In re MF Global Inc.

478 B.R. 611, 68 Collier Bankr. Cas. 2d 898, 2012 WL 4490565, 2012 Bankr. LEXIS 4594, 57 Bankr. Ct. Dec. (CRR) 12
United States Bankruptcy Court, S.D. New York·Decided October 2, 2012·No. No. 11-2790 (MG) SIPA·Published·Cited by 1 cases

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OPINION GRANTING SIPA TRUSTEE’S MOTION TO APPROVE CONTINUING COOPERATION AND ASSIGNMENT AGREEMENT FOR CLAIMS AGAINST PRICEWATERHOUSECOOPERS LLP

MARTIN GLENN, Bankruptcy Judge.

On September 5, 2012, the Court heard argument on the motion of the trustee of the SIPA liquidation (“SIPA Trustee”) of MF Global Inc. (“MFGI”) for approval of a Continuing Cooperation and Assignment Agreement (“Agreement”) between the SIPA Trustee and Kay P. Tee, LLC, Paradigm Global Fund I and certain additional parties, including such Class Representatives as are appointed or as will be appointed by the District Court (the “Customer Representatives”). (“Motion,” ECF Doc. # 2906.) The Customer Representatives, who were commodity customers of MFGI prior to its collapse in October 2011, have filed class actions seeking to recover damages against former officers and directors of MFGI and MF Global Holdings Ltd. (“MFGH”), pending in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York (“District Court Actions”). The Agreement will permit the Customer Representatives to pursue in the District Court Actions the assigned claims belonging to the SIPA Trustee as well as all class action claims belonging to MFGI customers. Objections to the Motion were filed by the Ad Hoc Group of Lenders [613]*613(ECF Doc. # 3078), by certain former directors and officers of MF Global (ECF Doc. # 3079), and by the Chapter 11 Trustee of MFGH (“Chapter 11 Trustee Objection,” ECF Doc. #3082). The Statutory Creditors’ Committee of MFGH filed a joinder in support of the Chapter 11 Trustee Objection (ECF Doc. # 3083). A “limited objection” to the Motion was also filed by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (“PwC”) (“PwC Limited Objection,” ECF Doc. # 3084).

During the September 5, 2012 hearing, the parties to the Agreement agreed to make further changes to the Agreement to address arguments raised in the objections or in questions raised by the Court during the hearing. Other than with respect to the objection to the assignment of claims against PwC, as to which the Court requested supplemental briefing and took the PwC Limited Objection under advisement, the Court ruled from the bench, overruling all other objections and approving the Agreement subject to review of the final language changes in the Agreement. See Transcript, Sept. 5, 2012, at 89-92 (ECF Doc. # 3266). The Court concluded under section 363(b)(1) of the Bankruptcy Code that the assignment of claims to the Customer Representatives reflects an appropriate exercise of business judgment by the SIPA Trustee. Id. at 90.

Following the hearing, the SIPA Trustee and PwC submitted supplemental briefs. (“PwC Supplemental Memorandum,” ECF Doc. # 3282; “Trustee’s Post-Hearing Supplemental Memorandum,” ECF Doc. # 3283; “PwC’s Further Supplemental Memorandum,” ECF Doc. #3348.).

For the reasons explained below, the Court now overrules the PwC objection and grants the SIPA Trustee’s Motion to approve the assignment of the claims against PwC to the Customer Representatives on the same terms applicable to the assignment of claims approved at the September 5, 2012 hearing.

I. BACKGROUND

The background of the collapse of MF Global has been described in many opinions of this Court and has been a staple of news for nearly a year. It is unnecessary to recount that history here. The Court will limit its discussion to the Agreement assigning claims.

Generally, the Agreement assigns to the Customer Representatives the SIPA Trustee’s potentially viable claims against former directors, officers and/or employees of MFGI and MFGH (“D & O Parties”) arising out of MFGI’s presently estimated $1.6 billion shortfall of customer funds that was announced on October 31, 2011. It also assigns potential claims against PwC, MFGI’s former independent auditor, including claims on behalf of commodities customers, securities customers, and the Estate and MFGI in its corporate capacity (collectively, the “Assigned Claims”).

Upon the commencement of the SIPA liquidation, the SIPA Trustee began an investigation of the causes and consequences of the collapse of MFGI. On June 4, 2012, the SIPA Trustee released a report of his investigation (“Investigation Report”). (ECF Doc. # 1865.) The SIPA Trustee concluded that there are “certain colorable claims that could be brought on behalf of MFGI’s customers and the MFGI Estate against the officers and directors of MFGI and Holdings and other former MF Global employees to recover customer property.” Mot. ¶ 12. The SIPA Trustee believes that “he holds colorable claims against certain parties, including but not limited to claims against former directors, officers and/or employees of MFGI and/or its parent corporation....” Id.

In addition to the SIPA case of MFGI and the chapter 11 cases of MFGH and its affiliated debtors pending in this Court, [614]*614numerous civil actions were filed by commodity customers and securities holders in courts around the country. The Customer Representatives commenced putative class actions against the D & 0 Parties (“Class Action Claims”). These actions have been consolidated and are now pending before the Honorable Victor Marrero in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York.

The SIPA Trustee asserts that because the SIPA Trustee and the Customer Representatives “share a common interest to maximize recovery for MFGI customers with respect to the Class Action Claims and the Assigned Claims that the Trustee proposes to assign,” and because the SIPA Trustee desires to provide an efficient mechanism for maximizing customer recoveries and minimizing the need for dupli-cative litigation, the Court should approve the Agreement.

A. The Agreement

The SIPA Trustee asserts that he holds the Assigned Claims on behalf of the MFGI estate in both a corporate capacity and on behalf of MFGI’s customers whose claims he must satisfy as bailee or otherwise. Agreement at 2. The SIPA Trustee further asserts that litigation of the Assigned Claims in connection with the litigation of the Class Action Claims “will most efficiently facilitate the likelihood of recovery for MFGI’s commodity customers as well as for MFGI’s other customers and creditors with the least duplication of efforts and expense while ensuring that the Class Action plaintiffs will have all appropriate standing.” Id.

The Agreement provides that the SIPA Trustee will assign to the Customer Representatives “without any representations or warranties, express or implied, all of the Trustee’s and/or the MFGI estate’s rights, remedies, title and interest in all Assigned Claims.” Id. ¶ 1. In turn, the Customer Representatives agree to evaluate the Assigned Claims and “where appropriate pursue viable claims subject to the terms of [the] Agreement.” Id.

The Agreement further provides that “all recoveries in respect of the Assigned Claims and the Class Action Claims ... will be processed for distribution by the Trustee.” Id. ¶ 2. To the extent that the commodities customers receive a full recovery on their customer claims, “additional recoveries on the Assigned Claims, if any, will be available for allocation by the Trustee to the general estate ... and the securities customer estate depending on the nature of the claim for which recovery is obtained....” Id.

The Agreement also provides for cooperation between the SIPA Trustee and the Customer Representatives.

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

In re MF Global Inc., 478 B.R. 611, 68 Collier Bankr. Cas. 2d 898, 2012 WL 4490565, 2012 Bankr. LEXIS 4594, 57 Bankr. Ct. Dec. (CRR) 12 (N.Y. 2012).

478 B.R. 611 (In re MF Global Inc.) — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.

Related