Sann Rodrigues has been found in contempt of court after a year of defiance and transparent lies that wore down even a federal judge's patience.

In August, the SEC filed the contempt motion after Rodrigues repeatedly ignored court orders demanding he account for his assets and stop moving money around. The regulator wanted him jailed until he came clean about every account he controlled and returned the funds he'd illegally moved.

Rodrigues' first defense was absurd: he claimed he didn't speak English. The SEC demolished this in its response, submitting a statement from his own bank manager confirming they had regular conversations in English. The SEC also produced a YouTube video of Rodrigues himself, presenting in fluent English. He dropped that lie immediately.

Next Rodrigues pivoted to saying he didn't know about the court's temporary restraining order in the first place. When that didn't work, he argued he'd provided as much accounting as he could without incriminating himself further. The SEC countered that he'd already waived his right to invoke the Fifth Amendment.

Mediation between the two sides failed by late November. Judge Gorton finally ruled on December 18th.

He found Rodrigues in contempt—though not exactly as the SEC requested.

The judge's order laid out the history plainly. A temporary restraining order from April 16, 2014 explicitly required Rodrigues to submit an accounting identifying all his assets and any transfers over $500. He ignored it. A preliminary injunction on May 8, 2014 repeated the same demand. He ignored that too.

More than a year passed. On June 10, 2015, the court issued yet another order demanding the original accounting, a current list of assets, and details on every transaction over $500 since the initial freeze. Rodrigues finally complied on July 30, 2015—after thirteen months of stonewalling.

Judge Gorton noted that Rodrigues had been properly notified of every order. Each one spelled out in clear language what assets were frozen and what information he owed the court. The SEC presented documentary evidence and testimony proving exactly how Rodrigues had violated the orders.

The contempt finding stuck. Rodrigues had flouted the court's authority repeatedly, cycling through flimsy excuses while the SEC built an airtight case against him. Judge Gorton wasn't buying any of it.

🤖 Quick Answer

What led to Sann Rodrigues being found in contempt of court?
Rodrigues was found in contempt after repeatedly ignoring federal court orders to disclose his assets and cease moving funds. The SEC filed a contempt motion in August, seeking his imprisonment until he revealed all accounts he controlled and returned illegally transferred money.

How did Rodrigues attempt to defend himself against the SEC's allegations?
Rodrigues initially claimed inability to speak English, asserting language barriers prevented compliance. The SEC countered by presenting evidence from his bank manager and a YouTube video demonstrating his fluent English proficiency, forcing him to abandon this defense.

🔗 Related Articles

- SEC: Rodrigues’ payment plan “too little too late”
- Rodrigues to be released with modified repayment plan
- TelexFree delay preliminary injunction hearing
- Rodrigues sells out to secure $200,000 visa fraud bond
- Sloan files “I knew nothing!” Motion to Dismiss