(Reuters) – A federal judge in Houston said a team of attorneys representing Allen Stanford, who is accused of running a $7 billion Ponzi scheme, must stay on the case despite their request to withdraw.
U.S. District Judge David Hittner wrote that Stanford’s attorneys have been on the case long enough to prepare for Stanford’s criminal trial, which will proceed as planned with jury selection beginning on Jan. 23.
“We are preparing for trial as best we can,” Ali Fazel, Stanford’s attorney said.
Earlier this week, Fazel and his partner Robert Scardino asked to be taken off the case, citing time and budgetary constraints.
The attorneys were appointed by the court after Hittner declared Stanford indigent.
