Kweku Hanson
Encyclopedia
Kweku Joseph Hanson graduated with a AB from Bowdoin College
, Brunswick, ME in 1985 and Doctor of Jurisprudence (Juris Doctor, or JD, approximately equivalent to LLB) degree from University of Connecticut
School of Law in 1988. He was subsequently disbarred as an attorney and immigration law practitioner due to numerous complaints involving unethical conduct, non-delivery of service, maladministration of client's funds, as well as his conviction on charges of sexual assault, child pornography and tampering with witnesses.
Federal FSB of West Palm Beach, Florida, where he was represented by fellow Connecticut attorney Paul Ngobeni
. The 123-page lawsuit in Hanson v. Ocwen Federal Bank outlines a six-year running battle over late charges and fees.
"It is clear that this is a pattern and practice of sheer piracy," Mr. Hanson said in an interview. He was joined in the suit by 57 individuals who claimed to have been injured by Ocwen
. The lawsuit sought $1.5 billion in punitive and exemplary damages, but was settled out of court for an undisclosed sum.
, his associate from the Ocwen
class action suit, represented three plaintiffs who claimed to represent "all persons who lived in South Africa
between 1948 and the present and who suffered damages as a result of apartheid." Punitive and compensatory damages in excess $400 billion were claimed from a "slew" of multinational corporations (including IBM
, Citigroup
, GE
, DuPont
and many others) that did business in apartheid South Africa
for violations of international law subject to suit in United States federal district court under the
Alien Tort Claims Act, 28 U.S.C. § 1350 (“ATCA”), and other jurisdictional provisions. Two other South African anti-apartheid lawsuits—the Khulumani et al., vs Barclays Bank et al., lawsuit; and the Ntsebeza vs Daimler Chrysler Corp lawsuit had previously been initiated separately during 2002. The Southern District Court of New York under Judge John E. Sprizzo found for defendants’ motion to dismiss the complaint. That finding was partially vacated by the US Court of Appeal (Second Circuit) in an appeal first lodged in January 2006 and decided in October 2007 but by then Mr Hanson was no longer representing the claimants.
The trial court judge denied his motion orally; later, the Appellate Court
officially released a written opinion that upheld the decision.
Bowdoin College
Bowdoin College , founded in 1794, is an elite private liberal arts college located in the coastal Maine town of Brunswick, Maine. As of 2011, U.S. News and World Report ranks Bowdoin 6th among liberal arts colleges in the United States. At times, it was ranked as high as 4th in the country. It is...
, Brunswick, ME in 1985 and Doctor of Jurisprudence (Juris Doctor, or JD, approximately equivalent to LLB) degree from University of Connecticut
University of Connecticut
The admission rate to the University of Connecticut is about 50% and has been steadily decreasing, with about 28,000 prospective students applying for admission to the freshman class in recent years. Approximately 40,000 prospective students tour the main campus in Storrs annually...
School of Law in 1988. He was subsequently disbarred as an attorney and immigration law practitioner due to numerous complaints involving unethical conduct, non-delivery of service, maladministration of client's funds, as well as his conviction on charges of sexual assault, child pornography and tampering with witnesses.
Attempted class action lawsuit for distress caused by tire recall
In September 2000, he represented a West Hartford woman who sued Bridgestone/Firestone Inc. and the Ford Motor Co., seeking $60 million for the "humiliation, mental anguish and emotional distress" she had suffered while driving her Ford Explorer, which was equipped with recalled tires. Rhona Baugh-Seawright had been "panicky and scared" for the two months since she learned of the nationwide recall, according to Kweku J. Hanson, after filing the lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Hartford. "Her lawsuit does not seek any redress for personal injury due to an accident," he said.Class action lawsuit against Ocwen Federal FSB
In July 2002, Kweku Hanson initiated a class-action suit against OcwenOcwen Federal FSB
Ocwen Financial Corporation is a provider of residential and commercial mortgage loan servicing, special servicing and asset management services. Ocwen is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, with additional offices in West Palm Beach and Orlando, Florida, and Washington, D.C...
Federal FSB of West Palm Beach, Florida, where he was represented by fellow Connecticut attorney Paul Ngobeni
Paul Ngobeni
Paul Mpande Ngobeni was born in Lydenburg, Mpumalanga, South Africa on September 1, 1960. He went to the United States on a scholarship in 1982 graduated with a BA from Hamilton College, New York and Doctor of Jurisprudence degree from New York University School of Law...
