Schindle v. Sharak (In re Salzman)

83 B.R. 233, 1988 Bankr. LEXIS 170
CourtDistrict Court, S.D. New York
DecidedFebruary 17, 1988
DocketBankruptcy Nos. 83B20134, 83B20068; Adv. Nos. 84-6007, 84-6088
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 83 B.R. 233 (Schindle v. Sharak (In re Salzman)) 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
Schindle v. Sharak (In re Salzman), 83 B.R. 233, 1988 Bankr. LEXIS 170 (S.D.N.Y. 1988).

Opinion

HOWARD SCHWARTZBERG, Bankruptcy Judge.

The trustee in bankruptcy in the jointly administered Chapter 7 cases of Emanuel Salzman and William Hamlin (“the debtors”) opposes the adversary proceedings commenced by the holders of second and third mortgages against real estate owned by the debtors, which seek to compel the trustee to make payment to the second and third mortgagees from the proceeds of the trustee’s sale of the real estate. The fourth mortgagees, who are the wives of the debtors, have been joined as defendants and have asserted in their answers that the second and third mortgages are void and that the fourth mortgage is superior to the second and third mortgages, with the result that the proceeds from the trustee’s sale should be applied towards the payment of the fourth mortgage. The trustee in bankruptcy also contests the fourth mortgage on the ground that it was obtained by the debtors’ wives for insufficient consideration and is voidable as a fraudulent transfer. Additionally, the trustee seeks to hold the second and third mortgagees liable for a proportionate part of the expenses attributable to his administration of the real estate pursuant to 11 U.S.C. § 506(c). The adversary proceedings commenced by the second and third mortgagees were tried separately. The trustee’s challenge directed to the propriety of the fourth mortgage will be heard after the validity of the second and third mortgages is determined.

FINDINGS OF FACT

1. On February 9, 1983, the debtor, William Hamlin, filed with this court his voluntary petition under Chapter 7 of the Bankruptcy Code and an order for relief was then entered.

2. On March 15, 1983, the debtor, Emanuel Salzman, filed with this court his voluntary petition under Chapter 7 of the Bankruptcy Code and an order for relief was then entered.

3. The debtors, Emanuel Salzman and William Hamlin, were the president and secretary, respectively, of BFM Printing Corp. (“BFM”), a corporation engaged in the printing business in Croton-on-Hudson, New York. They were also the sole shareholders of BFM, which they formed in 1976. See Chrysler Capital Corp. v. Salzman and Chrysler Capital Corp. v. Hamlin (In re Salzman), 61 B.R. 878 (Bankr.S.D.N.Y.1986).

4. Pursuant to Bankruptcy Rule 1015, the bankruptcy cases of Salzman and Hamlin were consolidated for joint administration by the same trustee who was appointed in each case.

5. The debtors, Salzman and Hamlin, were the owners of a building and the real estate on which the building was located in the Town of Cortland, in Westchester County, New York. This property was used by the debtors’ corporation, BFM, for the operation of its business.

6. Pursuant to an order of this court, dated March 5, 1984, the trustee was authorized to sell the debtors’ real estate for $170,000.00, free and clear of all liens and [235]*235encumbrances, with such liens and encumbrances to attach to the gross proceeds of the sale. From the proceeds of $170,-000.00, the trustee was authorized to pay the principal balance due to a first mortgagee in the sum of $25,000, together with interest thereon, until the date of payment.

7. The plaintiff, J.A.M. Company (“J.A. M.”), asserts a secured claim against the proceeds held by the trustee on the ground that it has a second mortgage against the real estate in question in the principal sum of $50,000, plus interest at the rate of 24% per annum from the date of the last payment which was September 1, 1982, together with counsel fees.

8. The plaintiffs, Putnam Professional Park Real Estate Account and Alan S. Por-itsky, P.C. Retirement Trust (“Putnam”), assert a secured claim against the proceeds of sale on the ground that Putnam held a third mortgage against the real estate in question in the principal sum of $25,000, plus interest at the rate of 22% per annum from September 1, 1982, together with counsel fees.

The J.A.M. Mortgage

9. In late 1979 or early 1980, the debtor, Emanuel Salzman, had a conversation with Herman Poritsky, a mortgage broker. Salzman informed Herman Poritsky that BFM wanted to borrow money for business purposes. Apparently BFM could not obtain additional financing through the banks with which it dealt. Herman Poritsky informed Salzman that the loan should be collateralized by real estate. It was agreed that as officers and shareholders of BFM, the debtors, Salzman and Hamlin, would be willing to collateralize the loan to BFM by mortgaging the real estate and building which they jointly owned and which was used by BFM as its business location.

10. Herman Poritsky thereafter contacted Stanford Joseph, an attorney with whom Poritsky had previous dealings and who represented clients willing to invest in junior mortgages on real estate. Joseph then contacted a client named Robert Abrams, who operated a company called J.A.M. Company, which made investments in second mortgages on commercial real estate. Joseph asked Abrams if J.A.M. would be willing to invest $50,000 in a second mortgage on commercial real estate. Abrams responded positively. Abrams never met with, or had any discussions with BFM or its principals, Salzman and Hamlin, and never attended the closing.

11. Joseph then informed the mortgage broker, Herman Poritsky, that he had a second mortgage source willing to advance a collateralized $50,000 loan. Herman Por-itsky informed Joseph that the borrowers would like to obtain a $75,000 loan and, therefore, the broker would have to look for another source willing to invest in a subordinate loan of $25,000 in order to make up the difference.

12. On May 8, 1980, the first transaction with respect to the J.A.M. second mortgage loan of $50,000 took place at the office of BFM. Hamlin, as secretary of BFM signed and issued a corporate resolution adopted by the board of directors of BFM authorizing it to borrow $50,000 from J.A.M. and to issue a promissory note to J.A.M. for $50,000. [Exhibit # 1], The loan papers were prepared by Stanford Joseph, who attended the closing at BFM’s office.

13. Pursuant to a corporate note dated May 8, 1980, BFM promised to pay to J.A.M. of 41 East 42nd Street, New York, New York, the sum of $50,000, on October 31, 1980, with interest at the rate of 24% per annum. The interest payments were to be made on a monthly basis in the amount of $799.99 each month. [Exhibit # 2]. The promissory note also contained a 15% charge for legal fees, with a minimum of $1500.00, if collection efforts were incurred as a result of a default in payment. Additional late charges were also included in the note.

14. As collateral for the J.A.M. loan of $50,000 to BFM, the debtors Salzman and Hamlin, executed and delivered to Stanford [236]*236Joseph for the second mortgagee, J.A.M., a mortgage in the sum of $50,000 in favor of J.A.M., as second mortgagee, which covered the real estate owned by Salzman and Hamlin, and occupied by BFM. [Exhibit # 3]. The mortgage was recorded on May 12, 1980 in the office of the Clerk of West-chester County, New York. The mortgage specifically referred to the corporate note executed by BFM. The mortgage also included a charge for legal fees in the event counsel is retained for foreclosure. The charge was specified as 15% of the balance, but not less than $1500, together with late charges of 2% per month.

15.

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83 B.R. 233, 1988 Bankr. LEXIS 170, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/schindle-v-sharak-in-re-salzman-nysd-1988.