{"id":"court_ctb_1341_0","court":"CTB","case_no":"22-50073","doc_number":1341,"sub_number":0,"doc_type":"ORDER","filed_date":"2022-12-07","title":"UNITED STATES BANKRUPTCY COURT DISTRICT OF CONNECTICUT In re:","summary_zh":"费用发票有限异议 —— Ho Wan Kwok 破产案（郭文贵 / Guo Wengui / Miles Guo），CTB 22-50073 ECF #1341（2022-12-07提交）。HK International Funds Investments (USA) Limited, LLC 与郭美（Mei Guo）针对受托人提交的 EOCS 游艇检验服务发票通知提出有限异议，指出受托人尚未向游艇所有人提供检验最终报告，请求法院在报告交付前拒绝批准支付该笔 9,710.00 美元的发票款项。","summary_en":"Limited Objection — In re Ho Wan Kwok (Miles Guo / Guo Wengui), CTB 22-50073, ECF No. 1341 (filed Dec. 7, 2022). HK International Funds Investments (USA) Limited, LLC and Mei Guo filed a limited objection to the Chapter 11 Trustee's notice of invoice of EOCS for inspection services in the amount of $9,710.00, arguing that payment should be denied until the Trustee produces the finalized EOCS inspection report for the Lady May yacht to the owner.","body_en":"## UNITED STATES BANKRUPTCY COURT DISTRICT OF CONNECTICUT\n\nIn re:\n\nChapter 11\n\nCase No. 22-50073 (JAM)\n\nHO WAN KWOK, *et al.*\n\nDebtors.\n\n## **LIMITED OBJECTION OF HK INTERNATIONAL FUNDS INVESTMENTS (USA) LIMITED, LLC AND MEI GUO TO CHAPTER 11 TRUSTEE'S NOTICE OF FILING OF INVOICE OF ENGINEERING OPERATIONS AND CERTIFICATION SERVICES, LLC FOR INSPECTION SERVICES**\n\nHK International Funds Investments (USA) Limited, LLC (\"HK USA\") and Mei Guo (\"Guo\"), by and through their undersigned attorneys, file this limited objection (the \"Limited Objection\") to the Chapter 11 Trustee's Notice of Filing of Invoice of Engineering Operations and Certification Services, LLC for Inspection Services (the \"Notice of Inspection Services\") [Dkt. 1290], and in support of the Limited Objection, HK USA and Guo respectfully state as follows:\n\n## **PRELIMINARY STATEMENT**\n\n1. On December 9, 2022, Luc A. Despins, in his capacity as the Chapter 11 Trustee (the \"Trustee\") appointed in the above-captioned Chapter 11 case, filed a motion seeking authorization to retain and employ Engineering Operations and Certification Services, LLC (\"EOCS\") pursuant to a letter agreement dated December 7, 2022, by and between the Trustee and EOCS, to provide inspection services with respect to the Lady May yacht, effective as of November 23, 2022 (Dkt. 1212, the \"Motion\").\n\n2. By Order dated January 4, 2023, the Court granted the Motion, which authorized the Trustee to retain and employ EOCS effective as of November 23, 2022 (Dkt. 1285, the \"EOCS Retention Order\").\n\n3. In accordance with paragraph 5 of the EOCS Retention Order, \"[i]n lieu of filing fee applications, the Trustee is authorized to file a notice with the Court attaching EOCS's invoices for the Inspection Services. Parties in interest shall then have fourteen (14) days to object to such invoices.