International fugitive drug case could bring career ending problems for Shannon Taylor

Virginia Commonwealth Attorney Shannon Taylor et al, faces serious problems for 2019

The 20 year old case of an international fugitive accused of distributing more than 600 kilos of cocaine in the Richmond area could bring career ending sanctions and criminal charges for Henrico County Commonwealth Attorneys Shannon Taylor and Michael Feinmel.

Virginia Corrupt Lawyers was able to obtain a December 19, 2018 filing which demanded sanctions and investigations into HCCA office and the Henrico County Circuit Clerks office, stating criminal actions, Constitutional and Civil rights violations.

READ PDF SANCTIONS-INVESTIGATION

Deputy Commonwealth Attorney Michael Y. Feinmel is accused of perjury, submitting false evidence and witnesses in his July 21, 2014 affidavit requesting extradition from Greece for the international fugitive Nickolas Spanos, he is also accused of Constitutional and Civil rights violations, which is a federal crime under U.S. Sec. 242 of Title 18, violation of the Color of Law.

A long list of prosecutorial misconduct, blatant disregard for the rules and procedures of the Virginia Supreme Court and the Department of Justice procedures is stated in the sanctions filings.

Crucial missing documents and orders are missing from the Henrico County Circuit Court Clerks office. Staff in the Henrico County Circuit Courts office have verified that crucial motions and orders are missing from their files which have been recorded on their database management system.

A hearing date for the Motion to Dismiss with Prejudice the 13 grand jury indictments is scheduled for January 17, 2019 in Henrico County Circuit Court by Judge L.A. Harris.

Copies of the complaint have been filed with the Virginia State Bar, in which Commonwealth Attorney Shannon Taylor sits on the Legal Ethics Committee and was the 1st woman to be elected to the Henrico County Commonwealth Attorney position.

More serious accusations of personal and professional gain are stated in the complaint filed, in which Henrico County Circuit Court Judge L. A. Harris will decide if and what sanctions will be imposed, more serious is if Judge L.A. Harris will turn over the sanction filed to federal authorities for investigation.

CA Shannon Taylor and Michael Feinmel inherited the international fugitives case from ex-HCCA Howard Vick and Wade Kizer. The highly peculiar case continues to raise many suspicions on why the Henrico County Commonwealth Attorneys office has avoided to extradite the international fugitive. Howard Vick is a partner with McGuireWoods law firm, the same law firm who represented the accused drug dealer for over 25 years.

The irregular actions of three generations of HCCA, amounting to over 20 years, have given a strong basis for dismissing 13 grand jury indictments against the accused drug dealer.

Present HCCA Shannon Taylor is scheduled to represent the Democratic party in the 2019 Henrico County Commonwealth Attorney elections slated for November 2019, but her chances seem to be extinguished with the illegal actions involving the Nickolas Spanos case.

It is uncomprehendable of why would 3 generations of HCCA would be giving safe haven to an international fugitive from being extradited, violating their sworn oath, risking their professional careers and possibly being charged with felonies.

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".

McGuireWoods "shadow government" protected by the FBI

Evidence exposed of the McGuireWoods "shadow government" operating in Virginia's justice system is protected by the FBI.

As with any syndicate operating, protection is priority in order for the syndicate to flourish. Whether it be a mafia, gang or even a large law firm, infiltrating the justice system is the "insurance" in case things go wrong and the activity is exposed. To protect their operations or the members of the syndicate, certain tactics are used, either threats, bribes or positions, in any case, the law is being broken. But when the criminal syndicate is operating within the justice system, who investigates the syndicate members? The answer is the DOJ's watchdog, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, but who investigates the FBI when they are part of this syndicate?

Our investigation into the Nickolas Spanos fugitive case has opened a can of worms that has turned into a nightmare for the FBI. The watchdog which has become part of the criminal syndicate can not prosecute its own, especially when the roots of this syndicate reaches the White house.

