Ruling prevents transfer of Dasen assets: Injunction keeps wife of former businessman from selling her husband's property

By CHERY SABOL

The Daily Inter Lake

District Judge Kitty Curtis issued an order Monday that prevents the wife of convicted businessman Dick Dasen from selling his assets.

The injunction and temporary restraining order against Susan Dasen were sought by the lawyer of a girl who sued Dasen civilly for sexual assault. Dasen also was convicted of six sex crimes.

The girl sued Dick Dasen, saying he sexually assaulted her when she was 16. In December, a federal jury in Missoula awarded her $2.2 million in damages. Federal Magistrate Bart Erickson has not affirmed that award and could reduce or increase it.

The girl recently filed a fraud suit, accusing Dick Dasen and others of concealing assets so that he won't have to pay the civil award.

An injunction is in place to stop him from transferring his assets.

The girl, represented by Bozeman attorney Monte Beck, asked for a similar injunction against Dasen's wife, to whom Dasen has given some assets.

Documents filed by Beck say that in December 2003, Dick Dasen was worth almost $6 million. He was arrested in February 2004, and the girl filed her lawsuit in June 2004.

Between February 2004 and April 2005, Dick Dasen liquidated almost $9 million in assets and now claims to be insolvent, Beck said.

Among the transfers, according to Beck:

. Dick Dasen owned 85 percent or more of a multi-million-dollar entity called Dasen Co. After his arrest, he gave his entire interest in the company to Susan Dasen. At her husband's bail hearing, she denied knowing about the transfer.

. Dick Dasen Co. owned an entity called Flathead County Title Co., which owned Citizens Title, Bigfork Title, and Whitefish Title. Dasen sold his interest for $3 million to one of the other owners a week before his deposition in the civil suit. He said he doesn't know the whereabouts of the proceeds.

. Dick Dasen owned an interest in a partnership known as Peak Development and some related entities. Those assets were transferred to the other partners for less than a quarter of their fair-market values.

. Dick Dasen transferred residences and real property, including a transfer to a granddaughter and another to his wife for $10. He also relinquished his interest in another home in return for his daughter and son-in-law purchasing the Dasens' mortgage on a home with substantial equity. It is now owned by his wife, daughter, and son-in-law.

The assets that were transferred to Susan Dasen should be used to pay the girl who sued Dick Dasen, Beck alleges.

"His wife, Susan, now holds substantial assets that should be used to satisfy the judgment …" Without the injunction, "it is highly likely that Susan Dasen will continue to convey and hide her husband's assets, in order to assist her husband in avoiding paying the verdict," Beck wrote.

Although Curtis signed the restraining order, she will not preside over the fraud case.