DETROIT –– West Hill Farms' case attempting to recoup money lost in an investment scheme will move to Florida, a federal judge ruled.
In the Aug. 31 ruling, Judge Mark Goldsmith of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan granted a request by GeoStar Corporation to transfer venue.
GeoStar, its officers and four subsidiaries face allegations they attempted to transfer assets to avoid an earlier judgment won by West Hill Farms. According to West Hill Farms' complaint, GeoStar employee Deborah Ferguson traveled to Michigan in order to transfer assets to another company, GLG LLC.
However, the judge ruled Michigan's long-arm statute does not apply in this case. Goldsmith noted four of the defendants reside in Florida and there is little else that ties them to Michigan.
"There has been no evidence provided that a substantial part of the events or omissions giving rise to the claim occurred in Michigan, or that any property that is the subject of the action is situated here," Goldsmith wrote.
In 2006, West Hill Farms and other investors sued ClassicStar, the parent company of GeoStar, for duping them out of millions in a mare leasing scheme. Five years later, West Hill Farms and other investors won the case. ClassicStar was ordered to pay $65 million back to investors.
West Hill Farms claims GeoStar began moving assets after the judgment and filed a lawsuit in 2015 to stop the transfers.
The case will go to the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida.