Disbarred attorney promises to restore client’s $37m by early August

Disbarred attorney Ano Miller-Sewell, who reportedly misappropriated more than $37 million entrusted to her by a client in a failed real estate transaction, has promised to repay the outstanding amount by early August.
The commitment was disclosed on Wednesday when the matter came up for mention before Parish Judge Sanchia Burrell in the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court.
Attorney-at-law Matthew Hyatt, who is representing Miller-Sewell along with King’s Counsel Bert Samuels, told the court that his client intended “within short order” to restore the complainant to her former financial position.
Asked by Judge Burrell when repayment would be made, Hyatt responded, “Early August.”
The judge, however, observed that it had taken “an inordinately long time” for the complainant to be repaid.
The matter was subsequently adjourned to November for mention, and Miller-Sewell’s bail was extended.
Miller-Sewell was arrested and charged last year with fraudulent conversion and possession of criminal property.
The allegations stem from a real estate transaction between January and March 2024.
The complainant retained Miller-Sewell to facilitate the purchase of a property on Red Hills Road, Forest Hills, Kingston 19, for $57.5 million.
According to court documents, the complainant formally engaged the attorney on January 10, 2024, and a month later, entered into an agreement for sale with the vendors.
The agreement stipulated a purchase price of $57.5 million, requiring a deposit of $5.75 million, with the balance of $51.75 million and the purchaser’s share of the associated costs to be paid within 60 days of the execution of the agreement.
The agreement named Miller-Sewell as the purchaser’s attorney-at-law and required that within 30 days, she either provide the vendor’s attorney with an acceptable undertaking guaranteeing payment of all sums due on completion or ensure that those monies were paid directly to the vendor’s attorney.
Under the terms of the agreement, any failure by the purchaser to make payments when due entitled the vendor to terminate the agreement immediately, forfeit the deposit, and impose interest at a rate of 10 per cent per annum on outstanding sums.
On March 31, 2024, the complainant reportedly paid Miller-Sewell $57,661,865, representing the purchase price together with half of the transaction costs. The complainant also paid a further $1.15 million in legal fees on the same date.
Agreement cancelled
Following the payment, Miller-Sewell allegedly failed to transfer the full purchase price to the vendor’s attorney. Instead, approximately $19 million was reportedly paid over, leaving a shortfall of about $37.39 million.
No undertaking was provided to guarantee payment. As a result, the vendor cancelled the sale agreement.
It is further alleged that Miller-Sewell stopped communicating with the complainant in July 2024, and prior to that, had failed to provide her with information about the status of the purchase and the missing funds.
Consequently, the complainant reported the matter to both the police and the General Legal Council (GLC). 
Last May, the GLC found Miller-Sewell guilty of professional misconduct and ordered that her name be struck from the Roll of Attorneys-at-Law authorised to practise in Jamaica. The disciplinary body also directed that she make full restitution to the complainant without delay.
tanesha.mundle@gleanerjm.com