Criminal complaints were filed with the FBI White Collar Crime Richmond division about this criminal syndicate that has done its best to keep the fugitive Nickolas Spanos from being returned to Virginia to face the 13 grand jury indictments. The FBI Special Agent, Kathryn Weber, who took the report was quoted "Give me some time to digest all this", obviously shocked at the evidence that was given to her., the report was passed up to her superiors. Despite all the evidence of laws being shattered, the investigation has ended abruptly.

As we had covered in our earlier blogs about "avoiding to extradite a fugitive", we had exposed the big question of why the Henrico County Commonwealth Attorney has done its best to keep a fugitive, who allegedly distributed more than 600 kilos of cocaine in the Richmond area, from facing the 13 indictments by a grand jury in 1998-99. Despite his known location over the past 20 years and being arrested twice in order to be extradited, the HCCA continues to protect this fugitive, even though the fugitive Nickolas Spanos has even offered to turn himself in to the FBI in Athens, Greece, the HCCA does not want him. 

An email given to our investigators states that HCCA Shannon Taylor will not pay for the one way ticket for Nickolas Spanos to return to Virginia and be prosecuted for 13 grand jury indictments and allegedly distributing more that 600 kilos of cocaine. Shannon Taylor stated to the FBI and the U.S. Attorney's office that "Nickolas Spanos must voluntarily return to Virginia". How is that possible when Nickolas Spanos no longer has a U.S. passport and has an Interpol arrest warrant (red notice) issued in his name. Even if he bought the ticket, his name would appear in the airlines database and he would be denied a flight since he is an active fugitive. The Commonwealth is "obligated" to return a "fugitive from justice" by any legal means.

This fugitive has a high price on his head but the HCCA Shannon Taylor does not want to pay for a $400 plane ticket? What is $400 next to the failed extradition costs of over $100,000 in Greece? Add in the fact that Nickolas Spanos was arrested in the Philippines and held for 19 months awaiting extradition while HCCA Shannon Taylor committed perjury, shut the door on the Virginia justice system and would not answer the requests of the FBI in Manila to extradite Nickolas Spanos back to Virginia. Even the Philippine DOJ pleaded with HCCA Shannon Taylor to provide authenticated copies of the 13 grand jury indictments but she refused to answer their emails and calls.

This raises many suspicions along with questions, exactly who is HCCA Shannon Taylor protecting? The obvious answer is Nickolas Spanos but he is not alone, McGuireWoods Howard Vick is also a target as Howard Vick was the HCCA when the 13 grand jury indictments were issued in 1998-99 and despite having a Federal warrant issued to bring back fugitive Nickolas Spanos, HCCA Howard Vick did not even bother to cancel Spanos's U.S. passport or inform the Greek DOJ that Spanos had overstayed his 60 day visa, in which the Greek authorities would have been more than happy to send back an "international fugitive" that allegedly distributed more than 600 kilos of cocaine and make big names for themselves in the international media. 

Why bother with prosecuting an international fugitive when Howard Vick had better things to do, like negotiating his "golden ticket" partnership with McGuireWoods Richard Cullen. If Howard Vick brought back Nickolas Spanos, his "golden ticket" would have been extinguished, as Nickolas Spanos was a client of McGuireWoods.

In protecting Howard Vick, Shannon Taylor is protecting Richard Cullen, because Richard Cullen is the head of the McGuireWoods "shadow government" and Richard Cullen is probably the most powerful lawyer in the United States at this writing. Richard Cullen is VP Mike Pence attorney as well as other powerful individuals, see article Richard Cullen facts. Just recently, President Trump appointed Richard Cullen's son, Thomas Cullen to the U.S. Attorney for the western district of Virginia, thus expanding the strong roots of McGuireWoods "shadow government" in Virginia, see the RTD article opinion by columnist Jeff Schapiro, Like father, kind of like son.

Ex-FBI Director James B. Comey, a previous McGuireWoods partner hired by Richard Cullen, was the U.S. Attorney who voluntarily dismissed the December 14, 1998 UFAP warrant on July 06, 2001. There is absolutely no reason to dismiss a Federal UFAP warrant unless the 1998-99 13 grand jury indictments had been dismissed but the subject grand jury indictments are still active. SEE JAMES COMEY ARTICLE, Richard Cullen was the main supporter of James B. Comey's appointment to be the FBI Director. 

