In re Luxeyard, Inc.
In re Luxeyard, Inc.
Opinion of the Court
OPINION
This case began on September 19, 2014 when Jinsun, LLC, Equity Highrise, Inc,, Sun Bear, LLC, and Lee Bear I, LLC (the “Original Petitioners”) filed an involuntary chapter 7 petition (“Petition”) against Lux-eyard, Inc. (“Luxeyard ”).
Currently before the Court is Luxe-yard’s motion (the “Bar to Joinder Motion”)
Jurisdiction
The Court has jurisdiction over this matter pursuant to 28 U.S.C. §§ 1334 and 157(a) and (b)(1). A motion to dismiss an involuntary petition is a core proceeding pursuant to-28 U.S.C. §§ 157(b)(2)(A) and (O).
Procedural Posture
This case has lingered. The Petition was filed on September 19, 2014. Luxeyard’s initial deadline for responding to the Petition was October 15, 2014, which was extended, by stipulation, to November 4, 2014.
On November 5, 2014, the Original Petitioners filed a certificate of counsel in which they requested that the Court enter an order for relief because Luxeyard had, at that point, failed to respond to the Petition in this Court.
On February 17, 2015, five months after the Petition was filed, Luxeyard filed a motion,to dismiss (the “Motion to Dismiss”)
At the hearing, Luxeyard was unprepared to develop an evidentiary record and presented no witnesses.
On August 24, 2015, the Court convened a status conference to address the scheduling of a further hearing on the Motion to Dismiss. At the conclusion of the status conference, the Court directed the parties to: (i) proceed with discovery in preparation for an evidentiary hearing on the Motion to Dismiss, (ii) present to Chambers an agreed upon scheduling order with the trial date open for Chambers to schedule; and, if they desired, (iii) provide an agreed record (ie., documents) for consideration of the securities law issue as a matter of law. No scheduling order has been presented to the Court, nor have the parties supplied an agreed record on the securities law issue.
At a further status conference held on November 2, 2015, the Court was advised that three of the four Original Petitioners — Equity Highrise, Inc., Sun Bear, LLC, and Lee Bear I, LLC — were in the process of settling claims against them in the Alattar Action (defined below) and, as part of that settlement, they would withdraw from the Petition and consent to the dismissal of the involuntary case. Only Jin-sun, LLC would remain as a petitioning creditor. After two more status conferences, on November 20, 2015, the Court entered orders approving the withdrawals from the Petition as to all Original Petitioners other than Jinsun.
On January 19, 2016, the Court held yet another status conference to determine the course of the case.
On February 1, 2016, Luxeyard filed the instant Bar to Joinder Motion. On February 25, 2016, counsel for the petitioners sent a letter to the Court requesting its assistance in advancing the case.
On April 8, 2016 — over a year and a half from the date the Petition was originally filed — the Court held an evidentiary hearing on the Bar to Joinder Motion (the “Joinder Hearing”). The parties offered numerous documents into evidence and proffered the live testimony of Messrs. Mireskandari and Casey.
Factual Findings
The Alleged Debtor
Luxeyard, the alleged debtor, is a publicly traded holding company, which owns LY Retail, LLC (“LY Retail”) an entity that at one time conducted online sales of luxury consumer products.
Kevin Casey is the sole manager and only employee of Jinsun, LLC,
In mid-July 2011, Amir Mireskandari met with Kevan Casey (purportedly with his Far East Strategies hat on) to discuss the idea of raising money for LY Retail by issuing Luxeyard stock.
Luxeyard, Mr. Mireskandari, and Mr. Alattar, have alleged in multiple legal actions that Mr. Casey orchestrated Luxe-yard’s reverse merger and subsequent stock issuances as part of a fraudulent pump-and-dump scheme. Specifically, in August 2012, Luxeyard, LY Retail, and Amir Mireskandari (or some combination of them) filed a suit in Texas state court seeking damages resulting from the alleged pump-and-dump scheme (the “Pump and Dump Action”).
One month later, on September 21, 2012, Luxeyard, LY Retail, and Mr. Mireskan-dari executed a settlement (the “2012 Lux-eyard Settlement), by which they settled the claims surrounding the pump and dump scheme with numerous defendants, including, as relevant here, Mr, Casey, Jin-sun, LLC, the Jonathan Camarillo Trust, and the other Original Petitioners. The Luxeyard Settlement called for a payment to Luxeyard of $1,500,000, which was deposited into an LY Retail bank account as Luxeyard had no bank account at that time.
Subsequently, $200,000 of the settlement funds were transferred from Luxeyard to Mr. Mireskandari who asserted it was in partial repayment of a $650,000 loan from him to Luxeyard.
Mr. Alattar was not a party to the 2012 Luxeyard Settlement. Three days prior to the execution of the 2012 Luxeyard Settlement, on September 18, 2012, Mr. Alattar filed a shareholder derivative suit in Texas state court (the “Alattar Action”), which largely mirrors the pump-and-dump related claims made in the Pump and Dump Action.
In his current complaint, Mr. Alattar asserts claims against 36 defendants including each of the Original Petitioners and the Jonathan Camarillo Trust.
According to Mr. Mireskandari, Luxe-yard’s biggest asset is recoveries from the Alattar Action,
That such an arrangement exists is reflected in three settlement agreements that were submitted into evidence by Lux-eyard. The Gann and Friedlander settlement agreement (made as of November 9, 2015) allocates a $275,000 settlement payment to the following persons in the following amounts (a) Alattar $91,666.67, (b) LY Retail Texas $91,666.67 and, (c) Luxe-yard $91,666.67.
