Federal Insurance v. Woods (In re Woods)

558 B.R. 164, 2016 Bankr. LEXIS 3388
CourtUnited States Bankruptcy Court, W.D. Kentucky
DecidedSeptember 16, 2016
DocketCASE NO. 15-32123; ADV. PRO. NO. 15-03059
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 558 B.R. 164 (Federal Insurance v. Woods (In re Woods)) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Bankruptcy Court, W.D. Kentucky primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Federal Insurance v. Woods (In re Woods), 558 B.R. 164, 2016 Bankr. LEXIS 3388 (Ky. 2016).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OPINION

Alan C. Stout, United States Bankruptcy Judge

THIS MATTER comes before the Court on Plaintiffs’ Motion for Summary Judgment, Plaintiffs Federal Insurance Company, as subrogee of Sam Swope Auto Group, LLC, and Swope Auto Company, LLC, d/b/a Toyota of Louisville (“Federal”), Sam Swope Auto Group, LLC, (“Sam Swope Auto”), and Swope Auto Company, LLC, d/b/a Toyota of Louisville (“Toyota of Louisville”) (collectively “Plaintiffs”), filed this Motion for Summary Judgment seeking a judgement of $1,156,000.00 against Defendant Gregory Leon Woods (“Defendant”) for fraud and embezzlement, and seeking an order that said judgement is non-dischargeable in bankruptcy. Plaintiffs assert there is no genuine issue of material fact and that they are entitled to judgment as a matter of law. In his Answer, Defendant admits the allegations of fraud and embezzlement and the damages amount, but he raises a. statute of limitations defense. As wili be discussed below, the Court grants the majority of Plaintiffs’ Motion for Summary Judgment, but denies with respect to damages amount.

The Court has jurisdiction over this matter pursuant to 28 U.S.C. §§ 1334(a) and (b), 28 U.S.C. § 157(a) and (b)(1), and 28 U.S.C. § 151. This is a core proceeding in conformity with 28 U.S.C. § 157(b)(2)(I).

Facts

The following facts are undisputed.

Sam Swope is an automotive dealership with several showrooms throughout Kentucky, including Toyota of Louisville. At the relevant time, Defendant was employed by Toyota of Louisville as its Used Car Manager, where, among other things, he had the authority to approve disbursements of funds from Toyota of Louisville’s bank accounts for the sole benefit of Toyota of Louisville. From January 2003 through June 2010, Defendant engaged in a scheme to defraud Toyota of Louisville by obtaining and forging company checks made out to himself, which he cashed for his personal use. Defendant admits he converted $1,181,000.00 in funds belonging to Toyota of Louisville during that time.

On June 3, 2011, Defendant entered a plea of guilty to 12 counts of Theft by Unlawful Taking over $10,000; 78 counts of Theft by Unlawful Taking over $300; and 93 counts of Forgery. Defendant was sentenced to eight years in prison and ordered to pay Toyota of Louisville $25,000.00 in restitution, plus seven percent interest and court fees. The restitution amount represents the deductible Sam Swope Auto paid its insurance company, Federal Insurance, after Sam Swope, acting as Toyota of Louisville’s authorized agent, submitted a claim to Federal for losses resulting from Defendant’s fraudulent acts. Defendant has paid the ordered restitution, bringing Plaintiffs’ total remaining loss to $1,156,000.00. In exchange [167]*167for payment of the $25,000.00 deductible, Sam Swope executed a Final Release and Assignment to Federal, which seeks damages in the remaining amount of $1,156,000.00.

On June 19, 2015, Plaintiffs filed a Complaint in Jefferson Circuit Court in the Commonwealth of Kentucky, pleading counts of Fraud, Conversion, Common Law Indemnity, and Punitive Damages (the “Circuit Court action”). Soon after, on June 30, 2015, Defendant filed his voluntary petition for Chapter 7 bankruptcy protection, which stayed the Circuit Court action. In his Amendment to Schedule F, filed August 18, 2015, Debtor lists the Circuit Court action as a claim for $1,156,000.00. On September 19, 2015, Plaintiffs filed their Complaint to Determine Dischargeability of Debt'(the “Complaint”), requesting a judgment for damages in the amount of $1,156,000.00, and an order that said judgment is not discharge-able through bankruptcy.

In support of its Complaint, Plaintiffs assert that although Defendant’s scheme began in 2003, it was not until June 21, 2010, that Arlene Beswick (“Bewsick”), Office Manager for Toyota of Louisville, noticed Defendant was engaged in fraudulent activity. Plaintiffs attach two sworn affidavits to its Motion for Summary Judgment, each asserting a discovery date of June 21, 2010. The first affidavit is signed by Arlene Beswick, who affirms that on June 21, 2010, she noticed Defendant Woods had written and received five checks within the month of June. Affidavit of Arlene Beswick ¶ 4-6. She also affirms that on either June 22 or 23, she received a call from a man named Paul Fetter (“Fetter”). Id. at ¶7. Fetter advised Beswick that Defendant had asked him to lie about the purpose of the checks. Id.

The second affidavit is signed by Dennis Fante (“Fante”), General Manager of Toyota of Louisville, who affirms that on June 21, 2010, Beswick notified him that Defendant had received five checks in the month of June, 2010. Affidavit of Dennis Fante ¶4-5. After speaking to Beswick, Fante approached Defendant and asked about the checks. Defendant replied that he used the checks to sell vehicles at auction. Id. at ¶ 5. This explanation did not sit well with Fante, so he also contacted Fetter via telephone. Id. Fetter told Fante that Defendant had called him on June 22, 2010, admitted to stealing the checks, and asked him to lie about the purpose of the checks. Id. at ¶ 10. On June 23, 2010, Fante contacted the Louisville Police department to report Defendant. Id. at ¶ 11. And on June 24, 2010, Fante again met with the Defendant, who admitted to stealing money from Toyota of Louisville since 2005 because “he had a gambling problem,” Id, at. ¶ 12. Nowhere within the Complaint or affidavits is the identity of Fetter explained. Nor is his relationship to the Defendant or the check scheme clarified, except to say that on June 22, 2010, one day after Ms. Breswick discovered Defendant had received five checks, Fante found a card with the name and number for “Paul Fetter” on his desk.

'Because Plaintiffs assert, and the affidavits support, that the activity was discovered on June 21, 2010, Plaintiffs argue that by filing the Circuit Court action on June 19, 2015, the action for damages was commenced within Kentucky’s five-year statute of limitations period for fraudulent acts. In his Answer, Defendant admits the majority of Plaintiffs’ allegations as they relate to the fraudulent conduct and amount of damages. However, Defendant disputes the date Defendant’s fraudulent conduct was discovered!, and asserts that Plaintiffs’ Complaint is barred by the Kentucky statute of limitations.

Legal Analysis

A motion for summary judgment shall be granted when a court determines “there [168]*168is no genuine dispute as to any material fact and the moving party is entitled to a judgment as a matter of law.” Fed. R.Civ.P. 56(a). “[A] court views the evidence in a light most favorable to the non-movant.” Anderson v. Liberty Lobby, Inc., 477 U.S. 242, 255, 106 S.Ct. 2505, 91 L.Ed.2d 202 (1986) (citing Adickes v. S.H. Kress & Co., 398 U.S. 144, 158-59, 90 S.Ct. 1598, 26 L.Ed.2d 142 (1970)).

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
558 B.R. 164, 2016 Bankr. LEXIS 3388, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/federal-insurance-v-woods-in-re-woods-kywb-2016.