Federal Deposit Ins. Corp. v. Pappadio

606 F. Supp. 631
CourtDistrict Court, E.D. New York
DecidedApril 17, 1985
DocketCV-83-3478(ERN)
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 606 F. Supp. 631 (Federal Deposit Ins. Corp. v. Pappadio) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District 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
Federal Deposit Ins. Corp. v. Pappadio, 606 F. Supp. 631 (E.D.N.Y. 1985).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM AND ORDER

NEAHER, District Judge.

Plaintiff requests leave of court to interpose an amended complaint, which alleges several fraudulent conveyances made by defendant Michael Pappadio that were dis *632 covered after the inception of this suit. Defendants Michael Pappadio Jr. and Frances Pappadio oppose the motion only in part. First, they contend that the proposed additional causes of action should not relate back to the date of plaintiffs complaint under Fed.R.Civ.P. 15(c), since the claims are wholly unrelated causes of action alleging entirely distinct conduct, transactions or occurrences.

The first new claim (fourth cause of action in the proposed complaint) alleges that on May 20, 1977 defendant Michael Pappadio conveyed a house located in Queens to Nicolo and Carmella Amone who executed and delivered a $50,000 bond and mortgage to Frances, Michael’s wife. In turn, on August 2, 1982 Frances transferred the mortgage to PMMJ Associates, a partnership consisting of Michael’s four children and listing its office at Michael’s residence. The second new claim (fifth cause of action in the proposed complaint) alleges Michael’s assignment to Crosby Realty Corp. of rights to purchase two parcels of realty located in the Bronx. The seller conveyed the properties to Crosby Realty, which in turn, on July 1, 1977 conveyed them to PMMJ Associates. On June 18, 1984 PMMJ sold them to Filippo Cangialosi and Vincent Dilluvio for a $125,000 purchase money mortgage. The third new claim (sixth cause of action in the proposed complaint) recites that Frances used funds obtained from Michael without consideration to purchase realty located in Manhattan, out of which Ideal Trucking Co. had conducted its business. Michael’s conveyance of his interest in the Ideal Trucking Co., a partnership, is the subject of the original complaint. The fifth new claim (seventh cause of action in the proposed complaint) mirrors the fourth. Allegedly, on September 30,1977 Michael sold a house located in Queens to Andrew C. and Margaret C. Bos, who delivered a purchase money bond or note and mortgage to Frances in the sum of $44,900. The sixth new claim (eighth cause of action in the proposed complaint) alleges that on September 6, 1974 Michael sold another house located in Queens to Michael and Lillian Mangialino for a mortgage in the amount of $40,000 and thereafter, assigned this mortgage to Frances on August 31, 1977.

A claim to set aside a fraudulent conveyance is governed by the six year statute of limitations of NYCPLR § 213 subd. 1. See Schwonke v. Banister, 83 A.D.2d 752, 443 N.Y.S.2d 513, 515 (4th Dept.1981) (memorandum) (citing Hearn 45 St. Corp. v. Jano, 283 N.Y. 139, 27 N.E.2d 814 (1940)). This case, which asserted three causes of action concerning alleged fraudulent conveyances related to Michael’s interest in Ideal Trucking Co., a partnership, was commenced with the filing of the complaint on August 5, 1983. The original complaint recites that plaintiff commenced an action in 1976, as successor in interest to the insolvent Franklin National Bank, to recover loans made to Miss Normee Ltd. and Nu-Style Fashions, Inc. Michael had guaranteed these loans. The suit ripened into a judgment of $571,830.01 on November 28, 1979, of which $479,-726.35 plus interest from October 13, 1982 remains unpaid.

In light of the above facts, even if the Court were to rule that the proposed fourth and fifth causes of action relate back to the date of the complaint under Fed.R.Civ.P. 15(c), they would still be time barred as to Michael Pappadio because they would have been commenced on August 5, 1983, more than six years after the respectively pled conveyance dates of May 20, 1977 (fourth cause of action) and May 20,1974 or July 1, 1977 (fifth cause of action) depending on the accrual date. See Domestic & Foreign Discount Corp. v. Beuerlein, 54 N.Y.S.2d 548, 550 (Sup.Ct. Monroe Co.1944) (citing Werbelovsky v. Rosen, 260 A.D. 222, 21 N.Y.S.2d 88, 91 (2d Dept.1940)). Concerning the fourth cause of action, although Frances transferred the mortgage on August 2, 1982 to PMMJ Associates, of which Michael Jr. is alleged to be a partner along with his siblings, the proposed complaint does not allege that Frances is or was a debtor of plaintiff rendered insolvent by this transaction. Similarly, concerning the fifth cause of action, although PMMJ con *633 veyed the property there at issue on June 13, 1984, the proposed complaint does not allege that PMMJ or its constituent partner, Michael Jr., is or was a debtor of plaintiff rendered insolvent by the transfer.

Nevertheless, although the conveyances by Frances and PMMJ may not give rise to causes of action pursuant to N.Y. Debt. & Cred.Law § 273, the proposed complaint’s allegations charge Michael, Frances, and Michael Jr. with a scheme to defraud the FDIC. Specifically, II14, which is part of the original complaint, and which is realleged in support of each of the causes of action, states,

“14. Upon information and belief, the transfer described herein was made with the intent and purpose to hinder, delay and defraud the creditors of the defendant Michael Pappadio and with particular intent to defraud FDIC; that upon information and belief such conveyance was made without fair consideration and was accepted by the transferees with knowledge of the wrongful and fraudulent intent and purpose and with like intent and purpose.”

See Nasaba Corp. v. Harfred Realty Corp., 287 N.Y. 290, 39 N.E.2d 243 (1942); cf. Mariner Harbor Nat. Bank v. Imperial Beverage Corp., 264 A.D. 785, 34 N.Y.S.2d 847, 848 (2d Dept.1942) (memorandum). As pointed out in Erbe v. Lincoln Rochester Trust Co., 3 N.Y.2d 321, 165 N.Y.S.2d 107, 144 N.E.2d 78 (1957), plaintiff’s failure to demand specifically relief in the nature of damages for this fraud is immaterial.

“That the relief requested is not consistent with these allegations is of no moment. A prayer for relief may be resorted to as an aid in determining the nature of a cause of action. However, it is not controlling and may even be disregarded if inappropriate. The complaint being susceptible of such construction it may not be dismissed on motion. As we declared in Nasaba Corp. v. Harfred Realty Corp. (287 N.Y. 290, 296 [39 N.E.2d 243]): ‘At least, where the complaint may be so construed as to state causes of action the prosecution of which is not barred by any statute of limitations, speculation as to what other cause of action may be sufficiently alleged to warrant recovery thereunder which may be barred by some statute of limitations should not be indulged in the absence of facts appearing upon the trial after the defenses upon which defendants rely have been presented by proper pleading and proof (Schenck v. State Line Telephone Co., 238 N.Y. 308 [144 N.E. 592],

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

Related

Wall Street Associates v. Brodsky
257 A.D.2d 526 (Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, 1999)
International Ass'n of Machinists & Aerospace Workers v. Allegis Corp.
144 Misc. 2d 983 (New York Supreme Court, 1989)
RCA Corp. v. Tucker
696 F. Supp. 845 (E.D. New York, 1988)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
606 F. Supp. 631, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/federal-deposit-ins-corp-v-pappadio-nyed-1985.