Chapter 5 - The Frozen Accounts
The next morning, the financial war began.
While Daniel and Vanessa were sitting in their lawyer’s opulent downtown office waiting for a response to their plea offer, Marcus Vance was standing before Federal District Judge Katharine Thorne.
Because the stolen funds had been transferred across state lines into offshore accounts in Nevis and shell entities in Delaware, Marcus had bypassed the slow-moving local civil courts entirely, filing an emergency federal RICO petition for civil forfeiture and asset freeze.
At 10:15 AM, Daniel’s phone rang.
He was sitting across from his defense attorney, a slick, expensive lawyer named Richard Sterling, sipping an espresso.
“Daniel, take this,” Vanessa said, tapping her long acrylic nails against her designer purse. “Tell them we want this settled today. I’m not spending another night in that trashy hotel.”
Daniel answered the phone casually. “Daniel Vance.”
“Mr. Vance, this is First National Bank Corporate Compliance,” a cold voice spoke from the receiver. “We are notifying you that pursuant to a Federal Emergency Restraining Order issued under Case #44-809, all personal, corporate, and trust accounts associated with your name, Vanessa Vance, and Apex Holdings have been frozen immediately.”
Daniel dropped his espresso cup. Hot coffee splashed across his leather shoes.
“What?!” Daniel yelled, jumping up. “You can’t freeze my corporate accounts! I have payroll due on Friday!”
“All assets are frozen, Mr. Vance,” the compliance officer repeated flatly. “Including your line of credit, your personal checking, and the corporate cards. Good day.”
The line went dead.
Before Daniel could even process the call, Richard Sterling’s assistant burst into the office conference room, her face pale.
“Mr. Sterling,” the assistant stuttered, handing him a thick stack of federal papers. “The US Marshals just served a seizure notice on Mr. Vance’s luxury vehicle fleet and his commercial real estate development in town. They’re locking the gates right now.”
“What is happening?!” Vanessa shrieked, grabbing her lawyer’s arm. “Mr. Sterling, do something! Fix this!”
Sterling flipped through the federal order, his professional composure crumbling with every page he turned. He looked up at Daniel, his eyes wide with genuine shock.
“Who the hell is your sister’s lawyer, Daniel?” Sterling asked, his voice shaking slightly.
“She... she’s using some local guy, I think,” Daniel stammered, sweat breaking out across his forehead.
“Local guy?!” Sterling slammed the order onto the table. “This is signed by Marcus Vance! He’s the former Deputy Chief of the Federal Financial Crimes Division! He’s used federal racketeering statutes to freeze every single dollar you own! You’re broke, Daniel! As of five minutes ago, you don't even have enough money to pay my retainer!”
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Daniel’s phone rang again. Then Vanessa’s phone rang.
It was the hotel manager, informing them that their corporate credit card had just been declined for their luxury suite, and hotel security was currently packing their luggage to throw them out onto the street.
