{"id":"court_ctb_2291_0","court":"CTB","case_no":"22-50073","doc_number":2291,"sub_number":0,"doc_type":"UNKNOWN","filed_date":null,"title":"| UNITED STATES BANKRUPTCY COURT<br>DISTRICT OF CONNECTICUT<br>BRIDGEPORT DIVISION<br>----------------------------------","summary_zh":null,"summary_en":null,"body_en":"| UNITED STATES BANKRUPTCY COURT<br>DISTRICT OF CONNECTICUT<br>BRIDGEPORT DIVISION<br>----------------------------------------------------------------<br>x |                                                  |  |\n|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------|--|\n| In re:                                                                                                                                                    | :<br>:<br>Chapter 11<br>:                        |  |\n| HO WAN KWOK, et al.,1                                                                                                                                     | :<br>Case No. 22-50073 (JAM)<br>:                |  |\n| Debtors.<br>----------------------------------------------------------------                                                                              | :<br>(Jointly Administered)<br>:<br>x            |  |\n| LUC A. DESPINS, CHAPTER 11<br>TRUSTEE,                                                                                                                    | :<br>:<br>:                                      |  |\n| Plaintiff,<br>v.                                                                                                                                          | :<br>Adv. Proceeding No. 23-05017<br>:<br>:<br>: |  |\n| TAURUS FUND LLC,<br>SCOTT BARNETT, as trustee of TAURUS FUND<br>LLC, and<br>TAURUS MANAGEMENT LLC, as trustee of<br>TAURUS FUND LLC,                      | :<br>:<br>:<br>:<br>:<br>:<br>:                  |  |\n| Defendants.<br>----------------------------------------------------------------                                                                           | :<br>x                                           |  |\n\n## **JOINT REPORT OF CHAPTER 11 TRUSTEE AND TAURUS FUND LLC, SCOTT BARNETT, AND TAURUS MANAGEMENT LLC REGARDING PERSONALTY AND FIXTURES IN OR ON MAHWAH MANSION**\n\nLuc A. Despins, in his capacity as the Chapter 11 trustee (the \"Trustee\") for the estate of\n\nHo Wan Kwok (the \"Debtor\"), and as plaintiff in the above-captioned adversary proceeding (the\n\n\"Adversary Proceeding\"), by and through his undersigned counsel, and defendants Taurus Fund\n\n<sup>1</sup> The Debtors in these chapter 11 cases are Ho Wan Kwok (also known as Guo Wengui, Miles Guo, and Miles Kwok, as well as numerous other aliases) (last four digits of tax identification number: 9595), Genever Holdings LLC (last four digits of tax identification number: 8202) and Genever Holdings Corporation. The mailing address for the Trustee, Genever Holdings LLC, and the Genever Holdings Corporation is Paul Hastings LLP, 200 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10166 c/o Luc A. Despins, as Trustee for the Estate of Ho Wan Kwok (solely for purposes of notices and communications).\n\nLLC, Scott Barnett, and Taurus Management LLC (the \"Defendants,\" and together with the Trustee, collectively, the \"Parties\"), hereby submit this joint report (the \"Joint Report\") in response to the Court's order at the status conference on October 24, 2023 directing the Parties to meet and confer regarding the personalty and fixtures located in or on the premises at 675 Ramapo Valley Road, Mahwah, New Jersey (the \"Mahwah Mansion\"). The Parties respectfully state the following:\n\n1. On August 15, 2023, the Court entered its *Order Extending Temporary Restraining Order* [Adv. Proc. Doc. No. 34] (the \"Mahwah TRO Order\"), requiring, among things, that the Defendants identify to the Trustee and to the Court (i) any and all property and assets of Taurus Fund, and (ii) any and all personalty and/or fixtures located in or on the Mahwah Mansion.