Cruise Bruise Blog
April 3, 2009
April 3, 2009
Judge Holds Maritime Attorneys In Contempt Over Bribery Of RCI Adjuster

Again, I wish I could say I am shocked, because this story is one of the most outrageous posted to this site. But, these days almost anything can and does happen.

Two Florida Maritime attorneys have been held in contempt of court after a judge hearing a case brought before the court alleging Royal Caribbean International had been infiltrated.

The claim says that one of RCI's senior claims adjusters was bribed, on the payroll of a law firm recently inherited by one partner, after the other partner suddenly died. Almost instantly the newly acquired firm began to run amuck.

When the judge decides that as much as $400,000 in attorneys fees are ill-gotten gains, he orders the two attorneys to not take any fees from clients without the permission of the court and orders the primary attorney to give up all his clients.

The secondary attorney separates from the firm in question, starts his own firm, then contracts with a third firm to take the clients and pay him and the primary attorney referral fees, all behind the judge's back.

The results have one attorney fleeing the country and the other barred from taking any RCI clients. Read the story here