Miell's belongings to be auctioned next week

The auction of Robert Miell's personal belongings starts next week.

What Dick Backes Auctioneers of Raymond found, in sorting those belongings, looks promising for the creditors of Miell, once the largest individual landlord in Linn County.

The seven garage stalls were the first to be inventoried at Miell's $1.4 million house in an upscale gated neighborhood in Linn County.

Along with the usual lawn mower and snowblower, auctioneers found televisions, dressers, a brass bed, end tables, at least 10 motorized children's riding toys, six ladders and two rolling chests full of tools.

“The stuff is so packed in there, we do not know what we are getting,” Backes Auction posted on its Web site this week.

The auctioneers are just scratching the surface. Later inventories are expected to include collectible guitars signed by rock music legends, Hummel figurines, Lladro figurines, original oil paintings and valuable Hawkeye memorabilia.

Miell owns so many things that it will take six auctions to dispose of them for creditors. The first will be held Wednesday at Backes' auction house in Raymond, and the second will be March 14 at the same location. Some of the later auctions may be held in Cedar Rapids.

The auctions are expected to attract attention not just from regular investors, but past Miell tenants who often clashed with him over unreturned security deposits, property maintenance and personal belongings not returned after they were evicted.

It's the latest in a series of reversals for Miell, now in the Linn County Jail awaiting sentencing on two counts of tax fraud, 18 counts of mail fraud and two counts of perjury arising from a major insurance fraud case.

Court-appointed bankruptcy Trustee Renee Hanrahan said Miell is allowed to keep $7,000 in household goods under bankruptcy law. She said the auction was the best way to dispose of Miell's extensive belongings and promises good returns for creditors.

Miell's home also is likely to be sold to satisfy creditors, Hanrahan said.

Creditors consist mainly of banks who loaned millions of dollars for property purchases. Disposing of more than 400 rental properties without flooding the market is just one of many concerns. More than 60 properties were recently returned to Heritage Bank, primarily because tax issues would have made selling them useless to creditors.

A bankruptcy discharge of debts would potentially free Miell from most of his remaining debts. U.S. Bankruptcy Trustee Habbo Fokkena has filed a motion to deny him that relief, saying Miell violated bankruptcy law by, among other things, failing to disclose many personal belongings.

A bankruptcy discharge also would not cover Miell's debt to the insurance company he defrauded.

The Miell auction lists can be found at

www.backes-auction.com/auctions/Items.asp?AuctionID=710