KHIKS partners David Swift and Katherine Kleindienst recently scored a major victory for their clients in Galstian v. Minassian. The complex case, which traces back to 1978, surrounded a massive fraud perpetrated against a family that fled Iran during the Islamic Revolution and subsequently had tens of millions of dollars of property they left behind stolen from them by a family friend who was supposed to be helping them reclaim their property.
This case involved complicated international law issues, issues under Iranian law, and issues with US sanctions against doing business in Iran. As counsel for the plaintiff, the KHIKS team pieced together property transactions that happened in Iran years and often decades ago. There were overlapping Iranian legal actions (both civil and criminal) and issues with the ability of US citizens, who fled Iran, to reclaim property they left behind that had been confiscated by the Iranian government. The judge awarded roughly $34.5 million in damages to the siblings for unjust enrichment.
This case involved complicated international law issues, issues under Iranian law, and issues with US sanctions against doing business in Iran. As counsel for the plaintiff, the KHIKS team pieced together property transactions that happened in Iran years and often decades ago. There were overlapping Iranian legal actions (both civil and criminal) and issues with the ability of US citizens, who fled Iran, to reclaim property they left behind that had been confiscated by the Iranian government. The judge awarded roughly $34.5 million in damages to the siblings for unjust enrichment.
“After years of contentious litigation, we’re thrilled to finally achieve justice for the Galstian family,” said David Swift on the verdict.
