In re Petroforte Brasileiro de Petroleo Ltda.

542 B.R. 899, 25 Fla. L. Weekly Fed. B 375, 2015 WL 9435197, 2015 Bankr. LEXIS 4309
United States Bankruptcy Court, S.D. Florida.·Decided December 22, 2015·No. CASE NO. 14-15408-RAM·Published·Cited by 6 cases

Opinion

ORDER DENYING MOTION TO DISMISS CASE AND GRANTING IN PART MOTIONS FOR PROTECTIVE ORDER

Robert A. Mark, Judge United States Bankruptcy Court

Introduction and Summary of Ruling

Dr. Afonso Henrique Alves Braga, as Trustee of Petroforte Brasileiro de Petró-leo Ltda. (the “Trustee”), filed this chapter 15 .bankruptcy case for the purpose of investigating “suspected misappropriated assets of Petroforte” in this district. DE #2 ¶ 17. On March 27, 2014 the Court entered its Order Granting Recognition of Foreign Main Proceeding Pursuant to § 1515 and 1517 of the Bankruptcy Code and Granting Related Relief [DE # 7] (the “Recognition Order). As provided in § 1521 (a)(4), the Recognition Order authorized the Trustee “to examine witnesses, take evidence or seek the delivery of information concerning the assets, affairs, rights and obligations of Petroforte and the Related Entities.” The “Related Entities” are the entities and individuals to which the Brazilian Bankruptcy Court extended the effects of the bankruptcy. A list of the “Related Entities,” which includes some of the discovery targets referred to later in this Order, is attached as Exhibit A to the Recognition Order (the “Related Entities”). Because the Petro-forte bankruptcy estate (the “Petroforte Estate”) includes the Related Entities, these entities may also be referred to in this Order as “Debtors.”

Shortly after entry of the Recognition Order, in a motion that remains under seal, the Trustee sought and obtained authority from this Court to issue subpoenas with gag provisions preventing subpoena recipients from communicating with other parties about the subpoenas. This relief was granted in the Court’s June 11, 2014 Order Granting Motion of Trustee for Order Permitting Issuance of Subpoenas and Filings Under Seal (the “Seal and Gag Order”) [DE # 16], Subsequently, the Trustee’s discovery strategy was successfully challenged by the law firm of Carlton Fields Jorden Burt, P.A. (“Carlton Fields”) who learned about the Seal and Gag Order because they represent two of the subpoena recipients, Geofinance Limit: ed (“Geofinance”) and 1st BridgeHouse Asset Management, LLC (“Bridge-House”). Carlton Field’s efforts culminated in this Court’s April 20, 2015 Order Granting In Part Motion for Relief from Seal and Gag Order [DE # 56] (the “Order Unsealing”).

Prior to the entry of the Order Unsealing, the Court excused Geofinanee and BridgeHouse from responding to the subpoenas issued to them pending further Order [DE # 23]. Also prior to entry of the Order Unsealing, the Court entered an Order Granting in Part Motion to Extend Discovery Stay [DE #31]. That Order set up a procedure which - allowed the Trustee to receive and maintain documents produced by the subpoenaed parties, other than Geofinance and BridgeHouse, but did not allow the Trustee to review the documents pending further Order.

The Order Unsealing lifted the seal on most of the docket entries in this case, and lifted the gag on subpoena recipients thereby allowing them to communicate with subpoena targets about the subpoenas. Further it provided that documents produced to the Trustee pursuant to the [903]*903gag subpoenas, but not yet reviewed by the Trustee, would be provided to Carlton Fields to give them an opportunity to seek protective orders on behalf of their clients, the subpoena targets.

Two of the Debtors that were brought into the Petroforte bankruptcy case as Related Entities, Katia Rabello (“Rabello”) and Securinvest Holdings, S.A. (“Securin-vest”) are targets of the discovery requested in the subpoenas. In addition, several third party non-Debtor entities that are affiliates of Rabello, Securinvest, or other Debtor entities are discovery targets. Now that the gag provisions have been lifted, Rabello, Securinvest, and several of the non-Debtor targets have sought protection from, and seek to quash, several of the subpoenas. As described more fully below, they argue that the subpoenas seek broad financial information about the non-Debtor targets that exceed the limits of discovery under 11 U.S.C. § 1521 (a)(4) and Fed. R. Bankr. P.2004 (“Rule 2004”).

On August 16, 2015, Rabello and Secu-rinvest also filed a Motion to Dismiss Chapter 15 Proceeding or, in the Alternative, to Terminate Relief [DE # 66] (the “Motion to Dismiss”). As an alternative to dismissal, under § 1522, the Movants seek to terminate the relief granted to the Trustee under the Recognition Order authorizing the Trustee to conduct discovery. The Movants argue that the recognition of the Brazilian orders that brought Rabello and Securinvest and all of their assets into the Petroforte case would be “manifestly contrary” to the public policy of the United States” because this relief violates fundamental due process rights under the United States Constitution and is relief that the Trustee could not have obtained under the Bankruptcy Code.

The Motion to Dismiss will be denied. Although Rabello and Securinvest were brought into the Petroforte case under procedures different from those available under the Bankruptcy Code, these differences do not render the Brazilian orders manifestly contrary to United States (“U.S.”) public policy or justify terminating the Trustee’s right to conduct discovery under the standards in 11 U.S.C. § 1522.

The discovery motions will be granted in part. Under § 1521 (a)(4) and Rule 2004, the Trustee will not be permitted to obtain and review documents relating to third party non-Debtors that do not relate to transactions with Debtor entities with one important exception. For those targets in which a majority of the stock is owned by a Debtor entity, broad financial discovery will be permitted. The ownership interests of any of the Debtors in non-Debtor targets are assets of the Petroforte estate. If a Debtor owns a majority interest in Third Party Target, the Trustee is entitled to all financial information of any such Third Party Target in order to value this ownership interest.

The Pending Motions

Pursuant to the Order Unsealing, Carlton Fields filed a Motion to Quash, or in the- Alternative, for Protective Order, in Connection with Subpoenas Duces Tecum for Rule 2004 Examination Directed to Citigroup, Inc., Safra National Bank of N.Y. and Espirito Santo Bank (the “First Discovery Motion”) [DE# 62] and a Motion to Quash, or in the Alternative, for Protective Order, in Connection with Subpoenas Duces Tecum for Rule 2004 Examination Directed to UBS Bank USA, Bitran and Associates, P.A., and Standard Chartered Bank (the “Second Discovery Motion”) [DE# 65]. The First Discovery Motion and Second Discovery Motion will be referred to collectively as the “Discovery Motions.” As noted earlier, Rabello and Securinvest have also filed a Motion to Dismiss [DE# 66].

[904]*904The Discovery Motions seek to quash or limit subpoenas (the “Subpoenas”) served on several entities (the “Subpoenaed Parties”). The Subpoenas seek a broad range of documents relating to certain Debtor entities and certain third-party nonDebtor entities.

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In re Petroforte Brasileiro de Petroleo Ltda., 542 B.R. 899, 25 Fla. L. Weekly Fed. B 375, 2015 WL 9435197, 2015 Bankr. LEXIS 4309 (Fla. 2015).

542 B.R. 899 (In re Petroforte Brasileiro de Petroleo Ltda.) — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.

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