d any paper that came due between July 1, 1986, and July 17, 1986 if the disposition instructions had been seized. Nevertheless, Mr. and Mrs. Economou, claiming that they believed this stay did not apply to commercial paper which had matured prior to July 18, 1986, but which was not redeemed prior to July 18, redeemed this paper after July 18, 1986.
It is clear the Economous understood that the order prohibited the redemption of commercial paper as of July 18, 1986. The redemption checks for the paper redeemed after July 18, 1986 are backdated to the date the paper matured. ABT did not redeem commercial paper that matured after July 18, 1986, regardless of whether the disposition instructions had been seized. Finally, ABT did not redeem commercial paper which matured before July 18 if disposition instructions were received after July 18.
It is clear from the evidence that Mr. Economou knowingly and willfully violated clear orders of this Court and the Second Circuit prohibiting the redemption of commercial paper as of July 18, 1986. He understood the order, and consciously disobeyed it. Even if Mr. Economou did, in fact, construe the Second Circuit order in the way he claims, he did not act in good faith in violating the order. He did not seek the Court's permission to redeem the paper that matured prior to July 18, 1986, but for which the disposition instructions were unavailable until after July 18, 1986. Nor can he argue that the orders were subject to the interpretation he gave them. The letter of the orders clearly prohibit the redemption of commercial paper without exception. The purpose of this Court's order prohibiting the redemption of paper  of which Economou was aware  was to prevent the further depletion of ABT commercial paper assets, and to allow the fairest distribution possible of ABT assets to commercial paper holders should ABT's business ultimately be terminated. In light of this, Mr. Economou's interpretation of this Order is wholly unjustified.[8]
The Court thus finds Economou guilty, bey