Australian Federal Court finds that Australian Nine Network’s “60 Minutes,” its reporter and two producers published and conveyed seven defamatory imputations about financial expert and banker Peter Schiff and his Euro Pacific Bank 

Australian Federal Court finds that Australian Nine Network’s “60 Minutes,” its reporter and two producers published and conveyed seven defamatory imputations about financial expert and banker Peter Schiff and his Euro Pacific Bank 

Schiff’s American attorney Lanny J. Davis asks for media experts in the U.S. and elsewhere to investigate “Nine/60 Minutes” reporter Nick McKenzie and producers Charlotte Grieve and Joel Tozer, not only for the seven defamatory imputations, but also, their use of a deceitful “ambush” technique to fool Schiff into agreeing to the interview

At international telephonic press conference, Davis also challenges U.S. Commissioner of Internal Revenue Service to suspend IRS Criminal Enforcement Chief, James Lee, for his use of similar false innuendo of criminal conduct by Schiff’s bank, Euro Pacific Bank, at a June 30, 2022 press conference in Puerto Rico 

Washington, D.C., September 28, 2022 – At an international telephonic press conference today, Lanny J. Davis, attorney for U.S. financial expert Peter Schiff, announced that the Federal Court of Australia, in a detailed 48 page decision dated September 23 (NSD 1086 of 2021), found that Australia’s Nine Network, producer of “60 Minutes/Australia,” reporter Nicholas McKenzie, and producers Charlotte Grieve and Joel Tozer had published and conveyed seven imputations which are defamatory about financial expert and banker Peter Schiff and his Puerto-Rico-based Euro Pacific Bank in its October 18, 2020 TV broadcast.

Specifically, the judge found that these defendants defamed Schiff and his bank in seven specific defamatory imputations, such as “permitting his bank, Euro Pacific, to be used as a vehicle for around one hundred Australian customers to commit tax evasion,” and that Schiff, himself, “committed tax fraud.” 

Davis also called out the Chief Criminal Enforcement Agent, James Lee, for disciplinary action by the Internal Revenue Service Commissioner “for improper participation” in a June 30, 2022, press conference in Puerto Rico, using the same imputations of criminal conduct which the Australian judge found were conveyed by “60 Minutes.” The fact is, Davis said during his telephonic press conference today, those imputations are false. No criminal charge was ever brought against Schiff or anyone connected to the bank.  

On August 9, 2022, without admitting to any wrongdoing, Schiff voluntarily agreed to a settlement involving liquidation and appointment to a receiver — despite the fact that just 10 days before, on June 30, as Schiff publicly revealed, the Trustee appointed by the Puerto Rican OCIF commissioner found that Schiff’s bank had ”an excess of cash position to cover all deposits.” Schiff asked: “Why would anyone want to shut down a bank flush with cash, no debts, no loans, with a highly-qualified buyer committed to injecting millions in additional capital well in excess of regulatory requirements, ready to buy the entire bank at a fair market price. Then put the bank into receivership, needlessly tying up customer deposits for months, then sell off all the bank’s assets to the same buyer at a fire-sale price?” Schiff’s answer: “The 60 Minutes hit piece created an unfair cloud over me that led to the bank being shut down.”

For further information or personal interviews of Peter Schiff and/or attorney Lanny Davis, contact:

Gil Connolly: 202-994-4304  Agconnolly@tridentdmg.com.