneys were making more efforts to keep fugitive Nickolas Spanos out of the United States than to extradite him and have him face the 13 Grand jury indictments. Only ex-Henrico CA Howard "Toby" Vick , Wade Kizer & Shannon Taylor know the answer to why..