All the evidence is clear in Virginia's 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.

Missing pieces come together in international fugitives case

McGuireWoods partner Howard Vick et al. facing criminal investigation

FBI special agents are currently investigating all aspects of why three generations of Henrico County Commonwealth Attorneys refused to extradite "international fugitive" Nickolas Spanos, despite knowing his exact location. Spanos and his attorney are cooperating with FBI investigators and providing all evidence pertaining to the allegations against high profile attorneys involved.

In a previous article, three generations of Henrico Commonwealth attorneys avoided to extradite Nickolas Spanos, click to read:Three generations (19 years) of Henrico County Virginia Commonwealth Prosecutors covering up an Extradition for "International Fugitive" 

The big mystery of why "international fugitive" Nickolas Spanos has never been extradited back to Virginia to face 13 grand jury indictments for allegedly distributing 600 kilos of cocaine in the Richmond area has been solved.

Well respected attorney Howard Vick made a decision in December 1998 to choose one of two paths; the 1st was to uphold his sworn duty as Henrico Commonwealths Attorney and extradite Nickolas Spanos from Greece to face the 13 grand jury indictments, the 2nd was to choose his upcoming partnership with McGuireWoods and rejoin his mentor Richard Cullen. Howard Vick could not have both as Nickolas Spanos was a long term client with McGuireWoods, his family estate holding worth millions of dollars.

Howard Vick chose to take the devils choice and go with his golden ticket with McGuireWoods which has entangled high profile names in its path. To avoid extraditing an international fugitive who allegedly distributed more than 600 kilos of cocaine and assist the fugitive to remain free has its dangerous risks.

On December 14, 1998, just days after the several grand jury indictments were issued and HCCA Howard Vick announced in the media about the drug syndicate that had operated in the Richmond area for more than a decade, Howard Vick had a federal warrant for unlawful flight to avoid prosecution issued for Nickolas Spanos, who had fled for Greece. Howard Vick never acted on the federal warrant nor did he notify the State department to cancel Spanos's passport.

On April 15, 1999, more indictments were issued against Nickolas Spanos after his "associates" pleaded guilty and testified against him, providing more evidence to Howard Vick and his team of investigators, but again no action was taken to extradite Spanos from Greece.

On May 25, 2000, Howard Vick tenders his early resignation from HCCA to join McGuireWoods law firm in June 2000, joining his mentor Richard Cullen. Wade Kizer assumes the HCCA position. http://www.richmond.com/city-life/news/article_511631a5-9b51-5583-b112-6b944498564b.html

On July 06, 2001, the federal warrant for unlawful flight to avoid prosecution, against Nickolas Spanos, is dismissed by a government motion. The government motion and order to dismiss have gone missing from Henrico County Circuit Court and U.S. Attorneys office files. 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.

Why would HCCA Wade Kizer file a motion to dismiss the federal UFAP warrant against Nickolas Spanos, since there is no statute of limitations on UFAP warrants.

On September 15, 2006, Nickolas Spanos renews his U.S. passport at the U.S. embassy Athens, Greece.

On February 20, 2007, a federal warrant for unlawful flight to avoid prosecution is issued for Nickolas Spanos by an 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. HCCA Wade Kizer takes no action to extradite Spanos or notify the State department to cancel Spanos's passport. CLICK TO VIEW FBI 2007 WARRANT FILE

On October 18, 2012, Nickolas Spanos is arrested in the Philippines by Immigration authorities from request of the U.S. embassy Manila. FBI legal attaches notify Henrico County Commonwealths Attorney Shannon Taylor of Nickolas Spanos arrest and request that extradition be processed for his return to Virginia to be prosecuted. FBI cancels Spanos's U.S. passport.

For 19 months, Philippine DOJ officials demand several times, that authenticated copies of the 1998-99 grand jury indictments for Nickolas Spanos be sent so that he can be formally extradited to the USA. HCCA Shannon Taylor refuses to provide Philippine DOJ authorities any documents pertaining to Nickolas Spanos.

