Royal Host Realty, LLC v. 793 Ninth Avenue Realty, LLC

192 F. Supp. 3d 348, 2016 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 88224, 2016 WL 3659112
CourtDistrict Court, S.D. New York
DecidedJune 28, 2016
Docket15-CV-4622( VM)
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 192 F. Supp. 3d 348 (Royal Host Realty, LLC v. 793 Ninth Avenue Realty, LLC) 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
Royal Host Realty, LLC v. 793 Ninth Avenue Realty, LLC, 192 F. Supp. 3d 348, 2016 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 88224, 2016 WL 3659112 (S.D.N.Y. 2016).

Opinion

DECISION AND ORDER

VICTOR MARRERO, United States District Judge

Cross-claim defendant Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation as Receiver for [351]*351Doral Bank (“FDIC”)1 has filed, a Motion to Dismiss each of the five cross-claims brought against it .by defendants and cross-claim plaintiffs 753 Ninth Avenue Realty, LLC and 212 East 72nd Street, LLC (collectively, “Defendants”) in their Verified Answer with Counterclaims and Cross-Claims (“Answer with Cross-Claims,” Dkt. No. 1, Ex. 3) pursüant to Rule 12(b)(6) of the Federal Rules' of Civil Procedure (“Rule 12(b)(6)”). (“Motion to Dismiss,” Dkt. No. 20.) At the same time that Defendants filed their Opposition- to FDIC’s Motion to Dismiss (“Defendant Opposition,” Dkt. No: 29), Defendants filed a Cross-Motion to Amend/Correct Answer with Counterclaims and Cross-Claims. (“Motion to Amend,” Dkt. No. 27.) For the reasons stated below, FDIC’s Motion to Dismiss is GRANTED and Defendants’ Motion to Amend is DENIED.

I. FACTUAL BACKGROUND2

A. PROCEDURAL HISTORY

Royal Host Realty, a limited liability company (“Royal Host”), commenced, this action against Defendants in the Supreme Court of the State of New York on December 12, 2014 and thereafter filed a timely amended complaint. On February 26, 2015, Defendants filed their Answer Cross-Claims, which includes seven cross-claims ■(“Cross-Claims”),3 five of which are claims made against Doral Bank, a financial institution in Puerto Rico that issued a loan in the amount of $8,100,000 to Defendants 'in order, -to refinance existing mortgages against their properties.

On February 27, 2015, the Office of the Commissioner of Financial Institutions of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico closed Doral Bank, and FDIC accepted its appointment as Doral Bank’s receiver pursuant to Title 7, Section 201 of the Laws of Puerto Rico, and 12 U.S.C. Sections 1821(c)(3)(A) and 1821(c)(5). (See Dkt. No. 22, Ex. 3.) Pursuant to '12 U.S.C. Section 1821(d)(2)(A), FDIC, by operation of law, succeeded to all rights, titles, powers, and privileges of Doral Bank. FDIC now manages the assets of Doral Bank and is [352]*352charged with the duty of concluding Doral Bank’s affairs. On June 10, 2015, FDIC filed a Notice of Substitution in the Supreme Court of the State of New York, New York County, “substituting FDIC as the proper party in the place and stead of Doral Bank.” (Id.) FDIC filed a Notice of Removal on June 15, 2015, and the action was subsequently removed to this Court. (See Dkt. No. 1.)

Following the removal, this action was stayed by stipulation of the 'parties pending the determination of Defendants’ claims in FDIC’s administrative claims process as required by 12 U.S.C. Section 1821(d)(3) through (13). (Dkt. No. 7.) Following FDIC’s rejection of Defendants’ claims by letter dated October 26, 2015, Defendants requested that the stay be lifted, and the case was subsequently reactivated by this Court. (Dkt. No. 12.)

