Capsicum Group LLC’s Digital Forensics Expertise Supports Defense Verdict in $1.7 Billion Helms-Burton Act Case

PHILADELPHIA, PA — September 18, 2025 — A Delaware federal jury has unanimously returned a verdict in favor of Scott Douglas & McConnico, LLP’s client, Expedia Group, Inc., in a high-profile Helms-Burton Act lawsuit seeking more than $1.7 billion in damages. The case, brought by Central Santa Lucia, L.C., centered on claims of ownership of a large coastal property in Cuba and allegations that Expedia “trafficked” in the property by facilitating hotel bookings.

A central question in the trial was whether certain notarized assignment documents, purportedly executed on March 7, 1996, were genuinely signed on that date. As the computer forensics expert for Scott Douglas & McConnico, LLP, Capsicum Group LLC’s Brian Halpin and Jake Stone examined digital evidence indicating the documents were created years later and backdated.

Mr. Halpin explained the technical evidence to the jury, outlining the documents' metadata analysis, their origins, and providing an objective timeline of their creation and history. This testimony proved pivotal in establishing that the assignments were not signed when alleged, a finding which supported the defense’s case and contributed to the verdict.

"We approached the documents the same way we approach every case, by letting the data speak for itself," said Sandy Goldstein, founder and CEO of Capsicum Group, LLC. "In this instance, the metadata gave us a clear picture of when the files were created and edited, which the jury could weigh within the wider body of evidence."

This case reflects the way modern forensic analysis can add clarity in disputes involving older documents and contested histories.