On June 01, 2014, Nickolas Spanos is deported to his safe haven of Greece.

On June 02, 2014, Nickolas Spanos is arrested by Greek DOJ authorities by an Interpol Red Notice issued by the FBI.

On July 30, 2014, an extradition request was received by the Greek DOJ from assistant HCCA Michael Feinmel through the U.S. DOJ Office of International Affairs.

On August 20,  2014 - Greek Department of Justice charged  Nickolas G. Spanos, under Greek law for the criminal offenses set out in all 1998-99 Henrico County Circuit Court Criminal Indictments

Greek DOJ authorities request more evidence and files from HCCA Shannon Taylor, Taylor refuses to provide additional evidence.

On September 24, 2014, a Greek tribunal denies the extradition request and questions why the U.S. DOJ/embassy is not represented by anyone in the hearing.

On March 27, 2015, the Greek Tribunal dismissed all pending Henrico County Criminal Charges against Spanos, which were set out in the 1998-99 Henrico County Circuit Court Indictments. Nickolas Spanos is released from Korydallos Prison.

An interesting detail emerged from the March 27, 2015 Greek Tribunal hearing; Under Greek law, the statute of limitations for drug offences are based on two factors. The 1st is that, if the amount sold is under 75,000 Euro, the statute of limitation is 15 years to be prosecuted. The 2nd is that, if the amount sold is over 75,000 Euro, the statute of limitation is 20 years to be prosecuted, which carries the maximum penalty of life imprisonment. 

During the Spanos trial, the prosecutor and judges calculated the amount of cocaine allegedly sold by Spanos, based on the witnesses testimony in the indictments, at 42,000 Euro, thus the 15 years statute of limitation applied since Spanos's indictments were from 1998-99.

Why did Howard Vick state, openly in the media, that the amount of cocaine distributed by Spanos, "a key player in the drug operation", was over 600 kilos, when the witness testimony in the grand jury indictments only allege approximately $47,000 (42,000. Euro). Was this a tactic by Howard Vick to scare Spanos into remaining a fugitive and not return voluntarily to face the 13 indictments?

The unanswered questions are: 

Who is powerful enough to purge the 1998-2001 federal warrants and the missing orders from Henrico County Circuit Court and U.S. Attorney files?

Why would ex-HCCA Wade Kizer and present HCCA Shannon Taylor take such dangerous risks for Howard Vick, knowing that the missing pieces could come together sooner or later?

Will HCCA Shannon Taylor be rewarded for her actions with a "golden ticket" McGuireWoods partnership?

Will McGuireWoods partner Richard Cullen, use his vast and powerful influence in the U.S. DOJ to cover the long history of alleged criminal actions by Howard Vick et al.?

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.

McGuire Woods law partners entangled with International Fugitive

McGuire-Woods LLP. Partners drowning in criminal and ethics violations 

Two of the most prominent McGuire-Woods partners in Richmond, Va.  have found themselves entangled in a web of corruption, ethics violations and criminal actions involving an "international fugitive" who was their client.

Attorneys Howard "Toby" Vick and W. Birch Douglass III attempted to cover up a legal ethics situation which originated in 1998-99, when a McGuire-Woods client named Nickolas G. Spanos was indicted by a Multi-jurisdictional Grand Jury for allegedly conspiring to distribute more than 600 kilos of cocaine in the Richmond area. Howard Vick was the Henrico County Commonwealths Attorney who engineered the case against Spanos in 1997-99 for 13 counts of conspiracy to distribute cocaine.

CLICK TO VIEW MCGUIRE-WOODS HOWARD VICK PROFILE

CLICK TO VIEW MCGUIRE-WOODS W. BIRCH DOUGLASS PROFILE

Unknown to Howard Vick, Spanos was a client of McGuire-Woods since 1992 upon the death of his father, which appointed him Trustee of his late fathers estate. W. Birch Douglass represented numerous members of the Spanos family, which included Nickolas Spanos, his mother, two sisters and an uncle.