\n\n2. On August 20, 2023, the Defendants filed their response regarding the Mahwah TRO Order, together with a list of assets of Taurus Fund LLC and a list of fixtures added to the Mahwah Mansion (the \"Defendants' Item List\").\n\n3. On August 24, 2023, the Court entered its *Memorandum of Decision and Order Granting in Part Motion for Preliminary Injunction* [Adv. Proc. Doc. No. 47] (the \"Mahwah PI Order\").\n\n4. Pursuant to the Mahwah PI Order, on September 1, 2023, the Trustee and his counsel conducted a tour of the Mahwah Mansion with professionals from Kroll, LLC to inspect and document the conditions of the premises and the personal property and fixtures located in or on the Mahwah Mansion.\n\n5. On October 23, 2023, the Trustee filed an *Emergency Motion for Status Conference to Discuss Preservation of Property of Estate* [Adv. Proc. Doc. No. 70] (the\n\n\"Emergency Motion\"), attaching as an exhibit his preliminary findings regarding the conditions of the premises, and personal property and fixtures located in or on the Mahwah Mansion.\n\n6. On October 23, 2023, the Court entered its *Order Granting the Trustee's Emergency Motion* [Adv. Proc. Doc. No. 71], ordering counsel for Taurus Fund LLC and counsel for Greenwich Land, LLC to appear at the status conference.\n\n7. On October 24, 2023, the Court held the emergency status conference, which was attended by the Trustee and counsel for the Defendants. The Court directed the Parties to meet and confer, specifically regarding all personalty and fixtures located in or on the Mahwah Mansion that were questioned at the status conference concerning the Trustee's *Emergency Motion for Status Conference to Discuss Preservation of Property of Estate,* including furniture, art work, and antiques that were previously shown to be in the Mahwah Mansion prior to the Trustee's tour on September 1, 2023 but were missing from the Mahwah Mansion on September 1, 2023 (the \"Missing Items\").\n\n8. On October 25, 2023, the Parties met and conferred, and agreed to a protocol on how to proceed with identifying the personalty and fixtures located in or on the Mahwah Mansion. Specifically, the Parties agreed that:\n\n- a. the Trustee and his counsel shall provide to counsel for Taurus Fund LLC a list of items with pictures which identify and number certain furniture, art work, and antiques in or on the Mahwah Mansion (the \"Trustee's Item List\");\n- b. counsel for Taurus Fund LLC shall review the Trustee's Item List with relevant personnel from Taurus Fund LLC and inform the Trustee whether the items on the list are owned by Taurus Fund LLC; and Taurus Fund LLC shall provide a sworn statement to that effect, which verifies the conclusions stated in the\n\nproposed report annexed hereto as **Exhibit A**.\n\n- c. Taurus Fund LLC shall also provide a sworn statement with respect to the Defendants' Item List;\n- d. both sworn statements by the Defendants referenced in paragraphs 8(b) and 8(c) shall be provided to the Trustee and to the Court by October 31, 2023, pursuant to the Court's order on October 24, 2023 [Adv. Proc. No. 72]; and\n- e. should counsel for Taurus Fund LLC feel that an on-site inspection at the Mahwah Mansion is needed to identify certain items, the Trustee will provide written authorization for such counsel to access the Mahwah Mansion in the presence of the Trustee's counsel and professionals from Kroll, LLC.\n\n9. On October 25, 2023, following the Parties' meet and confer, counsel for the Trustee has provided the Trustee's Item List to counsel for Taurus Fund LLC after which the parties agreed to the form of **Exhibit A**.