Wagner v. Ultima Homes, Inc. (In re Vaughan Co. Realtors)

493 B.R. 597, 2013 WL 2304218, 2013 Bankr. LEXIS 2123, 58 Bankr. Ct. Dec. (CRR) 11
CourtUnited States Bankruptcy Court, D. New Mexico
DecidedMay 24, 2013
DocketBankruptcy No. 10-10759; Adversary No. 12-01110
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 493 B.R. 597 (Wagner v. Ultima Homes, Inc. (In re Vaughan Co. Realtors)) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Bankruptcy Court, D. New Mexico primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Wagner v. Ultima Homes, Inc. (In re Vaughan Co. Realtors), 493 B.R. 597, 2013 WL 2304218, 2013 Bankr. LEXIS 2123, 58 Bankr. Ct. Dec. (CRR) 11 (N.M. 2013).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OPINION

ROBERT H. JACOBVTTZ, Bankruptcy Judge.

THIS MATTER is before the Court on the Defendants’ Motion for Summary Judgment (“Motion for Summary Judgment”).1 See Docket Nos. 18, 19, and 23. [601]*601Plaintiff Judith Wagner, Chapter 11 Trustee of the bankruptcy estate of the Vaughan Company Realtors (the “Trustee”), filed a response and a supplemental response in opposition to the Motion for Summary Judgment. See Docket Nos. 16, 20, and 33. This adversary proceeding is one of many adversary proceedings initiated by the Trustee seeking to recover payments made by Vaughan Company Realtors (iCVCR”) to parties who invested in VCR’s promissory note program. The Trustee asserts that VCR operated its business as a Ponzi scheme. She seeks to recover certain transfers made to Defendants under several theories, including avoidance of transfers under the actual fraud and constructive fraud provisions of 11 U.S.C. § 548 and applicable state law.

After consideration of the Motion for Summary Judgment, the responses thereto, and the supporting papers, and being otherwise sufficiently informed, the Court finds that the Motion for Summary Judgment should be granted as to the Trustee’s claims for turnover (Count 1) and denied as to all remaining claims.

SUMMARY JUDGMENT STANDARDS

Summary judgment, governed by Rule 56, Fed.R.Civ. P., will be granted when the movant demonstrates that there is no genuine dispute as to a material fact and that the movant is entitled to judgment as a matter of law. See Fed.R.Civ.P. 56(a), made applicable to adversary proceedings by Rule 7056, Fed.R.Bankr.P. “[A] party seeking summary judgment always bears the initial responsibility of informing the ... court of the basis for its motion, and ... [must] demonstrate the absence of a genuine issue of material fact.” Celotex Corp. v. Catrett, 477 U.S. 317, 323, 106 S.Ct. 2548, 91 L.Ed.2d 265 (1986). The party seeking summary judgment must set forth by number all material facts the movant contends are not subject to genuine dispute, and refer with particularity to the portions in the record upon which the movant relies. NM LBR 7056 — 1(b). In considering a motion for summary judgment, the Court must “examine the factual record and reasonable inferences therefrom in the light most favorable to the party opposing summary judgment.” Wolf v. Prudential Ins. Co. of America, 50 F.3d 793, 796 (10th Cir.1995) (quoting Applied Genetics Int’l, Inc. v. First Affiliated Sec., Inc., 912 F.2d 1238, 1241 (10th Cir.1990)).

“[A] party opposing a properly supported motion for summary judgment may not rest on mere allegation or denials of his pleading, but must set forth specific facts showing that there is a genuine issue for trial” through affidavits or other supporting evidence. Anderson v. Liberty Lobby, Inc., 477 U.S. 242, 256, 106 S.Ct. 2505, 91 L.Ed.2d 202 (1986). Furthermore, New Mexico Local Bankruptcy Rule 7056-l(e) provides that the party opposing summary judgment must: 1) list the material facts as to which the party contends a genuine fact exists; 2) “refer with particularity to those portions of the record upon which the opposing party relies;” and 3) “state the number of the movant’s fact that is disputed.” NM LBR 7056-l(c). Properly supported material facts set forth by the moving party are “deemed admitted unless specifically controverted” by the party opposing summary judgment. NM LBR 7056-l(c).

COUNTS CONTAINED IN THE COMPLAINT

The Complaint contains ninety numbered paragraphs and consists of nine separate counts. Paragraphs 1 through 52 include allegations regarding the nature of the proceeding, jurisdiction and venue, the alleged transfers, and the fraudulent Ponzi scheme allegedly perpetrated by Douglas [602]*602Vaughan and his company, VCR. Paragraphs 53 through 90 incorporate paragraphs 1 through 52 by reference and set forth each claim as a separate count. The counts are:

Count 1 Turnover and Accounting under 11 U.S.C. § 542
Count 2 Actual Fraud under 11 U.S.C. § 548(a)(1)(A) based on alleged transfers to the Defendants made within two years of the date of the filing of the VCR bankruptcy case
Count 3 Constructive Fraud under 11 U.S.C. § 548(a)(1)(B) based on alleged transfers to the Defendants made within two years of the date of the filing of the VCR bankruptcy case
Count 4 Actual Fraud under state law, N.M.S.A. § 56-10-18(A)(l) based on alleged transfers to the Defendants made within four years of the date of the filing of the VCR bankruptcy case
Count 5 Constructive Fraud under state law, N.M.S.A. § 56-10-18(A)(2) based on alleged transfers to the Defendants made within four years of the date of the filing of the VCR bankruptcy case
Count 6 Fraudulent transfer (present creditors) under state law, N.M.S.A. § 56-10-19(A) and/or 11 U.S.C. § 544 as to the Defendants
Count 7 Fraudulent transfer (past creditors) under state law, N.M.S.A. § 56-10-19(A) and/or 11 U.S.C. § 544 as to the Defendants
Count 8 Undiscovered fraudulent transfers based on state law
Count 9 Disallowance of the Defendants’ Claims under 11 U.S.C. § 502(d), or, alternatively, Equitable Subordination of her Claims under 11 U.S.C. § 510(c)

FACTS NOT SUBJECT TO DISPUTE

The following facts are not subject to genuine dispute:2

1. Ultima Homes, Inc. (“Ultima Homes”) maintains a Defined Benefit Pension Plan and Trust (the “Ultima Plan”). See generally Defendants’ Reply in Support of Motion for Summary Judgment and Memorandum in Support Thereof (Docket No. 23) (“Defendants’ Reply”), ¶ 1; Trustee’s Sur-Response in Opposition to Defendants’ Reply in Support of Motion for Summary Judgment and Memorandum in Support Thereof (Docket No. 33) (“Trustee’s Sur-Reply”), p. 6.

2. Jon K. Hightower is the trustee of the Ultima Plan. See Defendants’ Reply, ¶ 3; Trustee’s Sur-Reply, p. 7.

3. Ultima Homes and the Ultima Plan maintain separate bank accounts.3 See Defendants’ Reply, ¶ 4; Hightower Affidavit, ¶ 24. Funds belonging to Ultima Homes were kept separate from funds belonging to the Ultima Plan.4 Id.

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Bluebook (online)
493 B.R. 597, 2013 WL 2304218, 2013 Bankr. LEXIS 2123, 58 Bankr. Ct. Dec. (CRR) 11, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/wagner-v-ultima-homes-inc-in-re-vaughan-co-realtors-nmb-2013.