Bankers Trust order secured for Minos Kyriakou against Christie’s Auction House and others

The Applicant, Mr Minos Kyriakou, is a very successful Greek businessman, who has amassed a large collection of jewellery, watches and antiques over the years.

In February 2017, his wife made two visits to London, bringing approximately 70kg of jewellery, watches and other valuables with her. During her time in London, the Applicant's wife visited Christie's (the First Respondent), JS Jewels (the Second Respondent, the principal of which is John Souglides, the Third Respondent) and Metropolitan Safe Deposits Limited (the Fifth Respondent). She made these visits in the company of her friend, Georgia Lombardos (the Fourth Respondent).

The Applicant says the chattels his wife brought to London, which are estimated to be worth hundreds of thousands of Euros, belong to him. Accordingly he sought and obtained a Bankers Trust order, requiring the five Respondents to provide any information they had about the whereabouts of the chattels or any proposed or actual dealings with them, in order to allow him to pursue proprietary claims in respect of his property and/or their traceable proceeds.

Alan Maclean QC and Kerenza Davis were instructed by Robert Wynn Jones and Oli Gepfert of Mishcon de Reya.