Representative Cases
Trombley & Hanes, P.A. has represented clients in a wide variety of cases over the last forty years. These representative cases are not an exhaustive list but rather a representative sample of the legal matters handled by its attorneys. The case descriptions included in this section are designed to provide the community and prospective clients with a better understanding of the types of cases that we litigate.
Antitrust
Bankruptcy Trustee v. Directors, Officers & Entities, U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Southern District of Florida – Term Lenders v. Directors, Officers & Entities, State District Court, Nevada. Trombley & Hanes, P.A. lawyers represented the chief executive officer of a major Las Vegas hotel/casino project which filed for bankruptcy protection in 2009. As a result of the bankruptcy filing, there was a civil adversary action brought by the Trustee against the directors and officers and related entities to the project in bankruptcy court in Miami and a parallel civil action against the directors and officers and related entities brought in state court in Nevada by term lenders to the project. After several years of complex litigation defending the lawsuits in both bankruptcy court and Nevada state court, the matter was resolved without any judgment of liability or personal financial obligation for Trombley & Hanes’ client.
Automobile Accidents
Estate of Decedent v. Defendant/Insurance Company – Thirteenth Judicial Circuit Court, Tampa, Florida – Trombley & Hanes, P.A. represented theestate and family of a truck driver killed in an automobile accident. Trombley & Hanes negotiated a seven figure confidential settlement with the Defendant. Trombley & Hanes, P.A. also had to file suit against a life insurance company who refused to pay the decedent’s life insurance policy. Trombley & Hanes, P.A. was able to settle the matter to the family’s satisfaction.
Defense Contracting Fraud
Investigation by the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Georgia – Trombley and Hanes, P.A. lawyers represented a former employee of a billion dollar logistics company providing services and goods to military personnel overseas during wartime. The federal government investigated alleged misrepresentations and perceived overbillings for goods and services. Facing the pressures associated with such allegations our client maintained his innocence and was ultimately not charged.
Trombley & Hanes, P.A. have represented and guided a number of defense contracting companies and the officers, program managers and employees of these companies (including Harris Corporation, Smith’s Aerospace, Apptis Inc., Comsat Corporation, and Quantum Technologies) through several aggressive and complicated government investigations conducted by federal agencies (Department of Defense, Defense Criminal Investigative Services (DCIS) and Office of Inspector General (OIG)) and Department of Justice/United States Attorney offices throughout the years.
Bankruptcy Adversary Proceedings
Bankruptcy Trustee v. Directors, Officers & Entities, U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Southern District of Florida – Term Lenders v. Directors, Officers & Entities, State District Court, Nevada. Trombley & Hanes, P.A. lawyers represented the chief executive officer of a major Las Vegas hotel/casino project which filed for bankruptcy protection in 2009. As a result of the bankruptcy filing, there was a civil adversary action brought by the Trustee against the directors and officers and related entities to the project in bankruptcy court in Miami and a parallel civil action against the directors and officers and related entities brought in state court in Nevada by term lenders to the project. After several years of complex litigation defending the lawsuits in both bankruptcy court and Nevada state court, the matter was resolved without any judgment of liability or personal financial obligation for Trombley & Hanes’ client.
Bank Fraud
United States of America v. Developer – United States District Court, Middle District of Florida – Trombley & Hanes, P.A. represented a developer charged with participating in a nationwide mortgage fraud scheme perpetrated by two real estate investors. Trombley & Hanes, P.A. negotiated a resolution with the government and the Defendant received a sentence of probation.
Bank Fraud – United States of America v. National Bank, United States District Court, Northern District of Florida – Trombley & Hanes, P.A. represented a bank executive accused of conspiring with other members of the bank and a separate bank to defraud the FDIC. The Government charged executives of the other bank with various offenses related to defrauding the FDIC, but Trombley & Hanes’s client was not charged.
Bankruptcy Fraud
United States District Court, Middle District of Florida – Trombley & Hanes represented an attorney investigated by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida for concealing assets, failing to disclose assets, and submitting false statements during a bankruptcy proceeding. Trombley & Hanes prepared a comprehensive analysis of the bankruptcy record to show that the assets had been disclosed. Despite a potentially viable defense, the attorney elected to resolve his case prior to trial.
Civil Rights Violations
United States District Court, Middle District of Florida – Trombley & Hanes represented a highly decorated deputy sheriff with the Marion County Sheriff’s Office investigated by the Department of Justice and United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida for allegedly using excessive force during arrests. The deputy was accused along with other deputies of overly aggressive police tactics.
Commercial Litigation
Bankruptcy Trustee v. Directors, Officers & Entities, U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Southern District of Florida; Term Lenders v. Directors, Officers & Entities, State District Court, Nevada – Trombley & Hanes, P.A. lawyers represented the chief executive officer of a major Las Vegas hotel/casino project which filed for bankruptcy protection in 2009. As a result of the bankruptcy filing, there was a civil adversary action brought by the Trustee against the directors and officers and related entities to the project in bankruptcy court in Miami and a parallel civil action against the directors and officers and related entities brought in state court in Nevada by term lenders to the project. After several years of complex litigation defending the lawsuits in both bankruptcy court and Nevada state court, the matter was resolved without any judgment of liability or personal financial obligation for Trombley & Hanes’ client.
Environmental Crimes
United States of America v. Manufacturer – United States District Court, Southern District of Florida – Trombley & Hanes, P.A. represented a company and its CEO who were indicted for unlawful distribution of a regulated product, conspiracy, wire fraud, and obstruction of justice. Both the company and the CEO entered into resolutions with the government dismissing the most serious charges and agreeing to pay a fine.
