Harris v. National Investment & Finance Co. (In Re Akin)

64 B.R. 510, 1986 Bankr. LEXIS 5527
CourtUnited States Bankruptcy Court, W.D. Kentucky
DecidedAugust 12, 1986
Docket19-10200
StatusPublished
Cited by11 cases

This text of 64 B.R. 510 (Harris v. National Investment & Finance Co. (In Re Akin)) 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
Harris v. National Investment & Finance Co. (In Re Akin), 64 B.R. 510, 1986 Bankr. LEXIS 5527 (Ky. 1986).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM-OPINION

G. WILLIAM BROWN, Bankruptcy Judge.

This Complaint tests the strong arm powers of the Trustee under 11 U.S.C. 544(b). At issue is whether the threshold test set forth in Section 544(b) has been met and if so, whether the actions and conduct of the defendants are voidable under Kentucky Statutes K.R.S. 378.010 and 378.020.

Section 544(b) provides as follows:

Section 544. Trustee as lien creditor and as successor to certain creditors and purchasers ...
(b) The trustee may avoid any transfer of an interest of the debtor in property or any obligation incurred by the debt- or that is voidable under applicable law by a creditor holding an unsecured claim that is allowable under section 502 of this title or that is not allowable only under section 502(e) of this title.

Kentucky Revised Statutes 378.010 and 378.020 provides:

K.R.S. 378.010-
Every gift, conveyance, assignment or transfer of or charge upon, any estate, real or personal, or right or thing in action, or any rent or profit thereof, made with the intent to delay, hinder or defraud creditors, purchasers or other persons, and every bond or other evidence of debt given, action commenced or judgment suffered, with like intent, shall be void as against such creditors, purchasers or other persons. This section shall not affect the title of a purchaser for a valuable consideration, unless it appears that he had notice of the fraudulent intent of his immediate grantor or of the fraud rendering void the title of such grant- or.
K.R.S. 378.020—
Every gift, conveyance, assignment, transfer or charge made by a debtor, of or upon any of his estate without valuable consideration therefor, shall be void as to all his then existing creditors, but shall not, on that account alone, be void as to creditors whose claims are thereafter contracted, nor as to purchasers from the debtor with notice of the voluntary alienation or charge.

The scenario which forms the factual background for the trustee’s Complaint will be briefly summarized. In July, 1973, the debtor/defendant, Akin, terminated a variety of joint business pursuits with defendant, Roberts, which resulted in Akin being sole owner of a number of real estate parcels, a nursing home known as West Kentucky Manor, and all stock ownership in a Kentucky corporation known as National Investment Company (National). In return, Roberts was granted a note and mortgage lien on the nursing home realty in the amount of $100,000.00 plus a note in the amount of $25,000.00 covering the sale of National stock to Akin. This last note was allegedly secured by a pledge of the National stock. Roberts had served for a number of years as attorney and advisor to Akin, and from 1973 through 1978 while Akin exercised complete ownership over these acquired assets, Roberts continued to provide services as Akin’s advisor and attorney.

In the Fall of 1978, following a brief but ill-fated grocery venture, Akin negotiated the sale of West Kentucky Manor for the sum of $800,000.00, represented by a note and mortgage on the property in that amount, to a third party who formed a Kentucky corporation known as West Kentucky Manor, Inc. (WKM). This mortgage was a third lien on the property subject to the first mortgage of Liberty Savings Bank and the previously noted second mortgage of Roberts. These prior encumbrances in 1978 totaled $202,000.00 and $151,000.00, respectively. Usual provisions to service the three mortgages were included in the *512 monthly amortization payments. Akin, as the seller of this nursing home and as sole stockholder of National, directed that National be reflected as payee of the note proceeds and holder of the mortgage lien. This transaction was finalized with the deed and mortgage properly recorded in January, 1979.

Akin also entered into a personal service contract with WKM for an undetermined period at the rate of $100.00 per week plus the use of an automobile, and hospitalization insurance coverage. These payments were in fact made to National during 1979, and from January, 1980 reflected National rather than Akin as the contract party of $150.00 per week.

In the Fall of 1978, Akin, by Agreed Order, settled a support and maintenance claim of his former spouse. While all payments due thereunder were current as of January, 1979, as security for future performance of this obligation, Akin executed a mortgage on certain realty (the IGA property) with his former spouse as mortgagee, in the amount of $198,000.00, of which $158,000.00 represented the remaining future sums due after credit for payments made as of January 1, 1979.

On or about January 1, 1979, Akin began a systematic and exhaustive transfer of his assets from his personal ownership to National, including the following real parcels: Arlington Post Office site, Akin’s personal residence, Martin Bank realty (warehouse and six acres), and the IGA and office building site. The sole consideration received by Akin personally for these transfers (including the WKM note) was the assumption by National of the existing encumbrances thereon. AH of these deeds and documents evidencing transfer were prepared by Roberts as attorney.

In June, 1979, Roberts demanded payment from Akin of the 1973 note for $25,-000.00 plus accrued interest, a total then owing of approximately $40,000.00. On July 2, 1979, Akin transferred to Roberts all stock ownership in National in complete satisfaction of this obligation. On October 20, 1979, Akin deeded to National realty known as the Shatz Airport tract; in November, 1979, nine realty tracts; and finally in January, 1980, the last two real parcels personally owned by Akin were likewise deeded to National. The only consideration received by Akin was the assumption of existing encumbrances by National, plus cancellation of a $50,000.00 note dated July 20, 1979, allegedly due National from Akin.

Following the stock transfer on July 2, 1979, from Akin to Roberts, Akin continued to serve as President of National until discharged by Roberts in 1982. During this period, Akin enjoyed total discretion to withdraw National funds for his personal usage, which draws were reduced to note obligations on a yearly basis.

In July, 1981, subsequent to the disposal of his assets, Akin personally guaranteed a National note obligation on Parkway Man- or Nursing Home. From September, 1981 through March, 1982, Akin personally borrowed from Old & 3rd Bank, a cumulative sum of $360,000.00 and deposited or authorized the deposit of said funds into the Keith Akin Realty Company bank account. Approximately $300,000.00 of said funds were then withdrawn by Akin or National employees and deposited into the account of National. Said funds were substantially used by National to service a loan application from WKM for expansion purposes. WKM then executed a new note and mortgage to National for $1,400,000.00, which amount reflected the original $800,000.00 plus the new advances for expansion purposes. No consideration was received by Akin for these monetary “gifts” to National and derived from the Old & 3rd Bank personal loans.

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Bluebook (online)
64 B.R. 510, 1986 Bankr. LEXIS 5527, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/harris-v-national-investment-finance-co-in-re-akin-kywb-1986.