Citibank, N.A. v. Morgan Stanley & Co. International, PLC

797 F. Supp. 2d 254, 2011 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 56289, 2011 WL 2078211
CourtDistrict Court, S.D. New York
DecidedMay 25, 2011
Docket09 Civ. 8197(SAS)
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 797 F. Supp. 2d 254 (Citibank, N.A. v. Morgan Stanley & Co. International, PLC) 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
Citibank, N.A. v. Morgan Stanley & Co. International, PLC, 797 F. Supp. 2d 254, 2011 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 56289, 2011 WL 2078211 (S.D.N.Y. 2011).

Opinion

OPINION AND ORDER

SHIRAA. SCHEINDLIN, District Judge.

I. INTRODUCTION

This case arises out of a dispute over a credit default swap (“CDS”) agreement between two of the most sophisticated financial institutions in the world — Citibank, N.A. (“Citibank”) and Morgan Stanley & Co. International, PLC (“MSIP”). In an opinion and order dated May 12, 2010 (the “May 12 Opinion”), I concluded that MSIP breached the unambiguous terms of that agreement. 1 Accordingly, I granted judgment on the pleadings to Citibank on its sole claim for breach of contract and dismissed MSIP’s two mirror-image counterclaims. In a subsequent opinion and order dated October 8, 2010 (the “October 8 Opinion”), I addressed Citibank’s motion for judgment on the pleadings on MSIP’s two remaining counterclaims — equitable estoppel and reformation — granting the motion as to the counterclaim for equitable estoppel but denying it as to the counterclaim for reformation. 2 Now before the Court are cross-motions for summary judgment on MSIP’s counterclaim for reformation. For the reasons that follow, MSIP’s motion is denied and Citibank’s motion is granted.

II. BACKGROUND

A. The Agreements

In 2006, Capmark VI Ltd. (“Capmark”) issued a collateralized debt obligation (the “Capmark CDO”) — an asset-backed security (“ABS”) backed by mortgages and other assets (the “Collateral”). The Capmark CDO is governed primarily by a July 24, 2006 indenture (the “Indenture”). 3

Citibank provided $366 million in revolving credit to the Capmark CDO (the “Revolving Facility”) that was memorialized by a Credit Agreement (“Credit Agreement” or “Capmark Credit Agreement”) dated July 24, 2006 among Capmark as Issuer, Citibank as Lender, and Citibank as Administrative Agent. 4 Citibank was the senior stakeholder — that is, the “Controlling Class” — in the Capmark CDO at all relevant times. 5 As a result, Citibank held certain rights under the Indenture, including the right to direct that the Collateral be liquidated if the value of those assets fell below Citibank’s obligation under the Revolving Facility ($366 million). 6

The Capmark CDO experienced an event of default in August of 2008. 7 In *256 March of 2009, after the value of the Cap-mark CDO had collapsed, Citibank exercised its rights under the Indenture and directed that the Collateral be liquidated. 8 Approximately $121 million was recouped from the sale, leaving Citibank with a shortfall of $245,368,966.51. 9

Meanwhile, three days before the Cap-mark Credit Agreement was executed, Citibank had purchased credit protection on the Revolving Facility from MSIP via a credit default swap, memorialized by a letter of confirmation dated July 21, 2006 between MSIP and Citibank (the “Cap-mark Swap Agreement” or the “Capmark CDS Confirmation”). 10 Under the terms of that agreement, the occurrence of any of four defined “Credit Events” occurring on the “Reference Entity” (the Capmark CDO) — including a “Failure to Pay Principal” credit event — obligated MSIP to pay Citibank any losses that it (Citibank) sustained under the Revolving Facility. 11 The ISDA Master Agreement contains an integration clause providing that “[t]his agreement constitutes the entire agreement and understanding of the parties with respect to its subject matter and supersedes all oral communication and prior writings with respect thereto.” 12 The ISDA Master Agreement further provides that Citibank and MSIP are “not relying upon any representations (whether written or oral) of the other party other than the representations expressly set forth herein, in any Credit Support Document or in any Confirmation” 13 (the “no-reliance clause”).

When the Collateral was liquidated in full on July 13, 2009 (pursuant to Citibank’s directive), the $245,368,966.51 amount outstanding on the Revolving Facility triggered a Failure to Pay Principal Credit Event under the Swap Agreement, *257 obligating MSIP to pay Citibank the $245,368,966.51 shortfall. 14 I have already held that, under the unambiguous terms of section 6(d) of the Swap Agreement (discussed further below), “Citibank’s issuance of a direction under the Indenture did not implicate MSIP’s consent rights under Section 6(d) of the Swap Confirmation.” 15 In other words, MSIP’s consent was not required in order for Citibank to direct liquidation of the Collateral — the liquidation that triggered the Credit Event obligating MSIP to pay Citibank $245,368,966.51. The question now before the Court is whether — notwithstanding the unambiguous language of section 6(d) — the parties “mutually intended to transfer to [MSIP] all voting rights — including Controlling Class rights — associated with the Capmark Credit Agreement” 16 such that Citibank’s liquidation of the Capmark CDO constituted a breach of the Capmark Swap Agreement, excusing MSIP from paying Citibank the $245,368,996.51 shortfall.

B. Capmark Swap Negotiations; June 22, 2006 Emails

In the parties’ negotiations over the terms of the Capmark Swap Agreement, John Costango (Citibank) was the banker with “primary responsibility with respect to the day-to-day negotiations with Morgan Stanley.” 17 For MSIP, George Wilkinson “worked with the business unit within [Citibank’s Global Proprietary Credit Group] to negotiate and execute CDS documents,” 18 including the Capmark Swap Agreement. However, other Citibank agents — including Adam Bentch, Steven Kolyer, 19 and Don Bendernagel (attorneys in Citibank’s derivatives legal group 20 ); Grant Buerstetta (an attorney with Citibank’s outside counsel, Clifford Chance); William Aprigliano (Citibank’s “regulatory capital” corporate representative 21 ); and Nestor Dominguez (who “ultimately ... said, okay, do the trade” 22 ) were involved in drafting, reviewing, or approving the Capmark Swap Agreement. 23 Kevin Starrett signed the Cap- *258

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

Related

Cooper v. Cooper
E.D. New York, 2022
JP Morgan Chase Bank, N.A. v. Winget
901 F. Supp. 2d 955 (E.D. Michigan, 2012)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
797 F. Supp. 2d 254, 2011 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 56289, 2011 WL 2078211, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/citibank-na-v-morgan-stanley-co-international-plc-nysd-2011.