Atlantic International Movers, LLC v. Ocean World Lines, Inc.

914 F. Supp. 2d 267, 2012 WL 6200449, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 176225
CourtDistrict Court, E.D. New York
DecidedDecember 11, 2012
DocketNo. 12-CV-2464 (SJF)(GRB)
StatusPublished
Cited by5 cases

This text of 914 F. Supp. 2d 267 (Atlantic International Movers, LLC v. Ocean World Lines, Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, E.D. New York primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Atlantic International Movers, LLC v. Ocean World Lines, Inc., 914 F. Supp. 2d 267, 2012 WL 6200449, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 176225 (E.D.N.Y. 2012).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM AND ORDER

FEUERSTEIN, District Judge.

On May 15, 2012, plaintiff Atlantic International Movers, LLC (“plaintiff’) commenced this action against Ocean World Lines, Inc. (“OWL”), RF International, Ltd. (“RF,” and together with OWL, “defendants”), and other corporate and individual defendants (the “dismissed defendants”),1 asserting various claims arising out of OWL’s business dealings with Com-trans International, LLC (“Comtrans”), plaintiffs alleged predecessor in interest. [Docket Entry No. 1] (“Compl.”). Plaintiff asserts claims for: (1) violation of the Racketeering Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (the “RICO statute”), 18 U.S.C. §§ 1961, et seq.; (2) tortious interference with business relationships and contractual relations; (3) fraud; (4) negligent misrepresentation; (5) civil conspiracy; (6) breach of contract; (7) breach of the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing; (8) promissory estoppel; (9) unjust enrichment; and (10) declaratory judgment. Defendants now move to dismiss the complaint pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(c). For the reasons that follow, the motion is GRANTED IN PART and DENIED IN PART.

1. Background2

Between 2006 and 2008, Comtrans entered into various bills of lading with OWL whereby Comtrans would tender Com-trans’ customers’ cargo to OWL for transport by sea on behalf of Comtrans. Compl. at ¶4. Following negotiations be[271]*271tween OWL and Comtrans in 2006, Com-trans agreed to continue to use OWL’s services and, in exchange, OWL agreed to allow Comtrans to extinguish its past debts to OWL “by means of paying $1,000 or more with each new conclusion of a bill of lading.” Id. at ¶ 29. In late 2007, OWL “arbitrarily, and without legal justification, ordered that Comtrans bring all of its accounts and extensions of credit with ... [OWL] fully up to date.” Id. at ¶ 32. In order to induce Comtrans to pay its outstanding debt, OWL “held for ransom thirty-six [36] containers that it was then transporting for Comtrans’ customers” by refusing to deliver or release the cargo and threatening to sell the cargo illegally. Id. at ¶¶ 33-35. While holding the cargo, OWL also increased demurrage charges to “exorbitant and extortionate” levels, resulting in plaintiffs payment of at least $144,000 in excessive demurrage costs. Id. at ¶¶ 36-38.

“In 2008 and thereafter,” OWL contacted Comtrans’ customers directly to demand payment for release of the customers’ cargo, resulting in the destruction of business relationships between Comtrans and the customers. Id. at ¶¶ 39-42.3 OWL initiated a lawsuit against Comtrans in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia alleging nonpayment by Comtrans under bills of lading entered into between August 2006 and September 2007. Id. at ¶¶ 44-45.4 OWL “harmed Comtrans and its reputation by fraudulently moving for default judgment in the amount of $147,889.75” upon the basis of invoices that were “claimed to be outstanding despite prior receipt of payment from Comtrans’ customers” and that included “exorbitant, fraudulent demur-rage charges at points in time they could not have been incurred.” Id. at ¶¶ 47-49. As a result of the foregoing conduct by OWL, Comtrans “suffered irreparable damage to its reputation” and “was forced out of business and assigned all of its present and future claims against” OWL to plaintiff on or about June 1, 2011. Id. at ¶ 2.

II. Motion for Judgment on the Pleadings Standard

In deciding a motion pursuant to Rule 12(c), the Court employs the same standard as in deciding a Rule 12(b)(6) motion to dismiss. Johnson v. Rowley, 569 F.3d 40, 43 (2d Cir.2009). “To survive a motion to dismiss, a complaint must contain sufficient factual matter, accepted as true, to ‘state a claim to relief that is plausible on its face.’ ” Ashcroft v. Iqbal, 556 U.S. 662, 678,129 S.Ct. 1937,173 L.Ed.2d 868 (2009) (quoting Bell Atl. Corp. v. Twombly, 550 U.S. 544, 570, 127 S.Ct. 1955, 167 L.Ed.2d 929 (2007)). “A pleading that offers ‘labels and conclusions’ or a ‘formulaic recitation of the elements of a cause of action will not do.’” Iqbal, 556 U.S. at 678, 129 S.Ct. 1937 (quoting Twombly, 550 U.S. at 555, 127 S.Ct. 1955). “Nor does a complaint suffice if it tenders ‘naked assertionfs]’ devoid of ‘further factual enhancement.’ ” Id. at 678, 129 S.Ct. 1937 (quoting Twombly, 550 U.S. at 557, 127 S.Ct. 1955).

The Court must accept all factual allegations in the complaint as true and draw all reasonable inferences in favor of the plaintiff. Matson v. Bd. of Educ. of the City Sch. Dist. of N.Y., 631 F.3d 57, 63 (2d Cir.2011); see also Ruston v. Town Bd. for the Town of Skaneateles, 610 F.3d 55, 59 (2d Cir.2010) (“When there are well-pleaded factual allegations, a court should assume their veracity and then determine [272]*272whether they plausibly give rise to an entitlement to relief.”). However, “the tenet that a court must accept as true all of the allegations contained in a complaint is inapplicable to legal conclusions. Threadbare recitals of the elements of a cause of action, supported by mere conclusory statements, do not suffice.” Iqbal, 556 U.S. at 678, 129 S.Ct. 1987.

“On a [Rule] 12(c) motion, the court considers ‘the complaint, the answer, any written documents attached to them, and any matter of which the court can take judicial notice for the factual background of the case.’ ” L-7 Designs, Inc. v. Old Navy, LLC, 647 F.3d 419, 422 (2d Cir. 2011) (quoting Roberts v. Babkiewicz, 582 F.3d 418, 419 (2d Cir.2009)). “‘A complaint is [also] deemed to include any written instrument attached to it as an exhibit, materials incorporated in it by reference, and documents that, although not incorporated by reference, are ‘integral’ to the complaint.’ ” Id. (quoting Sira v. Morton, 380 F.3d 57, 67 (2d Cir.2004)).

Plaintiff asserts that defendants’ motion improperly relies upon the affidavit of Ulrich Albrecht [Docket Entry No. 17] (“Albrecht Affidavit”) submitted by plaintiff in support of its prior motion for default judgment. Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(d) provides that “[i]f, on a motion under Rule 12(b)(6) or 12(c), matters outside the pleadings are presented to and not excluded by the court, the motion must be treated as one for summary judgment under Rule 56,” and that “[a]ll parties must be given a reasonable opportunity to present all the material that is pertinent to the motion.” Fed.R.Civ.P. 12(d).

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914 F. Supp. 2d 267, 2012 WL 6200449, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 176225, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/atlantic-international-movers-llc-v-ocean-world-lines-inc-nyed-2012.