United States v. Worldwide Industrial Enterprises, Inc.

220 F. Supp. 3d 335, 2016 WL 7118559
CourtDistrict Court, E.D. New York
DecidedDecember 7, 2016
DocketNo. 16-CV-2255 (JFB) (SIL)
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 220 F. Supp. 3d 335 (United States v. Worldwide Industrial Enterprises, Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, E.D. New York primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
United States v. Worldwide Industrial Enterprises, Inc., 220 F. Supp. 3d 335, 2016 WL 7118559 (E.D.N.Y. 2016).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM AND ORDER

Joseph F. Bianco, District Judge:

The United States of America (the “government”) brought this action against defendant Worldwide Industrial Enterprises, Inc. (“Worldwide”) to enforce a monetary forfeiture order issued by the Federal Communications Commission (“FCC”) on January 27, 2015. Worldwide filed a motion to dismiss the complaint, arguing that it is time-barred because the violations underlying the forfeiture order occurred over five years before the complaint was filed. See 28 U.S.C. § 2462. For the reasons set forth below, the Court denies Worldwide’s motion to dismiss the complaint.

I. Background

A. Facts

For purposes of this motion to dismiss, the Court has taken the facts described below from the government’s complaint (“Compl”), filed with the Court on May 5, 2016. These facts are not findings of fact by the Court but rather are assumed to be true for the purpose of deciding this motion and are construed in a light most favorable to the government, the non-moving party. See LaFaro v. N.Y. Cardiotho-racic Group, 570 F.3d 471, 475 (2d Cir. 2009).

On November 9, 2009, the FCC issued a citation to Worldwide for a violation of Section 227 of the Communications Act, 47 U.S.C. § 227, for using a telephone facsimile (“fax”) machine to send unsolicited advertisements based on complaints it had received from fourteen consumers. (Compl. ¶¶ 16-17.) The citation warned Worldwide that such violations could result in monetary forfeitures, but Worldwide did not respond. (Id. at ¶¶ 18, 23.)

After receiving the citation, Worldwide continued to send unsolicited advertisements to at least seventeen additional consumers between February 10, 2010 and April 27, 2010. (Id. at ¶ 24.) These consumers filed complaints with the FCC, and the FCC issued a Notice of Apparent Liability for Forfeiture (“NAL”) on April 7, 2011. (Id. at ¶¶ 25,27.) The NAL notified Worldwide that the FCC had found it to be apparently liable for a forfeiture under Section 503(b)(5) of the Communications Act for a total amount of $87,500. (Id. at ¶¶ 27, 28, 30). It also directed Worldwide to either pay the amount or file a written statement seeking reduction or cancellation of the proposed forfeiture within thirty days. (Id. at ¶ 31.) Worldwide filed a written opposition to the proposed forfeiture within this timeframe, challenging the reliability and veracity of the complaints and indicating that it could not pay the proposed amount. (Id. at ¶ 34.)

On January 27, 2015, the FCC issued a Forfeiture Order against Worldwide in the amount of $87,500 for the violations outlined in the NAL dated April 7, 2011. (Id. at ¶ 35.) The Order indicated that the FCC found Worldwide’s arguments in response to the NAL unpersuasive and had determined that the consumer complaints were sufficiently reliable to establish a violation of Section 227 of the Communications Act. [337]*337(Id. at ¶ 36.) The Order directed Worldwide to pay the amount within fifteen days, but, despite receiving the order, Worldwide never paid. (Id. at ¶¶39, 41, 42.)

B. Procedural History

The government commenced this action on May 5, 2016 under Section 503(b) of the Communications Act, 47 U.S.C. § 503(b), to enforce the monetary forfeiture’ penalty. (See ECF No. 1; Compl. ¶ 49.) Worldwide filed a motion to dismiss the complaint as time-barred on August 12, 2016, briefing was completed on October 20, 2016, and the Court heard oral argument on November 16, 2016. (ECF Nos. 13-15,17.)

II. Standard op Review

The Court treats a motion to dismiss on the grounds that an action is barred by the statute of limitations as a motion to dismiss for failure to state a claim upon which relief can be granted pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(b)(6). See Ghartey v. St. John's Queens Hospital, 869 F.2d 160, 162 (2d Cir. 1989). In reviewing a motion to dismiss under Rule 12(b)(6), a court must accept the factual allegations set forth in the complaint as true, and draw all reasonable inferences in favor of the plaintiff. See Cleveland v. Caplaw Enter., 448 F.3d 518, 521 (2d Cir. 2006); Nechis v. Oxford Health Plans, Inc., 421 F.3d 96, 100 (2d Cir. 2005). As the Supreme Court has stated, “[t]o survive a motion to dismiss, a complaint must contain sufficient factual matter, accepted as true, to ‘state a claim to-relief that is plausible on its face.’” Ashcroft v. Iqbal, 556 U.S. 662, 678, 129 S.Ct. 1937, 173 L.Ed.2d 868 (2009) (quoting Bell Atlantic Corp. v. Twombly, 550 U.S. 544, 570, 127 S.Ct. 1955, 167 L.Ed.2d 929 (2007)). Furthermore, “[o]nce a claim has been stated adequately, it may be supported by showing any set of facts consistent with the allegations in the complaint.” Twombly, 550 U.S. at 563, 127 S.Ct. 1955. The Court does not, therefore, require “heightened fact pleading of specifics, but only enough facts to state a claim for relief that is plausible on its face.” Id. Further, in reviewing a motion to dismiss, “the district court is normally required to look only to the allegations on the face of the complaint.” Roth v. Jennings, 489 F.3d 499, 509 (2d Cir. 2007).

III. Discussion

Worldwide argues that the government’s action to enforce the Forfeiture Order is time-barred because the violations underlying the Order occurred more than five years before the government brought this action. The government counters that the applicable statute of limitations did not begin to run until the FCC issued the Order in 2015, and, thus, the action is not time-barred. As set forth below, the Court agrees with the government.

A. Statutory Framework

Analysis of the statute of limitations issue first requires a summary of the statutory framework for the imposition and enforcement of penalties under the Communications Act. Under Section 503(b) of the Act, the FCC may impose monetary forfeitures for violations of the Act or the agency’s rules. The Act outlines two processes the FCC may employ to carry out this function. See 47 U.S.C. § 503(b)(3)-(4). First, “[a]t the discretion of the Commission, a forfeiture penalty may be determined against a person ... after notice and an opportunity for a hearing before the Commission or an administrative law judge.” Id. § 503(b)(3)(A). Determinations made in this manner are subject to review by the court of "appeals pursuant to 47 U.S.C. § 402. 47 U.S.C. § 503(b)(3)(A).

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Bluebook (online)
220 F. Supp. 3d 335, 2016 WL 7118559, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-worldwide-industrial-enterprises-inc-nyed-2016.