State of Ohio v. Marvin L. Warner, et al.
A significant and complex engagement in the wake of Ohio's savings and loan crisis in 1985. One of the state's largest savings banks, Home State, collapsed as a consequence of a massive fraud involving the fictitious trading by the bank in government securities through reverse repurchase agreements through a small Florida-based securities dealer. The collapse brought with it the collapse of the Ohio Deposit Guaranty Fund, the failure of numerous smaller savings institutions, and runs on many institutions.
Through passage of special legislation, the Ohio Attorney General was empowered to appoint an independent Special Prosecutor having criminal jurisdiction over the entirety of the state's savings and loans. Dinsmore & Shohl partner, Lawrence A. Kane, Jr. was named Special Prosecutor. He, in turn, assembled a staff led by his chief deputy, Dinsmore & Shohl partner, Mark A. Vander Laan, who had principal responsibility for presentation to a special grand jury, the litigation of the ensuing prosecution, and argument of the two cases which reached the Ohio Supreme Court, which in turn affirmed convictions of Home State's principals.
Over the course of five years, the team of Dinsmore attorneys, with the assistance of experienced former prosecutors, academics, and investigators assembled cases that led to the convictions and imprisonment of the owner of Home State (a former Ambassador to Switzerland), two of its former presidents, all of the surviving principals of ESM Government Securities, Inc., and the chief outside accountant for ESM; Restitution orders in excess of $100,000,000 were secured through the prosecutions. The four-month trial against Home State's owner and its two former presidents was the longest in Hamilton County, Ohio history.
Through passage of special legislation, the Ohio Attorney General was empowered to appoint an independent Special Prosecutor having criminal jurisdiction over the entirety of the state's savings and loans. Dinsmore & Shohl partner, Lawrence A. Kane, Jr. was named Special Prosecutor. He, in turn, assembled a staff led by his chief deputy, Dinsmore & Shohl partner, Mark A. Vander Laan, who had principal responsibility for presentation to a special grand jury, the litigation of the ensuing prosecution, and argument of the two cases which reached the Ohio Supreme Court, which in turn affirmed convictions of Home State's principals.
Over the course of five years, the team of Dinsmore attorneys, with the assistance of experienced former prosecutors, academics, and investigators assembled cases that led to the convictions and imprisonment of the owner of Home State (a former Ambassador to Switzerland), two of its former presidents, all of the surviving principals of ESM Government Securities, Inc., and the chief outside accountant for ESM; Restitution orders in excess of $100,000,000 were secured through the prosecutions. The four-month trial against Home State's owner and its two former presidents was the longest in Hamilton County, Ohio history.