Citibank, N.A. v. Bombshell Taxi LLC (In re Hypnotic Taxi LLC)

566 B.R. 305
CourtUnited States Bankruptcy Court, E.D. New York
DecidedApril 10, 2017
DocketCase No. 15-43300 (CEC); Adv. Pro. No.: 15-01185 (CEC)
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 566 B.R. 305 (Citibank, N.A. v. Bombshell Taxi LLC (In re Hypnotic Taxi LLC)) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Bankruptcy 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
Citibank, N.A. v. Bombshell Taxi LLC (In re Hypnotic Taxi LLC), 566 B.R. 305 (N.Y. 2017).

Opinion

[308]*308DECISION

CARLA E. CRAIG, Chief United States Bankruptcy Judge

This matter comes before the Court on the motion of Citibank, N.A. (“Citibank”) for an order directing The Lindy Funding Trust, The Evelyn Funding Trust, The Kelly Funding Trust, and The Birkin Funding Trust (collectively, the “Trusts”), Evgeny Freidman, and their respective counsel to produce to Citibank all communications (including attachments) between (i) Freidman and/or any of Freidman’s counsel on the one hand and (ii) the Trusts and/or any of the Trusts’ counsel on the other hand. The Trusts and Freidman oppose Citibank’s motion, arguing that the communications are protected by the common interest doctrine. Because Freidman and the Trusts have not met the burden to establish their entitlement to the protections of common interest doctrine, Citibank’s motion is granted.

JURISDICTION

This Court has jurisdiction of this proceeding pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1334(b), and the Eastern District of New York standing order of reference dated August 28, 1986, as amended by order dated December 5, 2012. This non-core proceeding is related to these bankruptcy cases. Publicker Indus. Inc. v. United States (In re Cuyahoga Equip. Corp.), 980 F.2d 110, 114 (2d Cir. 1992). A bankruptcy judge may hear a non-core proceeding that is related to a bankruptcy case. 28 U.S.C. § 157(c)(1). Although bankruptcy courts may not enter final orders in non-core proceedings absent consent of the parties, bankruptcy courts may enter interlocutory orders in non-core proceedings. O’Toole v. McTaggart (In re Trinsum Grp., Inc.), 467 B.R. 734, 739-40 (Bankr. S.D.N.Y. 2012). An order directing the production of the discovery sought by Citibank is interlocutory. See Chase Manhattan Bank, N.A. v. Turner & Newall, PLC, 964 F.2d 159 (2d Cir. 1992); Bower v. Weisman (In re Weisman), 835 F.2d 23 (2d Cir. 1987).

BACKGROUND

The facts set forth below are not in dispute except where otherwise noted.

A. Citibank’s State Court Action

On March 5, 2015, Citibank began this action by filing a summons and complaint in Supreme Court, New York County (Index No. 650691/15) (the “State Court Action”), asserting twelve causes of action against Freidman and the other defendants. Citibank seeks, among other things, a judgment against Freidman as guarantor of three loans totaling $31.5 million in principal amount extended by Citibank to entities closely held by Freidman (the “Loans”). (Verified Compl., ECF No. 2-2, ¶¶ 178-183.)1

The Loans are secured by taxi medallions owned by the borrowers, who are the debtors in these procedurally consolidated bankruptcy cases (the “Debtors”).2 On July 22, 2015, after the state court entered an order allowing Citibank to seize the taxi medallions, which was stayed pending appeal on the condition that defendants post a $50 million bond, the Debtors, unable to [309]*309post the bond, commenced these bankruptcy cases.3 (Pet., Case No. 15-43300-CEC, ECF No. 1; Aff. of Evgeny Freidman, Case No. 15-43300-CEC, ECF No. 2, ¶¶ 39-46.)

On July 29, 2015, the Debtors removed the State Court Action to the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, and after transfer to the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York, the action was referred to this Court by order dated October 28, 2015. (Notice of Removal, ECF No. 1.)

In February, 2016, Citibank filed a motion seeking summary judgment against Freidman on his guaranties of the Loans and dismissal of his counterclaims. (Pl.’s Mot. for Summ. J., ECF No. 92.) On March 30, 2017, this Court issued proposed findings of fact and conclusions of law, pursuant to Fed. R. Bankr. P. 9033, recommending that Citibank’s motion be granted. (Proposed Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law, ECF No. 418.)

B. The Transfers to the Trusts

On August 1, 2003, Freidman purchased residential real property located at 136 E 65th Street, New York, New York. (Joint Pre-Trial Order (“JPTO”), ECF No. 411, ¶ 5(1).) On March 7, 2011, Freidman transferred the 65th Street Property to the 136 East 65th Street Irrevocable Residence Trust U/A 10/28/2010, a trust settled by Freidman under New York law. (JPTO, ECF No. 411, ¶ 5(1).)

On November 11, 2008, the 200 East 66th Street Residence Trust U/A 6/15/08, a trust settled by Freidman under New York law, purchased a condominium located at 200 E 66th Street, Apt. A1101, New York, New York. (JPTO, ECF No. 411, ¶ 5(3).)

On January 25, 2013, Freidman purchased real property located at 108 Halsey Street, Bridgehampton, New York. (JPTO, ECF No. 411, ¶ 5(6).) On July 10, 2013, Freidman transferred that property to the 108 Halsey Street Irrevocable Residence Trust U/A February 2013 (“Halsey Street Residence Trust,” and, together with the 65th Street Residence Trust and the 66th Street Residence Trust,' the “New York Residence Trusts”), a trust settled by Freidman under New York law. (JPTO, ECF No. 411, ¶ 5(6).)

On or about April 17, 2015, after Citibank commenced this action against Freidman, the trustees of the 65th Street Residence Trust transferred the 65th Street Property to the East 65th Street Owners LLC (“East 65th Street LLC”), a limited liability company organized under the laws of the State of New York on or about April 1, 2015, and whose membership interests were titled in Freidman. (JPTO, ECF No. 411, ¶ 5(2).)

Also on April 17, 2015, the trustees of the 66th Street Residence Trust transferred the 66th Street Property to 66th Street Unit Owners LLC (“66th Street LLC”), a limited liability company organized under the laws of the State of New York on or about April 1, 2015, and whose membership interests were titled in Freidman.

On May 27, 2015, the trustees of the Halsey Street Residence Trust transferred the Halsey Street Property to Halsey Street Owners LLC (“Halsey Street LLC,” and together with East 65th Street LLC and 66th Street LLC, the “Residential LLCs”), a limited liability company [310]*310organized under the laws of the State of New York, and whose membership interests were titled in Freidman. (JPTO, ECF No. 411, ¶ 5(7).)

In or about June, 2015, Freidman created the Trusts, and pursuant to assignments dated June 15, 2015, he transferred (1) his interests in the 65th Street LLC to the Lindy Funding Trust; (2) his membership interests in the 66th Street LLC to The Evelyn Funding Trust; and (3) his membership interests in Halsey Street LLC to The Lindy Funding Trust. (Trusts’ CPLR 6221 Pet., ECF No. 100, ¶¶3, 6, 9; JPTO, ECF No. 411, ¶ 5(5).)

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
566 B.R. 305, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/citibank-na-v-bombshell-taxi-llc-in-re-hypnotic-taxi-llc-nyeb-2017.