Seminole County asks for subpoena for developer’s bank accounts

Seminole County is asking a federal court to subpoena developer and former state lawmaker Christopher Dorworth’s finances in an attempt to recover more than $400,000 in legal fees. 

The issue stems from Dorworth’s attempt to build what was called River Cross, a massive planned development of more than 600 single-family homes, 270 townhouses, 500 apartments and 1.5 million square feet of commercial space in 2018. The nearly 670-acre development was beyond the rural boundary of Seminole County, and county commissioners would have had to approve moving the rural boundary line to allow the development. 

Commissioners ultimately denied that request. Dorworth responded with multiple state and federal lawsuits, arguing that the county’s charter designating the rural boundary was “unconstitutionally vague” and violated state law; he also argued that it violated federal fair housing laws. 

Dorworth lost those cases, and was ordered to pay $432,198 to cover the county’s legal fees in the case. 

“To date, River Cross Land Company has not paid the county one dollar of its fee judgment,” Seminole County’s lead attorney Kate Latorre told commissioners Tuesday. 

Dorworth did not respond to an email, phone call and text message requesting comment before deadlines. In court documents, he has asked to be protected from a subpoena because Dorworth, his wife and his company haven’t been named in the lawsuit, and because it would violate his personal financial privacy.

“CED objects to producing based upon relevance, over broadness, and confidentiality,” Dorworth’s attorneys wrote in a document you can read here. 

The main issue is that River Cross lost its court cases and Seminole County is entitled to $432,198 in attorney’s fees. But River Cross Land Company, as a company, had just $306 in its bank accounts as of Dec. 31, 2021, according to the county’s request for a subpoena. 

But CED Strategies – the company Dorworth founded, with a name based on his initials – helped fund River Cross Land Company, and CED is actually the registered agent of River Cross. Both River Cross and CED have the same corporate address – Dorworth’s Heathrow home. 

“Meanwhile, a review of River Cross’ corporate filings, Mr. Dorworth’s testimony in this litigation, and River Cross’ bank statements for its account at Truist Bank reveal significant overlap between River Cross and Mr. Dorworth, his wife and his company CED Strategies,” Seminole County’s lawyers wrote in court filings, which you can view below. 

County officials say they need the subpoena for Truist to see “the extent that CED Strategies, Mr. Dorworth or Mrs. Dorworth funded this litigation and River Cross itself and/or to what extent each may be River Cross’ successors or alter egos and thus hold any assets that may be subject to execution,” the county wrote.

According to court documents obtained by Oviedo Community News, CED transferred $500,000 from its account into the River Cross account on Feb. 9, 2018 – just three months before River Cross applied to the county to amend the charter. CED also transferred another $100,000 into the accounts in two payments during the next six months.

But on Aug. 14, 2018, Seminole County denied River Cross’ application. The next day, nearly all of the funds in the account were withdrawn (you can read the documents below).

By December of 2021, there was just $306 in the River Cross account. 

“Mr. Dorworth, Mrs. Dorworth and CED Strategies paid River Cross’ attorneys’ fees throughout this litigation from their respective Truist Bank accounts,” county attorney’s wrote. 

At this point, county lawyers have made their arguments on why they need a subpoena for the bank accounts. 

“The position we’re in today is waiting for the court to rule on the motion,” Latorre told commissioners. “When we get a court order on that one, we’ll update you again.” 

River Cross by the numbers:

Location: West of County Road 419, east of the Econlockhatchee River, and north of the Orange County/Seminole County Line

Size: 669.4 acres

Residential: 600 single-family residential lots, 270 townhome lots, 500 multifamily units

Commercial space: 1.5 million square

Environmental impact: Nearly 300 acres of wetlands, with six protected species on site, including American alligator, gopher tortoise, Florida sandhill crane, little blue heron, white ibis and Sherman’s Fox Squirrel.