Notwithstanding the different allocations in each settlement agreement, the Alattar/Luxeyard parties to the agreement are the same (i e„ Khaled Alattar, Babak Daghighi, Luxeyard, Inc., LY Retail, LLC (a Texas limited liability company), LY Retail, LLC (a California limited liability company), Amir Mireskandari, Ran, Mires, Clark & Associates, LLC (a Texas limited liability company), and certain lawyers).
The Current Petitioning Creditors
Each of the petitioning creditors asserts a claim based on a 2012 Convertible Debenture. Assuming the 2012 Convertible Debentures were not converted to equity, they matured on January 31, 2014.
Mr. Casey’s investment was made through Jinsun.
Mr. Camarillo’s investment is held in the Jonathan Camarillo Trust. He serves in the military and is currently stationed in Japan.
Chris Clayton was introduced to Luxe-yard by Mr. Gann and made an investment of $100,000 in 2012.
Previous Bankruptcy Cases
On December 27, 2012, three entities that are not party to this case filed an involuntary petition against Luxeyard in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Central District of California (the “First Luxeyard Bankruptcy”)-
Luxeyard filed a motion to dismiss the Petition.
Following the dismissal, Luxeyard filed a motion seeking damages from all the petitioners pursuant to Bankruptcy Code section 303(i).
As part of his ruling, Judge Russell found that bad faith did not exist.
Luxeyard appealed that ruling. After the Ninth Circuit Bankruptcy Appellate Panel dismissed Luxeyard’s appeal of the order denying sanctions, on October 21, 2014' (after this case began), Luxeyard asked Judge Russell to reconsider his decision. After holding a hearing on the motion to reconsider, Judge Russell entered an order denying the motion on December 17, 2014.
On March 20, 2013, entities that are not party to this case filed an involuntary petition against'LY Retail in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Central District of California (the “LY Retail Bankruptcy”).
The Parties’ Legal Arguments
Luxeyard argues that, pursuant to the judicially created bar to joinder doctrine, the Court should deny the Joining Petitioners’ request to join the Petition because it was originally filed in bad faith in order to achieve certain improper purposes.
Discussion
Section 303(b) of the Bankruptcy Code contains three prerequisites for commencing an involuntary case against a debtor that, like Luxeyard, has at least twelve creditors: (1) there must be three or more petitioning creditors; (2) each petitioning creditor must hold a claim against the debtor that is not contingent as to liability or the subject of a bona fide dispute; and (3) the claims must aggregate at least $15,775 more than the value of liens on the debtor’s property.
A related provision, found in section 303(c), provides that before a court enters an order dismissing a case additional creditors may join the petition with the “same effect” as if such joining creditors had been a party to the original petition.
The joinder permitted by section 303(c) creates, a potentially troubling scenario where a petition as originally filed is deficient, but is later cured by the addition of a joining creditor. Some courts have expressed concern at this situation, noting that a creditor might attempt to “circumvent” the prerequisites of an involuntary bankruptcy by knowingly filing a deficient, original petition and then later curing the deficiency with a joinder.
In light of this concern, some courts have limited joinders using the judicially created bar to joinder doctrine. The doctrine provides that if a party files a petition in bad faith, a court will prohibit other creditors from curing the petition by later joining under section 303(c). The cases cited by the parties as well as the cases reviewed by the Court reveal that courts have applied the doctrine to one type of bad faith filing: when a petitioner knows at the timé of filing that the petition does not satisfy the prerequisites of section 303.
Luxeyard argues that the doctrine should also apply to a second type of bad faith filing that was described in Forever Green. In that case, the Third Circuit held that an involuntary petition that meets the statutory prerequisites may nonetheless be dismissed if the petition was filed in bad faith.
“At its most fundamental level, the good faith requirement ensures that the Bankruptcy Code’s careful balancing of interests is not undermined by petitioners whose aims are antithetical to the basic purposes of bankruptcy.”
The “improper purpose” test asks whether an involuntary petition was “motivated by ill will, malice or a desire to embarrass or harass the alleged debtor”
The “improper use” test assumes an appropriate purpose (i e., an appropriate basis for filing a complaint in a state or federal court of general jurisdiction), but then asks whether it was proper to use the bankruptcy process to achieve that purpose.
Conversely, it is an improper use of the bankruptcy system to file an invol
The “objective test” asks what a reasonable person would have believed and how they would have acted in the petitioner’s situation.
Finally, under the “Rule 11” test, also called the “combined” or “two part” test, a court reviews both subjective motivations and the objective reasonableness of a petitioner’s actions before filing an involuntary petition.
Each of these tests overlap,
Luxeyard’s main allegation is that Jin-sun caused the Petition to be filed: (i) to avoid liability by gaining a tactical advantage in the Alattar Action and' (ii) to force Luxeyard (through LY Retail) out of business.
Jinsun argues that its sole purpose in filing the Petition was to protect creditors. It asserts that Mr. Mireskandari is “siphoning off’ funds that could go to pay creditors, and that “the protections of the Bankruptcy Code are appropriate — indeed, necessary — to establish a centralized location to collect assets, to recover avoidable transfers, to avoid further dissipation of funds, and to ensure that all of Luxeyard’s creditors are paid.”
Analysis
Much of Luxeyard’s argument addressed its general theory that Mr. Casey, though his various entities and others who are a part of his “group,” orchestrated the pump-and-dump scheme and the two previous bankruptcies, and that the filing of the Petition is just a continuation of those bad acts.
