Warren v. Geller

386 F. Supp. 3d 744
CourtDistrict Court, E.D. Louisiana
DecidedMay 3, 2019
DocketCIVIL ACTION NO. 11-2282
StatusPublished
Cited by6 cases

This text of 386 F. Supp. 3d 744 (Warren v. Geller) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, E.D. Louisiana primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Warren v. Geller, 386 F. Supp. 3d 744 (E.D. La. 2019).

Opinion

NANNETTE JOLIVETTE BROWN, CHIEF JUDGE

Pending before the Court are two motions: (1) Defendants Raymond James & Associates, Inc., as successor to Morgan Keegan & Company, Inc., Frances "Polly" Moore, and Beatriz Cadena's (collectively "Defendants") "Motion to Confirm Arbitration Award and for Entry of Final Judgment;"1 and (2) Plaintiff Terrell LeBeaux Warren individually and on behalf of Frank William Warren, IV, Tyrell L. Warren, Isaiah M. Warren, and Mykiah M. Warren's ("Plaintiff") "Motion to Vacate Arbitration Award."2 Having considered the motions, the memorandum in support and opposition, oral argument, and the applicable law, the Court will grant the motion to confirm the arbitration award and deny the motion to vacate the arbitration award.

I. Background

A. Factual Background

Plaintiff filed the initial complaint in this action on September 12, 2011.3 On August 21, 2012, Plaintiff filed an amended complaint.4 On March 6, 2013, Plaintiff filed a second amended complaint.5 The second amended complaint names Benjamin Geller ("Geller"), Beatriz Cadena ("Cadena"), Frances Moore ("Moore"), Morgan Keegan & Company, Inc. ("Morgan Keegan"), Arlyn Nelson ("Nelson"), Virginia Insurance Company ("Virginia Insurance"), GE Life and Annuity Assurance Company ("GE"), Genworth Life and Annuity Insurance Company ("Genworth"), and Continental Casualty Company ("Continental") as defendants.6 On January 23, 2014, all defendants except for Geller, Cadena, Moore, and Morgan Keegan were dismissed from the action.7

Plaintiff alleges that Geller was a sports agent and financial adviser to decedent Frank Warren ("Warren"), a former professional football player with the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League ("NFL").8 Plaintiff is the widow of Frank Warren, who is bringing this action *746individually and on behalf of her four minor children who were fathered by Warren.9 Plaintiff alleges that in 1994, Geller suggested to Warren that he purchase a life insurance policy from Nelson.10

Plaintiff alleges that Nelson represented himself to be a licensed insurance broker, but this was false as he was not licensed as an agent to sell insurance in the State of Louisiana.11 Plaintiff alleges that nonetheless, on September 26, 1994, Nelson, "who was located in Washington State, prepared and filled out" an application for a $ 1,000,000 life insurance policy for Warren and mailed the application to Geller.12 Plaintiff alleges that Geller had Warren sign the document in New Orleans, Louisiana, and it was sent back to Geller in Washington State.13 Plaintiff alleges that Warren paid all premiums until his death in 2002.14

Plaintiff alleges that upon Warren's death, Nelson made a claim to Genworth for payment of $ 1,000,000 under Warren's life insurance policy.15 Plaintiff alleges that this money was to be paid to the Frank Warren Irrevocable Insurance Trust, of which Geller was trustee.16 According to Plaintiff, Warren never appointed Geller as trustee of the Trust.17 Rather, Plaintiff alleges that "the two Trust documents [needed to establish the Trust] were somehow notarized containing blanks, where the trustees were to be named and one of the Trust documents did not have the Parish where it was notarized, filled in [sic]."18

According to Plaintiff, investment bank Morgan Keegan received the proceeds from Warren's life insurance policy and put them into the Trust account of which it was in charge.19 "The funds were then," according to Plaintiff, "through breach of fiduciary duty, negligence and fraud allowed to be jettisoned to Geller."20 This was done, Plaintiff alleges, through the actions of Moore and Cadena, employees of Morgan Keegan, who acted in concert with Geller and Nelson to divert the money from the Trust to Geller after Nelson conspired with Gellar to open a Morgan Keegan account for the Trust.21 According to Plaintiff, Geller depleted most of the Trust funds within nineteen months, leaving a balance of $ 189,468.92 by the end of December, 2004.22 Plaintiff alleges that by December, 2007, all of the Trust funds were exhausted and the Trust account was closed with a balance of zero.23

Plaintiff brings, among other causes of action, claims against Geller, Cadena, Moore, and Morgan Keller for breach of fiduciary duty, breach of due diligence, *747negligence, fraud, and conversion.24

B. Procedural Background

Plaintiff filed the initial complaint in this action on September 12, 2011.25 On August 21, 2012, with leave of Court, Plaintiff filed an amended complaint.26 Then, on March 6, 2013, with leave of Court, Plaintiff filed a second amended complaint.27

On May 20, 2013, the Court stayed and administratively closed the matter pending resolution of a criminal case against Geller.28 On October 24, 2013, the Court re-opened the matter following resolution of Geller's criminal trial.29 On October 3, 2014, the Court granted a motion to stay the case again, pending arbitration.30

On January 30, 2019, Defendants filed the instant "Motion to Confirm Arbitration Award and for Entry of Final Judgment."31 On February 6, 2019, Plaintiff filed the instant "Motion to Vacate Arbitration Award."32 On February 20, 2019, Plaintiff filed an opposition to the motion to confirm.33 On March 4, 2019, Defendants filed a reply in further support of the motion to confirm.34 On April 16, 2019, Defendants filed an opposition to the motion to vacate.35 On April 24, 2019, the Court heard oral argument on both motions.36

II. Parties' Arguments

A. Defendants' Motion to Confirm Arbitration Award

1. Defendant's Arguments in Support of the Motion to Confirm Arbitration Award

Defendants assert that on May 18, 2016, Plaintiff initiated arbitration (the "Arbitration") against Defendants, asserting various claims related to the misappropriation of trust funds by Geller.37 Defendants assert that at the conclusion of Plaintiff's case-in-chief, the Defendants moved to dismiss the Arbitration on the grounds that Plaintiff had failed to assert a claim under any regulation or law-state or federal-upon which damages could be awarded.38

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
386 F. Supp. 3d 744, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/warren-v-geller-laed-2019.