Deutsche Bank AG v. Vik

2025 NY Slip Op 31265(U)
CourtNew York Supreme Court, New York County
DecidedApril 11, 2025
DocketIndex No. 161257/2013
StatusUnpublished

This text of 2025 NY Slip Op 31265(U) (Deutsche Bank AG v. Vik) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering New York Supreme Court, New York County primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

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Deutsche Bank AG v. Vik, 2025 NY Slip Op 31265(U) (N.Y. Super. Ct. 2025).

Opinion

Deutsche Bank AG v Vik 2025 NY Slip Op 31265(U) April 11, 2025 Supreme Court, New York County Docket Number: Index No. 161257/2013 Judge: James d'Auguste Cases posted with a "30000" identifier, i.e., 2013 NY Slip Op 30001(U), are republished from various New York State and local government sources, including the New York State Unified Court System's eCourts Service. This opinion is uncorrected and not selected for official publication. INDEX NO. 161257/2013 NYSCEF DOC. NO. 737 RECEIVED NYSCEF: 04/11/2025

SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK NEW YORK COUNTY PRESENT: Hon. James d'Auguste PART 55 Justice -------------------------------------------------------X INDEX NO. 161257/2013 DEUTSCHE BANK AG, MOTION DATE Plaintiff, MOTION SEQ. NO. 013 014 015 - V -

ALEXANDER VIK, CARRIE VIK, THE CSCSNE TRUST, DECISION + ORDER ON C.M. BEATRICE, INC., SEBASTIAN HOLDINGS, INC. MOTION Defendants. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------X

The following e-filed documents, listed by NYSCEF document number (Motion 013) 632, 633, 634, 635, 636,637,638,639,640,641,642,643,644,645,646,647,648,649,650,651,652,653,654,655,656, 657,658,659,660,661,662,663,664,665,666,667,668,669,670,671,672,673,674,675,676,677, 678,698,699,700,701,702,703,710 were read on this motion to/for SUMMARY JUDGMENT

The following e-filed documents, listed by NYSCEF document number (Motion 014) 679, 680, 681, 682, 683,684,685,686,687,688,689,690,691,692,693,694,695,709,711,712,713,714,715 were read on this motion to/for SUMMARY JUDGMENT

The following e-filed documents, listed by NYSCEF document number (Motion 015) 705, 706, 707, 708, 716,717,718,719,725,726,727,728,729 were read on this motion to/for SUMMARY JUDGMENT

Plaintiff, Deutsche Bank, AG ("DB"), commenced this action seeking to enforce a

judgment entered against defendant Sebastian Holdings, Inc. ("SHI") by the United Kingdom

High Court of Justice, Queens Bench Division, Commercial Court ("UK Court"). Motions

designated Sequence Numbers 013 and 014 are consolidated for disposition.

In Motion Sequence Number 013, SHI, along with defendants Alexander Vik and Carrie

Vik. move, pursuant to CPLR 3212, to dismiss the Amended Complaint against them.

In Motion Sequence Number 014, DB moves, pursuant to CPLR 3212, for summary

judgment on the Amended Complaint.

161257/2013 DEUTSCHE BANK AG vs. VIK, ALEXANDER Page 1 of 13 Motion No. 013 014 015

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In Motion Sequence 015, defendant C.M. Beatrice ("Beatrice") moves for summary

judgment dismissing the Amended Complaint. 1

BACKGROUND

DB, a German bank with a branch in New York City, provides financial management and

business services worldwide (see Amended Complaint, NYSCEF Doc. No. 634). SHI, a Turks

and Caicos Islands ("TCI") corporation, is engaged in securities, currencies trading, and other

financial endeavors (id.). Alexander Vik is the sole shareholder of SHI (id.). His wife, Carrie

Vik, is sued as an individual and as trustee of the CSCSNE Trust ("CSCSNE or the "Trust")

(id.). The Trust owns Beatrice, a TCI corporation (id.). Carrie Vik owns a house in Greenwich,

Connecticut, and a condominium apartment in Manhattan (id.).

