First American Bankcard, Inc. v. Smart Business Technology, Inc.

178 F. Supp. 3d 390, 2016 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 48934, 2016 WL 1437165
CourtDistrict Court, E.D. Louisiana
DecidedApril 12, 2016
DocketCIVIL ACTION NO. 15-638
StatusPublished
Cited by24 cases

This text of 178 F. Supp. 3d 390 (First American Bankcard, Inc. v. Smart Business Technology, Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, E.D. Louisiana primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
First American Bankcard, Inc. v. Smart Business Technology, Inc., 178 F. Supp. 3d 390, 2016 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 48934, 2016 WL 1437165 (E.D. La. 2016).

Opinion

ORDER AND REASONS

SECTION “N”(2) Flag Section “C”

KURT D. ENGELHARDT, UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE

Before the Court is Smart Business Technology, Inc. (“SBT”), Serafín Fuente (“Fuente”) and Carlos Romero’s (“Romero”) (SBT, Fuente and Romero are collectively referred to as “Defendants”) Motion to Dismiss, brought pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(b)(6). Rec. Doc. 41. Plaintiff First American Bankcard, Inc. (“Plaintiff’ or “FABI”) opposes the motion. Rec. Doc. 48. The Court granted Defendants’ leave to reply to Plaintiffs opposition. Rec. Doc. 60. Upon review of the record, the arguments of the parties, and applicable law, the Court GRANTS IN PART and DENIES IN PART, with an prder for Plaintiff to file an amended and superseding complaint as set forth below.

I. BACKGROUND

This case centers on a failed business relationship between Plaintiff FABI and Defendant SBT. Rec. Doc. 31 (First-Amended Complaint). Defendants Fuente and Romero are officers of SBT: Id. FABI provides cash access services to casinos across the country. Id. at 3. FABI alleges that, beginning in 2009, FABI and SBT executed a number of agreements to expand and upgrade FABI’s cash access services, such as automatic teller machines (ATMs), and its two flagship products known as FABICash and FABITrack. Id. at 3-4. FABICash allows casinos to process cash advance and check cashing transactions and electronically captures signatures allowing casino operators to document and verify credit arid debit transactions. Id. at 3. FABITrack is designed to allow casino operators to fulfill their reporting obligations to the Internal Revenue Service under The Bank Secrecy Act, 31 U.S.C. § 310. Id.

According to FABI’s amended complaint, SBT’s, President, Fuente, traveled to Louisiana in 2009 in order to meet with FABI’s president and discuss the' services SBT could offer FABI. Id. at 4. Starting in June 2009, several agreements outlining projects to be completed by SBT in exchange for professional service fees from FABI were entered into by the two companies. Id.

The business relationship grew through 2012, culminating in a formal agreement meant to “confirm, clarify and expand upon” FABI and SBT’s past agreements. Id. However, FABI alleges SBT never provided the products and services contemplated, or those that were provided were of “inferior quality and reliability.” Id. at 5. Further, FABI contends there were significant delays in the development of the products FABI had hoped to expand and upgrade due to “SBT’s lack of care, [397]*397effort, and skill and lack of knowledge about the gaming industry.” Id. Specifically, FABI argues several system failures, which occurred over the years from 2010-2014, led to its customers threatening to terminate them contracts with FABI. Id. at 6. These failures, FABI contends, were caused by a lack of system-wide redundancy, which FABI accuses Defendants Fuente and Romero of intentionally concealing from FABI. Id. FABI alleges that due to the persistence of SBT’s deficient performance, FABI elected to terminate its relationship with SBT. Id.

FABI contends that on or around March 2014, SBT was acquired by Powa Technologies, Inc. (“Powa”). Id. FABI alleges that Powa began directing the affairs of SBT and became a “direct participant in the acts and omissions” giving rise to FABI’s lawsuit. Particularly, FABI cites to various communications that were conducted with FABI by Powa’s former Vice President of Legal, Valerie Chianuri, on behalf of Powa and SBT. Id.

On March 2, 2015, FABI filed a diversity jurisdiction action against SBT, Fuente and Romero (two of SBT’s officers), and POWA Technologies Limited, alleging a variety of Louisiana state law claims sounding in breach of contract, tortious interference, fraud, and conversion. See Rec. Doc. 1. On August 31, 2015, the Court granted plaintiffs motion to amend the complaint — filed in response to a motion to dismiss by POWA Technologies Limited— which substituted in Powa, the actual purchaser and owner of SBT. See Rec. Doc. 31.

On October 5, 2015, SBT and its officers filed the instant motion to dismiss for failure to state a claim under Fed. R. Civ. Pro. 12(b)(6). Rec. Doc. 41. Plaintiff has responded in opposition. Rec. Doc. 48. Defendants were granted leave to file a reply to Plaintiffs response. Rec. Doc. 60. On October 14, 2015, Powa filed its own motion to dismiss alleging lack of personal jurisdiction, which was granted on March 31, 2016. Rec. Doc. 66.

In their motion, SBT and its officers seek to have five claims dismissed, in whole or part, under Fed. R. Civ. Pro. 12(b)(6), specifically: (1) the Louisiana Uniform Trade Secrets Act (“LUTSA”) claim against SBT, Fuente and Romero; (2) the fraudulent concealment claim against SBT, Fuente and Romero; (3) the redhibition claim against SBT; (4) the Louisiana Unfair Trade Practices Act (“LUTPA”) against SBT; and (5) thé conversion claim against Fuente and Romero. Rec. Doc. 41.

II. ARGUMENTS OF THE PARTIES

A. Louisiana Uniform Trade Secrets Act (LUTSA) Claim

Defendants argue that the complaint fails to allege they acquired trade secrets by improper means, and fails to allege that they disclosed and/or used trade secrets. Without these allegations, Defendants contend the claim should be dismissed under Fed. R. Civ. Proc. 12(b)(6). See Rec. Doc. 41-3 at 2-6, and Rec. Doc. 60 at 1-2. Plaintiff argues that Defendants improperly withheld the program, software and data (the “work products”) and that in itself is a violation of LUTSA. Further, Plaintiff alleges it is not necessary to allege both improper acquisition and disclosure, and that only one is enough. See Rec. Doc. 48 at 4-6.

B. Fraudulent Concealment Claim

Defendants argue that under Louisiana law, there is no cause of action for fraudulent concealment, or in the alternative that Plaintiff failed to allege a fraud claim with particularity regarding any duty to speak or disclose and/or any fiduciary duty owed by Defendants to Plaintiff. See Rec. Doc. 41-3 at 6-9. Plaintiff contends that it has [398]*398already pled its fraudulent concealment claim with particularity, specifically, the exact info withheld (only one dedicated server was utilized to host the work products), dates of omissions (from 2009 until 2014), duty to speak due to a relationship of trust between Defendants and Plaintiff (Defendants held themselves out as experts and FABI would not have access to the same information the defendants did). See Rec. Doc. 48 at 6-9. In response, Defendants argue Plaintiff has not alleged that SBT, Fuente or Romero ever made a claim that multiple servers, would be used for Plaintiffs products, nor how Defendants concealed this information after making such an alleged assertion. See Rec. Doc. 60 at 2-4.

C.Redhibition Claim

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178 F. Supp. 3d 390, 2016 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 48934, 2016 WL 1437165, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/first-american-bankcard-inc-v-smart-business-technology-inc-laed-2016.