Anderson v. Lowrey

667 F. Supp. 105, 1987 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 7068
District Court, S.D. New York·Decided August 5, 1987·No. 86 Civ. 8121 (LBS)·Published·Cited by 13 cases

Opinion

OPINION

SAND, District Judge.

This action arises from the sale of interests in J.J. Lowrey & Co., a New York *107 limited partnership (the “Limited Partnership”). The plaintiffs in this action constitute over 40 percent (24 out of 55) of the limited partners, who each invested at least $150,000 in the partnership during 1981. Defendant James J. Lowrey is the managing, general partner of the Limited Partnership. Defendants John D. Kuhns and Robert W. MacDonald have been general partners since 1983. The Limited Partnership business was primarily to act as a “dealer, broker and market maker” in United States Government and municipal securities to be contributed by its investors. Amended Private Placement Memorandum (the “Memorandum”), at 1-4.

The Second Amended Complaint alleges that since its inception in 1981, the stated capital of the Limited Partnership has declined from $10,000,000 to less than $500,-000, and in its first year of operation declined by more than $6,000,000. Plaintiffs bring this action for equitable and legal relief, including recision of plaintiffs’ investments in the Limited Partnership, compensatory and punitive damages, and imposition of a constructive trust in favor of the Limited Partnership upon the assets of the defendants. Plaintiffs claim that Lowrey induced them to make investments in the Limited Partnership through fraudulent misrepresentations contained in the Memorandum; once plaintiffs invested, defendants allegedly acted together to cause the partnership to become worthless through, inter alia, systematic disregard of the partnership’s business and a plundering of its assets.

Plaintiffs further allege that as late as 1986, Lowrey perpetrated fraud upon them and deprived the Limited Partnership of an asset worth tens of millions of dollars. This occurred when Lowrey allegedly directed an employee of the partnership to substitute Lowrey personally in lieu of the partnership as the purchaser of a 12 percent interest in the Power Accessories Division of TRW, Inc., a large defense contractor. Plaintiffs allege that Lowrey also directed the employee to alter a press release to reflect this change.

Plaintiffs’ second amended complaint states seven claims. The first two allege violations of sections 10(b) and 17(a) of the federal securities laws. 15 U.S.C. §§ 78j(b), 77q (1982). The seventh claim alleges a violation of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO), 18 U.S.C. § 1961 et seq. (1982 & Supp.1985). The third claim, the only one naming Kuhns and Macdonald as defendants, is asserted derivatively on behalf of J.J. Lowrey & Co. and alleges state law breaches of fiduciary duty. The remaining claims are state law claims alleging fraud, breach of contract, and violations of the state securities laws.

Defendant Lowrey has moved to dismiss the federal claims pursuant to Rules 12(b)(1), 12(b)(6), and 9(b) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure (“F.R.Civ.P.”) and the remaining claims for lack of diversity jurisdiction. Defendants Kuhns and MacDonald have moved to dismiss the claim against them under Rule 12(b)(1) on the basis of lack of subject matter jurisdiction. For the reasons stated below, Lowrey’s motions to dismiss the claims under RICO and section 17 of the Securities Act are granted, and his motion to dismiss the section 10(b) claim is denied. The motion of defendants Kuhns and MacDonald to dismiss is granted. Last, Lowrey’s motion to dismiss the state claims for lack of diversity jurisdiction is denied, although we dismiss plaintiff’s claim under the Martin Act § 352-e, N.Y.Gen.Bus.Law Art. 23-A (McKinney 1984 & Supp.1986), without prejudice, on the ground that no private cause of action exists.

I. The Claim Under Section 10(b)

Plaintiffs claim that material misrepresentations and omissions were made in the Memorandum for the purpose of inducing plaintiffs to invest in the Limited Partnership in violation of section 10(b) of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, 15 U.S.C. § 78j(b). Specifically, they claim that Lowrey misrepresented that he “intended to devote his full-time efforts to the business of the limited partnership.” Second Amended Complaint, at ¶ 42. Second, they contend that Lowrey intentionally and *108 falsely represented that William E. Simon, former Secretary of the Treasury, “will act as a consultant to the Partnership____” and “maintain office space at the offices of the Partnership____” Memorandum, at 42-43. Third, they allege that Lowrey misrepresented that he had “obtained commitments from a number of highly experienced individuals to join the Limited Partnership staff upon the close of the Offering.” Memorandum, at 44. Last, plaintiffs contend that Lowrey concealed the fact that he “either had already formed” or “or intended to form” Catalyst Energy Development Corporation (“Catalyst”), to which “he would be devoting an increasing amount of his time and effort____” Second Amended Complaint, at ¶ 43.

Lowrey moves to dismiss on the grounds that plaintiffs’ fraud claims fail to satisfy F.R.Civ.P. 9(b). Rule 9 does not require that allegations of scienter be made with great specificity. See, e.g., Connecticut National Bank v. Fluor Corp., 808 F.2d 957 (2d Cir.1987). The rule, however, does require that plaintiffs plead those events and facts giving rise to a strong inference that defendants had an intent to defraud. Id. at 962; Decker v. Massey-Ferguson, Ltd., 681 F.2d 111, 115-18 (2d Cir.1982); Ross v. A.H. Robins & Co., 607 F.2d 545, 556 (2d Cir.1979); Devaney v. Chester, 813 F.2d 566 (2d Cir.1987). In short, Rule 9 requires that a complaint give each defendant “notice of what he is charged with.” Goldman v. Belden, 754 F.2d 1059, 1070 (2d Cir.1985).

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Anderson v. Lowrey, 667 F. Supp. 105, 1987 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 7068 (S.D.N.Y. 1987).

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