B. DEFENDANTS’ CROSS-CLAIMS

In their Answer with Cross-Claims, Defendants assert that they obtained a loan in the amount of $8,100,000 (“Loan”) from Doral Bank in order to refinance an existing mortgage loan secured by real property identified as 753 Ninth Avenue, New York, New York (the “Commercial Property”) and 212 East 72nd Street, New York, New York (the “Residential Property”) (collectively, the “Properties”). (Dkt. No. 20, Ex. 2.) Defendants contend that the prior mortgage loan was in default, and that they needed the Loan to prevent foreclosure. Defendants argue that Doral Bank, Suzuki, and Suzuki Capital underwrote the Loan as a commercial loan, thereby avoiding the statutory reqüire-ments of the Truth in Lending Act (“TILA”) and the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (“RESPA”) pertaining to residential home mortgages.4

Defendants received a commitment letter (the “Commitment Letter”) from Doral Bank on the day prior to the agreed closing date for the Loan. The Commitment Letter required that the Properties be managed by Royal Host, an entity allegedly wholly owned by Suzuki and/or Suzuki Capital. Defendants allege that they were then presented with a Management Agreement to engage Royal Host’s services and contend that they were assured by Suzuki and representatives of Doral Bank that it was a “standard agreement.” (Id.) Defendants argue that they relied on this representation and subsequently signed the Management Agreement and closed on the Loan.

Defendants allege that following the closing of the Loan, Royal Host mismanaged the Properties to ensure that Defendants would not be able to meet their debt obligations on the Loan and further failed to pay certain obligations on the Properties, causing $300,000 in damages to Defendants. Accordingly, Defendants assert Cross-Claims alleging common law fraud, unjust enrichment, and violations of TILA, RESPA, and New York’s Deceptive Practices Act under General Business Law Section 349 (“GBL Section 349”). Defendants seek to recover money damages, attorneys’ fees, and punitive damages from FDIC.

FDIC filed its Motion to Dismiss on February 4, 2016. FDIC argues that Defendants have failed to allege the common law fraud and unjust enrichment claims with particularity as required by Rule 9 (b) of the Federal Rulés of Civil Procedure (“Rule 9(b)”). Additionally, FDIC argues that Defendants’ cross-claims alleging violations of the TILA, RESPA, and GBL Section 34 9 are either barred by statute [353]*353or fail to make the allegations required to obtain the requested relief.

C. DEFENDANTS’ PROPOSED AMENDED ANSWER

Defendants filed their Motion to Amend on March 8, 2016. Defendants argue that they are entitled to amend their answer because (1) justice so requires and (2) the amended answer (“Amended Answer”) would survive FDIC’s Motion to Dismiss. Defendants contend that their Amended Answer properly alleges that Doral Bank appointed Suzuki as its agent and authorized Suzuki to represent Doral Bank in connection with the loans at issue and that the Amended Answer identifies the fraudulent misrepresentations and omissions made by Doral Bank’s agents. Defendants also argue that their Amended Answer includes an adequate allegation of conspiracy, which includes broad-based liability against Doral Bank. Finally, Defendants argue that the Amended Answer alleges that Doral Bank conspired to set the loans up so that they would fail, thereby affording Doral Bank the opportunity to collect default interests at the rate of twenty-four percent per annum.

FDIC counters that Defendants’ Amended Answer fails to identify: (1) why the alleged statements by Doral Bank, or Doral Bank’s alleged agents, are false, misleading, or material; (2) why Defendants did not independently verify the alleged misstatements; and (3) what the basis is for the alleged duty Doral Bank owed to Defendants. FDIC also argues that Defendants’ conspiracy to commit fraud claim fails where the underlying fraud claim is deficient.

II. LEGAL STANDARD

A. MOTION TO DISMISS PURSUANT TO RULE 12(b)(6)

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
192 F. Supp. 3d 348, 2016 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 88224, 2016 WL 3659112, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/royal-host-realty-llc-v-793-ninth-avenue-realty-llc-nysd-2016.