The underlying facts in this action are set forth in substantial detail in a prior decision of

this Court (Anil C. Singh, J.) (see NYSCEF Doc. No. 520). In addition, the procedural history is

amply detailed in another prior decision of this Court (Anil C. Singh, J.) (see NYSCEF Doc. No.

544).

Briefly, in 2006, SHI opened a foreign-exchange ("FX") trading account with DB's FX

prime brokerage group, which is based in New York City. In 2008, SHI opened a series of

additional accounts, which DB terms GPF accounts, with DB for the purpose of engaging in

equities, futures, options, and FX trading. The FX and GPF accounts were subject to various

agreements, some of which pertained to both kinds of accounts.

During the October 2008 global financial crisis, SHI accumulated hundreds of millions of

dollars in losses in connection with its FX and other trading. These losses led to SHI owing

debts to DB because of unpaid margin calls and the close-out of SHI's FX and GPF accounts.

1 Beatrice labels its motion for summary judgment as a cross-motion despite being filed under as a separate motion

sequence - 015. See NYSCEF Doc. No. 706, at 1. 161257/2013 DEUTSCHE BANK AG vs. VIK, ALEXANDER Page 2 of 13 Motion No. 013 014 015

2 of 13 [* 2] INDEX NO. 161257/2013 NYSCEF DOC. NO. 737 RECEIVED NYSCEF: 04/11/2025

On January 21, 2009, DB commenced an action, Deutsche Bank AG v Sebastian

Holdings, Inc., ([2013] EWHC 3463 [Comm], 2013 WL 5905024), in the High Court of Justice

Queen's Bench Commercial Court (the "English Action"), seeking monies owed in connection

with trading losses under two agreements, both of which contained exclusive English jurisdiction

clauses (see UK Judgment, NYSCEF Doc. No. 33). On November 8, 2013, the court in the

English Action issued a judgment, determining, among other things, that DB was entitled to

$116,989,618 on the FX account and $118,656,727 on the GPF accounts, and awarded DB

judgment in the amount of$243,023,089, which included interest (id.).

On December 5, 2013, DB commenced this action seeking to compel defendants to pay

the UK Judgment (see Amended Complaint, supra). SHI, Alexander Vik, Carrie Vik, CSCSNE,

and Beatrice are defendants (id.). The pleadings allege claims for a declaration of alter ego

liability on the ground that Alexander Vik completely dominated SHI, intermingled funds with

his own personal funds and with those of other entities he controlled, and used SHI's corporate

form to commit wrongs against DB (first cause of action); a declaration of alter ego liability

based on Alexander Vik' s similar domination and use of Beatrice (second cause of action);

enforcement of the UK Judgment against Alexander Vik (third cause of action); damages for

unjust enrichment against Alexander Vik (fourth cause of action); damages for fraudulent

conveyance against Alexander Vik, SHI, and Beatrice (fifth cause of action); damages for

fraudulent conveyance against Alexander Vik and Carrie Vik, as an individual (sixth cause of

action); damages for fraudulent conveyance against Alexander Vik, Carrie Vik, as Trustee of

CSCSNE, and CSCSNE (seventh cause of action); damages for aiding and abetting fraudulent

conveyance against Alexander Vik and Beatrice (eighth cause of action); and a declaration that

Vik and SHI are jointly and severally liable to DB for expenses pursuant to agreements between

161257/2013 DEUTSCHE BANK AG vs. VIK, ALEXANDER Page 3 of 13 Motion No. 013 014 015

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DB and SHI (ninth cause of action) (see Amended Complaint, supra). Ivan Gorrell Santana was

subsequently appointed trustee of CSCSNE (see Santana Deposition Transcript, NYSCEF Doc.

No. 531, p. 13).

On December 13, 2013, DB commenced an action, Deutsche Bank AG v Sebastian

Holdings, Inc. (Docket No. FST CV 13-501467-8) in the Superior Court of the Judicial District

of Stamford/Norwalk (the "CT Action" and "Connecticut Action," interchangeably), seeking to

pierce the corporate veil of SHI and hold Alexander Vik liable for the UK Judgment

(Connecticut Complaint, NYSCEF Doc. No 636). Alexander Vik and SHI are the only

defendants (id.).

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