Chariot Plastics, Inc. v. United States

28 F. Supp. 2d 874, 83 A.F.T.R.2d (RIA) 2370, 1998 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 18851, 1998 WL 834650
CourtDistrict Court, S.D. New York
DecidedDecember 1, 1998
Docket96 Civ. 4418 (DC)
StatusPublished
Cited by14 cases

This text of 28 F. Supp. 2d 874 (Chariot Plastics, Inc. v. United States) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, S.D. New York primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Chariot Plastics, Inc. v. United States, 28 F. Supp. 2d 874, 83 A.F.T.R.2d (RIA) 2370, 1998 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 18851, 1998 WL 834650 (S.D.N.Y. 1998).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM DECISION

CHIN, District Judge.

This action stems from attempts by the Internal Revenue Service (the “IRS”) to collect outstanding taxes owed by Chariot Holdings, Inc. (“Chariot Holdings”). The government maintains that it is entitled to collect the amount due not only from Chariot Holdings, but also from other corporate entities either because they were part of a consolidated group on whose behalf Chariot Holdings filed corporate income tax returns, or alternatively, on the ground that they are nominees or alter egos of Chariot Holdings.

Plaintiffs and third-party defendants move for summary judgment on their claims against defendants and for dismissal of and/or summary judgment on defendants’ counterclaims and third-party plaintiffs claims. Defendants and third-party plaintiff move for partial summary judgment. For the- reasons stated below, plaintiffs’ and third-party defendants’ motions are denied in all respects and defendants’ and third-party plaintiff’s motion is granted in all respects.

BACKGROUND

A. The Tax Liabilities

For the 1984, 1985, and 1986 tax years, Chariot Holdings filed corporate income tax returns on a consolidated basis pursuant to 26 C.F.R. § 1.1502-77(a) on behalf of various companies. Chariot Group, Inc. (“Chariot Group”), the predecessor to plaintiff Summit Metals, Inc. (“Summit Metals”), was part of the consolidated group for each of these three tax years; plaintiff Chariot Plastics, Inc. (“Chariot Plastics”) was included in the tax group for the 1986 tax year.

By a notice of deficiency to Chariot Holdings dated June 9, 1993, the government asserted deficiencies and penalties, including fraud penalties, against Chariot Holdings and members of the consolidated group, including Chariot Group and Chariot Plastics, for .the 1984, 1985, and 1986 tax years. Ultimately, Richard Gray, on behalf of Chariot Holdings, agreed to a stipulated Tax Court decision dated November 22, 1994 pursuant to which deficiencies and penalties were assessed against Chariot Holdings on March 7, 1995. According to the government, the outstanding liability with accruals through January 5, 1998 totaled $6,978,217.38.

On March 7, 1995, the government sent a notice and demand for payment to Chariot Holdings for the 1984, 1985, and 1986 tax years. The government sent a notice and *877 demand for payment on August 21, 1995, to Chariot Group for the same tax years and to Chariot Plastics for the 1986 tax year. On August 16, 1995, the government filed a Notice of Federal Lien with the Secretary of State against Chariot Holdings. On August 24, 1995, the government filed similar hens against Chariot Group and Chariot Plastics.

On September 20, 1995, the government issued three Notices of Levy with respect to Chariot Group’s tax liability. Pursuant to these notices, the government received $104,-179.32 from United Jersey Bank and $3,171.44 from Smith Barney, but no payment from Chemical Bank. The payments were applied to Chariot Holdings’s tax debt. Also on September 20, 1995, the government issued Notices of Levy to Richardson, Mahon & Casey, P.C. with respect to the tax liability of Chariot Holding, Chariot Plastics, and Chariot Plastics as nominee for Chariot Holdings. In response to these notices, the government received certificates for 1,901,-362 shares of Chariot Group common stock.

B. The Corporate Relationships

Gray is the sole owner of Chariot Holdings. According to the government, Chariot Holdings wholly owns Chariot Plastics. 1 Chariot Plastics owned approximately 78% of Chariot Group. 2 Prior to June 30, 1995, Chariot Group owned approximately 92% of Energy Savings Products, Inc. (“ESP”), which wholly owns B.F. Rich, Inc. (“B.F.Rich”). Both ESP and B.F. Rich are operating companies engaged in the manufacture of windows and doors.

The government asserts that Gray is also the sole owner of third-party defendant Hal-lowell Industries, Inc. (“Hallowell”). Hallo-well wholly owns Chariot Realty, Inc. (“Chariot Realty”), which wholly owned third-party defendant Homestar Acquisition Corp. (“Homestar”) before Homestar’s June 30, 1995 merger into ESP.

C. Allegations of Fraudulent Conveyance and Defalcation by Gray

According to the government, Gray has used corporate entities that he controls to avoid paying tax assessments owed pursuant to the 1994 stipulated Tax Court decision. The government further contends that Gray has used the corporations to commit fraud.

From 1986 to 1990, Chariot Group was a public company with independent directors listed on the American Stock Exchange. Gray was the majority shareholder during this period. In 1990, Chariot Group was delisted from the American Stock Exchange and the independent directors were eliminated, leaving Gray as Chariot Group’s sole director. As sole director, in 1991, Gray voted that Chariot Group pay $359,000 in *878 management fees to Gray’s wholly owned corporation Chariot Holdings. That same year, Chariot Group forgave and cancelled loans and advances that Chariot Group made to Gray and Chariot Holdings in the aggregate amount of $1,230,813.01. Further, Chariot Group paid Gray an annual salary of $200,000.

According to the government, from 1992 to 1994, Gray caused Chariot Group to cancel a $524,000 debt that he owed and to pay $4,613,140 in management fees to Chariot Holdings. It appears as though at least a part of these management fees were paid directly to Gray. The government submitted financial worksheets produced by Chariot Holdings that include explicit adjustments “for consulting fees paid by [Chariot Group] to [Chariot Holdings] but paid to R. Gray.” (Cenawood Dec., Exh. M). The government contends, however, that Gray did not spend any time managing Chariot Group or its subsidiaries during this period that would justify such fees. (Benton Dec. ¶ 20).

After Gray signed the 1994 Tax Court decision, payments of management fees from Chariot Group to Chariot Holdings ceased. The government submitted evidence that the management fees were instead directed to other companies that Gray controlled, such as VDC Recovery, Inc.

The government alleges that Gray, to avoid collection of the consolidated tax group’s outstanding tax liability, stripped the group of the operating companies ESP and B.F. Rich. On June 30, 1995, Chariot Group entered into an agreement with Homestar by which Chariot Group transferred to Homes-tar its entire ownership interest in the operating company ESP, which wholly owns the other operating company B.F. Rich. In exchange, Hallowell gave an unsecured $15 million promissory note to Chariot Group, no payments on which are due until August 1, 2000. Plaintiffs and third-party defendants claim that Homestar was not acting on its own behalf, but rather as nominee for Har-car, Inc. (“Harcar”).

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28 F. Supp. 2d 874, 83 A.F.T.R.2d (RIA) 2370, 1998 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 18851, 1998 WL 834650, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/chariot-plastics-inc-v-united-states-nysd-1998.