Parisi v. de Kingston

Maria Quadri owned a condominium property in Miami, Florida. The rental property was managed by Oscar Piccolo (defendant) for a fee. Quadri was in a long-term relationship with Raul Parisi (defendant), and Parisi owned a corporation called Oxen Group, LLC (defendant). In 2016, Quadri was suffering from cancer and living with Parisi in Argentina. Quadri executed a special power of attorney before an Argentinian notary that authorized Piccolo to convey her Miami property. No subscribing witnesses signed the power of attorney. Parisi delivered the power of attorney to Piccolo in Argentina, and Piccolo returned to the United States. Piccolo learned that the Miami property could likely be sold for $260,000, but Quadri did not want to sell it for less than $300,000. Piccolo continued managing the property. As Quadri’s health deteriorated, Piccolo arranged for two people to sign the power of attorney as purported subscribing witnesses and caused a deed to be prepared and recorded, transferring ownership of the property to Oxen Group for no consideration. Three days after the deed was executed, Quadri died intestate. Under Argentina’s laws of intestacy, Quadri’s mother was entitled to inherit Quadri’s property. In Florida, Quadri’s sister (plaintiff), as personal representative of Quadri’s estate, sued Parisi, Piccolo, and Oxen Group, among others, seeking a determination that the power of attorney was invalid and that Quadri’s estate held title to the Miami property. The trial court granted summary judgment on these issues in favor of the estate, and an appeal followed.