My name is Mei Guo. I am seeking to raise $371,889.99 to pay an award of attorneys’ fees entered against me in connection with a motion for contempt in a case pending in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Connecticut captioned Luc A. Despins, Chapter 11 Trustee for the Estate of Ho Wan Kwok v. Mei Guo, Adv. Pro. No. 23-05008 (the “Lawsuit”).

The Lawsuit was brought against me by my father’s Bankruptcy Trustee (the “Trustee”) and seeks to recover from me assets that the Trustee claims were owned by my father. In December 2023 the Trustee obtained a preliminary injunction against me in the Lawsuit that prevented me from dissipating, or getting rid of, my personal assets. Although I was represented by counsel, it was not my understanding that  the injunction strictly prohibited me from utilizing gifts or personal loans from close friends and family to cover my daily living expenses without prior explicit permission from the Trustee or Court. I continued to manage my daily life and accepted gifts and personal loans from loved ones to pay my expenses. 

On December 20, 2024, five days before Christmas, the Trustee filed a motion for contempt against me claiming that I was violating the preliminary injunction because I was spending money, which I had to do to pay my personal expenses to live. I fought the Trustee’s contempt motion, but to no avail as the Bankruptcy Court agreed with the Trustee, found that I had violated the preliminary injunction, held me in contempt, and sanctioned me by awarding the Trustee the costs and attorneys’ fees expended in bringing the contempt motion.  

On December 18, 2025, the Bankruptcy Court entered an order requiring me to pay the Trustee $371,889.99 in attorneys’ fees and costs as a contempt sanction (the “Awarded Fees”), and to do so by January 30, 2026. I immediately instructed my attorneys to file an appeal and request a stay of enforcement of the Court’s order. I did not, and do not, have the money to pay the Awarded Fees, did not pay them, . and on February 20, 2026 the Trustee filed a second motion to hoeld me in contempt, this time for not complying with the December 18, 2025 order requiring me to pay the Awarded Fees.

I once again fought the Trustee’s contempt motion and I once again lost, with the Bankruptcy Court rejecting my argument that I did not and do not have any ability to pay the Awarded Fees and therefore should not be held in contempt. 

The Bankruptcy Court’s decision holding me in contempt for failing to pay the Awarded Fees issued on July 2, 2026, one day before the start of the extended July 4th weekend. The decision requires me to pay the Awarded Fees and fines me $1,000 per day for each day that I fail to do so. The decision also awards the Trustee the costs and fees incurred in bringing the second contempt motion in an amount yet to be determined. I am thus presently seeking $371,889.99 to pay the Awarded Fees and to stop the fine, which I also cannot afford to pay, from further accruing. 

This campaign is thus about leveling the playing field so I have the actual ability to stand up for my rights. I am seeking help to stop these compounding penalties and ensure I have the resources necessary to keep fighting this battle through the appeals process. Thank you for any support.