Initially, the question of whether the alleged pump-and-dump scheme actually occurred, and the role, if any, of Mr. Casey and Jinsun in that alleged scheme is a central factual issue in the hotly contested Alattar Action. That action has been pending for four years and involves numerous individuals and entities that are not parties to this contested matter. From what has been presented to the Court, it is not hard to conclude that any trial on the Alattar Action will last weeks, if not longer. It is evident, then, that the Court cannot find on the record developed at a half-day hearing that Mr. Casey and his “cohorts” orchestrated or participated in any scheme.
Further, .Luxeyard alleges that the petitioning creditors are not, in fact, creditors because the 2012 Convertible Debentures they hold have met all the requirements for mandatory conversion to equity and, as such, the Petition does not meet the statutory requirements and is not meritorious.
Finally, Luxeyard presented no testimony regarding its current or historical assets or liabilities (other than the proceeds from the Alattar Action) or whether Luxe-yard is paying its debts as they become due. Luxeyard argues that the burden on the latter issue is on the petitioning creditors.
In this context, the Court will analyze the remaining Forever Green factors.
Luxeyard argues that Jinsun did not perform “any due diligence that is required prior to initiating an involuntary bankruptcy case.”
When reviewing the due diligence factor the Court is not concerned with whether a petitioner exercised its negotiation options, but whether it “made a reasonable inquiry into the relevant facts and pertinent law before filing.”
Additionally, on February 11, 2014, Jin-sun’s attorney sent Luxeyard a letter noting that the 2012 Convertible Debentures had matured and had not been paid, and requesting, albeit under a shareholder statute, updated financial information.
Whether there was evidence of preferential payments to certain creditors or dissipation of the alleged debtor’s assets
In support of its claim that Luxeyard is improperly dissipating its assets, Mr. Casey submitted .unrebutted evidence that in 2012, funds from the 2012 Luxeyard Settlement paid to Luxeyard were deposited in an LY Retail bank account,
Luxeyard’s current handling of its affairs is consistent with its past practices. Presently, Luxeyard is receiving settlement funds, which Jinsun contends are
As discussed above, Mr. Mireskandari testified that settlement proceeds from the Alattar Action are Luxeyard’s largest asset. These proceeds are being split among Mr. Alattar, Luxeyard, LY Retail, Mr; Mireskandari and Ram Mires (Mr. Mires-kandari’s firm), Alidad Mireskandari (Mr. Mireskandari’s brother), and Mr. Daghighi (Mr. Mireskandari’s brother-in-law brother) in an undocumented and random fashion.
Even ignoring Mr. Casey’s testimony, the record made by Luxeyard raises more questions than it answers about Luxe-yard’s largest asset — the settlement proceeds — and whether that asset is being dissipated to the detriment of Luxeyard’s creditors. The Court cannot rule out the possibility that Luxeyard’s biggest asset is being dissipated. Nor can the Court rule out that consistent with previous practice and the loose, undocumented division of settlement proceeds, Luxeyard may currently be making preferential transfers to insiders, or even fraudulent conveyances.
Whether the filing was motivated by ill will or a desire to harass
Luxeyard argues that the ongoing Alat-tar Action creates a risk of liability for Mr. Casey and Jinsun and that, as a result of the litigation, Mr. Casey both seeks to obstruct those proceedings by filing the Petition and harbors ill will towards Luxe-yard and its co-founders.
The Court cannot find that Jinsun filed this case to put Luxeyard out of business. Luxeyard’s operating company, LY Retail, had not conducted meaningful business for some time prior to the Petition.
Embracing a somewhat related line of reasoning, Luxeyard argues that Jinsun intended to derail new funding that was meant to revitalize LY Retail. Mr. Mires-kandari testified that in the summer of 2014 Luxeyard and an entity called South-wick Capital were working on a deal to provide Luxeyard with new funding that would have allowed Luxeyard to “relaunch” LY Retail.
The Court easily finds, however, that, the filing was motivated, at least in part, out of Ill will or a desire to harass. There are numerous objective reasons for Mr. Casey to harbor animosity towards Mr. Mireskandari and Luxeyard. Mr. Casey, through his Trust and its various entities, is in the business of investing and investment consulting. Since 2012, Mr. Mires-kandari and Luxeyard have been publically accusing Mr. Casey of securities fraud. Further, Mr. Mireskandari has provided information regarding Mr. Casey and Jin-sun to the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Office of the United States Attorney.
Whether the filing of the Petition had suspicious timing
Luxeyard alleges that the timing of the filing of the original petition was suspicious.
Luxeyard next contends that the Petition was “used as a substitute for a debt-collection device.”
Luxeyard further contends that “if the Petitioning Creditors were actually seeking payment for their claims, they should have brought a claim to do so in New York pursuant to their Debenture Purchase Agreements.”
The remaining factors: obtaining a disproportionate advantage; gaining a tactical advantage
Luxeyard’s remaining arguments may fall within one or more of the remaining Forever Green factors.
(i) Alleged interference withladvan-tage in the Alattar Action
First, Luxeyard appears to argue that the Petition was filed so that Jinsun could obtain a disproportionate advantage over others by improving its position in the Alattar Action. Mr. Mireskandari testified that continuing the Alattar Action against Jinsun and Mr. Casey is expensive and that a bankruptcy trustee, if one is appointed, may find further litigation to be cost prohibitive. His testimony suggests that a trustee in bankruptcy would settle for less than Mr. Alattar and Mr. Mires-kandari would settle for — thus benefitting Mr. Casey, and not Luxeyard’s other creditors.