\n\n10. Regarding the Missing Items, the Trustee and counsel for Taurus Fund LLC disagree on how to proceed. The Trustee believes that the photographic evidence from the Emergency Motion shows that the Missing Items were clearly located in the Mahwah Mansion and that Taurus Fund LLC, as the titleholder of the Mahwah Mansion, should be required, through testimony, to identify and/or clarify the ownership of the Missing Items and explain their disappearance from the premises. Counsel for Defendants indicated that because these items which were not owned by Taurus Fund LLC and were not subject to its control, but rather were placed in the Mahwah Mansion under the watch of the manager of the Mahwah Mansion, he would assist in determining who the appropriate party was, presumably the relevant Day Manager at the Mahwah Mansion, so that the Trustee could determine what happened to these\n\nMissing Items. Counsel for Defendants has already begun its inquiry into this issue and will include in its verified response (which will be filed with the Court by October 31, 2023) what information it has uncovered.\n\nDated: October 26, 2023 New York, New York\n\nBy: */s/ Nicholas A. Bassett*\n\nNicholas A. Bassett (admitted *pro hac vice*) PAUL HASTINGS LLP 2050 M Street NW Washington, D.C., 20036 (202) 551-1902 nicholasbassett@paulhastings.com\n\n*and*\n\nDouglas S. Skalka (ct00616) Patrick R. Linsey (ct29437) NEUBERT, PEPE & MONTEITH, P.C. 195 Church Street, 13th Floor New Haven, Connecticut 06510 (203) 781-2847 dskalka@npmlaw.com plinsey@npmlaw.com\n\n*and*\n\nAvram E. Luft (admitted *pro hac vice*) G. Alexander Bongartz (admitted *pro hac vice*) PAUL HASTINGS LLP 200 Park Avenue New York, New York 10166 (212) 318-6079 aviluft@paulhastings.com alexbongartz@paulhastings.com\n\n*Counsel for the Chapter 11 Trustee*\n\n#### LAZARE POTTER GIACOVAS & MOYLE LLP\n\n/s/ Michael T. Conway Michael T. Conway 747 Third Avenue, Sixteenth Floor New York, New York 10017 Telephone: (917) 242-1587 mconway@lpgmlaw.com\n\n*Counsel for Defendants*\n\n### **Exhibit A.**\n\n**Sample Model**\n\n#### **Sample Response Sheet**\n\nI, \\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_, making the statements herein under penalty of perjury, make the following response to the Trustee's Item List.\n\n| Trustee Item List | Owned by Taurus Fund | Comments                       |\n|-------------------|----------------------|--------------------------------|\n| No.               | (Yes/No)             |                                |\n| 1-1               | [Yes/No]             | •<br>if claimed to be owned by |\n|                   |                      | Taurus Fund, identify which    |\n|                   |                      | item it corresponds to on the  |\n|                   |                      | Defendants'<br>Item List       |\n| 1-2               | [Yes/No]             | •<br>if claimed to be owned by |\n|                   |                      | Taurus Fund, identify which    |\n|                   |                      | item it corresponds to on the  |\n|                   |                      | Defendants' Item List          |\n| 1-3               | [Yes/No]             | •<br>if claimed to be owned by |\n|                   |                      | Taurus Fund, identify which    |\n|                   |                      | item it corresponds to on the  |\n|                   |                      | Defendants' Item List          |\n| 1-4               | [Yes/No]             | •<br>if claimed to be owned by |\n|                   |                      | Taurus Fund, identify which    |\n|                   |                      | item it corresponds to on the  |\n|                   |                      | Defendants' Item List          |\n| 1-5               | [Yes/No]             | •<br>if claimed to be owned by |\n|                   |                      | Taurus Fund, identify which    |\n|                   |                      | item it corresponds to on the  |\n|                   |                      | Defendants' Item List          |\n| 1-6               | [Yes/No]             | •<br>if claimed to be owned by |\n|                   |                      | Taurus Fund, identify which    |\n\n|     | item it corresponds to on the |\n|-----|-------------------------------|\n|     | Defendants' Item List         |\n| […] |                               |\n\nPursuant to 28 U.S.C. 1746, I declare under penalty of perjury under the laws of the United States that the above statements are true and correct.