In re the Liquidation of the New York Agency

223 A.D.2d 184, 645 N.Y.S.2d 779
CourtAppellate Division of the Supreme Court of the State of New York
DecidedJuly 18, 1996
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 223 A.D.2d 184 (In re the Liquidation of the New York Agency) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of the State of New York primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
In re the Liquidation of the New York Agency, 223 A.D.2d 184, 645 N.Y.S.2d 779 (N.Y. Ct. App. 1996).

Opinion

OPINION OF THE COURT

Milonas, J. P.

On July 5, 1991, the Superintendent of Banks of the State of New York seized the New York Agency of the Bank of Credit and Commerce International, S. A. (BCCI), a worldwide venture incorporated in Luxembourg, whose financial stability had been the subject of international headlines during the early part of that year. This action was taken in coordination with liquidators elsewhere around the world with respect to BCCI’s operations. It is undisputed for purposes of this appeal that the Superintendent was justified in taking this action on the grounds that, pursuant to Banking Law § 606 (4), BCCI was in an "unsound or unsafe condition to transact its business.” (Banking Law § 606 [1] [c].)

At issue before us are two separate matters consolidated by the IAS Court solely for purposes of deciding each claimant’s motion for the return of a portion of the funds that were on hand in a BCCI account at Bank America International (BAI) on July 5th in the name of BCCI’s Tokyo branch (among other BCCI accounts at BAI), and the Superintendent’s application to retain such funds for use in the New York liquidation proceeding. All the funds in that account that day are now being held in a segregated account pending resolution of this matter. In the proceedings before the IAS Court, the claim[187]*187ants, CITIC Industrial Bank (CITIC) and Industrial Bank of Japan (IBJ), contended that, unlike those creditors who must await the liquidation process, they were entitled to certain funds out of the seized assets immediately because the funds they claim should not have been among the assets seized. Claimants did not and do not seek to get at the head of the line of BCCI’s many creditors here, as the Superintendent characterizes these actions; their contention is that they do not belong in the line at all.

Specifically, CITIC sought the return of $31,000,000, which it claims was improperly accepted as a deposit (by means of electronic transfer) into BAI’s account hours after the early morning shutdown of BCCI operations on July 5, 1991. IBJ sought the turnover of $32,000,000, title to which, according to IBJ, had already vested in IBJ at the time of the seizure although no physical transfer had occurred.

The IAS Court, in a single written opinion, concluded that the acceptance of CITIC’s deposit following the shutdown of operations constituted an ultra vires act by the Superintendent, and directed the return of those funds to CITIC. IBJ, however, which was awaiting the transfer of funds from BCCI’s Tokyo branch (BCCI Tokyo) on July 5,1991, as the final step in a "swap” of foreign currencies — an exchange that began on July 3, 1991 — was not entitled to those funds, notwithstanding the fact that the second part of the transaction was all but complete at the time of the shutdown. For the reasons set forth below, we find that the Superintendent is entitled to all of the disputed funds at BAI in the BCCI Tokyo account on July 5, 1991, for the New York liquidation, and therefore affirm the denial of the turnover of funds to IBJ and reverse that part of the order granting the turnover of funds to CITIC.

The IBJ Transaction

The transaction in question was a trade in national currencies on the foreign exchange (a "forex” swap), the kind of transaction that IBJ and BCCI had executed on many prior occasions. This particular swap was negotiated on July 2, 1991, when the parties agreed to an exchange of dollars and yen in a two-part transaction: the first was to consist of IBJ’s sale of $32,000,000 to BCCI Tokyo in exchange for Japanese yen (a "dollars for yen exchange”). This part of the swap, referred to as a "spot” foreign exchange agreement, was to be completed on July 3, 1991. The second part was to consist of IBJ’s purchase of $32,000,000 from BCCI Tokyo for Japanese yen (a [188]*188"yen for dollars exchange”). Referred to as a "forward” foreign exchange agreement, this part of the swap was to be completed on July 5, 1991. While the dollar amount remained constant, the amount of yen in the "forward” exchange was slightly higher than in the "spot” exchange.

Because of the time difference between Tokyo and New York, the second stage transaction would not be strictly simultaneous, as is often the case in a forex swap. In fact, due to the gap between settlements, this type of swap is called a "tomorrow next swap transaction.” As a general matter, however, because these transactions, whether simultaneous or not, are a swap rather than a loan or extension of credit, they are considered virtually "risk-free.”

The first stage of the swap was accomplished on July 3, 1991: BCCI delivered the yen to IBJ, and IBJ transferred the dollars from its account at Morgan Guarantee Trust in New York to BCCI Tokyo’s account at BAI. As noted, the second stage was to be completed by the end of the business day Tokyo time on July 5th, with the exception of the transfer of dollars from BAI to IBJ’s Morgan Guarantee account, which would take place on July 5th New York time (due to the 13-hour time difference, the business day in Tokyo ends before the business day in New York begins). As contemplated, the yen were deposited in a BCCI Tokyo bank account in Japan by the end of the business day, Tokyo time, on July 5th. All that was left to complete the "yen for dollars exchange” part of the swap was the transfer of dollars in New York from BCCI Tokyo’s account at BAI to IBJ’s account at Morgan Guarantee. This transfer never occurred.

What transpired instead, before business ever opened that day, was the seizure and shutdown of BCCI’s New York operations, set in motion, as it relates to these claimants, when the president of BAI was instructed by a Federal Reserve Board examiner at approximately 8:15 a.m. that no monies were to be transferred out of any BCCI account. Notice of the seizure was duly posted on the New York Agency’s door at approximately 9:00 a.m. that morning, and BAI received formal notification to this effect shortly thereafter. By this turn of events, the performance of the last act of the swap was abruptly halted, and a supposedly risk-free venture became a total loss.

In claiming that it stands in a different and better position than BCCI’s other creditors, and is entitled to the dollars contracted and, indeed, paid for, IBJ argues that the Superintendent never had title to the disputed funds because he never [189]*189took possession of them; that, in any event, title had vested in IBJ before 9:00 a.m. on July 5th, prior to the shutdown; that IBJ has a right to recover the funds under the UCC because the dollars were identifiable goods; that BAI was merely a bailee for IBJ’s benefit; that court interference with a payment order to an intermediary bank is prohibited by the UCC; and that IBJ is entitled to a constructive trust of the disputed funds.

Under Banking Law § 606 (4) (a), by virtue of the seizure of BCCI’s New York Agency, title to all of its "business and property in this state” vests "forthwith” in the Superintendent "by operation of law.” Pursuant to the statute, actual possession of the disputed funds or property is unnecessary; immediate passage of title by operation of law prevents the possibility of disposition or dissipation of assets while the Superintendent attempts to locate them. Thus, title to the funds in the BAI account, which constituted part of BCCI’s property in this State, vested immediately in the Superintendent regardless of what time BAI received formal notice of the seizure, and IBJ has no recognizable claim to the disputed funds.

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

Related

United States v. BCCI Holdings (Luxembourg), S.A.
961 F. Supp. 287 (District of Columbia, 1997)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
223 A.D.2d 184, 645 N.Y.S.2d 779, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-re-the-liquidation-of-the-new-york-agency-nyappdiv-1996.