On a more general note, Luxeyard argues the more basic proposition that the filing of the Petition by Jinsun, a defendant in state court litigation, is merely an attempt to defeat a possible judgment against Jinsun and Mr. Casey, and thus, to gain a tactical advantage in the Alattar Action. Jinsun’s simplistic counter-argument is that Luxeyard has no pending claims against Mr. Casey and Jinsun, all of which were settled in the 2012 Luxeyard Settlement. This, of course, ignores the reality that Mr. Allatar’s claims against Mr. Casey and Jinsun are still pending and that Luxeyard shares in recoveries on these claims albeit in some indeterminate amount.
Like in Forever Green, Jinsun is a defendant in. a lawsuit that represents Luxe-yard’s largest asset. But, Jinsun has taken no steps prepetition or postpetition to directly shut down the Alattar Action, which has continued (except, apparently, as temporarily stayed by the Texas court) throughout the almost two years this matter has been pending. And, Jinsun did a reasonable investigation which led it to reasonably believe that assets were being dissipated. Further, there is no evidence that Mr. Casey is attempting to coerce Luxeyard into paying Jinsun’s debt outside of the bankruptcy distribution process or that Jinsun is seeking to have its claim paid ahead of others with higher priority.
Second, Luxeyard argues that Jinsun filed the Petition to gain a tactical advantage in both the Alattar Action and the First Luxeyard Bankruptcy by making three specific assertions. Luxeyard introduced two filings from the Adatar Action: a Motion to Stay the Adatar Action filed by several defendants, including Mr. Casey, and a Suggestion of Bankruptcy filed by Mr. Casey.
Luxeyard also contends that after the filing of this involuntary bankruptcy case, certain, unidentified co-defendants in the Alattar Action “confused” the judge by
(ii) Alleged interference with/advantage in the First Luxeyard Bankruptcy
Luxeyard also argues that Jinsun used this case to obstruct the First Luxeyard Bankruptcy. As set forth above, Judge Russell dismissed the First Luxeyard Bankruptcy, but denied Luxeyard’s motion for attorneys’ fees, costs, and damages under section 303(i). Luxeyard filed a motion for reconsideration of that ruling. Jinsun filed an opposition in which Jinsun argued that Luxeyard no longer had standing to prosecute the reconsideration motion because the Court had entered (later vacated) an order for relief in the case and a chapter 7 trustee had been appointed.
(Hi) Alleged involvement in prior involuntary bankruptcies
Luxeyard alleged that the Messrs. Casey and Gann, who is affiliated with Original Petitioners Sun Bear, LLC, and Lee Bear I, LLC, “orchestrated all three petitions.”
“As courts of equity, bankruptcy courts are equipped with the doctrine of ‘good faith’ so that they can patrol the border between good-and bad-faith filings,”
As the Court observed at the outset, there is no evidence that the Petition did not meet the requirements in section 303, Specifically, there is no evidence- in the record that Jinsun does not have a claim based on the 2012 Convertible Debentures or that its claim is subject to bona fide dispute. While Jinsun did settle Luxe-yard’s pump and dump allegations, the 2012 Luxeyard Settlement did not alter or affect “any of the rights, liabilities or obligations of [Luxeyard] to the Defendants, if any, pursuant to” the 2012 Convertible Debentures. Thus, for purposes of this motion, the Court must assume that the statutory prerequisites are met and the Petition is meritorious. Moreover, the lack of evidence that Luxeyard is paying its debts as they become due or-that it is solvent suggests that filing the Petition to collect a debt was not an improper use of the bankruptcy system. From an objective and Rule 11, standpoint, Jinsun did its due diligence as to both the facts and the law prior to the filing of the Petition. Based on the best public evidence available it determined that Luxeyard was balance sheet insolvent and that it was unclear whether Luxeyard was properly managing its settlement funds. It attempted to obtain more current information from Luxeyard, but its attempts were rebuffed. From a subjective standpoint, the case boils down to two competing, but not mutually exclusive propositions: that the Petition was filed for the improper purposes of harassing Luxe-yard and Mr. Mireskandari and to distract from the Alattar Action, and for the proper purpose of preventing further dissipation of Luxeyard’s assets, Luxeyard’s own testimony raises questions regarding the allocation of the settlement proceeds in the Alattar Action, whether Luxeyard is getting its fair share of those proceeds, and whether Luxeyard is preferring some of its creditors to others.
On this Bar to Joinder Motion, Luxe-yard has the burden of proof to show bad faith. It has simply not met this burden. Based on the record, the only evidence that points in its favor is that Jinsun was partially motivated to file the Petition by its animosity towards Luxeyard. But, there is at least equal evidence that Jinsun filed the Petition for a proper purpose — to prevent dissipation of Luxeyard’s self-described largest asset — and satisfies the other Forever Green factors. The Court cannot find, therefore, that Jinsun filed the Petition in bad faith.
Conclusion
Luxeyard presented a novel bar to join-der rule. Luxeyard has failed, however, to carry its burden to prove bad faith by a preponderance of the evidence. As a result, regardless of whether the Court finds that Luxeyard’s rule is applicable — a decision the Court declines to make — it denies the Bar to Joinder Motion. An order will follow.
. This Opinion constitutes the findings of fact and conclusions of law of the Court pursuant to Federal Rule of Bankruptcy Procedure 7052. To the extent that this Court’s authority is determined to be within the parameters of 28 U.S.C. § 157(c)(1), this Opinion and the accompanying Order shall be deemed to be the Court’s proposed findings of fact and conclusions of law pursuant to Federal Rule of Bankruptcy Procedure 9033.
