Swaffar Heirs Continues Pursuit of Assets to Satisfy $1 Million Judgment

The heirs of Little Rock architect Joe Swaffar are battling to recover money allegedly taken by former Little Rock attorney, David P. Henry.

Henry, as trustee, oversaw $1.6 million collected for a life insurance trust fund after Swaffar’s death in 2004.

According to the suit, filed in Pulaski County Circuit Court in 2009, the Swaffar family discovered that Henry had looted the trust fund.

Henry was removed as trustee and later disbarred. The Swaffars suspect that he both withdrew money from the trust fund for his own spending and stole money that was supposed to be invested into the fund.

Judge Wendell Griffen agreed with the Swaffars and in 2010 ordered Henry to pay them $1 million in damages.

That’s not where it ends, though.

"Just getting a judgment doesn’t necessarily guarantee collecting any money," Mark Riable, the Swaffars’ attorney, told us.

The Swaffars filed a second suit this year, claiming that Henry has paid none of the $1 million judgment. In the suit, they claim Henry used some of the family’s money to pay off his house in west Little Rock.

Riable is demanding Henry’s home be forfeited, transferred to the Swaffars, sold and the proceeds paid to the family.

Henry could not be reached for comment.