Arthur Saldivar Versus Eamon Courtenay: Case of the Missing Coye Money

It is one of the most sensational cases in recent times. It involves attorney Arthur Saldivar and a very large sum of money. Saldivar has been the attorney of record for the Coye family, accused of laundering millions. He got them acquitted, and got government to give them back all the money that had been frozen for years. But now Melonie Coye is alleging Saldivar kept a large portion of that money from her, and in quite brazen fashion. She says that on June twelfth, she and Saldivar went to pick up one point six million dollars in unfrozen funds from the Central Bank. Coye claims they counted the money and then left. And that’s where it gets positively bizarre. Coye states that Saldivar was holding a briefcase with over nine hundred thousand dollars in it, and left the scene without giving it to her. She further states that she has made repeated attempts to get it back, but with no success. Coye has gone so far as to retain the services of attorney Eamon Courtenay in an attempt to get back their money. Today News Five spoke to both attorneys via phone.

Via Phone: Arthur Saldivar, Accused of Withholding Client’s Money

Arthur Saldivar

“There is no factual basis in that allegation. It’s a baseless thing. Why would I want to take anything of that nature? And I didn’t take anything. As you know, the funds for the Coye family was returned. It was a process to get it from the Central Bank. I went there with Melonie Coye, she signed after the monies were counted, we left together; I assisted in carrying out some of the containers that the monies were in before I left Belize City…she had everything. I didn’t have anything.”

Via Phone: Eamon Courtenay, Attorney for Melonie Coye

“I can only speak from the instructions I have from my client. My client instructed me that she was with Mister Saldivar when monies were returned to her at the Central Bank. It was counted and thereafter, Mister Saldivar fled with a portion of the money which turned out to be nine hundred and four thousand dollars.”

Eamon Courtenay

Via Phone: Arthur Saldivar

“I thought I knew human beings and human nature. I am making a reassessment of what I thought, but you live to learn. I am just hoping that this madness—whatever may have befallen or overcome my client—that the issues are worked out. This is something that she has to work out for herself.”

Via Phone: Eamon Courtenay

“Miss Coye is going to give her version to the court and Mister Saldivar is going to give his version to the court. All I will say is that I have been provided with evidence coming from Mister Saldivar which puts him at a beyond doubt. That is going to be a matter that is going to be determined in court.”

Saldivar has stated that Melonie Coye owes him one point six million dollars, which is his agreed upon fee of twenty-five percent of the total monies seized. He states that he will be handing her an invoice in that amount, and is also considering bringing charges against her over the allegations that he stole her money.