Meland Budwick serves as special litigation counsel to bankruptcy trustee Christina Lovato in Nevada in connection with the $1 billion Ponzi scheme orchestrated by DC Solar Solutions’s founder, Jeffrey Carpoff. The firm is prosecuting all litigation claims held by the trustee and has recovered over $130 million to date, with several actions pending.

Notable settlements include $20 million from Nixon Peabody LLP, $12 million from Ahern Rentals, $11.6 million from KeyBank, N.A., $11.25 million from DC Solar’s outside accountants, $9 million from Heritage Bank, $7.65 million from Alvarez & Marsal, and $5.75 million from a NASCAR subsidiary.

Represented the bankruptcy trustee for two South Florida hedge funds that lost $650 million in the $2 billion Ponzi scheme perpetrated by Thomas J. Petters in Minneapolis – then the third-largest financial fraud in U.S. history. Prosecuted over 140 adversary proceedings, including professional malpractice, fraudulent transfer, and conspiracy claims. Secured a $49 million recovery from GE Capital Corporation and a $16 million recovery from BMO Harris Bank. Also served as a member of the Liquidating Trust Committee managing hundreds of millions in claims.

Represented the largest victim in Ponzi scheme orchestrated by Fort Lauderdale attorney Scott Rothstein and his law firm, Rothstein Rosenfeldt Adler, P.A.

Represented the Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors and then Plan Administrator for Puig, Inc. and 25 affiliates. Prosecuted a range of claims tied to over $100 million in unsecured liabilities.

Served as receiver and later Chapter 11 trustee in the Innovida Holdings fraud case tied to Claudio Osorio. Uncovered $50 million fraud and led liquidation and litigation efforts to recover funds for investors.

Represented a California-based fund in bankruptcy proceedings and related litigation, recovering a $60 million judgment and a $17.5 million nondischargeable judgment against the fraud’s principal.

Represented the defendant in a $20 million fraud action in the Southern District of Florida stemming from a complex corporate transaction which took place in Eastern Europe.

Represented John Arrastia, as FTC Receiver in the U.S. District Court for the S.D. Florida. This court-ordered receivership took control over Florida and Texas-based entities that had perpetrated a telemarketing scheme preying on vulnerable consumers, including the unemployed and uninsured. The Firm represented Mr. Arrastia as he coordinated with the Texas receiver and law enforcement to (among other things) secure the physical and electronic books and records, terminate the fraudulent operations and gather (and eventually distribute) assets for the benefit of creditors.

Served as bankruptcy counsel for 55+ tort claimants, the largest single tort constituency, in the Chapter 11 cases filed by electric scooter company Bird Global, which involved assets totaling less than $100 million and liabilities exceeding $500 million.

Served as mediator in the adversary proceeding of J. Stuart Baker v. Howard Storfer and Elida Storfer, resulting in a settlement of all disputes.

Served as mediator in an adversary proceeding in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Florida, where a creditor challenged the debtor’s entitlement to a bankruptcy discharge. The plaintiff alleged criminal acts, fraud, and concealment of assets by the debtor. The matter was successfully, consensually resolved at mediation.

Successfully reorganized a Miami-based international freight-forwarding company through the Chapter 11 process, with plan confirmation achieved approximately 120 days from the petition date, where speed and execution were critical to the debtor’s operations and stakeholder outcomes.