FALL RIVER – A civil case in which a New Jersey woman won a court decision for unpaid loans made to disbarred lawyer John Silvia Jr. and his son, Justin Silvia, both of Somerset, went to a hearing Friday in Fall River District Court to determine if they can pay their judgments.
Teresa Megariotis of Wycoff, New Jersey, whom her lawyers say is older and infirm, seeks more than $300,000 for the unpaid loans dating back several years, according to court records.
The Superior Court of New Jersey appellate division on May 18, 2017, issued a summary judgment against John Silvia, and also ruled against his son after a trial and appeal in 2015.
John Silvia, 69, of 305 Foley St., is the notorious former Somerset teacher and School Committee member, and Fall River lawyer, who was convicted of 17 security, mail and wire fraud charges, many of them felonies, after two trials in 2016 and 2017 in U.S. District Court in Boston.
He was awaiting sentencing last May when through his court-appointed lawyer he appealed the criminal convictions on the grounds other court-appointed lawyers had failed to provide sound counsel and protect his rights as a defendant.
The judge’s decision on whether to issue a new trial has remained in limbo the past 10 months, including the postponements of scheduled status conferences four times since Nov. 8. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case.
Long before that criminal conviction, a civil case dating to the 1990s in U.S. Bankruptcy Court resulted in an agreement that John Silvia repay approximately 400 people — including family, friends and close business associates — the approximately $12 million balance he listed as loans he took for unrealized business investments in this area.
Evangelos Megariotis is listed on that bankruptcy court filing list as having loaned Silvia $835,000.
He is the former husband of Teresa Megariotis, according to attorney Noah Goodman of Wellesley, who was in Fall River District Court representing this recent case against John and Justin Silvia to collect her six-figure loans to them.
The purpose of holding what is termed a “supplementary process hearing,” Assistant Magistrate Gregory St. Cyr said after Friday’s limited proceedings, is to determine if the defendants can pay the judgment that was entered in court.
John Silvia appeared in court. Justin Silvia did not.
The latter’s uncle, Fall River attorney Jerald Silvia, John Silvia’s younger brother, represented his nephew.
The lawyer said his client was working for Homes for Our Troops, the Taunton nonprofit he said builds houses for disabled veterans.
“He’s at work. He’s helping people in a very charitable endeavor,” Jerald Silvia said.
He said his client was in meetings.
The lawyer also said he found out about the hearing the prior afternoon, and asked for a three-week continuance.
Goodman objected to it, told St. Cyr the defendant was the lawyer’s nephew and he had been served a month ago.
St. Cyr allowed a continuance to April 6, during which time he needs to provide Teresa Megariotis’s lawyer with personal information like place of work and financial documents, such as bank statements.
Goodman said the homes of the two defendants have been attached: John Silvia’s 305 Foley Ave. residence, assessed at $452,400; and Justin Silvia’s 224 Chateau Drive house, assessed at $221,300.
Goodman assumed representation of Megariotis from New Jersey lawyer Gary Tomasella in order to enforce the judgment in Massachusetts, Tomasella previously told The Herald News.
A writ of execution of money judgment was filed in New Bedford Superior Court on June 23, documents show.
It listed John Silvia owing $287,515 with interest accruing.
It listed Justin Silvia owing $108,428, which according to Goodman is part of the larger sum.
He said in a settlement they would waive the interest fees.
Tomasella said his client’s family had been good friends and vacationed with John Silvia and his late wife, Susan, and their children years ago.
He said Justin had been involved with a roller-skating rink business in New Jersey related to the case.
“It’s a collection process,” Tomasella said in a phone interview last fall.
When St. Cyr called John Silvia to the stand, attorney Silvia, his younger brother, said, “I’m not involved with that.”
The lawyer declined afterward to comment about the unpaid loans. “I’m not responsible for what happened with my brother,” he said outside the courtroom.
The court adjourned for about a half hour while Goodman talked with John Silvia in a private room and he reportedly filled out personal forms.
When they returned, Goodman stated his satisfaction but shared no specific information in court. “I think he’s making full and fair disclosures,” Goodman said of Silvia. He appeared without a lawyer.
St. Cyr agreed to continue his supplementary process to the same date as his son, April 6.
When court adjourned, John Silvia walked over to the reporter who had taken his picture a few minutes earlier.
He said some day all the facts in the case would come out and be printed instead of all the errors of his case.
Silvia walked away, turned around and said he had one more thing to say.
“I have never been a fraudster. When you find anyone who knows me, they know I am not a fraudster,” he said. He declined to speak on camera and answer questions.
On his motion for a new trial on the outstanding 17 criminal charges in U.S. District Court, the rescheduled status conference is listed for March 26 at 2 p.m. before Judge George O’Toole Jr.
His court-appointed lawyer under the subsidized Criminal Justice Appointment program is Hank Brennan, who defended James “Whitey” Bulger, the convicted Boston mobster.
Email Michael Holtzman at mholtzman@heraldnews.com or call him at 508-676-2573.