Jason and Janet Brown are refusing to answer questions about the case in which a Bankruptcy Court trustee alleges they were part of a $12 million Ponzi Scheme that defrauded dozens of "investors," Nicholas Foster of the U.S. Trustee's Office said.
In a motion filed in court, he said the two Browns invoked the 5th Amendment regarding not incriminating themselves when an attempt was made to interview them.
Jason Brown is the son and Janet Brown the wife of Jack E. Brown, who headed Brown's Tax Service at Soddy Daisy and who offered clients returns as high as 15 percent if they would turn over their money to him.
Many of the clients, including many from the Soddy Daisy area, were left with only promissory notes to show for their investments.
Attorney Foster said Janet Brown answered only three questions during an hour and a half session. She gave her name, her son's name and said Mike Little was her attorney.
However, he said Kimberly Brown, wife of Jason Brown, did agree to talk. He said she stated that the couple had paid attorney Jerry Summers $44,000 to represent Jason and paid attorney Marty Levitt $2,500 to represent her.
Attorney Jerry Farinash, trustee in the involuntary Jack Brown bankruptcy, has asked for a hold on the assets of Jason and Kimberly Brown as well as Janet Brown, saying they are paying out money gained in the scheme for attorneys and other expenses.
Attorney Foster said dozens of questions were posed to Jason Brown on Feb. 5, but, with attorney Summers present, he declined to answer them all.
Attorney Tom Ray said Jack E. Brown is anxious to give a statement in the case, but he said he was not physically able to be brought in an ambulance for a creditors' meeting on Tuesday.