Rocker v. KPMG LLP

148 P.3d 703, 122 Nev. 1185, 122 Nev. Adv. Rep. 101, 2006 Nev. LEXIS 137
CourtNevada Supreme Court
DecidedDecember 21, 2006
DocketNo. 44384
StatusPublished
Cited by10 cases

This text of 148 P.3d 703 (Rocker v. KPMG LLP) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Nevada Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Rocker v. KPMG LLP, 148 P.3d 703, 122 Nev. 1185, 122 Nev. Adv. Rep. 101, 2006 Nev. LEXIS 137 (Neb. 2006).

Opinion

OPINION

By the Court,

Rose, C. J.:

In this case, we adopt the relaxed pleading requirements that the federal courts utilize under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 9(b) for cases when facts necessary for the plaintiff to plead a cause of action for fraud with particularity under NRCP 9(b) are peculiarly within the defendant’s knowledge or possession. When a complaint includes a claim of fraud, NRCP 9(b) requires a plaintiff to plead with particularity the fraudulent activity’s time and place, the parties’ identities, and the nature of the fraud. If a plaintiff does not plead fraud with particularity, his complaint is subject to dismissal. However, in certain cases, a plaintiff cannot plead with particularity because the facts of the fraudulent activity are in the defendant’s possession. In those cases, if the plaintiff pleads specific facts giving rise to an inference of fraud, the plaintiff should have an opportunity to conduct discovery and amend his complaint to include the particular facts.

In this case, we conclude that the facts necessary for the appellants to plead with particularity are peculiarly within the respondent’s knowledge, and the appellants have pleaded facts supporting a strong inference of fraud. Accordingly, we reverse the district court’s order and remand this case for further proceedings. The appellants should be given an opportunity to conduct discovery and amend their complaint to conform with NRCP 9(b), after which the respondent may renew its motion to dismiss for failure to plead with particularity.

FACTS

This case arises from extended vehicle service contracts (VSCs) sold nationwide through automobile dealerships to individual automobile purchasers (collectively the consumers), who are the appellants. Under the VSCs, the consumers could make claims for covered repairs. The VSCs were promoted and marketed to the automobile dealerships through the Delta Group and were sold to the consumers as insurance products that were insured by National Warranty Insurance Corporation, Risk Retention Group (NWIG). The Delta Group, the automobile dealers, and others were [1188]*1188members of NWIG. Respondent KPMG LLP provided accounting services to NWIG.

In addition, NWIG obtained reinsurance on the VSCs and used the reinsurers’ names in the advertising materials. However, the reinsurance amounted to excess loss insurance, which would be triggered at a point far above any collectible insurance or available reserves.

On each VSC, the automobile dealers, promoters, and marketers took as much as 85 to 90 percent of the premium as a commission. The remaining amount was allocated as an insurance reserve to pay claims. Some large-volume VSC sellers set up offshore “reinsurance companies” to pay covered claims to take advantage of Internal Revenue Service tax exemptions available to small, offshore insurance companies. KPMG marketed its services to enable the VSC sellers to take advantage of the tax exemption.

When consumers purchased a VSC, the VSC’s cost was financed by their lender and was included with the cost of the automobile in the consumers’ loans. Without such financing, the consumers might not have been able to afford the VSC. For the consumers to obtain financing, NWIG was required to maintain an “A-” or better rating from A.M. Best, an organization that reviews and rates an insurer’s financial condition. Without an “A-” or better rating, a bank financing an automobile purchase would refuse to finance a VSC as part of an automobile purchase.

In early 2003, NWIG and Pacific Fiduciary Investment Corporation entered into a Bordereaux Assignment, Assumption and Trust Agreement (the Bordereaux Agreement), assigning NWIG’s liability to Pacific for VSCs for automobiles with over 80,000 miles. KPMG advised NWIG regarding the Bordereaux Agreement. Without the assignment of the over-80,000-mile-warranty book of business, NWIG would have been insolvent and would have been unable to maintain its “A-” or better rating from A.M. Best. Shortly after the assignment, the Delta Group purchased Pacific’s liability from the Bordereaux Agreement and subsequently repudiated the Bordereaux Agreement, refusing to satisfy claims from VSC purchasers.

As a result of the Delta Group’s repudiation, NWIG was exposed to approximately $100 million in unpaid VSC claims, which, combined with its other liabilities, far exceeded its assets. Soon after, its A.M. Best rating dropped to a “B” rating. With a “B” rating, banks were unwilling to finance VSCs guaranteed by NWIG, which dramatically reduced its VSC business. NWIG’s other business activities were also adversely impacted. Facing liabilities exceeding its assets, NWIG commenced insolvency proceedings in the Grand Cayman Islands in June 2003. Shortly before, in May 2003, NWIG ceased all payments for repairs covered under the VSCs and transferred its reserves out of the United [1189]*1189States. NWIG retained KPMG as its trustee/liquidator in the insolvency proceedings.

The consumers alleged that NWIG and its VSCs were fundamentally flawed in that too much of the premium was paid to the automobile dealers, promoters, and marketers, and not enough money was set aside to adequately pay VSC claims. Instead of recognizing these flaws and NWIG’s undercapitalization, the consumers alleged, the automobile dealers, promoters, and marketers sought to fraudulently maintain NWIG’s “A-” rating with A.M. Best by transferring, through the Bordereaux Agreement, the majority of NWIG’s VSC liability off of NWIG’s balance sheet. As a result, instead of NWIG’s collapse occurring in late 2002, NWIG could continue to market VSCs to other consumers in order to generate revenue to pay pending claims from earlier VSC purchasers. Thus, the consumers alleged that, although NWIG’s failure was anticipated, the automobile dealers, promoters, and marketers engaged in accounting fraud in order to keep their VSC commissions — defrauding the VSC purchasers.

Preparing the Bordereaux Agreement and NWIG’s books and taking advantage of complex Internal Revenue Service tax exemptions all required complex accounting expertise, which was provided by several large accounting firms, including KPMG.

The consumers’ allegations of KPMG’s involvement in fraud

The consumers’ theory of KPMG’s liability rested on KPMG’s alleged complicity in concealing NWIG’s true financial condition from A.M. Best, lending institutions, the IRS, other regulators, and the consumers and “creating the appearance of a well-capitalized insurance company.” According to the consumers, but for KPMG’s fraudulent concealment, NWIG could not have achieved an “A-” rating with A.M. Best.

Allegedly, from “1988 to present and continuing,” KPMG “[e]mployees and representatives,” including, but not limited to, Theo Bullmore, provided to NWIG “accounting, actuarial, staffing, auditing, consulting and ‘trustee’ and/or ‘liquidator’ services.” These services included “preparation of consolidated tax returns” and advice to NWIG on the Bordereaux Agreement, from KPMG’s offices in Nebraska and the Grand Cayman Islands, and also at NWIG’s offices.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
148 P.3d 703, 122 Nev. 1185, 122 Nev. Adv. Rep. 101, 2006 Nev. LEXIS 137, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/rocker-v-kpmg-llp-nev-2006.