Morgenthau v. Clifford

157 Misc. 2d 331, 597 N.Y.S.2d 843, 1992 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 655
CourtNew York Supreme Court
DecidedDecember 23, 1992
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 157 Misc. 2d 331 (Morgenthau v. Clifford) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering New York Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Morgenthau v. Clifford, 157 Misc. 2d 331, 597 N.Y.S.2d 843, 1992 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 655 (N.Y. Super. Ct. 1992).

Opinion

OPINION OF THE COURT

Stephen G. Crane, J.

In this forfeiture action under CPLR article 13-A, the plaintiff claiming authority (CPLR 1310 [11]) moves by order to show cause dated July 27, 1992 (Bradley, J.) for an order of attachment, to the extent of $40,420,080, of any property in which defendants have an interest. (CPLR 1312.) Pending determination of the motion, Justice Bradley imposed a temporary restraining order (TRO). (CPLR 1316.) This not only restrained the transfer or disposition of the assets of both defendants in this jurisdiction but also restrained the defendants personally with respect to their assets wherever located.1 (CPLR 1333.) As a consequence of the TRO, accounts of defendant Clifford located in New York worth over $18,000,000 were frozen. No New York assets of defendant Altman were located.

The defendants, by separate order to show cause, moved to vacate the TRO. (CPLR 1336.) Later, they also moved to modify the TRO to permit release of funds to pay defendant Clifford’s reasonable living expenses, family support, law firm [334]*334expenses and reasonable and bona fide attorneys’ fees and expenses in this action and the related criminal matters. Mr. Clifford has $1,926 million in unrestrained securities in Washington. These securities, however, have a very low tax basis, and it would be tax suicide for Mr. Clifford to liquidate them. Therefore, on oral argument the court suggested and the claiming authority consented to a swap of these securities for an equivalent amount in value of securities or cash in New York that are subject to the TRO. The parties also agreed to treat this motion (to modify the TRO) as one under CPLR 1311 (4) as well, i.e., to dismiss or limit the forfeiture action in the interest of justice.

This court held the last motion in abeyance pending the exchange of the $1.926 million in securities, the receipt of further affidavits on the interest of justice application and the filing, ex parte and under seal, of a copy of Mr. Clifford’s 1991 Federal income tax return and his most recent certified statement of net worth filed with a lending institution or regulatory authority.2 Mr. Clifford supplied a copy of his 1991 tax return and represented that he had no such certified statement of net worth. Relative to the interest of justice issues, the parties submitted the papers in support of and in opposition to the motion then pending before Justice Bradley to dismiss the indictment against Mr. Clifford in furtherance of justice. (CPL 210.40.)

The court later learned that the exchange of the $1.926 million of securities would not occur because Mr. Clifford is emotionally attached to these long held securities. The court also learned that the bills for services by Davis Polk & Wardwell (Davis Polk) and by Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom (Skadden Arps) are rendered jointly to or on account of Mr. Clifford and Mr. Altman. The court held a further hearing ex parte and under seal, though transcribed, and asked for the itemized bills of these firms and of Stillman, Friedman & Shaw, P. C. (Stillman), Mr. Clifford’s counsel in the New York criminal prosecution. These were filed ex parte and under seal. The court also requested explanations for certain items revealed by the 1991 income tax return that had previously been filed, but responses were not timely received.

[335]*335THE FACTS ACCORDING TO PLAINTIFF

As a result of an investigation, led by Assistant District Attorney John Moscow (Moscow), into the Bank of Credit and Commerce International (BCCI) and its relationship with American banks, the plaintiff concluded that defendants, Clifford and Altman, had helped defraud bank regulators regarding the influence of BCCI over First American Bankshares, Inc. (FAB) and its affiliates, including First American Bank of New York (FABNY). For over a decade, BCCI through Agha Abedi (Abedi) and others insinuated itself into American banking. In accomplishing this they retained Clifford, Altman and their law firm. BCCI gained control of Financial General Bankshares (FGB), through the efforts of Clifford and Altman and their representations, including Clifford’s statements to the Federal Reserve Board, that BCCI had no function in this ownership. FGB was renamed FAB, and it acquired a New York presence as FABNY. The defendants became directors and officers of FAB and related entities.

BCCI had gained its control of these corporations through nominees (BCC Group) who had side agreements with BCCI by which the voting shares of the nominees were controlled. BCCI had extended nonrecourse loans to these individuals to acquire their shares. In July 1986 Clifford obtained a $9.9 million and Altman a $4.9 million nonrecourse loan to purchase shares. Another nonrecourse loan in August 1987 of $2.3 million to Clifford and $1.1 million to Altman was made by the same lenders. The result was that the defendants acquired shares which were pledged as the only security for these loans. At the time defendants acquired these shares, an arrangement was made for resale subject to BCCI consultation whenever defendants would desire.

Then the defendants arranged to sell most of their shares for $32.6 million, a greatly inflated price that the BCC Group implemented. The price per share was arranged to net Altman and Clifford a profit, after capital gains taxes, of $1.5 million and $3 million respectively. These shares were sold for $32,640,000 with 2,246 shares remaining that the BCC Group agreed to buy on the deaths of Altman and Clifford at $2,310 per share.

THE INDICTMENT

Clifford and Altman, along with other BCC Group members, were accused of various crimes in the County of New York [336]*336and elsewhere. Clifford and Altman were included in a charge of scheme to defraud in the first degree, Penal Law § 190.65 (1) (b), a class E felony (count 1), the alleged victims being Federal and State bank regulators and persons doing business with banks. The second count charges a conspiracy against all defendants, Penal Law § 105.05 (1), to commit the felonies of commercial bribery and commercial bribe receiving in the first degree. The object of the conspiracy was to secure BCC Group control over FAB, FABNY and related entities and to reward Clifford and Altman. Among the overt acts alleged by the Grand Jury were the loans and purchase of shares for Clifford and Altman and their resale at a predetermined pretax profit.

Count 5 accuses Clifford and Altman of commercial bribe receiving, first degree, Penal Law § 180.08, a class E felony. The Grand Jury alleges they, as employees and fiduciaries, agreed to accept from the BCC Group a benefit exceeding $1,000 in value, "to wit, the opportunity to purchase * * * stock at book value, certain non recourse loans and the right to sell [this bank] stock.” This agreement included an understanding that the benefit would influence the conduct of these defendants in relation to the affairs of their employers. This caused economic harm of over $250.

The indictment charges various other crimes not particularly important to the issues presented on the three motions now under consideration.

PROCEDURAL BACKDROP OF THESE MOTIONS

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Bluebook (online)
157 Misc. 2d 331, 597 N.Y.S.2d 843, 1992 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 655, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/morgenthau-v-clifford-nysupct-1992.