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Giorgio v. Schwartz, Linares et al. (Federal Tax Authority defamation suits)
Two defamation suits by Ralph Giorgio against the board of Federal Tax Authority LLC, including Art Linares, over a July 2020 email that allegedly called him a "confessed felon." Both were dismissed for defective service, the second in August 2025.
- Source
- Connecticut Superior Court, Stamford
- Files
- 6
Docket: FST-CV22-6057408-S, FST-CV24-6068024-S (Stamford).
Status: CLOSED. First action dismissed July 10, 2023 (Judge Povodator); second action dismissed August 13, 2025 (Judge Zingaro).
Parties. Plaintiff Ralph S. Giorgio of Fairfield County. Defendants Paul Schwartz, Lawrence Graev, John Milan, Reed Salvatore, Sten Wilson, Art Linares and Sanjay Kamlani, described as members of the board of managers of Federal Tax Authority LLC, a Norwalk-based company, and the company itself.
What the complaints say. Giorgio alleges that on or about July 14, 2020 the defendants wrote and circulated an email to numerous third parties, and later repeated verbally, the statement that he was a “confessed felon,” which he says was false. He sued for defamation and intentional infliction of emotional distress. Art Linares, later of Rodeo Cannabis Co., is one of the named directors.
First action (FST-CV22-6057408-S). Filed July 13, 2022. The defendants moved to dismiss on May 19, 2023 with affidavits from Linares, Salvatore and Schwartz. After argument on July 10, 2023 Judge Kenneth Povodator granted the motion; the transcript of the ruling is published here. Judgment of dismissal entered the same day.
Second action (FST-CV24-6068024-S). Giorgio refiled July 11, 2024 under the accidental-failure-of-suit statute, C.G.S. § 52-592, and amended the complaint in September 2024. The defendants again moved to dismiss (December 2024) for lack of subject-matter and personal jurisdiction, arguing the new action was not timely commenced, served or returned. Judge Colleen Zingaro’s August 13, 2025 memorandum of decision granted the motion and judgment of dismissal entered.
Status. Both actions closed. No appeal appears on either docket.
Documents below are published exactly as they appear on the Judicial Branch’s civil case look-up (civilinquiry.jud.ct.gov). The full docket for every case is public; CannaTimes publishes the leading complaint and the outcome documents, and describes the rest in the text above.
Files in This Collection
- Court filingConnecticut Superior Court, Stamford
Giorgio v. Schwartz: Complaint (07/13/2022)
Complaint, filed 07/13/2022 in Giorgio v. Schwartz, Connecticut Superior Court docket FST-CV22-6057408-S (initial filing). Public court record downloaded from the Judicial Branch civil case look-up and published as filed.
Dated July 13, 2022PDF, 10 pp., 1.7 MBID ctc-2026-0267 - Court filingConnecticut Superior Court, Stamford
Giorgio v. Schwartz: Motion to Dismiss PB 10-30 (05/19/2023)
Motion to dismiss pb 10-30, filed 05/19/2023 in Giorgio v. Schwartz, Connecticut Superior Court docket FST-CV22-6057408-S (entry 107.00). Public court record downloaded from the Judicial Branch civil case look-up and published as filed.
Dated May 19, 2023PDF, 3 pp., 23 KBID ctc-2026-0268 - Court filingConnecticut Superior Court, Stamford
Giorgio v. Schwartz: Transcript (07/27/2023)
Transcript, filed 07/27/2023 in Giorgio v. Schwartz, Connecticut Superior Court docket FST-CV22-6057408-S (entry 107.02). Public court record downloaded from the Judicial Branch civil case look-up and published as filed.
Dated July 27, 2023PDF, 11 pp., 167 KBID ctc-2026-0269 - Court filingConnecticut Superior Court, Stamford
Giorgio v. Schwartz: Complaint (07/11/2024)
Complaint, filed 07/11/2024 in Giorgio v. Schwartz, Connecticut Superior Court docket FST-CV24-6068024-S (initial filing). Public court record downloaded from the Judicial Branch civil case look-up and published as filed.
Dated July 11, 2024PDF, 18 pp., 1.2 MBID ctc-2026-0270 - Court filingConnecticut Superior Court, Stamford
Giorgio v. Schwartz: Amended Complaint Amended Complaint (09/20/2024)
AMENDED COMPLAINT Amended Complaint, filed 09/20/2024 in Giorgio v. Schwartz, Connecticut Superior Court docket FST-CV24-6068024-S (entry 101.00). Public court record downloaded from the Judicial Branch civil case look-up and published as filed.
Dated September 20, 2024PDF, 12 pp., 636 KBID ctc-2026-0271 - Court filingConnecticut Superior Court, Stamford
Giorgio v. Schwartz: Memorandum of Decision on Motion (08/13/2025)
Memorandum of decision on motion, filed 08/13/2025 in Giorgio v. Schwartz, Connecticut Superior Court docket FST-CV24-6068024-S (entry 105.03). Public court record downloaded from the Judicial Branch civil case look-up and published as filed.
Dated August 13, 2025PDF, 3 pp., 129 KBID ctc-2026-0272
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