\"\n\n4. On January 4, 2023, the Trustee filed the Notice of Inspection Services [Dkt. 1290], which included a request for payment of an EOCS invoice in the amount of \\$9,710.00 (\"EOCS Invoice\"). Notably, the majority of the EOCS Invoice was comprised of services rendered by EOCS for the preparation of a final report (\"EOCS Final Report\"). Presumably, since EOCS has submitted the EOCS Invoice for payment, it has finalized the EOCS Final Report.\n\n5. Notwithstanding repeated attempts by HK USA and Guo, through counsel, to obtain a copy of the EOCS Final Report from the Trustee, the Trustee has not produced any such document to them. Although there is no court order specifically requiring production of the EOCS Final Report by a date certain, the Trustee's counsel had agreed to produce same by no later December 16, 2022, following a sea trial of the Lady May on December 13, 2022. No explanation has been given for the more than one-month delay.\n\n6. As the Court is aware, under the Stipulated Order Compelling HK International Funds Investment (USA) Limited, LLC to Transport and Deliver that Certain Yacht, the \"Lady May,\" HK USA \"shall cause, at its sole expense, the service and maintenance identified in the\n\n2\n\nDeclaration [of Russell Stockil] and otherwise, if necessary, to restore the Lady May to good working order.\" [Dkt. 299].\n\n7. To the extent that the Trustee asserts that HK USA is responsible for the cost to repair the Lady May, there is no reason whatsoever that the EOCS Final Report should not be immediately produced to HK USA by the Trustee.\n\n8. The Trustee is in no position to request payment for the EOCS Invoice when he has failed to provide a copy of the EOCS Final Report to HK USA, the owner of the Lady May.\n\n9. Therefore, the EOCS Invoice should not be paid and the Limited Objection should be sustained at this time.\n\nWHEREFORE, for each of the reasons set forth above, HK USA and Guo respectfully request that the Court deny for payment the Notice of Inspection Services and grant such other or further relief as may be appropriate.\n\nDated: January 18, 2023 Respectfully submitted,\n\n*/s/ Aaron A. Romney* Aaron A. Romney (ct28144) ZEISLER & ZEISLER, P.C. 10 Middle Street, 15th Floor Bridgeport, CT 06604 (203) 368-4234 [aromney@zeislaw.com](mailto:aromney@zeislaw.com)\n\n-and-\n\nLee D. Vartan (admitted *pro hac vice*) Sam Della Fera, Jr. (admitted *pro hac vice*) CHIESA SHAHINIAN & GIANTOMASI PC One Boland Drive West Orange, NJ 07052 (973) 325-1500 [lvartan@csglaw.com](mailto:lvartan@csglaw.com) [sdellafera@csglaw.com](mailto:sdellafera@csglaw.com)\n\n*Attorneys for HK International Funds Investments (USA) Limited, LLC and Mei Guo*\n\n## **CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE**\n\nI hereby certify that on this 18th day of January, 2023, a copy of foregoing was filed electronically. Notice of this filing will be sent by e-mail to all parties by operation of the Court's electronic filing system or by mail to anyone unable to accept electronic filing as indicated on the Notice ofElectronic Filing. Parties may access this filing through the Court's CM/ECF System.