Just prior to the grand jury indictments being announced to the public on December 05, 1998, Nickolas Spanos was in Athens, Greece, after being warned by HCCA Howard Vick that indictments would be issued against him and that he had the "option" of leaving for Greece but "could not return. SEE PREVIOUS ARTICLE ON COVERING UP AN EXTRADITION

It is unclear at that time if Howard Vick knew that Spanos was a McGuire-Woods client but Howard Vick was negotiating a partnership with McGuire-Woods managing partner Richard Cullen. SEE ARTICLE ON VICK REUNITES WITH CULLEN AT MCGUIRE-WOODS

This begins the entangled web, if Vick was to make good on his public threat of extraditing Spanos from Greece and having him stand trial for the alleged cocaine distribution indictments, it would extinguish his golden ticket partnership with McGuire-Woods. 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 

Despite Vick issuing federal warrants for unlawful flight to avoid prosecution on December 11,1998, Vick never pursued the extradition nor did he even cancel Spanos's U.S. passport, which could have easily had him deported as an undocumented foreigner. Despite Spanos being of Greek heritage, his Greek citizenship was not formalized until 2000, thus he was in Greece on a U.S. passport.

At some point after the December 05, 1998 media announcement, Birch Douglass must have informed McGuire-Woods managing partner Richard Cullen that Spanos and his family were all clients of McGuire-Woods, Douglass could have possibly known of the upcoming partnership with Howard Vick. This valuable information must have been passed on to Howard Vick, which had to make a very dangerous decision, violate his sworn oath to the Virginia Commonwealth Attorneys Office, turning his back on the justice system he had fought for almost 20 years, in turn selling his soul for the "golden ticket" with McGuire-Woods. Howard Vick could not have both. Despite Spanos daring Vick to bring him back and that Vick's case was built on fabrication, lies and false testimonies, Vick responded by only barking at Spanos in the media.

HCCA Howard Vick's case against Spanos got stronger as three of Spanos's associates pleaded guilty to distribution of cocaine in April 1999, despite knowing Spanos's exact location in Athens, Greece, Howard Vick sat on the federal arrest warrant and 13 grand jury indictments as he negotiated his partnership with McGuire-Woods. This decision would haunt him 20 years later.

In May 1999, one of Spanos's sisters sent him a letter requesting Spanos to resign as the Trustee of his late fathers multi-million dollar estate. Nickolas Spanos called Birch Douglass to obtain legal advise, in which Birch Douglass stated that there was no provision for his removal as Trustee and their was no reason why estate business could not be conducted through phone calls, email and courier service. Spanos gave Birch Douglass all his contact details, in which Birch Douglass sent Spanos via mail, information on a pending VDOT condemnation of a land partnership involving the estate. Nickolas Spanos then informed his sisters and mother of the legal advise Birch Douglass had given him and that he would not resign as trustee.

On August 06, 1999, Spanos's mother and sisters, all clients of Birch Douglass, submitted to Henrico County Circuit Court to remove Nickolas Spanos as trustee and appoint them as trustees. Knowing this was a tremendous ethics violation, representing the same clients and filing cases against each other, is a big no-no in the legal profession. In doing so, McGuire-Woods would solve the one problem of representing "international fugitive" Nickolas Spanos while establishing a partnership with HCCA Howard Vick, thus hopefully eliminating a conflict of interest. The factors of excessive legal fees to transact this enormous ethical violation would be billed to George Spanos Family Estate while Nickolas Spanos was still Trustee, another ethical violation. 

Their greed was even more evident when they asked Birch Douglass to draft an October 01, 1999 trust agreement which would replace the trust that George Spanos had made for his only son to protect him from that same greed of the family members. The newly drafted trust agreement would cause Nickolas Spanos enormous financial damage and undermine the trust that George Spanos had in McGuire-Woods partner Birch Douglass. Birch Douglass agreed to draft the October 01, 1999 trust agreement and gave it to the mother and sisters to sign, in which they did and later recorded in Richmond city.

