Dear Friends and Supporters,

I hope this email finds you well.

“It is not death that a man should fear, but he should fear never beginning to live.”

– Marcus Aurelius

Amid deep sorrow and our four losses of February 2025, the legal ordeal seems to have less weight, and yet, in a telegraphic style, I thought to list the “anniversaries” of February, which will raise your eyebrows and bring you to re-listen to what President Trump said about the judiciary system.

Our Sad Chronology:
21 February 2017: An excellent hearing before the full panel of the Privy Council, composed of Lord Mance. Flying in from London completely pro bono, without us being able to cover even living expenses, was the excellent QC Joel Benathan, who now serves as a judge. Mr. Phillip Lundy, our senior attorney from the Bahamas, who had been with us pro bono since April 2015, was also present. For 21 minutes, their Lordships interrogated me as I represented myself—one of the most remarkable experiences of my life. This ultimately resulted in the unanimous judgment delivered on 3 April 2017, where the Privy Council declined our application for permission to appeal, stating that we should first seek leave from the court below. However, they directed us straight to the Supreme Court of the Bahamas. This is more than one could hope for from an application to the Privy Council—you can return to the Court of Appeal and then proceed to the Supreme Court.

So yes, to us, it was a victory, even if technically dismissed.

And how else could it be?

Justice and equity will prevail!

18 February 2018: We filed a preliminary application to the Court of Appeal. This was ignored, never listed for a hearing despite multiple letters. Today, seven years later, it remains unheard. We lost our appeal on one narrow point, as judges repeated many times, yet we were deprived of the opportunity to be heard! However, this we will bring to the Privy Council.

Our applications for permission to appeal were refused five times. The last rejection clearly stated that the reason was our failure to seek leave to appeal in the Court of Appeal in the Bahamas. We returned, asked for leave, and were refused as being out of time.

16 February 2024: We were served with an opinion allegedly written by Lord Sales, which is in clear contrast with the decision of 3 April 2017 of the full panel and with the Constitution of the Bahamas. Yet, we still have not received an official copy of this decision, which would allow us to appeal.

Our multiple attempts to contact the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council, the Supreme Court of the UK (which shares facilities and staff with the JCPC), and the Complaints Committee at the Privy Council itself—nothing has helped to reverse the situation.

And Across the the Gulfstream…
In the United States, where we raised the fictitious trading case, the Federal Judge of the Southern District Court of New York dismissed our complaint. The 2nd Circuit Court of Appeal then dismissed our appeal as if we were merely requesting a pro bono attorney, completely ignoring the core issue of fictitious trading.

We applied to the Supreme Court of the United States in February 2024 and are still waiting to hear from them.

Where is the Justice?
I still believe in seeing justice, but the question remains—how many lives and talents are destroyed by these delays? A friend visited our community, and from time to time, someone sends me photos of our house—empty for seven years. Why should my boys be deprived of their home?

Where is our trial? On 24 February 2025, we were scheduled to appear before Supreme Court Justice Honorable Madam Carla Card-Stubbs, who had promised us a trial date. At the same time, UBS was found guilty of intentionally delaying our case in the ruling dated 8 May 2024 (see paragraphs 32, 34). Instead of abiding by the trial schedule, they are actively attempting to sell our home. While the judge has not yet intervened to stop them, she has also not allowed the sale to proceed. However, the Court may not sit on that day, and we are still waiting for a new date.

And today, as I write this, is the anniversary of our violent, unbelievable, and unprecedented eviction. If you have a minute to watch how it started, you will be appalled—especially considering that UBS had given an undertaking not to enforce the summary judgment order for possession, which was obtained by fraud through five false statements made to the Honorable Judge of the Supreme Court of the Bahamas, Milton Evans, who is now the President of the Court of Appeal of the Bahamas.

Well, our application to set aside that 23 March 2015 order as obtained by fraud was also filed in February 2024 and is still waiting to be scheduled for a hearing once we have a date.

So it is. But life continues, and good will rise.

Please keep fighting for justice and equity while cherishing your loved ones and appreciating every breath of this priceless life.

We would be grateful if you could share this post, sign our petition, and help to get more signatures.

Irina