\n\n> */s/ Aaron A. Romney* Aaron A. Romney","body_zh":"UNITED STATES BANKRUPTCY COURT DISTRICT OF CONNECTICUT（美国康涅狄格区破产法院）\n\n关于：\n\n第 11 章\n\n案号：22-50073 (JAM)\n\nHO WAN KWOK（郭文贵）等\n\n债务人。\n\nHK INTERNATIONAL FUNDS INVESTMENTS (USA) LIMITED, LLC 与 MEI GUO（郭美）对第 11 章受托人关于提交 ENGINEERING OPERATIONS AND CERTIFICATION SERVICES, LLC 检验服务发票的通知的有限异议\n\nHK International Funds Investments (USA) Limited, LLC（香港国际基金投资（美国）有限公司，以下简称“HK USA”）与 Mei Guo（郭美，以下简称“郭”），由其下述署名律师代表，对第 11 章受托人关于提交 Engineering Operations and Certification Services, LLC（工程运营与认证服务有限责任公司，以下简称“EOCS”）检验服务发票的通知（以下简称“检验服务通知”）[Dkt. 1290] 提出本有限异议（以下简称“本有限异议”），为支持本有限异议，HK USA 与郭谨陈述如下：\n\n初步陈述\n\n1. 2022年12月9日，以在上述标题第 11 章案件中被任命的第 11 章受托人身份行事的 Luc A. Despins（卢克·A·德斯平斯，以下简称“受托人”），根据受托人与 EOCS 之间日期为 2022年12月7日的协议书提交动议，申请授权聘用 EOCS 就 Lady May（五月夫人号）游艇提供检验服务，自 2022年11月23日起生效（Dkt. 1212，以下简称“该动议”）。\n\n2. 根据日期为 2023年1月4日的裁定，法院准许了该动议，授权受托人聘用 EOCS，自 2022年11月23日起生效（Dkt. 1285，以下简称“EOCS 聘用裁定”）。\n\n3. 根据 EOCS 聘用裁定第 5 段，“受托人获授权向法院提交附有 EOCS 检验服务发票的通知，以代替提交费用申请。利害关系方随后应有十四（14）天时间对此类发票提出异议。”\n\n4. 2023年1月4日，受托人提交了检验服务通知 [Dkt. 1290]，其中包括支付金额为 $9,710.00 的 EOCS 发票的请求（以下简称“EOCS 发票”）。值得注意的是，EOCS 发票的大部分由 EOCS 为准备最终报告（以下简称“EOCS 最终报告”）而提供的服务构成。据推测，鉴于 EOCS 已提交 EOCS 发票申请付款，其应已定稿 EOCS 最终报告。\n\n5. 尽管 HK USA 和郭通过律师多次尝试从受托人处获取 EOCS 最终报告的副本，但受托人尚未向其提供任何此类文件。虽然没有任何法院命令明确要求在特定日期前提供 EOCS 最终报告，但受托人的律师曾同意在 2022年12月13日对“五月夫人号”进行海试之后，不迟于 2022年12月16日提供该报告。对于超过一个月的拖延，未给出任何解释。\n\n6. 正如法院所知，根据《关于强制 HK International Funds Investment (USA) Limited, LLC 运输和交付特定游艇“五月夫人号”的约定裁定》，HK USA “应自费进行 [Russell Stockil（拉塞尔·斯托基尔）的] 声明中所载明的维修和维护，并在必要时采取其他措施，以使‘五月夫人号’恢复良好工作状态。”[Dkt. 299]。\n\n7. 只要受托人主张 HK USA 应对修理“五月夫人号”的费用负责，受托人就没有任何理由不立即向 HK USA 提供 EOCS 最终报告。\n\n8. 在受托人未能向“五月夫人号”的所有人 HK USA 提供 EOCS 最终报告副本的情况下，其无权要求支付 EOCS 发票。\n\n9. 因此，目前不应支付 EOCS 发票，且本有限异议应予支持。\n\n为此，基于上述各项理由，HK USA 和郭谨请求法院驳回检验服务通知中的付款请求，并给予可能适当的其他或进一步救济。\n\n日期：2023年1月18日 谨呈，\n\n/s/ Aaron A. Romney Aaron A. Romney (ct28144) ZEISLER & ZEISLER, P.C. 10 Middle Street, 15th Floor Bridgeport, CT 06604 (203) 368-4234 [aromney@zeislaw.com]\n\n以及\n\nLee D. Vartan (admitted pro hac vice) Sam Della Fera, Jr. (admitted pro hac vice) CHIESA SHAHINIAN & GIANTOMASI PC One Boland Drive West Orange, NJ 07052 (973) 325-1500 [lvartan@csglaw.com] [sdellafera@csglaw.com]\n\nHK International Funds Investments (USA) Limited, LLC 及 Mei Guo 之代理律师\n\n送达证书\n\n本人特此证明，于 2023年1月18日，前述文件的副本已通过电子方式提交。本提交通知将通过法院电子提交系统的运行以电子邮件形式发送给所有当事人，或按照电子提交通知所示通过邮寄方式发送给无法接受电子提交的任何人。当事人可通过法院的 CM/ECF 系统查阅本次提交的文件。\n\n/s/ Aaron A. Romney Aaron A. Romney","key_entities":["Guo","Je","Kwok","Ho Wan Kwok","Despins"],"ecf_references":[{"doc_number":299,"court":"CTB"},{"doc_number":1212,"court":"CTB"},{"doc_number":1285,"court":"CTB"},{"doc_number":1290,"court":"CTB"}],"word_count":794,"status":"published","published_at":"2022-12-07 00:00:00","created_at":"2022-12-07","updated_at":"2026-08-23 12:32:05"}