It appears that the attorneys advising Antigua's Prime Minister, GASTON BROWNE, have neither a grasp of recent court decisions, nor the ability to avoid their client being ensnared in one of America's most powerful legal avenues to protect its citizens from spurious clams filed abroad.
The Antigua PM filed a bogus defamation claim, against the attorney and law firm representing the victim in the ALFA NERO luxury yacht scandal, after public statements were made, alleging that Browne had engaged in serious corrupt activities, fraud, the grand theft of millions of dollars, and a host of other criminal offenses, individually, and with other conspirators, including members of his immediate family.
His ostensibly astute attorneys knew or should have been fully aware of the probable consequences of the impact of 28 USC §1782, which allows Americans sued abroad in United States District Court to obtain Discovery. Given that the victim's attorneys had previously received court approval for a §1782 petition, it was completely predictable that they would try it again, if Browne brought new litigation, of any sort.
Whether this constitutes legal malpractice I leave to the experts. but the moment Browne filed the Defamation case, the lawyers again sought Discovery in Federal Court in the United States, which is presently awaiting a decision. Now, a court in the Caribbean has denied the American lawyers' efforts to have the Defamation claim dismissed, upon procedural grounds (not on the merits), and the American Court has been duly notified, as you can see from the entry upon the docket sheet, which might very well be just what it was waiting for to make a favorable decision against the hapless Browne.
By opposing the American lawyers' dismissal efforts, Browne (and his obviously negligent lawyer team) may have sealed their fate in the United States, because the Discovery requested, in the hands of the US Department of Justice, could very well result in money laundering, fraud and corruption charges against him, members of his family, and others in the Labour Party government.
Given the current major visa restrictions placed by President Trump upon Antigua passport holders, PM Browne may have difficulty obtaining visitors to see him, if he ends up in an American prison, solely due to his attorneys' professional negligence, and foolishness, for bringing that Defamation action, due to the not exactly unanticipated consequences thereof.
THE PENDING DISCOVERY MOTION IN U.S. DITRICT COURT:
21 |  5 pgs motion Discovery Sat 04/25 10:38 PMSupplemental MOTION for Discovery by Yulia Guryeva-Motlokhov. Responses due by 5/11/2026.(Nielson, Scott) | |
| Att: 1 33 pgs Memorandum Memorandum of Law, | ||
| Att: 2 2 pgs Text of Proposed Order Proposed Order, | ||
| Att: 3 9 pgs Affidavit Declaration of Scott C. Nielson, | ||
| Att: 4 7 pgs Exhibit Email from Richard Higgins, | ||
| Att: 5 2 pgs Exhibit Email from Richard Higgins, | ||
| Att: 6 32 pgs Exhibit Attached Alfa Nero Brochure, | ||
| Att: 7 3 pgs Exhibit Email from Richard Higgins, | ||
| Att: 8 4 pgs Exhibit Email from Sir Ronald Sanders, | ||
| Att: 9 5 pgs Exhibit Email from Richard Higgins, | ||
| Att: 10 3 pgs Exhibit Email from Richard Higgins, | ||
| Att: 11 7 pgs Exhibit Attached Central Agency Agreement, | ||
| Att: 12 5 pgs Exhibit Email from Richard Higgins, | ||
| Att: 13 16 pgs Exhibit Alfa Nero Sale and Purchase Agreement, | ||
| Att: 14 57 pgs Exhibit Alfa Nero Valuation Survey Report, | ||
| Att: 15 5 pgs Exhibit Email from Richard Higgins, | ||
| Att: 16 7 pgs Exhibit Email from Richard Higgins, | ||
| Att: 17 2 pgs Exhibit Maltese Certificate of Registration, | ||
| Att: 18 7 pgs Exhibit Email from Patrick Coote, | ||
| Att: 19 4 pgs Exhibit St Kitts & Nevis Observer Article, | ||
| Att: 20 3 pgs Exhibit Antigua Observer Article, | ||
| Att: 21 2 pgs Exhibit Browne III Instagram Post, | ||
| Att: 22 2 pgs Exhibit Browne III LinkedIn Profile, | ||
| Att: 23 2 pgs Exhibit Traffic Citation, | ||
| Att: 24 2 pgs Exhibit MarineMax Office Locations, | ||
| Att: 25 2 pgs Exhibit Littlejohn LinkedIn Profile, | ||
| Att: 26 3 pgs Exhibit Littlejohn Northrop Profile, | ||
| Att: 27 28 pgs Exhibit Alfa Nero Sale Listing, | ||
| Att: 28 75 pgs Exhibit Odebrecht Plea Agreement, | ||
| Att: 29 12 pgs Exhibit Proposed Subpoena for Northrop, | ||
| Att: 30 11 pgs Exhibit Proposed Subpoena for Littlejohn Deposition, | ||
| Att: 31 16 pgs Exhibit Proposed Subpoena for Littlejohn Documents, | ||
| Att: 32 11 pgs Exhibit Proposed Subpoena for Browne III Deposition, | ||
| Att: 33 16 pgs Exhibit Proposed Subpoena for Browne III Documents, | ||
| Att: 34 16 pgs Exhibit Proposed Subpoena for Fraser, | ||
| Att: 35 16 pgs Exhibit Proposed Subpoena for MarineMax, | ||
| Att: 36 15 pgs Exhibit Proposed Subpoena for Halle, | ||
| Att: 37 43 pgs Affidavit Declaration of Frank E. Walwyn, | ||
| Att: 38 Exhibit Claim Form | ||