. The 123-page lawsuit in Hanson v. Ocwen Federal Bank outlines a six-year running battle over late charges and fees.
"It is clear that this is a pattern and practice of sheer piracy," Mr. Hanson said in an interview. He was joined in the suit by 57 individuals who claimed to have been injured by Ocwen
Ocwen Federal FSB
Ocwen Financial Corporation is a provider of residential and commercial mortgage loan servicing, special servicing and asset management services. Ocwen is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, with additional offices in West Palm Beach and Orlando, Florida, and Washington, D.C...
. The lawsuit sought $1.5 billion in punitive and exemplary damages, but was settled out of court for an undisclosed sum.
South African Apartheid litigation
During 2003, he, along with Paul NgobeniPaul Ngobeni
Paul Mpande Ngobeni was born in Lydenburg, Mpumalanga, South Africa on September 1, 1960. He went to the United States on a scholarship in 1982 graduated with a BA from Hamilton College, New York and Doctor of Jurisprudence degree from New York University School of Law...
, his associate from the Ocwen
Ocwen Federal FSB
Ocwen Financial Corporation is a provider of residential and commercial mortgage loan servicing, special servicing and asset management services. Ocwen is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, with additional offices in West Palm Beach and Orlando, Florida, and Washington, D.C...
class action suit, represented three plaintiffs who claimed to represent "all persons who lived in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
between 1948 and the present and who suffered damages as a result of apartheid." Punitive and compensatory damages in excess $400 billion were claimed from a "slew" of multinational corporations (including IBM
IBM
International Business Machines Corporation or IBM is an American multinational technology and consulting corporation headquartered in Armonk, New York, United States. IBM manufactures and sells computer hardware and software, and it offers infrastructure, hosting and consulting services in areas...
, Citigroup
Citigroup
Citigroup Inc. or Citi is an American multinational financial services corporation headquartered in Manhattan, New York City, New York, United States. Citigroup was formed from one of the world's largest mergers in history by combining the banking giant Citicorp and financial conglomerate...
, GE
Gê
Gê are the people who spoke Ge languages of the northern South American Caribbean coast and Brazil. In Brazil the Gê were found in Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais, Bahia, Piaui, Mato Grosso, Goias, Tocantins, Maranhão, and as far south as Paraguay....
, DuPont
DuPont
E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company , commonly referred to as DuPont, is an American chemical company that was founded in July 1802 as a gunpowder mill by Eleuthère Irénée du Pont. DuPont was the world's third largest chemical company based on market capitalization and ninth based on revenue in 2009...
and many others) that did business in apartheid South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
for violations of international law subject to suit in United States federal district court under the
Alien Tort Claims Act, 28 U.S.C. § 1350 (“ATCA”), and other jurisdictional provisions. Two other South African anti-apartheid lawsuits—the Khulumani et al., vs Barclays Bank et al., lawsuit; and the Ntsebeza vs Daimler Chrysler Corp lawsuit had previously been initiated separately during 2002. The Southern District Court of New York under Judge John E. Sprizzo found for defendants’ motion to dismiss the complaint. That finding was partially vacated by the US Court of Appeal (Second Circuit) in an appeal first lodged in January 2006 and decided in October 2007 but by then Mr Hanson was no longer representing the claimants.
Sexual assault, arrest, and conviction
On November 1, 2007, Hanson pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual assault in the second degree; two counts of risk of injury to a minor child; one charge of possession of child pornography in the first degree; and two counts of tampering with a witness. He received a total effective sentence of twenty-five years execution suspended after he served six years incarceration followed by thirty years of probation. Prior to his sentencing Hanson attempted to withdraw his "guilty" plea, claiming, in part, that he didn’t understand the criminal charges lodged against him and the court had failed to adequately apprise him of the sentencing range related to those charges during a process known as plea canvassing.The trial court judge denied his motion orally; later, the Appellate Court
Appellate court
An appellate court, commonly called an appeals court or court of appeals or appeal court , is any court of law that is empowered to hear an appeal of a trial court or other lower tribunal...
officially released a written opinion that upheld the decision.