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Amy and Carl Nelson opposed prosecutors’ request to pause their civil forfeiture case, arguing that a six-month delay would limit their ability to challenge the seizure of money from six bank accounts. The dispute arose alongside—but was separate from—Amazon’s civil allegations against Carl Nelson and the FBI’s criminal investigation. Those allegations were disputed, and the available reporting does not establish what ultimately happened to the seized funds.
Why the Nelsons challenged the proposed delay
On February 3, 2021, federal prosecutors asked to pause the civil forfeiture proceeding for six months. They cited pandemic-related delays to grand-jury proceedings and an FBI agent’s concern that ordinary discovery could adversely affect a pending criminal investigation.
The Nelsons opposed the request in a filing dated February 17, 2021. Their lawyers argued that much of the relevant information was already public through Amazon’s separate civil suit and news coverage, and that postponing the forfeiture case would leave the couple without meaningful access to discovery. The government’s lawyers were quoted in that filing as saying, “No indictment has been issued at this point, but the case is actively proceeding”—a statement about the government’s position at the time, not a current status update.
The Nelsons’ lawyer Suneeta Hazra told GeekWire, “We look forward to the opportunity to litigate the case and seek the return of the Nelsons’ money.” That was their counsel’s stated position, not a ruling on ownership of the funds.
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How much money was seized?
GeekWire reported in 2021 that the seizure from six accounts initially exceeded $892,000. After money was set aside for attorneys’ fees, $633,916 remained at issue in the forfeiture matter. These are historical reported amounts, not current account balances.
The Nelsons’ lawyers said $475,892 of the remaining money was not alleged to be proceeds of fraud, but had been seized because it might have been commingled with money earned through work or investments. That characterization was the Nelsons’ position in their filing, not an adjudicated finding.
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What was alleged about the AWS deals—and what Carl Nelson said
Amazon alleged that Carl Nelson, a former Amazon real-estate transaction manager, and colleague Casey Kirschner received millions of dollars in kickbacks connected to directing AWS data-center deals to Northstar Commercial Partners, a Colorado real-estate developer. These were allegations, not established facts. Carl Nelson denied that he and a coworker had deceived Amazon or accepted bribes. His lawyers argued that his employment contract permitted outside business activity.
The 2021 report said Carl learned of the FBI investigation on April 2, 2020, when agents visited his Seattle home. Agents searched the home on June 5 and seized his phone, laptop, and paper documents. The Nelsons’ filing also described financial and personal effects of the seizure; those were the family’s representations in litigation.
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How the forfeiture case differs from the other proceedings
- Civil forfeiture: The proceeding at issue in the Nelsons’ opposition concerned money seized from their accounts and the government’s request to delay that case.
- Amazon’s civil suit: Amazon separately alleged a kickback scheme involving Carl Nelson, Kirschner, and AWS data-center deals. The civil suit was not the forfeiture proceeding.
- Criminal investigation: The FBI investigation and prosecutors’ criminal-case decisions were separate from both civil matters. An allegation or development in the criminal matter does not, by itself, establish the outcome of the forfeiture case.
Amy Nelson was not named in Amazon’s civil suit. Her lawyers said the government had not identified her as a target or subject of the FBI investigation. GeekWire reported that The Riveter was not involved in or mentioned in the legal proceedings; neither Amy Nelson nor The Riveter was described as accused of participating in the alleged kickback scheme.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What changed in the criminal case by January 2024
GeekWire’s January 10, 2024 update reported that federal prosecutors sought to vacate earlier guilty pleas by Christian Kirschner and Kyle Ramstetter, saying continued prosecution was “not in the best interests of justice.” Prosecutors also said they had declined to prosecute other people previously alleged to be co-conspirators, including Carl Nelson.
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That was a later criminal-case development. It does not establish the final outcome of Amazon’s civil claims or the civil forfeiture proceeding. The available reporting does not establish whether the seized funds were returned or the current status of either civil case.
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Sources
- GeekWire, Todd Bishop, “Riveter CEO and husband dispute FBI’s seizure of their bank accounts in AWS kickback investigation”, published February 22, 2021, with a January 10, 2024 update.
- Nelsons’ opposition to the government’s motion to stay civil forfeiture case, filed February 17, 2021, United States v. $633,916.00, No. 1:20-cv-01343-RDA-IDD.
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