Off-Shore Bank Accounts

[caranna]

My new lawyer will be out of town until next week, then he has to get up to speed with my file which will take some time. Meanwhile I've been working on my net worth. Along with my stbx's version of his net worth statement...

About 35 years ago my stbx went to Grand Cayman Island to open bank accounts(s) in his name. He never told me how much and I never asked.
He might have closed them (he never went there to do so.)

I did mention this to my first lawyer who didn't seem too interested. This lawyer, after I retained him, told me that he acted as a business lawyer for my husband and his brother 20 years ago. He might have thought that so much time had gone by, that it didn't matter any more.

I'd like to know if I should pursue this matter, and if so, how do I go about it?

Thank you.

[murphyslaw]

Your first lawyer should NEVER have worked for you in the first place.That was a serious conflict of interest.Do you remember the name of the bank?The Grand Caymen Islands is pretty legit these days so getting them to cough up the details may not be too bad.Sounds like he was tax dodging at the time.Do you know how much he deposited?If any?If he wasn’t flying over all the time he would have been wiring the money over there.Anything odd show up over the years on your finances?

[caranna]

My former lawyer did tell me that there was no conflict of interest before I hired him. I have no idea why he volunteered that information later on.

Yes my stbx used the Grand Caymans as a tax shelter. No idea of how much he deposited. I had no idea of the family finances. That's the way stbx wanted it. I was too busy looking after the kids, house, cleaning, etc. along with 7 businesses I handled almost completely on my own.

[murphyslaw]

If you have this much on the go,there is going to be no way of sorting through everything without the help of an accountant.If there is money in the Caymans,there will be taxes and most likely penalties associated with that.I would strongly advise you to sort out any outstanding issues with taxes in businesses in your name, before you get to court.

[HammerDad]

Outside of requesting the information from the ex or having the court order it provided, good luck with getting the information.

The Caymans are big on privacy of their banks/clients. Think of numbered bank accounts....

You can request the info from the ex but expect that he will say they were closed years ago. Unless you have an account number/recent statement etc. it will be hard to prove otherwise.

[murphyslaw]

That is why I suggested an accountant go through the business financials-if money was being sent to Caymens, there should be money moving in the Canadian accounts to correspond with that.Of course he probably has more accounts here that he is hiding.Equifax can actually list off all debts loans and bank accounts, merely using his SIN and all known addresses.A court order that he provide a full credit report including banking could reveal a bit more of what is going on.

[caranna]

New Lawyer Good so Far

If he closed the Grand Cayman accounts, it was likely long ago...probably 20 years or more. The businesses (real estate holdings) were also sold many years ago.

My new lawyer has an H.B. in Commerce and is a Chartered Accountant. He's been practicing law for 30 years, and family law makes up about 15-20% of his work. I will have many questions to ask at the next meeting!

I'd love to hear any tips on what questions to ask. I have already started making a list.

[standing on the sidelines]

My new lawyer will be out of town until next week, then he has to get up to speed with my file which will take some time. Meanwhile I've been working on my net worth. Along with my stbx's version of his net worth statement...

About 35 years ago my stbx went to Grand Cayman Island to open bank accounts(s) in his name. He never told me how much and I never asked.
He might have closed them (he never went there to do so.)

I did mention this to my first lawyer who didn't seem too interested. This lawyer, after I retained him, told me that he acted as a business lawyer for my husband and his brother 20 years ago. He might have thought that so much time had gone by, that it didn't matter any more.

I'd like to know if I should pursue this matter, and if so, how do I go about it?

Thank you.

I would really wonder about using this lawyer. He had a conflict of interest he never mentioned until you retained him plus he is breaching the lawyer\client privacy if he tells you anything about your exs dealings. Wonder how long before he does it to you????

[caranna]

"I would really wonder about using this lawyer. He had a conflict of interest he never mentioned until you retained him plus he is breaching the lawyer\client privacy if he tells you anything about your exs dealings. Wonder how long before he does it to you????"

Standing...He's history. Got rid of him 7 months ago.

[standing on the sidelines]

"I would really wonder about using this lawyer. He had a conflict of interest he never mentioned until you retained him plus he is breaching the lawyer\client privacy if he tells you anything about your exs dealings. Wonder how long before he does it to you????"

Standing...He's history. Got rid of him 7 months ago.

oops sorry

[caranna]

oops sorry

No problem. I apologize for not mentioning it originally.