. Involuntary Petition at 3 [Dkt. No. 1]
. Chris Clayton's Joinder in Involuntary Chapter 7 Bankruptcy Petition [Dkt. No. 105]; Jonathan Camarillo Trust Joinder in Involuntary Chapter 7 Bankruptcy Petition [Dkt. No. 106]
. 11 U.S.C. § 303(c)
. Alleged Debtor Luxeyard, Inc.’s Motion Barring the Joinder of the Jonathan Camarillo Trust and Chris Clayton as Petitioning Creditors in the Involuntary Petition Pursuant to 11 U.S.C. § 105 ("Bar to Joinder Motion”) [Dkt. No. 117]
. Objection of the Petitioning Creditors to Alleged Debtor Luxeyard, Inc.'s Motion Seeking to Bar Joinder of Additional Petitioning Creditors [Dkt. No. 124] ("Objection”)
. Transcript of Bar to Joinder Hr’g, Apr. 8, 2016 [Dkt. No. 155]
. Stipulation Extending Time to Respond to Involuntary Petition [Dkt. No. 7]
. Notice of Filing of Motion to Change Venue with the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Central District of California Pursuant to Fed. R. Bankr. P. 1014 [Dkt. No. 8], Luxeyard filed the Notice of Venue Motion shortly after midnight on November 5. Luxeyard alleges that the filing process commenced before midnight and that the delay was due to technical problems. Luxeyard Inc.'s Motion for
. Certification of Counsel Requesting Entry of Order for Relief [Dkt, No, 9]
. Order for Relief [DktJNo. 10]
. Motion to Reconsider Order for Relief [Dkt. No. 18]
. On December 31, 2014, the Honorable Peter J. Walsh retired and on January 7, 2015, this case was re-assigned to the undersigned who heard argument on January 16, 2015.
. Order: (A) Granting Luxeyard Inc.’s Motion for Reconsideration of the Order for Relief; (B) Denying the Petitioning Creditors’ Motion for Entry of Order Confirming (I) That Any Stay Pursuant to Fed. R. Barikr, P. 1014(b) Does Not Apply, (II) That This. Court Has Jurisdiction over the Involuntary Petition, the Order .for Relief and Any Motion to Transfer Venue, and (III) Requiring the Debtor to File the List Required by Fed. R. Barikr. P. 1007(a)(2); And (C) Vacating the Notice Appointing the Trustee [Dkt. No. 58]
. Ex. L, Docket Report at 31, LY Retail LLC, 13-17237 (Bankr. C.D. Cal.) (“LY Retail Bankruptcy Docket Report”)
. Alleged Debtor Luxeyard, Inc.'s Motion to Dismiss the Involuntary Petition ("Motion to Dismiss”) [Dkt, No. 64]; Notice of Filing of Exhibits and Declarations to the Alleged Debt- or Luxeyard Inc. ’s Motion to Dismiss the Involuntary Petition [Dkt. No. 65]-
. Notice of Adjourned Hearing [Dkt. No. 82]
; Transcript of Mot. to Dismiss Hr’g, July 13, 2015 [Dkt. No. 91]
. Mot. to Dismiss Hr'g Tr. 11
. Id. at 57-59
. Id. at 69-70
. Order (with Revision by the Court) Approving Stipulation between Equity Highrise, Inc. and Luxeyard Inc. Regarding Discontinuance and Withdrawal of Involuntary Petition [Dkt. No. 109]; Order (with Revision by the Court) Approving Stipulation between Lee Bear I, LLC and Luxeyard Inc. Regarding Discontinuance and Withdrawal of Involuntary Petition [Dkt. No. 110]; Order (with Revision by the Court) Approving Stipulation between Sun Bear, LLC and Luxeyard Inc. Regarding Discontinuance and Withdrawal of Involuntary Petition [Dkt. No, 111]
. Notice of Status Conference [Dkt. No. 114]
. Status Conference Hr'g Tr. 7, Jan. 19, 2015 [Dkt. No. 129]
. Id. at 9
. Feb. 25, 2016 Letter to the Court, Dennis A. Melro, Esq. [Dkt. No. 131]
. Mar. 22, 2016 Letter to the Court, Dennis A Melro, Esq. [Dkt. No. 134]
. While most exhibits were admitted without objection, hearsay and relevance objections were lodged to Exhibits 20, 21, and H. The Court has now considered the objections and sustains each of them. The parties agreed to
. Ex. 12, Form 10-Q for Luxeyard, Inc. for the quarter ended September 30, 2012 at 10
. Ex. 5, Plaintiffs’ Second Amended Omnibus Petition ¶ 42
. Ex. 32, Casey Dep. 12, Oct. 30, 2014
. Id.
. Id.
.Id.
. Id. at 13-14
. Id. at 14-15
. Bar to Joinder Hr'g Tr. 25; Ex. 32, Casey Dep. 35, Oct. 30, 2014
. Ex. 32, Casey Dep. 18, 35-36, 149-150
. Id. at 42-48
. Bar to Joinder Hr'g Tr. 36, 148-49, 196
. Id. at 42-43
. Ex I, Mireskandari Deck ¶ 41, Mar. 1, 2013; Ex J, Mireskandari Decl-¶¶ 3-4, Apr. 3, 2013
. Bar to Joinder Hr’g Tr. 26-27, 69
. Bar to Joinder Hr’g Tr. 15S
. Bar to Joinder Hr’g Tr. 113; Ex. I, Mires-kandari Deck ¶ 32-33, Mar. 1, 2013
. Ex. B, Confidential Settlement Agreement and Mutual Release dated Sept. 21, 2012, ¶ 25. The Court is not making'any determinations regarding the provisions in the Settlement Agreement at dispute in the Motion to Dismiss;
. Bar to Joinder Hr’g Tr. 113
. Id.
