His lawyers will also challenge validity of service of summons at home in Co Kildare
Lawyers for businessman Paul Wright, who has been accused in the United States of fraud and using client money to fund a luxury lifestyle, have said they will challenge the validity of the service of summons on him and his companies at his home Co Kildare.
They also intend to try to have the case dismissed for alleged lack of jurisdiction.
Mr Wright and two of his Dublin-based companies, Eterna Private Clients and Wright Private Office, are being sued in Florida by a firm, TMCT, which is owned by a woman named Cherish Thompson.
TMCT has accused Mr Wright, who was born in the UK, of fraud and using money secured from investors to rent private jets, stay in luxury hotels and buy his son a house outside London.
It’s also been alleged that Mr Wright, with an address at Carton Demense in Maynooth, Co Kildare, claimed he had been a member of the UK’s elite military unit the SAS and that his family had also worked for the British royal family.
A private investigator told the court in West Palm Beach last month that Mr Wright was deemed to have been served at his address in Maynooth with a summons after six previous failed attempts to do so.
Today’s News in 90 Seconds – December 5th
That was despite Mr Wright being present and visible in his home on some of the occasions where attempts to serve him were made, according to the investigator.
The service papers were ultimately presented to his wife, Martina Boyce Wright.
“Defendants intend to dispute that such service was valid,” note court filings in Florida this week.
Mr Wright has already “vehemently” denied what he said are “outlandish and unfounded allegations” and said he will be defending the allegations “in full”.
His solicitors have previously said that the US proceedings have been initiated by an “aggrieved former independent contractor” with whom Mr Wright was involved.
Now Mr Wright is hiring US law firm Cozen O’Connor to represent him and his companies in the case.
In the event the service was validly made to Mr Wright and his firms, they would have had until December 11 to file a response. The defendants’ lawyers have now asked the court to extend that deadline to January 10 to prepare an “appropriate response”.
“Further, defendants plan on moving to quash service effectuated on defendants and to dismiss the complaint for lack of personal jurisdiction and for forum non conveniens,” they added.
Augustine Kucera
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