More trouble in Belgium for Miami

BRUSSELS (AP) — A Belgian court ruled Thursday that all assets in the country belonging to American investment group 777 Partners can be seized, in the latest legal setback for the embattled company that owns Standard Liège and several other soccer clubs.

The decision by a court in Liege came after Standard’s former owner Bruno Venanzi and shareholders of the company holding the club’s stadium requested the move, saying 777 had defaulted on a payment. It comes after a period of legal and financial turmoil for the Miami-based investment company, which has also seen its airline in Australia grounded in recent weeks and faces a massive fraud lawsuit in New York.

Belgian media reported that the court authorized the seizure of all 777 Partners’s assets in the country, including Standard’s accounts and shares, as well as shares in Immobilière Standard de Liège, which owns the Maurice Dufrasne stadium. The court declined to comment when contacted by The Associated Press.