“Roberto and William Isaias Dassum were the president and vice president of Filanbanco, Ecuador’s largest bank. In the late ’90s, Ecuador descended into a severe banking crisis, so it pumped $1.16 billion into Filanbanco to keep it afloat. That failed and, according to the government of Ecuador, the Dassums fled to Miami after allegedly embezzling millions. Ecuador was asking the U.S. to confiscate about $20 million worth of assets the Dassums allegedly have in Miami. The U.S. court refused Ecuador’s request. What’s more, to allow Ecuador to confiscate property in the U.S. would ‘signify a substantial deviation from U.S. law and policy.’”