On October 16, 1999, the subject motion to remove Nickolas Spanos as trustee of the George Spanos Family Estate was ordered and replace him with his mother and two sisters. The service process to serve Spanos was served at his mothers home not at Spanos's address in Athens, Greece where all parties knew this was his permanent residence. Birch Douglass and William M. Hutchins knew that all civil service process must be served through the HAGUE CONVENTION ON THE SERVICE ABROAD OF JUDICIAL AND EXTRA-JUDICIAL DOCUMENTS IN CIVIL OR COMMERCIAL MATTERS, but yet they turned their back on their client Nickolas Spanos, taking away his due process of law, violating their legal sworn duty to their client and violating the Virginia State Bar Code of Professionalism. Nickolas Spanos was not informed of any of these illegal actions against him until sometime in April 2000 when he inquired why no estate documents had been sent to him, upon inquiring to his family, they informed him that they had removed him as trustee and that it was done by McGuire-Woods law firm. CLICK TO VIEW PDF MCGUIRE-WOODS/SPANOS FILINGS

Nickolas Spanos attempted to contact Birch Douglass but Douglass would not accept his phone calls or communicate with him nor did Birch Douglass verify to him of the unethical removal as his late fathers wishes as trustee.  Spanos then contacted his family demanding the estate accounting, in which they replied by fax "do not bother us any more, are you stupid". Spanos sent the subject fax to Birch Douglass and stated "this is what you have done, do you understand why my fathers wishes were for me to be trustee, as he did not trust his daughters to carry out his wishes". Birch Douglass realized what an ethical mess he made and decided to send all the Spanos family files back to them by courier with a short note that they could no longer represent them as there was a "conflict of interest". Birch Douglass never notified Nickolas Spanos that he was terminating the relationship or did he send his files back, thus the Attorney-Client relationship still existed.

Howard Vick was now free to join McGuire-Woods as a partner, in which he tendered his early resignation as Henrico County Commonwealths Attorney in May 2000 and formally joined McGuire-Woods in June 2000. Unknown to Howard Vick and Richard Cullen, the Attorney-Client relationship with Nickolas Spanos still existed and would continue to until November 2017. 

To insure further that the Spanos issue would not come back to haunt McGuire-Woods Howard Vick and Birch Douglass, they pressured Howard Vick's successor, Wade Kizer, to the Henrico County Commonwealths Attorneys office to have the 1998 federal warrants for unlawful flight to avoid prosecution dismissed by order of a government motion on July 06, 2001 (see above article photo). This would remove "international fugitive" Nickolas Spanos from any criminal search database, this action would prove successful. 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.

For 11 years, Nickolas Spanos would travel around Europe and Asia with no complications, the McGuire-Woods partners had forgotten about Nickolas Spanos until October 18, 2012 when by some fluke he was arrested by Philippines Immigration officials from an alert by U.S. Embassy Manila legal attaches who were tipped off by a disgruntled ex-girlfriend of Spanos.

The U.S. Embassy Manila legal attaches (FBI) would inform Henrico County Commonwealths Attorney Shannon Taylor that they had caught their fugitive and they would cancel his U.S. passport and have the Philippines Immigration deport him. The technical problem arose that Spanos had only travelled to the Philippines with his Greek issued passport under the name Nikolaos Spanoudis. The FBI declared to Philippine officials that it was a fraudulent passport and that he was to be deported to the USA. The Greek embassy in the Philippines quickly confirmed in two weeks that in fact Spanos aka Spanoudis passport was certified authentic. The U.S. embassy FBI notified HCCA Shannon Taylor must process an extradition request from the Philippine government as they could no longer deport him as the Greek government nationality took priority. 

This created another problem for McGuire-Woods partners, if Spanos was to be extradited to Henrico County to face the 13 grand jury indictments, a good defense attorney would most likely discover the numerous illegal cover ups by the three generations of Henrico County Commonwealth Attorneys spanning 16 years which would raise numerous due process violations and the charges would be dismissed.

