Feds target cash from fraud case.

Byline: Scott J. Croteau

WORCESTER - Federal prosecutors filed paperwork yesterday seeking the forfeiture of roughly $1.85 million from Allen J. Seymour, an Oxford man who has pleaded guilty in federal court to wire fraud and interstate transportation of property taken by fraud.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary B. Murrane said Mr. Seymour, 40, of 23 Manor Lane, Oxford, agreed to the forfeiture of assets in a July 2008 plea agreement.

In February 2008, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers learned there was a flight plan for a private plane leaving Opa Locka Airport, outside Miami, for Venezuela. Officials arrived to find Mr. Seymour standing outside the jet. His luggage, wife, five children and family dog were already on the jet.

The jet was searched, and a law enforcement dog alerted officials to money in the baggage compartment. The baggage was searched and the officials discovered $1,370,421.

The paperwork filed yesterday seeks the forfeiture of the money found in the luggage as well as: $157,810 in Mr. Seymour's Bank of America account; $300,000 in a Sovereign Bank account held under the name Misty Arcouette; and a total of $18,994 in Sovereign Bank accounts held under South Beach Realty LLC and Ararat Realty.

The paperwork said if the money in those accounts as of Feb. 4, 2008, cannot be found, has been transferred to a third party, has been moved out of the federal court's jurisdiction, or has been diminished, the government can seize property up to the value of the cash.

Mr. Seymour has not been sentenced in the case. His sentencing is scheduled May 26 in U.S. District Court, Worcester.

Mr. Seymour persuaded a now-disbarred lawyer, Raymond A. Desautels III, 42, of 57 Millbury Road, Oxford, to disburse almost $2 million of funds from one of Mr. Desautels' clients so Mr. Seymour and his associates could fraudulently obtain bank financing.

The client was Kevin Phelan of Hollywood, Ireland. Mr. Phelan had planned to buy commercial real estate property in Coudersport, Pa., and Mr. Desautels was the closing lawyer.

Mr. Seymour promised to return the funds promptly, but did not do so. Mr. Desautels has pleaded guilty to two counts of wire fraud in U.S. District Court in Worcester. His sentencing is scheduled for May 21.