. Bar to Joinder Hr’g Tr. 46-48, 133; Plaintiff’s Original Petition, Alattar v. Casey, et al., No. 12-54501 (113th Dist.Ct.Tex., Sept. 18, 2012). The. Court understands that whether the Pump and Dump Action and the Alittar Action assert the same claims may be an issue of contention in the Alattar Action. The Court’s shorthand here for purposes of background is not intended to, and should not be construed to, constitute any binding finding of fact or conclusion of law relative the Alattar Action or other litigation between the parties.
. Bar to Joinder Hr’g Tr. 48, 133
. Id. at 48
. Ex. 5, Plaintiffs' Second Amended Omnibus Petition
. Id. ¶¶ 4-38
. Id.
. Bar to Joinder Hr’gTr, 101
. Id. at 38
. Id. at 36
. Id. at 48, 99-101
. Id. at 99
. Id. at 99-101
.Id.
. Ex. 6, Confidential Settlement and Indemnity Agreement
. Ex. 7, Confidential Settlement and Indemnity Agreement
. Ex. 8, Confidential Settlement and Indemnity Agreement
. Ex. 6, Ex.-7, Ex. 8
. Bar to Joinder Hr’g Tr. 100
. Id.
. Ex. 3, Series C List', Bar to Joinder Hr’g Tr. 147; Ex. C, Luxeyard Form 10-Q issued for the quarter ended June 30, 2012 at 18
. Ex. 3, Series C List
. Bar to Joinder Hr'g Tr. 135; Ex. C, Form 10-Q for Luxeyard, Inc. for the quarter ended June 30, 2012-, Ex. 12, Form 10-Q for Luxe-yard, Inc. for the quarter ended September 30, 2012
. Bar to Joinder Hr’g Tr. 135; Ex. C, Form 10-Q for Luxeyard, Inc. for the quarter ended June 30, 2012 at 4
. Id.
. Bar to Joinder Hr’g Tr. 146-147. Luxeyard objected to this testimony as hearsay. The Court overruled the objection because the testimony was relevant to Mr. Casey’s due diligence. But, because one of the arguments in the Motion to Dismiss is that the debentures have been converted to equity, the Court did not admit this testimony for the truth of the statements in the auditor’s report, and expressly makes no finding on the issue.
. Bar to Joinder Hr’g Tr. 147-148; Ex. 38, Hirsch & Westheimer Letter
. Bar to Joinder Hr’g Tr. 148
. Ex. 9, Camarillo Dep. 9:3, October 9, 2015 taken in Alattar v. Casey, In the District Court of Harris County, Texas, 113th Judicial District, Cause No. 2012-54501. As this deposition was taken in the Alattar Action, and as the Court is not making any decision on the allegations in that action, much of the deposition is not relevant to the matter sub judice.
. Ex. 9, Camarillo Dep. 12:11-13, 14:1-25
. Ex. 10, Clayton Dep. 22, 44-45, 94. Much of this deposition appears to be directed towards the alleged pump and dump scheme.
. Ex. 10, Clayton Dep. 53-54
. Ex. K, Docket Report, In re Luxeyard, Inc., No. 12-51986 (Bankr.C.D.Cal.) (“First Luxeyard Bankruptcy Docket Report”)
. Ex. M, Transcript of Proceedings in the First Luxeyard Bankruptcy, Oct. 2, 2013 before the Honorable Barry Russell ("Russell Bench Ruling”) at 18-22
. Bar to Joinder Hr'g Tr. 132-34; Ex. K, First Luxeyard Bankruptcy Docket Report, Joinder of Jinsun, LLC to the Involuntary Petition Filed by Petitioning Creditors, Jan. 23, 2013; Ex. K, First Luxeyard Bankruptcy Docket Report, Joinder of Lee Bear I, LLC/Lazy Bear, LLC to the Involuntary Petition Filed by Petitioning Creditors, Feb. 1, 2013
. Ex. M, Russell Bench Ruling at 17-18; Bar to Joinder Hr'g Tr. 134
. Ex. K, First Luxeyard Bankruptcy Docket Report at 4
. Ex. M, Russell Bench Ruling at 18-22; Bar to Joinder Hr'g Tr. 54
. Id. at 66-67, 84-85
. Id. at 34-35, 66-68
. Ex. K, First Luxeyard Bankruptcy Docket Report at 11
. Ex. M, Russell Bench Ruling at 24-25
. Id. at 84-88
. Id. at 84
. Id. at 84-86
. Id. at 86-88
. Ex. K, First Luxeyard Bankruptcy Docket Report at 26
. Ex. L, LY Retail Bankruptcy Docket Report at 2; Ex. 19, Settlement Agreement, Bar to Joinder Hr’g Tr. 134
. Ex. 19, Settlement Agreement
. Bar to Joinder Mot. ¶¶ 36-37
. In re Forever Green Athletic Fields, Inc., 804 F.3d 328, 338 (3d Cir. 2015)
. The petitioners cite to multiple cases that decline to apply the doctrine, finding that it “is inconsistent with the unambiguous plain language of section 303(c).” In re FKF Madison Park Group Owner, LLC, 435 B.R. 906, 908 (Bankr.D.Del. 2010) (citations omitted); see also In re Kidwell, 158 B.R. 203, 207 (Bankr.E.D.Cal. 1993) (finding the bar to join-der doctrine "obsolete, counterproductive and inconsistent with the 1978 Bankruptcy Code”)
. 11 U.S.C. § 303(b)(1); In re Forever Green Athletic Fields, Inc., 804 F.3d 328, 333 (3d Cir. 2015); In re Diamondhead Casino Corp., 540 B.R. 499, 505-06 (Bankr.D.Del. 2015)
. 11 U.S.C. § 303(h)(1)
. In re Forever Green Athletic Fields, Inc., 804 F.3d 328, 334 (3d Cir. 2015)
. 11U.S.C. § 303(c)
. In re Forever Green Athletic Fields, Inc., 804 F.3d 328, 337 (3d Cir. 2015) (citing In re FKF Madison Park Grp. Owner, LLC, 435 B.R. 906, 907-08 (Bankr.D.Del. 2010))
. Basin Elec. Power Co-op. v. Midwest Processing Co., 769 F.2d 483, 486 (8th Cir. 1985)
. Id.
