Lind v. Vanguard Offset Printers, Inc.

857 F. Supp. 1060, 1994 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 9388, 1994 WL 364490
CourtDistrict Court, S.D. New York
DecidedJuly 11, 1994
Docket91 Civ. 2502 (RWS)
StatusPublished
Cited by20 cases

This text of 857 F. Supp. 1060 (Lind v. Vanguard Offset Printers, Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, S.D. New York primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Lind v. Vanguard Offset Printers, Inc., 857 F. Supp. 1060, 1994 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 9388, 1994 WL 364490 (S.D.N.Y. 1994).

Opinion

OPINION

SWEET, District Judge.

Defendant Thomas B. Tyrrel (“Tyrrel”) moves to dismiss the Complaint of Plaintiff Gerard G. Lind (“Lind”), pursuant to Rule 12(b)(6), Fed.R.Civ.P., on the grounds that it fails to state a claim upon which relief may be granted; for summary judgment, pursuant to Rule 56, Fed.R.Civ.P.; and to amend his answer, pursuant'to Rule 15, Fed.R.Civ. P., in order to assert a statute of limitations defense. For the reasons set forth below, Tyrrel’s motion is denied in part and granted in part.

The Parties

Plaintiff Lind, a citizen and resident of New York, ran his own printing business known as Lind Brothers prior to the events giving rise to this action. From November 1989 through January 1991, Lind was employed in a managerial position at a company affiliated with Defendant Vanguard Offset Printers, Inc. (“Vanguard”), B.H. Tyrrel (“Tyrrel Inc.”). Lind is now employed as a manager in another printing business in New York.

Vanguard was a New Jersey corporation with its primary place of business in Hillside, New Jersey.

Defendant Thomas B. Tyrrel is a citizen and resident of New Jersey, the Chairman of Vanguard, an owner of more than two-thirds of Vanguard’s stock, and allegedly a “controlling person” of Vanguard within the meaning of Section 20 of the Exchange Act, 15 U.S.C. § 78t.

Prior Proceedings

The original Complaint in this action, filed on April 10, 1991, sought $150,000 in damages under three causes of action: breach of contract, common law fraud and conversion due to Vanguard’s failure to deliver a stock certificate representing the 5% interest in Vanguard purchased by Lind. Upon tendering the stock certificate, the Defendants moved for an order of summary judgment in this action, which was granted by the Court “in part on the grounds of mootness” on July 11, 1991. At that time, Lind was granted leave to replead.

On January 14, 1992, Vanguard filed for protection under Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code and that case is now pending in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York before the Honorable Tina L. Brozman, Bankruptcy Judge.

On January 17, 1992, Lind served his first Amended Complaint which alleged the following counts: breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duties, conversion, fraud, and fraudulent misrepresentation pursuant to Sections 10(b) and 20 of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”), as codified at 15 U.S.C. §§ 78j(b), 78t, and Rule 10b-5, as promulgated under 17 C.F.R. § 2450.10b-5.

On August 13, 1993, Lind filed his Second Amended Complaint alleging $150,000 worth of damages based upon the following six counts: (1) federal securities fraud, in violation of § 10(b) of the Exchange Act; (2) breach of contract; (3) common law fraud; (4) breach of fiduciary duty; (5) conversion; and (6) unjust enrichment.

The motion was filed on March 9,1994 and oral argument was heard by this Court on *1063 May 11, 1994. The motion was considered fully submitted at that time.

Facts

On a Rule 12(b)(6) motion to dismiss, the factual allegations of the complaint are presumed to be true and all factual inferences must be drawn in their favor and against the defendants. See Scheuer v. Rhodes, 416 U.S. 232, 236, 94 S.Ct. 1683, 1686, 40 L.Ed.2d 90 (1974); Cosmos v. Hassett, 886 F.2d 8, 11 (2d Cir.1989); Dwyer v. Regan, 777 F.2d 825, 828-29 (2d Cir.1985). Accordingly, the factual allegations considered here and set forth below are taken from the Plaintiff's Second Amended Complaint and do not constitute findings of fact by the Court. They are presumed to be true only for the purpose of deciding the present motions. 1

Lind and his nephew, who is not a party in this action, were employed by Tyrrel Inc. from November 1989 through February 1, 1991. Between September 1989 and February 1990, Lind and Tyrrel had a series of discussions at Tyrrel’s Manhattan office concerning the sale of some of Vanguard’s stock. 2 These discussions culminated in the signing of a written agreement (the “Agreement”) between Lind and Tyrrel on February 16, 1990.

The terms of the Agreement stated that Tyrrel would sell to Lind five percent of Vanguard’s stock for $150,000, to be paid in three installments, and that Vanguard would have the right to redeem Lind’s stock for a minimum of $150,000 should Lind choose to sell. The text of the Agreement is as follows:

February 16, 1990

Understanding Between the Two Parties

Gerard G. Lind and Vanguard Offset Printers and its majority stockholder Thomas Tyrrel.

1.Five percent equity in Vanguard for $150,000

Payment

$70,000 February 6

$30,000 March 15

$50,000 April 20

$150,000

2. An option to buy 5 percent additional equity in Vanguard between November 1, 1990 and June 30, 1992 for $150,000.

3. It is the understanding between the two parties that if G. Lind wishes to sell his stock he must first offer it back to Vanguard and receive a minimum of $150,000.

4. That the money will be used in the operation of the business and not to repay shareholder loans or buy back shareholders’ equity. (Exclusive of Tom and Biffs short-term loan only when Tyrrel pays an equal amount.)

Between February 16 and April 23, 1990, Lind paid Vanguard $150,000, pursuant to the terms of the Agreement. On March 26, 1990, one month prior to Lind’s final $50,000 installment, Lind asked Tyrrel, in the form of a written memorandum, to furnish various *1064 corporate and financial information regarding Vanguard. Tyrrel did not provide the requested information. After the final installment payment, Lind requested Tyrrel to provide his stock certificates. Tyrrel failed to do so and their relationship deteriorated. On February 1, 1991, Tyrrel terminated Lind’s employment at B.H. Tyrrel, and Lind filed this action a few months later.

Lind claims that the Defendant’s refusal to redeem Lind’s shares for a minimum of $150,000 breached the third paragraph of the Agreement, which he contends creates a “put” option.

According to Lind, Tyrrel fraudulently induced him into entering into the Agreement through a series of false misrepresentations and omissions.

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Bluebook (online)
857 F. Supp. 1060, 1994 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 9388, 1994 WL 364490, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/lind-v-vanguard-offset-printers-inc-nysd-1994.