Emerald Capital Advisors Corp. v. Aktiengesellschaft (In re FAH Liquidating Corp.)

572 B.R. 117
CourtUnited States Bankruptcy Court, D. Delaware
DecidedJune 13, 2017
DocketCase No. 13-13087(KG); Adv. Pro. No. 15-51898(KG)
StatusPublished
Cited by17 cases

This text of 572 B.R. 117 (Emerald Capital Advisors Corp. v. Aktiengesellschaft (In re FAH Liquidating Corp.)) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Bankruptcy Court, D. Delaware primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Emerald Capital Advisors Corp. v. Aktiengesellschaft (In re FAH Liquidating Corp.), 572 B.R. 117 (Del. 2017).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OPINION

KEVIN GROSS, U.S.B.J.

The Court is addressing the defendant’s motion to dismiss the Complaint (the “Motion to Dismiss”). Emerald Capital Advis-ors Corp., in its capacity as trustee (the “Trustee”) for FAH Liquidating Trust, filed the Complaint in which it seeks to avoid, recover, and have turned over alleged constructively fraudulent transfers in the total amount of $32,579,798.87 (the “Transfers”) under Bankruptcy Code Sections 542, 644, 548, and 550. The Trustee also seeks recovery under common law principles of unjust enrichment. The defendant, Bayerische Moteren Werke Ak-tiengesellschaft (“BMW”), moved to dismiss the Complaint for failure to state a claim upon which relief can be granted under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(b)(6) (“Rule 12(b)(6)”), made applicable by Federal Rule of Bankruptcy Procedure 7012(b). For the reasons the Court explains in this Memorandum Opinion, the Court will grant the Motion to Dismiss in part and deny it in part.

JURISDICTION

The Court has jurisdiction over this proceeding pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1334. The proceeding is core under 28 U.S.C. § 157. Venue in this District of Delaware is proper pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1409.

FACTS1

Over three years ago, on November 22, 2013, the Debtors2 filed a petition for relief under chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy [121]*121Code (the “Petition Date”). The Debtors were founded in 2007 to design, assemble, and manufacture premium plug-in hybrid electric vehicles in the United States. Declaration of Marc Beilinson, D.I. 3 (“Beilin-son Decl.”) ¶ 5. By October 2011, the Debtors began delivering for sale to the public the centerpiece of their operations: the Karma sedan. Beilinson Decl. ¶¶ 13, 17. Around that same time, the Debtors were developing a second platform, the “N” or “Nina Platform,” to launch their second vehicle, the Atlantic sedan. Id. ¶ 18. To develop the Nina Platform, the Debtors entered into supply and service agreements with third-party vendors and suppliers, including BMW. Id. ¶ 18. The Debtors faced many difficulties that prevented them from operating as planned and caused them to seek bankruptcy relief, including safety recalls related to battery packs supplied by a third party vendor and the loss of their lending facility provided through the United States Department of Energy (“DOE”). Id. ¶¶ 5-12. The Debtors sold their assets with the Court’s approval and on July 28, 2014, the Court entered an order confirming the Debtors’ Plan. Through the Plan, the Debtors appointed the Trustee as their successor-in-interest and assigned to the Trustee all of their possible causes of action, including those against BMW.3

At issue are payments made pursuant to two agreements between Debtors and BMW (the “Parties”). In April 2011, the Parties entered into the Preliminary Development Agreement (the “Development Agreement”) “for the installation of BMW N26B20 engines with parts and components into a Fisker Nina vehicle ... for the purpose of securing the project’s milestones with the view of the conclusion of a final Purchase, Supply and Development Agreement.” Declaration of Samuel R. Howley, D.I. 16 (“Howley Decl.”) Ex. A ¶ 1. Three months later, on July 8, 2011 the Parties entered into the Purchase, Supply and Development Agreement (N20 4-Cylinder Gasoline Engines, Parts and Components) (as subsequently amended, the “Supply Agreement,” and together with the Development Agreement, the “Agreements”) for “the supply of BMW N20B20 engines [ ], other standard BMW Powertrain and chassis parts and components ... for use in the Nina.” Compl. ¶ 14; Howley Decl. Ex. B ¶ 1.1. In accordance with the sale of the Debtors’ assets in the bankruptcy case, in May 2014, the Debtors rejected the Supply Agreement.4

The Agreements recognize that BMW is a corporation organized under the laws of the Federal Republic of Germany with its principal place of business at Petuelring 130, 80809 Munich, Germany. Compl. ¶ 13. Further, in the Agreements, the Parties included provisions specifying that they are governed by German law and that Munich should be the exclusive place of jurisdiction. Howley Decl. Ex. A ¶ 8.7, Ex. B ¶ 22.2.

Pursuant to the Development Agreement, the Parties agreed that Debtors would pay BMW for its services in three tranches: (1) €150,000.00 at signing, (2) [122]*122€250,000.00 “after successful engine start-up in vehicle and test bench,” and (3) €300,000.00 on September 30, 2011. Id. Ex. A ¶ 6.2. Among other services required under the Development Agreement, BMW was to develop and deliver six prototype N26B20 engines and related parts. Id. Ex. A, Annex 3.

Pursuant to the Supply Agreement, Debtors would pay three, upfront, yearly installments of €22 million for a total of €66 million to BMW for expanding its production capacity as needed to manufacture 515,000 engines. Id. Ex. B, App. 5 ¶ 5.2.1. The upfront payments were to cover BMW’s “structural invest[ment], machining, tooling, [and] development costs” and were to be paid to BMW “regardless of the actual volumes attained.” Id. Ex. B, App. 5 ¶ 5.2.1. Also pursuant to the Supply Agreement, BMW “submitted to the direct oversight of, and agreed to make certain periodic reports to, the United States Department of Energy.” Compl. ¶ 4.

In 2012, the Parties amended the Supply Agreement and modified the upfront payment schedule to reflect Debtors reduced forecast for production needs. Howley Deck Ex. C, App. 5 ¶ 5.2.1. The new schedule identified Debtors’ first €22 million payment made in 2011, relieved Debtors of their payment in 2012, and obligated Debtors to make payments of €7.5 million in 2013, €6.25 million in 2014, €5.0 million in 2015, and €1.25 million in 2016. Id.

According to the Agreements, Debtors made the following wire transfers in the total amount of $32,579,798.87 (collectively, the “Transfers”)5:

• On or about June 30, 2011, a payment in the amount of $215,817.00;
• On or about July 29, 2011, a payment in the amount of $31,570,220.00;
• On or about December 20, 2011, a payment in the amount of $351,787.50;
• On or about April 4, 2012, a payment in the amount of $400,581.00; and
• On or about April 9, 2012, a payment in the amount of $41,393.37.

Compl. ¶ 15. BMW acknowledges that Debtors made all three tranche payments ■required under the Development Agreement on June 30, 2011, December 20, 2011, and April 4, 2011. Motion to Dismiss, at 7. BMW also identifies the July 29, 2011 payment as the 2011 upfront payment of €22 million required under the Supply Agreement.

The Trustee alleges that BMW did not manufacture or deliver to Debtors any engines pursuant to the Agreements or otherwise give any value to Debtors in exchange for the Transfers. Compl. ¶ 16.

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

Related

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
572 B.R. 117, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/emerald-capital-advisors-corp-v-aktiengesellschaft-in-re-fah-liquidating-deb-2017.