. Basin Elec. Power Co-op. v. Midwest Processing Co., 769 F.2d 483, 486-87 (8th Cir. 1985); In re Mylotte, David & Fitzpatrick, 2007 WL 2033812, at *9 (Bankr.E.D.Pa. July 12, 2007); In re R & A Bus. Assocs., Inc., 1999 WL 820859, at *2 (E.D.Pa. Oct. 14, 1999); In re Centennial Ins. Assocs., Inc., 119 B.R. 543, 546 (Bankr.W.D.Mich. 1990)
. In re Forever Green Athletic Fields, Inc., 804 F.3d 328 (3d Cir. 2015)
. Bar to Joinder Mot. ¶¶ 25, 36.
. Bar to Joinder Mot. ¶¶ 36-37
. Forever Green, 804 F.3d at 335 (citing In re Integrated Telecom Express, Inc., 384 F.3d 108, 119 (3d Cir. 2004))
. In re Diamondhead Casino, 2016 WL 3284674, at *16 (Bkrtcy.D.Del. 2016)
. In re Forever Green Athletic Fields, Inc., 804 F.3d 328, 336 (3d Cir. 2015) (citing In re Bayshore Wire Prods. Corp., 209 F.3d 100, 105 (2d Cir. 2000))
. In re Better Care, Ltd., 97 B.R. 405, 412 (Bankr.N.D.Ill. 1989); see In re WLB-RSK Venture, 296 B.R. 509 (Bankr.C.D.Cal. 2003) (improper to file a petition “to circumvent [the petitioner’s] lack of success over the past eight years in prior litigation”); In re Silverman, 230 B.R. 46, 53 (Bankr.D.N.J. 1998) (“Filing an involuntary petition with the intent to gain a strategic advantage [in pending litigation], rather than to protect one’s interest relative to other creditors or to prevent dissipation of assets, constitutes an improper purpose.”); In re K.P. Enterprise, 135 B.R. 174 (Bankr.D.Me. 1992) (a creditor filed for the improper purpose of delaying a foreclosure to induce a more “leisurely” sale, which the petitioner hoped would realize a greater return for his subordinated, secured position)
. In re Better Care, Ltd., 97 B.R. 405, 411 (Bankr.N.D.Ill. 1989)
. Id.
. Id.
. Id.
. Id. (the Better Care court appears to have coined this heavily used iteration of the improper use test); In re Forever Green Athletic Fields, Inc., 804 F.3d 328, 335-36 (3d Cir. 2015)
. In re Forever Green Athletic Fields, Inc., 804 F.3d at 335-36 (3d Cir. 2015)
. Basin Elec. Power Co-Op. v. Midwest Processing Co., 769 F.2d 483 (8th Cir. 1985)
. In re Wavelength, Inc., 61 B.R. 614 (9th Cir. BAP 1986); In re Better Care, Ltd., 97 B.R. 405 (Bankr.N.D.Ill. 1989)
. In re Better Care, Ltd., 97 B.R. 405 '(Bankr.N.D.Ill. 1989)
. In re SBA Factors of Miami, Inc., 13 B.R. 99, 100 (Bankr.S.D.Fld. 1981) (the SBA court appears to have coined the “substitute for customary collection procedures” phrase); In re Nordbrock, 52 B.R. 370, 372 (D.Neb. 1984) aff’d, 772 F.2d 397 (8th Cir. 1985) (“This case reflects efforts by a single creditor to use the Bankruptcy Court as a forum for the trial and collection of an isolated disputed claim, a practice condemned in prior decisions.”)
. In re K.P. Enterprise, 135 B.R. 174, 179 n. 14 (Bankr.D.Me. 1992); In re Forever Green Athletic Fields, Inc., 804 F.3d 328, 335 (3d Cir. 2015)
. In re Forever Green Athletic Fields, Inc., 804 F.3d 328, 336 (3d Cir. 2015); In re Grecian Heights Owners' Ass’n, 27 B.R. 172, 173 (B ankr.D.Or. 1982)
. In re Grecian Heights Owners’ Ass’n, 27 B.R. 172, 173 (Bankr.D.Or. 1982)
. In re Midwest Processing Co., 41 B.R. 90, 102 (Bankr.D.N.D. 1984)
. In re K.P. Enterprise, 135 B.R. 174, 179 n. 18 (Bankr.D.Me. 1992).
. In re Fox Island Square P’ship, 106 B.R. 962, 968 (Bankr.N.D.Ill. 1989); In re McDonald Trucking Co., Inc., 76 B.R. 513, 516 (Bankr.W.D.Pa. 1987); In re Turner, 80 B.R. 618, 623 (Bankr.D.Mass. 1987)
. In re K.P. Enterprise, 135 B.R. 174, 179-80 (Bankr.D.Me. 1992); Matter of Elsub Corp., 66 B.R. 189, 194 (Bankr.D.N.J. 1986)
. In re Whiteside, 240 B.R. 762, 766 (Bankr.W.D.Mo. 1999) (adopting the improper purpose test "with the understanding that it
. In re Forever Green Athletic Fields, Inc., 804 F.3d 328, 336 (3d Cir. 2015)
. Id, at 335
. Bar to Joinder Mot. ¶ 37
. Objection ¶ 32; see also Bar to Joinder Hr’gTr. 150-55
. Bar to Joinder Hr’g Tr. 26-27
. While Mr. Mireskandari testified, generally, regarding the background of the alleged pump-and-dump scheme, he and Luxeyard’s attorneys expressly stated that they did not intend to present a detailed record on the matter. Bar to Joinder Hr'g Tr. 21; 219-21.
