By JULIE ASH
OneWorld executive director Bob Ratliffe says his America's Cup syndicate will do all it can to ensure former operations manager Sean Reeves coughs up the $1.6 million awarded to it.
Reeves, a former Team New Zealand member, was ordered for the second time this week to hand over the
money for his involvement in an America's Cup secrets scandal.
The High Court at Auckland backed a United States judicial order that Reeves compensate OneWorld Challenge for a breach of contract over allegations that he tried to sell the Seattle-based syndicate's design and technical plans.
"We are pleased with the judge's decision," Ratliffe said from the US.
"I think it is further proof that quality jurors like we have in the United States and you have in New Zealand can see through some of the transparency of people's fabrications, like Reeves, who has not let the facts get in the way of his story throughout this process."
Reeves left OneWorld in 2001 and the syndicate later accused him of trying to sell $6 million worth of its secret design and technical information.
Reeves denied this, counter-suing for defamation and accusing other former Team New Zealand members of leaking secrets to rivals.
In 2002 he was ordered in the US to pay damages to OneWorld of more than $1.67 million.
Reeves did not appeal against the decision but argued in the High Court that it should not be enforced because the US court had denied him natural and "substantial" justice.
Ratliffe said the the US Federal Court judgment was now well over a year old. "He has the resources financially to pay the judgment; he is a wealthy man.
"We will do everything we need to do to get the judgment claimed.
"If it means bankrupting him and taking his tennis racket and his house and his car then that is what we are going to do."
Peter Spring, the lawyer representing Reeves, said he would meet his client this week and discuss whether he wanted to appeal against the decision.
"I haven't taken proper instructions from him. He is returning to New Zealand. He has been on holiday, and has been delayed."
OneWorld, backed by cellphone pioneer Craig McCaw and Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, will not compete in the next America's Cup.
Ratliffe said the Reeves saga had left a "bad taste in their mouths".
"It makes you realise that everything you read about the America's Cup and the skulduggery that is part of its history was alive and well in the 2003 Cup.
"But it is too bad some good people's reputations were impacted by it.
"It was a miserable experience that none of us had counted on.
"Certainly we were all trying to be above reproach and Reeves caused us a great deal of pain and a great deal of expense."
Further reading: nzherald.co.nz/americascup
By JULIE ASH
OneWorld executive director Bob Ratliffe says his America's Cup syndicate will do all it can to ensure former operations manager Sean Reeves coughs up the $1.6 million awarded to it.
Reeves, a former Team New Zealand member, was ordered for the second time this week to hand over the
AdvertisementAdvertise with NZME.