Brown v. Luboff (In re Sigma-Tech Sales, Inc.)

570 B.R. 408, 2017 Bankr. LEXIS 1888, 64 Bankr. Ct. Dec. (CRR) 101
CourtUnited States Bankruptcy Court, S.D. Florida.
DecidedJuly 7, 2017
DocketCase No.: 14-11366-JKO; Adv. No. 15-01389-JKO
StatusPublished

This text of 570 B.R. 408 (Brown v. Luboff (In re Sigma-Tech Sales, Inc.)) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Bankruptcy Court, S.D. Florida. primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Brown v. Luboff (In re Sigma-Tech Sales, Inc.), 570 B.R. 408, 2017 Bankr. LEXIS 1888, 64 Bankr. Ct. Dec. (CRR) 101 (Fla. 2017).

Opinion

John K Olson, Judge, United States Bankruptcy Court

FINDINGS OF FACT, CONCLUSIONS OF LAW AND MEMORANDUM OPINION

THIS ADVERSARY PROCEEDING came before the Court for trial on April 26, 2017 on the Amended Adversary Complaint (“the Complaint”) [ECF 81] filed on December 16, 2015, by Scott N. Brown, as Chapter 7 Trustee (the “Plaintiff’ and/or “Trustee”) of the bankruptcy estate of Sigma-Tech Sales, Inc. (the “Debtor”) as scheduled by the Court’s Order [ECF 330] entered March 14, 2017. Because Alan Lu-boff (“Mr. Luboff’) and Melissa Luboff (“Mrs. Luboff’) (together, the “Luboffs”) filed for personal bankruptcy on April 21, 2017, in Case No. 17-14965-RBR, the adversary proceeding proceeded to trial on April 24, 2017 only against Disc-O-Tech, Inc. (“Disc-O-Tech”) and Gold Star Technology, Inc. (“Gold Star”), both of which failed to appear. Following a sufficient evi-dentiary showing by the Trustee, the Court found that these entities were liable in the amounts sought and accordingly entered a Final Judgment as to Count X and Count XI against Disc-O-Tech and Gold Star awarding $6,905,597.86 in damages against each entity by Final Judgment [ECF 347] entered April 26,2017.

After the Plaintiff obtained relief from the automatic stay imposed by the Luboffs’ personal bankruptcy by Order [ECF 11] [411]*411entered April 26, 2017, in Case No. 17-14965-RBR, this adversary proceeding proceeded to trial on April 26, 2017 against the Luboffs as to Counts I, II, III, and VII of the Complaint. See Pl.’s Ex. 107. The Complaint alleges that Mr. Luboff and Mrs. Luboff are liable for fraudulent transfers in Counts I, II and III, and that Mr. Luboff breached his fiduciary duties and is an alter ego of the Debtor in Count VII. Having considered the pleadings, the Joint Pretrial Stipulation [ECF 328], the testimony of -witnesses, the exhibits admitted into evidence, and the arguments of Plaintiffs counsel, the Court makes the following findings of fact and conclusions of law:

JURISDICTION AND VENUE

The Court has subject matter jurisdiction pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1334(b), as this is a civil proceeding arising in or related to a ease under the Bankruptcy Code. The Court also has jurisdiction under 28 U.S.C. § 1334(e), as this adversaiy proceeding involves property of the Debt- or’s estate. This adversary proceeding is a core proceeding pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 157(b). Venue of this proceeding is properly before the Court pursuant to '28 U.S.C. § 1409.

FINDINGS OF FACT

Mr. Luboff incorporated the Debtor Sigma-Tech Sales, Inc., in 1999, and was the president and sole shareholder of the Debtor and in charge of its day-to-day operations. Pretrial Stip. ¶ 1, 11. Mrs. Lu-boff is the spouse of Mr. Luboff, and was a director of the Debtor from 2006 until June 28, 2011. Id. See also, PL’s Ex. 91. The Debtor was involved in the purchase and sale of consumer electronics and accessories through 2010. Id. at ¶ 13. The Debtor filed for protection under Chapter 7 of the Bankruptcy Code on January 21, 2014 (the “Petition Date”). See Main Case ECF 1.

