CA-2024-001802 - [2025] EWCA Civ 1389

On 19^th August 2011 Mr Justice Blair made a worldwide freezing order against Mr Su and various companies legally or beneficially owned by him and/or members of his family. These included at least three companies of which Mr Chang was a director. The freezing order and its successors, with variations made from time to time, has been in force ever since.

In two judgments of November 2014 and January 2015, Mr Justice Cooke entered judgments against Mr Su and his companies in sums totalling over US $47.6 million (‘the liability judgments’). Mr Su and his companies sought permission to appeal, which was granted, on condition that security for the judgment debt was provided. However, security was not provided and the appeal lapsed on 12^th June 2015. Neither Mr Su nor his companies has voluntarily discharged any part of the judgment debt which, including interest and costs, now stands at over US $60 million. Lakatamia has made extensive efforts to enforce the judgment debt, in the course of which it has obtained access to many thousands of documents, which it has permission to use in these proceedings. In the course of these efforts it obtained information about the sale of two villas in Monaco which has given rise to the present proceedings.