The trial team proved that the defendant had wrongly taken money from LL Law Firm’s client, under the guise of an offset against the debt of an unrelated party. The trial court ruled that the conduct amounted to fraud, civil theft and unjust enrichment. The trial team successfully argued that the defendant had not properly pled that the transaction was illegal and persuaded the judge to calculate the exchange rate as of the date of the loss, rather than the date of trial. 

The defendant had refused to repay 130 million Venezuelan bolivars to LL Law Firm’s client, which was worth about US $8.6 million at the time. However, by the time the case went to trial, it was worth only US $2.30 because of Venezuela’s hyperinflation.