Bank of America, N.A. v. Knight

875 F. Supp. 2d 837, 2012 WL 2368458, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 85815
CourtDistrict Court, N.D. Illinois
DecidedJune 20, 2012
DocketNo. 11 C 0303
StatusPublished
Cited by10 cases

This text of 875 F. Supp. 2d 837 (Bank of America, N.A. v. Knight) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, N.D. Illinois primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Bank of America, N.A. v. Knight, 875 F. Supp. 2d 837, 2012 WL 2368458, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 85815 (N.D. Ill. 2012).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER

ROBERT W. GETTLEMAN, District Judge.

In an 87 page, 311 paragraph second amended complaint, plaintiff Bank of America, N.A. has sued defendants James A. Knight, Deforest Davis, Paul Flask, Marie O’Barr, Cynthia Knight, Olney LP, Knight Quartz Flooring — Global LLC, Quartz Flooring Norther America, LLC, Robert Wasielewski, Lisa Rogers (the “Knight defendants”), Barry Brubaker, Peter Willmott, FGMK LLC, and Frost, Ruttenberg & Rothblatt, P.C. (“FR & R,” and together with FGMK the “auditor defendants”), alleging that certain directors, officers and controlling members of Knight Industries, LLC, Knight Quartz Flooring and Knight-Celotex LLC were abusing their position of authority and control to loot what the complaint identifies as the “Knight Entities1by paying benefits to themselves and diverting assets and opportunities for the Knight Entities, which were indebted to plaintiff, into other companies owned and/or controlled by the Knight defendants. In sum, plaintiff alleges that the Knight defendants and Brubaker and Willmott unlawfully drained the Knight Entities of their assets and value, leaving nothing for plaintiff to collect on its $35 million loan to the Knight Entities.

Counts I and II of the second amended complaint (“complaint”) allege professional negligence and aiding and abetting breaches of fiduciary duties against the auditor defendants. Count III alleges breach of fiduciary duty of loyalty and good faith against defendants James Knight (“James”), Cynthia Knight, Wasielewski, Rogers, Davis, Flask, O’Barr, and Brubaker and Willmott. Count IV alleges breach of fiduciary duty of care, loyalty and good faith against defendants James, Wasielewski and Rogers. Count V alleges conversion against James, Cynthia Knight, Davis, Flask, O’Barr, Brubaker, Willmott, Wasielewski, Rogers, Olney, KQF-Global and Quartz Flooring North America, LLC (“QFNA”), and Count VI alleges unjust [841]*841enrichment against James and Cynthia, Davis, Flask, O’Barr, Wasielewski and Rogers. Count VII is brought against James, Cynthia, Davis, Flask, Brubaker and Willmott for usurpation of corporate opportunities. Count VIII alleges veil piercing and alter ego liability against defendants KQF-Global, Olney and QFNA.

Defendants have filed three separate motions to dismiss. The auditor defendants have moved to dismiss the counts brought against them (I and II) for failure to state a claim. The Knight defendants have moved to dismiss all counts against them (III — VIII) pursuant to Fed.R.Civ.P. 12(b)(1), 12(b)(6), 8(a) and 9(b), arguing that plaintiff lacks standing to bring the fiduciary duty claims, the claims are not pled with sufficient particularity yet do not contain a short and plain statement of the claims, and fail to state a claim. Brubaker and Willmott have separately moved to dismiss the counts brought against them (III, V and VII). For the reasons that follow, all motions to dismiss are granted.

FACTS2

Despite the unnecessarily prolix nature of the complaint, the court will endeavor to summarize the relevant factual allegations.3

The Parties

Plaintiff Bank of America is a national banking association and successor by merger to LaSalle Bank National Association.

Knight Industries, LLC (“Knight Industries”) was a holding company that owned substantial equity interest in Knight-Celotex LLC (“Knight-Celotex”) and Knight Quartz Flooring, LLC (“KQF”). Knight Industries was the only manager of both entities as well as numerous other related entities. Knight-Celotex was the operating subsidiary of Knight Industries that manufactured and distributed fiberboard products for roofing systems. The Knight Entities manufactured various products for use in the construction industries. KQF produced quartz flooring products for use in various construction settings.

James was the principal owner of Knight Industries and, according to the complaint, served as the Chief Executive Officer, Manager and Chairman of the Board for the Knight Entities and KQF. The complaint alleges that James, either individually or through the Wauregan Company, Inc., which he wholly owned and controlled, received payments and transfers from Knight Industries, Knight-Celotex and KQF in excess of $2.5 million for inadequate value, a substantial portion of which was transferred while Knight Industries was insolvent.

Cynthia Knight is James’ wife and General Partner of defendant Olney, which served as manager of KQF-Global. Cynthia is also alleged to have served on the Board of the Knight Entities and the KQF Board.

Defendant Davis owed a 17% membership interest in KQF and a 20% membership interest in KQF-Global, served on the Boards of the Knight Entities and KQF as well as several other entities. The complaint alleges that he received payments and transfers from Knight Industries, Knight-Celotex and KQF of more than $200,000 for inadequate value, a portion of which was transferred while the companies were insolvent.

[842]*842Defendant Flask owned a 4% membership interest in KQF and KQF-Global. He served on the Boards of the Knight Entities and KQF as well as several Knight Entities including defendant QFNA, for which he was a founding member. The complaint alleges that he received over $138,000 from Knight Industries and KnighNCelotex for no or inadequate value while those companies were insolvent.

Defendant O’Barr was a founding investor of Knight Industries, served as its initial Chief Financial Officer and was a member of the Knight Entities Board. She allegedly received payments of over $700,000 for no or inadequate value while Knight Industries was insolvent.

Defendants Brubaker and Willmott were owners of membership interests in KQF and served on the KQF Board and the boards of several other entities. Both were founding members of QFNA.

Defendant Wasielewski served as Senior Vice-President and Chief Financial Officer of the Knight Entities and KQF and was “touted as Chief Financial Officer of Knight Industries’ worldwide operations.” He held membership interests in KQF and Knight-Celotex.

Defendant Rogers was a member of the senior management teams of the Knight Entities and KQF, serving as Vice-President of Shared Services, head of Human Resources and various other senior positions. She exercised control over the accounting personnel for the Knight Entities and KQF and held membership interests in KQF and Knight-Celotex.

KQF Global is a Delaware corporation comprised of Knight Industries, Olney, Davis, and Frederick W. Mowinkel. KQF Global served as the manager of KQF. KQF Global also served as Manager and held at least a 43% interest in KQF China.

Defendant Quartz Flooring North America, LLC (“QFNA”) is a Delaware limited liability company formed on or about May 6, 2009. Its founding members were Cynthia, Davis, Brubaker, Willmott and Flask. Currently defendant Davis serves as Manager and defendant Flask serves as President of QFNA.

Defendants FGMK and Frost, Ruttenberg & Rothblatt (“FR & R”) are CPA firms located in Illinois.

BACKGROUND

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
875 F. Supp. 2d 837, 2012 WL 2368458, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 85815, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/bank-of-america-na-v-knight-ilnd-2012.