Samson v. Western Capital Partners LLC (In re Blixseth)

514 B.R. 871
CourtDistrict Court, D. Montana
DecidedAugust 12, 2014
DocketNo. CV 13-25-BU-DLC
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 514 B.R. 871 (Samson v. Western Capital Partners LLC (In re Blixseth)) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Montana primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Samson v. Western Capital Partners LLC (In re Blixseth), 514 B.R. 871 (D. Mont. 2014).

Opinion

ORDER

DANA L. CHRISTENSEN, Chief Judge.

Appellant Western Capital Partners, LLC, (“WCP”) appeals the judgment entered against it by the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Montana 1 in favor of Richard J. Samson (“the Trustee”), trustee for the Chapter 7 estate of Edra D. Blixseth (“Edra”). The Trustee brings this action to set aside Edra’s personal guaranty in June of 2007 for a $13,065,000 loan (“Loan”) provided by WCP to entities owned by Edra’s son, Matthew Crocker (“Crocker”), as a constructively fraudulent transfer under 11 U.S.C. § 548(a). The Trustee contends the guaranty was constructively fraudulent because Edra: (1) was insolvent on a balance sheet basis; (2) was unable to pay her bills as they came due; and (3) lacked adequate capital for the business in which she was engaged. Judge Kirscher determined that the guaranty was constructively fraudulent and entered judgment in favor of the Trustee. This appeal followed. This Court has jurisdiction over this appeal under 28 U.S.C. § 158(a)(1). For the [876]*876reasons stated below, this Court affirms Judge Kirscher’s ruling.

1. Factual Background2

WCP provides “bridge loans” to entities in exchange for real property collateral and Uniform Commercial Code security interests. In June of 2007, WCP loaned $13,065,000 (“the Loan”) to entities owned by Crocker. The purpose of the Loan was to provide financing and working capital for a real estate development project backed by Crocker located in Bozeman, Montana, known as the “Story Mill Project.” Edra provided a personal guaranty for the Loan.

Months prior, in December of 2006, Edra had separated from her husband, Timothy L. Blixseth (“Tim”), and filed a petition for dissolution of their marriage in the Superior Court of California. California is a community property state and, according to Edra, an automatic restraining order was established preventing her from transferring or encumbering any of the community property assets. Tim was eventually appointed manager of the community property and prevented Edra from having any control over the property, leaving her with no access to cash flow. As a result, Edra refused, or was unable, to provide WCP with the vast majority of her financial statements and documents. Instead, she provided WCP with a letter from her attorney describing her general financial information.

In this letter, Edra’s attorney described Edra and Tim’s community property as collectively worth “in excess of $1 billion dollars” and, following the divorce, Edra would likely “receive assets with a value in excess of $500 million dollars.” (Doc. 20-31 at 90.) Additionally, Edra’s attorney stated that Edra would also likely receive a property known as “Porcupine Creek,” worth in excess of $200 million. Edra told WCP that she owned Porcupine Creek free of any encumbrances, and, if need be, was willing to use the property as collateral to take out a loan to pay WCP. In fact, though the property was free of encumbrances, Edra did not own it. Blixseth Group, Inc., a Oregon sub-S corporation solely owned by Tim, owned Porcupine Creek. In any event, Edra’s attorney concluded in his letter to WCP’s counsel that “I do not believe that the group should have any concerns in making the loan to Mrs. Blixseth.” Id.

WCP also obtained a loan affidavit signed by Edra and Crocker asserting that “none of the Borrowers, nor Guarantors are: (i) currently insolvent on -a balance sheet basis: or (ii) currently unable to pay their debts as they come due.” (Doc. 20-30 at 144.) Edra and Crocker also asserted that they did not have delinquent tax obligations.

The Loan closed on June 15, 2007, for the total amount of $13,065,000 and an interest rate of 11 percent. The Loan was also supported by a promissory note, with a maturity date of June 14, 2009. The default interest rate of this note was 15 percent per annum, compounded monthly. In addition to the affidavit and note, WCP required further reassurances that the Loan would be repaid. These reassurances included: (1) personal guarantees on the Loan from Edra and Crocker; and (2) security interests in multiple properties. Unbeknownst to Edra, when she signed the Loan documents she also gave WCP a security interest on all her personal assets. At trial, Edra testified that she would have [877]*877never signed the security interest if she had known that it was a condition for the Loan.

One property pledged as a security interest was Lot 176. Lot 176 is a property located at the Yellowstone Club3 and was owned by Monarch GoBuild Construction, LLC (“Monarch GoBuild”), a construction company formed by Edra and Crocker. At the request of WCP, Monarch GoBuild transferred Lot 176 to Montana Specs, LLC (“Montana Specs”), a single purpose entity. At closing, Crocker held 100% ownership interest in Montana Specs.

After closing the Loan, Crocker’s hopes that the Loan would solve his financial problems were short lived. Proceeds from the Loan went to paying off debts incurred by Crocker and his various businesses, including paying off the amount owed on Lot 176 and taxes owed on various properties. Nonetheless, Crocker and his businesses were in financial trouble. Eventually, Crocker defaulted on the Loan in September of 2008. Prior to this default, Edra made payments in excess of $4.5 million to WCP between May 30, 2007, and September 9, 2008.

In early 2007, Edra and Tim were in the process of finalizing their divorce. In May of 2007, the Superior Court of California held a hearing where the couple agreed to a division of the marriage’s community property. Following this hearing, the court entered an order which became known as “Mini Settlement One.” This settlement stipulated that Edra would receive various properties from the community property, including Casa Captiva, a property located in Mexico, and a Yellowstone Club property known as Lot 48. Tim and Edra signed this agreement in August of 2007.

In March of 2009, Edra filed a voluntary Chapter 11 bankruptcy petition. Shortly thereafter, this bankruptcy proceeding was converted to Chapter 7 of the Bankruptcy Code and Samson was appointed as the trustee. On August 7, 2009, WCP filed a proof of claim asserting a $13,965,144.17 secured claim against Edra, with an annual interest rate of 15 percent. In response, the Trustee argued: (1) Edra’s guarantee of the Loan was a fraudulent transfer under Montana and federal law and is thus avoidable; (2) WCP received a preferential transfer when it garnished Edra’s checking account; (3) WCP charged an usurious rate of interest; and (4) WCP’s proof of claim should be disallowed. In a four day bench trial in June 2012, in Missoula, Montana, Judge Kirscher heard testimony from multiple fact and expert witnesses, admitted multiple exhibits, and ultimately ruled in favor of the Trustee.

The issue of Edra’s insolvency was a key issue during the trial, as it is a required element in proving a fraudulent transfer claim. At trial, solvency experts for both the Trustee and WCP provided opinions on Edra’s insolvency. Both experts agreed that solvency can be determined by applying one of three tests: (1) the Balance Sheet Test; (2) the Adequate Capital Test; or (3) the Cash Flow Test. Failure of any one of the three tests would establish Edra’s insolvency. Edra’s expert, Joseph N.

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Bluebook (online)
514 B.R. 871, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/samson-v-western-capital-partners-llc-in-re-blixseth-mtd-2014.