. See In re Metrogate, 2016 WL 3150177, at *16 (Bankr.D.Del. May 26, 2016) (“[I]n weighing whether a filing is a bad faith litigation tactic such as form shopping, behavior in the underlying cause of action is not relevant. The bankruptcy court must instead examine for what purpose its jurisdiction was invoked.”). The Court also observes that the very fact that three of the Original Petitioners settled with Alattar post-filing weighs against a determination that the Original Petitioners act as a group in this Court.
. Alleged Debtor Luxeyard, Inc.'s Reply in Further Support of the Motion Seeking to Bar the Joinders of the Jonathan Camarillo Trust and Chris Clayton as Additional Petitioning Creditors In the Involuntary Petition Pursuant to 11 U.S.C. § 105 ¶¶ 17-19 [Dkt. No. 148] ("Reply”)
. Bar to Joinder Hr'g Tr. 21
. Reply ¶ 26
. 11 U.S.C. § 303(h)(1); In re A & J Quality Diamonds, Inc., 377 B.R. 460, 463 (Bankr.S.D.N.Y. 2007)
. Reply ¶ 36
. Bar to Joinder Hr’g Tr. 27-29, 33-34
. In re Forever Green Athletic Fields, Inc., 804 F.3d 328, 336 (3d Cir. 2015)
. Bar to Joinder Hr’g Tr. 135-47
. Id.
. Id. at 154, 177
. Bar to Joinder Hr’g Tr. 147-48; Ex. 38, Hirsch & Westheimer Letter
. Ex. 38, Hirsch & Westheimer Letter
. Ex. O
. Bar to Joinder Hr’g Tr. 112-13
.Id. at 98-101
. Id. at 60-65
. Id. at 36; 148-49; 196
. Id. at 42-43
. Id. at 186, 193
. id. at 115-16
. Id. at 115-16
. See Metrogate, 2016 WL 3150177, at *9 (noting that one "would need to be trapped in a time warp” to mention in a pleading events that had not yet occurred)
. Bar to Joinder Hr’g Tr. 222-25. Mr. Casey testified that he had received a letter from the Department of Justice, but proclaims not to know whether he is a target of an investigation. I cannot credit this statement.
.Bar to Joinder Hr’g Tr. 65 ("And I’m sure the ill harbor goes both ways.... [I]t wouldn't be normal if it wasn’t.")
, Luxeyard presented evidence that the timing of the joinders was suspicious. Bar to Joinder Hr’g Tr. 122-25. That evidence is irrelevant to the Court's current analysis as is any alleged bad faith of the Joining Petitioners.
. Ex. 19, Settlement Agreement; Ex. 36, Memorandum Opinion and Order, Alattar v. Sano Holdings, Inc. et al., 14-266 (S.D. Tex. July 7, 14)
. Reply at 11
. Reply ¶ 37
. Reply ¶ 38; Ex. 27, Jonathan Camarillo Trust Debenture Purchase Agreement § 5.9
. Ex. 25, Motion to Stay Case; Ex. 26, Suggestion of Bankruptcy
. It appears that at the time of the filings Luxeyard was still a defendant in the Alattar Action.
. Bar to Joinder Mot. ¶¶ 59-62; Agreed Order on Motion for Relief from the Stay [Dkt. No. 130]
. Luxeyard's response to the stay.of the Alattar Action does not support Luxeyard’s assertion that it desires the Alattar Action to move forward as quickly as possible. After the Texas court stayed the Alattar Action, Luxe-yard did not ask this Court for assistance in proceeding with the Alattar Action. Instead, Luxeyard states that its lead bankruptcy counsel "suggested those defendants [that had ‘confused’ the Texas court] move for stay relief.” Bar to Joinder Mot. ¶ 62. After those defendants filed the motion for stay relief, they then filed a certification of counsel indicating that Luxeyard agreed to the stay relief. Certification of Counsel regarding Agreed Order Granting Relief from Stay [Dkt. No. 128], That is, while Luxeyard did not oppose the stay relief, it undertook no direct effort to ensure that this case would not stall the Alattar Action. This indirect strategy is inconsistent with Luxeyard’s declared goal of moving the Alat-tar Action forward with all due haste, but is consistent with the strategy it has taken throughout this bankruptcy case.
. Ex. 37 at 6, Opposition to Debtor’s Motion for Order Pursuant to Fed. R. Bankr. P. 9024, Relieving the Debtor of This Court's Order of October 21, 2013; Which Denied the Debtor’s Motion for Award of Damages Against the Petitioning Creditors, Pursuant to 11 U.S.C. § 303(i)
. See Metrogate, 2016 WL 3150177, at *9 (noting that one "would need to be trapped in a time warp” to mention in a pleading events that had not yet occurred)
. Bar to Joinder Motion ¶ 37 incorporating MTD ¶¶ 49, 56, 64-75
. In re Forever Green, 804 F.3d at 334 (citing In re SGL Carbon, 200 F.3d 154 (3d Cir. 1999))
Reference
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- IN RE: LUXEYARD, INC., Alleged Debtor
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