昨天看到路透社新闻,说是郭文贵宣布破产,资产只有5到10万美金,而欠债几亿美金。这不禁让人联想起他那艘豪华游艇--国师班农因涉嫌修墙募捐诈骗被捕时正在郭文贵的那艘游艇上逍遥。有钱能使鬼推磨,即便钱都是借来了,既然国师都被郭网罗了,其他投奔的小民不少应该也是觉得他是个金主。
现在这艘游艇去哪了呢?带着这个好奇,我查了一下相关的案件判决记录。原来,数年前香港一家叫 Pac. All. Asia Opportunity Fund L.P 的公司在纽约起诉郭文贵(Kwok Ho Wan--翻成垮活丸)违约。具体纠纷不重要。最初郭说这个案子应该去香港打嘛,而法院欣然同意了,郭当时肯定觉得律师费没白花。然而好景不长,原告上诉,上诉裁决这案子应该在纽约打,因为郭在纽约住着申请避难作为"fugitive"也回不去香港。("Moreover, although Hong Kong is a potential alternative forum, it is not a suitable or adequate alternative, because defendant cannot return there due to his pending asylum claim and fugitive status..." Pac. Alliance Asia Opportunity Fund L.P. v. Kwok Ho Wan, 160 A.D.3d 452, 76 N.Y.S.3d 111 (N.Y. App. Div. 2018))
案情并不复杂,这是一个白纸黑字的合同案,而且郭文贵是个人担保了的。纽约法院在2020年12月18日作出总结裁决。郭文贵需要赔偿 USD 46,426,489.00 外加从2010年起算的年利息 15%(合同规定的)。10年驴打滚, (1.15)的十次方是 (1.15)^10 约等于4,因此实际赔偿是 USD 46,426,489.00 * 1.15^10 也就是 1.9 亿美金左右。裁决后的利息是法律规定,年率 9%,比 15%轻松不少。(ORDERED the Clerk of Court is directed to enter judgment in favor of plaintiff Pacific Alliance Asia Opportunity Fund L.P. and against defendant Kwok Ho Wan in the amount of $46,426,489.00 plus contractual interest pursuant to the 2011 Personal Guarantee at a rate of 15% per annum from effective date of December 31, 2010 and at the statutory rate of 9% per annum from the date of entry of this decision and order. Pac. All. Asia Opportunity Fund L.P. v. Kwok Ho Wan, 2020 NY Slip Op 34210(U) (N.Y. Sup. Ct. 2020))
法院一旦裁决出来,原告就可以收账了。2021年11月的一个法庭命令表明,纽约法院在2021年3月17日判郭文贵藐视法庭,每天罚款50万美金,原因是郭将一艘价值2700万美金的游艇置于法院的管辖之外。(Order, Supreme Court, New York County (Barry R. Ostrager, J.), entered March 17, 2021, which granted the motion of plaintiff Pacific Alliance Asia Opportunity Fund L.P. to hold defendant Kwok Ho Wan in contempt of court, and imposed a fine of \$500, 000 for every day after May 15, 2021 in which a $27 million yacht remains outside the court's jurisdiction in violation of prior orders, unanimously affirmed, with costs. Pac. All. Asia Opportunity Fund L.P. v. Kwok Ho Wan (N.Y. Sup. Ct. 2021))如果郭至今没有交出游艇,这个罚金已经膨胀到超过一亿美金了。须知,在美国通过转移财产逃债是无效的,美国法院的裁决可以跨洲执行,只是要经过一些程序,转移财产逃债可能涉嫌欺诈,最终只会吃更大的亏。小金额无所谓,大笔资金债主就很有动力。
国师班农曾经逍遥过的游艇的下落终于揭开了谜底。