From December of 2009 through May of 2010, the Debtor incurred over 4.5 million dollars of debt. In 2007, Office Depot, Inc. (“Office Depot”) sued the Debtor alleging it had failed to pay customer rebates, and in December of 2009, the parties entered into a settlement agreement under which the Debtor agreed to pay $3,669,920.60 to Office Depot. Pretrial Stip. at ¶4; PL’s Ex. 6, 11. The Debtor provided no payments to Office Depot, and as of the Petition Date, the Debtor owed Office Depot $4,565,381.23 based on its proof of claim. Pretrial Stip. at ¶ 4. On August 27, 2009, New England Technology, Inc. (“New England”) sued the Debtor for failing to pay for goods. Id. at ¶ 9; PL’s Ex. 7, 9. On May 24, 2010, the Debtor settled the matter with New England by promising to pay $950,000. Pretrial Stip. at ¶ 9. The Debtor defaulted, and on March 12, 2012, New England obtained a consent judgment against the Debtor in the amount of $1,250,000. Id.; PL’s Ex. 10. The Debtor failed to pay any amount owed to New England, and as of the Petition Date, the Debtor owed New England $1,365,157.75 based upon its proof of claim. Pretrial Stip. ¶ 9.

During 2009 and 2010, while the Debtor incurred $4.5 million in debt, Mr. Luboff caused the Debtor to transfer a total of $153,485.07 to or for the benefit of the Luboffs (the “Debtor Transfers”). Pretrial Stip. ¶ 16. The Debtor ceased to do business in mid-2010, and reported no income on its tax returns filed after 2010. See Debtor’s 2004 Exam. Tr. 39:9-39:14; PL’s Ex. 52, 62-65.

After the Debtor ceased to do business, on June 22, 2010, Mr. Luboff incorporated Gold Star Technology, Inc. (“Gold Star”), and opened a bank account for Gold Star. Pretrial Stip. ¶ 10; PL’s Ex. 21. Mr. Luboff [412]*412was the president and sole shareholder of Gold Star and in charge of its day-to-day operations. Pretrial Stip. at ¶ 11. On June 22, 2010 and June 30, 2010, through two separate transfers, Mr. Luboff caused the Debtor to transfer substantially all its cash in the amount of $159,200 to AHLO, Inc. (“AHLO”), who then transferred $159,200 in two transfers, each to Gold Star one day after receiving the transfer. Pretrial Stip. ¶ 24-30; Pl.’s Ex. 25 and 26, 102. Mr. Luboff has known the principal of AHLO, Joe Lopez, for over twenty years and AHLO had done business with the Debtor since 2005. Pretrial Stip. at ¶¶ 20 and 21. After capitalizing Gold Star with the Debt- or’s cash, from 2010 through 2012, Mr. Luboff used Gold Star to operate the Debtor’s business, and continue paying for the Luboffs’ personal lifestyle by causing Gold Star to transfer a total of $419,744.11 to and for the benefit of the Luboffs (the “Gold Star Transfers”). Pretrial Stip. ¶ 18.

In another series of suspicious transactions in 2011, Mr. Luboff used AHLO’s bank account to conduct the Debtor’s business and avoid having cash flow exposed to the Debtor’s creditors. In February of 2011, Gold Star sold approximately 4,000 monitors to AHLO for $728,774.82, with payment due within thirty days. See Trial Tr. 89:2-14; Ex. 30. Such amounts, however, were not paid by AHLO to Gold Star within the thirty days. Id. at 89:20-23. Instead, from February through August of 2011, Mr. Luboff directed AHLO to transfer $357,933.97 to vendors and Disc-O-Tech. Id. at 91:8-96:3; See PL’s Ex. 34, 38. Gold Star only received $370,840.85 of the account receivable owed by AHLO. See id.

Beginning in 2010, Mr. Luboff also used the Debtor’s money to capitalize Disc-O-Tech, a company that Mrs. Luboff incorporated in 1996. Mr. Luboff was the president and sole shareholder of Disc-O-Tech and in charge of its day-to-day operations, and Mrs. Luboff was an officer of Disc-O-Tech until April 29, 2011. Pretrial Stip. at ¶ 3,11; PL’s Ex. 93. Mr. Luboff capitalized Disc-O-Teeh with money from the Debt- or’s customers. Between May 2010 through June 2012, Disc-O-Tech received transfers totaling $1,560,361.56 from Tribeca Technology Solutions, Archbrook Laguna and AHLO, all customers of the Debtor. See PL’s Ex. 23 and Order Granting Summ. J., EOF 264.

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Bluebook (online)
570 B.R. 408, 2017 Bankr. LEXIS 1888, 64 Bankr. Ct. Dec. (CRR) 101, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/brown-v-luboff-in-re-sigma-tech-sales-inc-flsb-2017.