Longo v. KeyBank National Association

357 F. Supp. 3d 263
CourtDistrict Court, S.D. Illinois
DecidedJanuary 3, 2019
Docket18 Civ. 1945 (ER)
StatusPublished
Cited by6 cases

This text of 357 F. Supp. 3d 263 (Longo v. KeyBank National Association) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, S.D. Illinois primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Longo v. KeyBank National Association, 357 F. Supp. 3d 263 (S.D. Ill. 2019).

Opinion

Edgardo Ramos, U.S.D.J.

In 1993, Barbara Longo opened two certificate-of-deposit accounts (sometimes referred to as "CDs") with Fourth Federal Savings Bank ("FFSB"). The accounts, by their express terms, were to accrue interest monthly and renew automatically every 60 months.

In 2002, Union State Bank ("USB") acquired FFSB and its accounts, including Longo's. However, shortly after acquiring FFSB, USB stopped paying interest on Longo's accounts.

In 2008, KeyBank National Association ("KeyBank") acquired USB and, consequently, Longo's accounts. Like USB, KeyBank did not pay interest on Longo's accounts. Eventually, in late 2013, KeyBank escheated Longo's accounts to the State of New York.

In 2018, Longo brought the instant suit, alleging breach of contract claims against KeyBank as an individual and successor-in-interest to USB for failing to pay interest on her accounts and for eventually escheating the accounts to the State of New York.

In lieu of a formal answer, KeyBank has moved to dismiss Longo's complaint for failure to state a claim pursuant to Rule 12(b)(6) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. For the reasons explained below, KeyBank's motion is DENIED.

I. BACKGROUND1

In 1993, Plaintiff Barbara Longo opened two CD accounts with FFSB. One account, ending in 2462 ("Account 2462"), contained $ 151,186.48; the other account, ending in 2463 ("Account 2463"), contained $ 104,114.80. Doc. 4 ¶¶ 7-8. The CDs provided that each account would accrue interest at a rate of 5.2% per annum, and that FFSB would distribute earnings on the last business day of each month for an initial term of 60 months, at which point each account would mature. Doc. 4-1; see also Doc. 4 ¶ 9. The "Initial Maturity Date" for both accounts was February 27, 1998. Doc. 4 ¶¶ 7-8. Each CD contained the same provision *267explaining what would happen following the Initial Maturity Date:

AUTOMATIC RENEWAL. This account shall be automatically renewed at the close of business on the Initial Maturity Date or the maturity date of any Renewal Term (rate of earnings on any renewal term will be the rate in effect for the particular account class at that time) unless (1) withdrawn within the 7-day period referred to in Section 52 ... or (2) at least 15 days prior to any such date, the Bank gives written notice to the Accountholder that this account will not be renewed. In such event, the account will be converted to a regular savings account and receive earnings at the rate then paid on regular savings accounts.

Doc. 4-1 (emphasis added); see also Doc. 4 ¶ 9. By its terms, the provision admits of no limitation on the number of times an account may be renewed automatically.

On October 31, 2002, USB acquired FFSB. Doc. 4 ¶ 10. Around that same time, USB provided Longo with a pamphlet titled "What the [USB] acquisition of the [FFSB], Yonkers Branch means to you." Id. ¶ 12; see also Doc. 4-2. The pamphlet provided that all FFSB accounts would be converted to USB accounts by close of business on October 31, 2002, and, relevant here, USB included the following representation in the pamphlet's questions-and-answers section:

Q. Will there be any rate or term changes to my [C]ertificates of Deposit (CDs)?
A. No, there will be no changes to your CDs. All terms and conditions will remain the same.

Doc. 4-2 at 2.

Notwithstanding the representation made by USB, in February 2003 USB stopped paying interest on Longo's two accounts without providing notice to her. Doc. 4 ¶¶ 23, 26.

Approximately five years later, on January 18, 2008, KeyBank acquired USB. Id. ¶ 13. That same day, KeyBank provided Longo with a booklet titled "Welcome to KeyBank." Id. ¶¶ 14-15; Doc. 4-3. According to the booklet, USB accounts automatically transferred to KeyBank on January 18, 2008. The booklet represented to the former USB accountholders that they would continue earning the interest rate initially guaranteed on their fixed-rate CD accounts throughout the remainder of the accounts' terms; that the CD accounts upon maturity would be renewed at the market rates then in effect; and that there would be no changes to the accounts during the current term other than a possible change in interest payment frequency. Doc. 4-3 at 4, 25-27.

On June 30, 2011, Longo received a letter from KeyBank regarding the status of Account 2462 that stated in relevant part:

State Law requires KeyBank to transfer the balance of any account that has had no activity including withdrawals and deposits, or acknowledgment initiated by KeyBank's customer within the last THREE (03) years to the Department of Unclaimed Funds for that customer's state.3 PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS
*268INCLUDES ALL CERTIFICATE OF DEPOSIT ACCOUNTS INCLUDING THOSE THAT RENEW AUTOMATICALLY.

Doc. 4-4. KeyBank explained that its records indicated a lack of activity on Longo's part with respect to Account 2462, and it warned her of its plan to remit to the Department of Unclaimed Funds the balance of Account 2462 absent her response to the notice. Id. KeyBank instructed Longo that if she wished to avoid the transfer of her funds, she should complete and return the response form attached to its letter by August 19, 2011. Id.

At some point in August 2011, Longo completed, signed, and hand-delivered to KeyBank at its branch in Yonkers, New York, the response form attached to the letter. At this time, she also directed KeyBank not to escheat Account 2462 to the State of New York. Doc. 4 ¶ 18.

On September 30, 2011, KeyBank mailed Longo another letter, this time concerning Account 2463. Id. ¶ 19. Like the letter regarding Account 2462, this letter informed her that it would escheat Account 2463 to the Department of Unclaimed Funds absent her response. Longo completed, signed, and mailed to KeyBank the response form attached to this letter. Id. ¶ 20.

Between November 2011 and January 2012, Longo met several times with KeyBank Assistant Branch Manager Boby Basu ("Basu") at its Yonkers branch to confirm that KeyBank had received her letter responses. Id. ¶ 21. During these meetings, Mr. Basu confirmed to Longo that KeyBank had received her responses and assured her that her CD accounts would remain active. Id.

In November 2013, despite Mr. Basu's representations to Longo and without notice to her, KeyBank escheated the balance of Longo's CD accounts to the State of New York. Id. ¶ 22.

In October 2014, Longo issued a formal demand to KeyBank, requesting that KeyBank pay the outstanding interest owed on her CD accounts. Id. ¶ 23.4

On March 26, 2016, KeyBank mailed Longo a letter, seemingly in response to a complaint filed by Longo to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. See Doc. 4-7. In this letter, KeyBank explained that, according to its records, Accounts 2462 and 2463 were received from USB in 2008 while they were already at their "final maturity status." Id.

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