Daniel Filho, the architect of the DFRF Enterprises Ponzi scheme, intends to enter an insanity plea in his ongoing criminal trial. Filho was arrested in July 2015, but his case has been mired in legal delays, with most filings sealed from public view.

Filho was declared legally incompetent last month, a finding that appears to stem from ongoing mental health issues. A May 3rd court filing now explicitly states his intention to plead insanity. A Joint Status Report submitted on May 5th likely contains further details, but it too remains under seal.

A status conference on May 8th saw Filho agree to voluntarily take prescribed medication. Doctors estimate at least two months for the treatment to show significant effects. A subsequent status conference is set for July 11th. If Filho is deemed competent by then, a new trial date will be established.

Later filings indicate further delays. An Order of Excludable Delay filed on December 28th, 2017, pushed the competency determination deadline to April 15th, 2018. A competency hearing scheduled for May 23rd, 2018, was subsequently cancelled after the Department of Justice filed a successful motion for excludable delay. The case docket now indicates the matter awaits rescheduling.

By July 28th, 2018, Daniel Filho had been officially declared incompetent to stand trial. The Department of Justice anticipates this ruling will lead to the dismissal of criminal charges against him.