Under the Philippine-USA Extradition treaty, Spanos was to only be held for sixty days under provisional arrest and if the U.S. DOJ did not submit the required documents for extradition, then Spanos would be set free. Despite numerous requests by the Philippines DOJ for certified authenticated copies of the grand jury indictments, HCCA Shannon Taylor continued to refuse their requests, hoping that they would set Spanos free. Unfortunately for McGuire Woods partners and the HCCA, corrupt Philippine Immigration officials  took advantage of the situation and attempted to extort Spanos for $150,000 as to release him, instead of paying, Spanos fought back filing numerous criminal complaints against them. All this created a problem between U.S. embassy FBI, HCCA Shannon Taylor and Philippine DOJ officials. CLICK TO VIEW U.S. Embassy Manila legal attaches tied to extortion syndicate

Nickolas Spanos was held in a Philippine jail for 19 months under inhumane conditions with denial of due process, denial of medical treatment and numerous human rights violations while waiting on HCCA Shannon Taylor to process an extradition request, which she never did. On June 01, 2014, Philippine DOJ officials deported Spanos back to Greece.

Shannon Taylor knowing that Greece would not extradite one of their own citizens and wanting to cover up her illegal actions in the Philippines, she assigned Henrico County Assistant Commonwealths Attorney Michael Y. Feinmel to issue an Interpol Red Notice for Spanos arrest while he was in transit to Greece, upon landing in Greece, Spanos was arrested and held pending an extradition request by the HCCA.

On September 24, 2014, a Greek tribunal denied the extradition request by the U.S. DOJ but had charged Spanos for the 13 grand jury indictments under Greek law. The Greek justice ministry requested from HCCA that they provide all evidence in the case against Spanos. The HCCA office never responded to their requests and Spanos was tried based on the evidence presented in the Extradition request. The trial was set for March 27, 2015 and Spanos was to be held at Korydallos prison until his hearing.

On January 13, 2015, while Spanos was in prison, his mother passed away from complications arising from a broken hip at her daughters house, the delay in receiving immediate treatment led to complications and his mother was in a coma until her death.

On March 27, 2015, a Greek tribunal dismissed all charges against Spanos and released him from Korydallos prison, during that time he never had a chance to speak with his mother prior to her death.

On June 15, 2015, the attorney for the Artemis X. Spanos estate, Robert Freed, sent Spanos a copy of her will and his trust, which for the first time Spanos learned that his original trust set up for him by his late father had been replaced with the October 01, 1999 trust, which substantially damaged his financial position. The other major factor was that in the original trust, Spanos was named trustee but in the October 01, 1999 replacement trust, a sister in which they had hostile relations was named trustee, which inflicted great mental stress on Spanos.

Spanos had lost his very successful company in the Philippines which employed over 400 people and thus concentrated on reuniting his family from the Philippines to Greece, which after 6 months he brought his wife and son to Greece. 

Over the next 2 years, Spanos struggled with his trustee sister and the obvious hatred did not diminish, he had to take some legal action in which he decided to contact his trust attorney. On December 04, 2017, Spanos wrote an email to Birch Douglass, informing him of the problems with his sister trustee and what action could be taken for him to resolve it. Only then on December 05, 2017 response email by Birch Douglass did Spanos learn that McGuire-Woods had terminated their client relationship as quoted below:

"Neither I nor anyone else at McGuireWoods has had any contact with members of the Spanos family for over 15 years and do not serve as attorney for you or any members of your family and are not willing to do so in the future because of ethical conflict of interest considerations based on prior legal representations."  

Birch Douglass

Spanos wrote to Birch Douglass that he had never been informed of the termination of representation, or that his files had been returned to him. Spanos requested that his files be returned, Birch Douglass never responded or returned his files.

Spanos retained the services of an attorney to assist in retrieving court documents filed by McGuire-Woods attorneys and to contact them in reference to the ethics violations and to address the concerned issues, no reply was made by McGuire-Woods.

Attorneys Howard Vick and W. Birch Douglass were contacted for comments but they did not return emails. William M. Hutchins, who left McGuire-Woods llp. to become a Senior Vice-President with The Trust Company of Virginia, had suffered a stroke sometime after being informed by Spanos's attorney of the ethics violations and request for his malpractice insurance carrier.

Further updates to this article will be posted as they surface.