Trombley & Hanes, P.A. represented a crew official for an international shipping company whose vessel was seized and its crew detained in the Port of Tampa. The company and some of its crew were investigated and prosecuted by the EPA, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Department of Justice. The case involved allegations of false and fraudulent record keeping and environmental compliance and also raised individual detainer and custodial rights issues for Trombley & Hanes’ client who was not charged as a result of the investigation and was returned to his home country.
HealthCare Fraud
United States of America v. Healthcare Company – United States District Court, Middle District of Florida, Tampa – Trombley & Hanes, P.A. lawyers represented the former Chief Financial Officer of Columbia/HCA, one of the largest healthcare companies in the country at the time, through a barrage of search warrants and investigations by multiple United States Attorney’s Offices and the Department of Justice for alleged healthcare fraud allegations. Some officers of the company were indicted and tried. Trombley & Hanes represented the CFO throughout the investigation and other related proceedings which lasted several years with ultimately no charges being brought against its client.
United States of America v. Healthcare Company – United States District Court, Middle District of Florida – Trombley & Hanes, P.A. lawyers represented the former Chief Compliance Officer of a publicly traded Healthcare HMO after the corporate office was raided and searched by FBI and OIG agents. The company and its employees faced federal healthcare fraud allegations. The company entered into a civil resolution with the government and others were indicted. Our client was not charged.
Money Laundering
United States of America v. Individual – United States District Court, Middle District of Florida – Trombley & Hanes, P.A. lawyers represented a Senior Vice President of Merrill Lynch of Central America. The charges by indictment alleged various unlawful financial transactions conducted in Central America. The defendants were lured into the United States under the guise of conducting further financial transactions when arrested for money laundering. The trial lasted approximately six weeks before a jury in Tampa, Florida and all of the clients were acquitted of the charges filed.
Public Corruption
United States of America v. Contractor – United States District Court, Middle District of Florida – Trombley & Hanes, P.A. represented a contractor accused of bribing a public official for the purpose of securing contracting work. Trombley & Hanes, P.A. negotiated a resolution with the Government, and, although the Defendant faced a prison sentence, was ultimately sentenced to probation following a sentencing hearing.
United States Attorney’s Office, Middle District of Florida – Trombley & Hanes, P.A. represented a County Commissioner alleged to have been involved in a bribery scheme involving a businessman seeking contracts with a local hospital. After a very public and protracted investigation, the investigation was closed with no charges of any kind.
Racketeering
United States of America v. Organized Crime Crew, United States District Court, Middle District of Florida – Trombley & Hanes, P.A. represented an individual charged with racketeering for his participation in organized crime. The Defendant entered into a confidential resolution with the government.
State of Florida v. Individual and Federal Civil case in United States District Court, Middle District of Florida – Trombley & Hanes, P.A. lawyers represented a former President of Barnett Bank in relation to alleged fraudulent financial transactions conducted by the bank. The matter was tried in State Court and in Federal Court in the Middle District of Florida. Trombley & Hanes, P.A. was successful in obtaining a dismissal of the federal case in the Middle District of Florida, Tampa Division and also a favorable dismissal of the case against the President of Barnett Bank in the State Court proceedings.
Securities Fraud
United States of America v. Individual – United States District Court, District of South Carolina – Trombley & Hanes, P.A. lawyers represented the former Chief Operations Officer/President of Medical Manager Corporation (a subsidiary of WebMD) against federal allegations of Wire Fraud and Conspiracy arising from government perceived misrepresentations and accounting irregularities. The client was represented through the pre-indictment investigative phase, pre-trial litigation phase and trial phase until the court entered a judgment of acquittal dismissing the case.
Tax Fraud
United States of America v. Farming Operation, United States District Court, Middle District of Florida – Trombley & Hanes, P.A. represented a large farming operation and its owner accused of government program fraud, wire fraud, and tax offenses. The case involved parallel civil and criminal proceedings. Trombley & Hanes worked with farm’s other attorneys to negotiate a global resolution of the civil and criminal allegations. The farm was able to remain in operation and its owner avoided a significant jail sentence.
United States of America v. Insurance Company, United States District Court, Middle District of Florida – Trombley & Hanes represented a domestic company accused of promoting an offshore tax avoidance program. The investigation resulted in civil litigation against individuals involved with the company in jurisdictions outside of Florida and ultimately criminal charges.
Trombley & Hanes, P.A. represented a major Florida jewelry store investigated by the State criminally for allegedly failing to collect hundreds of thousands of dollars in state sales tax related to the sales of jewelry to out of state residents. After a comprehensive investigation, Trombley & Hanes was able to resolve the matter administratively with the State for a negligible sum.
Telecommunications
United States of America v. Telecommunication Company Executives, United States District Court, Middle District of Florida – Trombley & Hanes, P.A. represented an individual charged with defrauding the government through submission of false reimbursement forms through a program regulated by the FCC.
Theft
State of Florida v. Client – Circuit Court for 6th Judicial Circuit, Pinellas County – A Corporate Tobacco Manufacturer prompted an investigation by local law enforcement into allegations of theft by one of its employees. The client was facing mandatory prison but Trombley & Hanes, P.A. was able to negotiate a reduced charge and avoided prison entirely.
Wrongful Death
Estate of Decedent v. Defendant/Insurance Company – Thirteenth Judicial Circuit Court, Tampa, Florida – Trombley & Hanes, P.A. represented the estate and family of a truck driver killed in an automobile accident. Trombley & Hanes negotiated a seven figure confidential settlement with the Defendant. Trombley & Hanes, P.A. also had to file suit against a life insurance company who refused to pay the decedent’s life insurance policy. Trombley & Hanes, P.A. was able to settle the matter to the family’s satisfaction.
