Securities and Exchange Commission v. Kapoor

CourtDistrict Court, S.D. Florida
DecidedJune 17, 2024
Docket1:23-cv-24903
StatusUnknown

This text of Securities and Exchange Commission v. Kapoor (Securities and Exchange Commission v. Kapoor) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, S.D. Florida primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Securities and Exchange Commission v. Kapoor, (S.D. Fla. 2024).

Opinion

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF FLORIDA

CASE NO.: 23-cv-24903-JB

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION,

Plaintiff, v.

RISHI KAPOOR; et al.,

Defendants. ________________________________/

ORDER GRANTING IN PART RECEIVER’S MOTION TO APPROVE SALE FREE AND CLEAR AND RELATED SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT AND CLAIMS PROCESS

THIS CAUSE came before the Court upon the Receiver, Bernice C. Lee’s Motion to Approve Sale Free and Clear and Related Settlement Agreement and Claims Process (the “Motion”). ECF No. [128]. No party has filed a response to the Motion or otherwise objected to the relief sought. However, Non-Parties Martin I. Halpern, as Trustee of the Martin I. Halpern Revocable Trust and as Trustee of the Halpern Family Trust (the “Halpern Trusts”), with the agreement of the Receiver and SEC, ECF No. [148], filed a response to the Motion,1 which the Court construes as an Objection. ECF No. [153]. The Receiver filed a Reply to the Objection, ECF No. [157], and the Court held oral argument on the Motion. ECF No. [159]. Following oral argument, the Court required supplemental briefing regarding

1 The Halpern Trusts previously filed a Verified Motion to Intervene for the Limited Purpose of Seeking Relief from the Court’s Receivership Order, ECF No. [130], which remains pending. the impact on the Motion, if any, of the Eleventh Circuit’s decision in Sec. & Exch. Comm'n v. Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., 848 F. 3d 1339 (11th Cir. 2017). The Receiver and the Halpern Trusts each filed a supplemental memorandum of law, and the

Receiver filed a revised proposed order in which she withdrew or amended certain of the relief requested in the Motion. ECF Nos. [163], [164]. The Court held a status conference on June 3, 2024, where it heard from counsel for the Receiver and the Halpern Trusts regarding their respective positions on the Receiver’s revised proposed order, and the Court’s intended changes thereto. The Court has carefully considered the parties’ initial and supplemental briefing, and the accompanying exhibits, as well the pertinent portions of the record

and the relevant legal authorities. For the reasons explained more fully below, the Motion is GRANTED IN PART AND DENIED IN PART. I. BACKGROUND On December 27, 2023, the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) filed a Complaint for Injunctive Relief against Rishi Kapoor (“Kapoor”) and the Receivership Companies alleging that Kapoor used the Receivership Companies to

operate a real estate scheme in violation of the anti-fraud provisions of the federal securities law raising approximately $93 million from more than 50 investors from January 2018 through March 2023. See generally Complaint, ECF No. [14-1]. On January 12, 2024, the Court entered an Order appointing Bernice C. Lee as receiver “for the estate of the Receivership Companies, including any of [their] divisions, subsidiaries, affiliates, successors, and assigns; and any fictitious business entities or business names created or used by the Receivership Companies, their divisions, subsidiaries, affiliates, successors, and assigns.” (“Receivership Order”) ECF No. [28] at ¶ 2.

The Receivership Order authorizes the Receiver to sell real property in the Receivership Estate, either at public or private sale, on terms and in the manner the Receiver deems most beneficial to the Receivership Estate, and with due regard to the realization of the true and proper value of such real property. Id. at ¶ 32. The Receivership Order further provides that “[u]pon further Order of the Court, pursuant to such procedures as may be required by the Court and additional authority such as 28 U.S.C. sections 2001 and 2004, the Receiver is authorized to sell,

and transfer clear title to, all real property in the Receivership Estate.” Id. at ¶ 33. On January 24, 2024, the Court entered an Order approving the parties’ Stipulation Waiving Requirements of 28 U.S.C. § 2001(a) and (b) in Connection with Real Property Sale Motion (the “Section 2001 Order”). ECF No. [51]. The Section 2001 Order provides that “[t]he Receiver is excused from compliance with 28 U.S.C. section 2001 in connection with the sale of real property in this case.” ECF No. [51].

The Halpern Trusts received notice of the Stipulation and Section 2001 Order at the time each was filed, as its counsel previously filed a Notice of Appearance in this action on January 17, 2024. ECF No. [31]. Neither the Halpern Trusts nor any other non-party sought to file an objection to the Stipulation or otherwise dispute the Section 2001 Order. A. The Stewart Property Stewart Grove 1, LLC (“Stewart Grove”) is a Receivership Company that owns a luxury single family home located on Stewart Avenue in Coconut Grove, Florida

(the “Stewart Property”). The Stewart Property is mostly constructed but does not have a certificate of occupancy or a temporary certificate of occupancy from the City of Miami. ECF No. [128] at 4. In May 2023, the Stewart Property was listed for sale for $24.9 million pursuant to a one-year Exclusive Right of Sale Listing Agreement with One Sotheby’s International Realty. ECF No. [128-8]. On October 31, 2023, the price was reduced to $19.5 million. Id; ECF No. [128-9].

On April 24, 2024, the Receiver received a contract to purchase the property for $17.5 million, which was the result of an arms-length negotiation (the “Sale Contract”). ECF Nos. [128] at 11-12; [128-11]. This offer was the highest all cash offer that was received. ECF No. [128] at 12. The Stewart Property is encumbered by a lien in favor of first position lender 3610 Stewart Acquisitions, LLC (the “Lender”), who has filed a foreclosure action and

sought 24.99% default interest. Id. at 5-9. The Receiver has reached an agreement with the Lender with respect to the proposed sale of the Stewart Property. The terms of this agreement are set out in the Motion, id. at 13-14, and below. As relevant here, the Stewart Property is also encumbered by a second mortgage held by the Halpern Trusts, and various lien claimants. Id. at 9-10. The junior mortgage secures a $4 million commercial loan that the Halpern Trusts made to Stewart Grove on January 27, 2023. Id. at 9. B. The Sale Motion The Receiver filed the Motion seeking the Court’s approval to sell the Stewart

Property free and clear of any liens, claims and encumbrances, and to enter the proposed settlement agreement with the Lender. ECF No. [128]. The Receiver intends to establish a Lien Claim Fund to hold the net sale proceeds, and proposes that all other liens against the Stewart Property, including the junior lien held by the Halpern Trusts, attach to the monies in the Lien Claim Fund (as defined below), with the same priority, extent and validity as they had prior to the Receivership. Id. at 20. Lien claimants may, but are not required, to submit proofs of claim and

supporting documentation to the Receiver by a date certain. ECF No. [164] at 7. After that date, the Receiver will file a motion setting forth her proposed distribution of the Lien Claim Fund, notice of which will be provided to all lien claimants known to the Receiver, who may object to the proposed distribution and be heard by the Court. Id. The Receiver argues that it is in the best interest of the receivership estate to

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