Senior Counsel Anthony Astaphan is supporting Prime Minister Gaston Browne’s decision to pursue legal action against a US-based law firm, opposition members, and several media outlets.
Earlier this week, Prime Minister Gaston Browne announced plans to sue the United States-based law firm Boies, Schiller & Flexner for exemplary damages, alleging the firm made defamatory statements regarding his involvement in the Alfa Nero superyacht matter.
Browne said that instead of complying with a pre-action request issued in late November by his legal team at Rika Bird & Associates, the firm committed “a further act of defamation,” prompting his decision to escalate the matter to the courts.
The Prime Minister also confirmed that legal proceedings will be initiated against former United Progressive Party (UPP) political leader Harold Lovell, whom he accuses of repeating the disputed allegations in public forums.
Rika Bird & Associates say multiple statements made by attorney Martin DeLuca — who represents Russian national Yulia Guryeva Motlokhov in a disclosure application — were “highly defamatory” and harmful to the reputation of the Prime Minister. These remarks were subsequently carried by international and local media, including the Associated Press, the Antigua Observer and Antigua News Room.
Speaking exclusively to Antigua.news, Astaphan addressed whether the Prime Minister should consider suing individuals, the opposition, and media outlets alleging that he stole...
Senior Counsel Anthony Astaphan is supporting Prime Minister Gaston Browne’s decision to pursue legal action against a US-based law firm, opposition members, and several media outlets. Earlier thi...