Illinois gun show owners file lawsuit against Secret Service and local law enforcement
The owners of an Illinois gun show were indicted two years ago on 24 felony counts over an alleged scam involving COVID-19 relief funds.
However, the pair have since filed a lawsuit against local law enforcement and the United States Secret Service.
Couple says they were victims of "frivolous civil forfeiture claims"
According to the website Patch, Jeffrey Regnier and Greta Keranen are accused of fraudulently obtaining unemployment benefits, Economic Injury Disaster Loans, and Paycheck Protection Program loans.
Those allegations led to a raid on their home in February of 2023, during which Secret Service agents and Will County Sheriff's deputies seized assets worth "an overwhelming amount of money."
In a lawsuit filed on Thursday, the pair detailed $5.5 million worth of automobiles and investment accounts which they say were taken via "frivolous civil forfeiture claims."
The suit named the Secret Service and Will County Sheriff's Office along with Secret Service Agent Cayla Coleman as defendants.
Lawsuit: "No facts relating to an unlawful source of income"
Specifically, it accused the named parties of having focused on "several large cash deposits" which "appeared to have no apparent economic, business, or lawful purpose."
"Such statement is false or misleading as it is based on pure guesses or speculation The affidavit provides no facts relating to an unlawful source of income," the complaint was quoted as saying.
"Despite listing such a large amount of transactions, the forfeiture complaint does not identify any alleged illegal source of these funds outside of three alleged PPP loans and unemployment benefits totaling approximately $274,000," it continued.
The lawsuit further noted how the investigation centered on $2,638,707.00 in cash deposits and ACH debits by Regnier and Keranen between December 18, 2022 and January 3, 2023.
Plaintiff incurred a $1 million loss when investments were liquidated
"Again, no explanation is given as to what unlawful purpose these funds are secured from," the complaint went on to assert.
"There is no allegation that there have been illegal drug proceeds or otherwise. The only real allegation is that these deposits are suspicious because they are large," it added.
The lawsuit further maintained that "there was no good faith basis for the complaint" against Regnier and Keranen while the agencies in question "acted maliciously and with indifference to the truth when bringing the affidavit and the civil forfeiture case."
It also pointed out that the plaintiff's seized investment accounts were liquidated upon seizure, resulting in a $1 million loss to Regnier and Keranen.