\n\nDate: October [•], 2023\n\nName:\n\n\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\n\n<span id=\"page-9-0\"></span>**TAB 1**\n\n# **Mahwah Mansion – September 1, 2023[1](#page-9-0)**\n\n![](_page_9_Figure_3.jpeg)\n\n1 All pictures were taken during the Trustee's walkthrough at the Mahwah Mansion on September 1, 2023.\n\n**TAB 2**\n\n![](_page_10_Picture_2.jpeg)\n\n# **Mahwah Mansion – September 1, 2023**\n\n![](_page_10_Picture_4.jpeg)\n\n![](_page_10_Picture_5.jpeg)","body_zh":"UNITED STATES BANKRUPTCY COURT（美国破产法院）\nDISTRICT OF CONNECTICUT（康涅狄格区）\nBRIDGEPORT DIVISION（布里奇波特分院）\n\nx\n\nIn re:\n第 11 章\nHO WAN KWOK（郭文贵）等，1\n案件编号：22-50073 (JAM)\n债务人。\n（合并审理）\n\nx\nLUC A. DESPINS，第 11 章\n受托人，\n原告，\nv.\n对抗程序编号：23-05017\nTAURUS FUND LLC（金牛基金有限责任公司）、\nSCOTT BARNETT（作为金牛基金有限责任公司的受托人），以及\nTAURUS MANAGEMENT LLC（金牛管理有限责任公司，作为金牛基金有限责任公司的受托人），\n被告。\n\nx\n第 11 章受托人与 TAURUS FUND LLC、SCOTT BARNETT 及 TAURUS MANAGEMENT LLC 关于 MAHWAH 庄园内或庄园上动产及附着物的联合报告\n\nLuc A. Despins 以 Ho Wan Kwok（郭文贵）（“债务人”）破产财产的第 11 章受托人（“受托人”）身份，并作为上述对抗程序（“对抗程序”）的原告，由其下述签字律师代表，与被告 Taurus Fund LLC（金牛基金有限责任公司）、Scott Barnett 及 Taurus Management LLC（金牛管理有限责任公司）（统称“被告”，并与受托人合称“各方”），特此提交本联合报告（“联合报告”），以回应法院在 2023 年 10 月 24 日状态会议上作出的命令，该命令指示各方就位于 675 Ramapo Valley Road, Mahwah, New Jersey（新泽西州马赫瓦拉马波谷路 675 号）处所（“Mahwah 庄园”）内或庄园上的动产及附着物进行会商。各方谨陈述如下：\n\n1 这些第 11 章案件中的债务人为 Ho Wan Kwok（亦称郭文贵、Miles Guo 及 Miles Kwok，以及其他众多化名）（纳税人识别号后四位：9595）、Genever Holdings LLC（纳税人识别号后四位：8202）及 Genever Holdings Corporation。受托人、Genever Holdings LLC 及 Genever Holdings Corporation 的邮寄地址为 Paul Hastings LLP, 200 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10166 c/o Luc A. Despins, as Trustee for the Estate of Ho Wan Kwok（仅用于接收通知和通信目的）。\n\n1. 2023 年 8 月 15 日，法院作出了延长临时限制令的命令 [Adv. Proc. Doc. No. 34]（“Mahwah 临时限制令”），除其他事项外，要求被告向受托人和法院指明 (i) Taurus Fund 的任何及全部财产与资产，以及 (ii) 位于 Mahwah 庄园内或庄园上的任何及全部动产和/或附着物。\n\n2. 2023 年 8 月 20 日，被告提交了关于 Mahwah 临时限制令的回应，连同 Taurus Fund LLC 的资产清单以及添加到 Mahwah 庄园的附着物清单（“被告物品清单”）。\n\n3. 2023 年 8 月 24 日，法院作出了部分批准初步禁令动议的裁决备忘录及命令 [Adv. Proc. Doc. No. 47]（“Mahwah 初步禁令”）。\n\n4. 根据 Mahwah 初步禁令，2023 年 9 月 1 日，受托人及其律师与来自 Kroll, LLC（科罗尔有限责任公司）的专业人员一起巡视了 Mahwah 庄园，以检查并记录处所的状况以及位于 Mahwah 庄园内或庄园上的个人财产和附着物。\n\n5. 2023 年 10 月 23 日，受托人提交了讨论保全破产财产的状态会议紧急动议 [Adv. Proc. Doc. No. 70]（“紧急动议”），并附上关于处所状况以及位于 Mahwah 庄园内或庄园上的个人财产和附着物的初步调查结果作为附件。\n\n6. 2023 年 10 月 23 日，法院作出了批准受托人紧急动议的命令 [Adv. Proc. Doc. No. 71]，命令 Taurus Fund LLC 的律师和 Greenwich Land, LLC 的律师出席状态会议。\n\n7. 2023 年 10 月 24 日，法院召开了紧急状态会议，受托人及被告律师出席了该会议。法院指示各方进行会商，特别是针对在关于受托人讨论保全破产财产的状态会议紧急动议的状态会议上受到质疑的、位于 Mahwah 庄园内或庄园上的所有动产及附着物，包括此前在受托人 2023 年 9 月 1 日巡视之前显示位于 Mahwah 庄园内、但在 2023 年 9 月 1 日从 Mahwah 庄园中失踪的家具、艺术品和古董（“失踪物品”）。\n\n8. 2023 年 10 月 25 日，各方进行了会商，并就如何继续确定位于 Mahwah 庄园内或庄园上的动产及附着物达成了一致方案。具体而言，各方同意：\n\n- a. 受托人及其律师应向 Taurus Fund LLC 的律师提供一份附有照片的物品清单，该清单指明并编号了 Mahwah 庄园内或庄园上的某些家具、艺术品和古董（“受托人物品清单”）；\n- b. Taurus Fund LLC 的律师应与 Taurus Fund LLC 的相关人员一起审查受托人物品清单，并告知受托人清单上的物品是否归 Taurus Fund LLC 所有；且 Taurus Fund LLC 应就此提供一份宣誓陈述，以证实作为附件 A 附于本报告后的拟定报告中所陈述的结论。\n- c. Taurus Fund LLC 还应就“被告物品清单”提供一份宣誓陈述；\n- d. 被告在第 8(b) 段和第 8(c) 段中提及的两份宣誓陈述均应根据法院 2023 年 10 月 24 日的命令 [Adv. Proc. No. 72]，在 2023 年 10 月 31 日之前提供给受托人和法院；以及\n- e. 如果 Taurus Fund LLC 的律师认为需要对 Mahwah 庄园进行现场检查以确定某些物品，受托人将提供书面授权，允许该律师在受托人律师和 Kroll, LLC 专业人员在场的情况下进入 Mahwah 庄园。\n\n9. 2023 年 10 月 25 日，在各方会商之后，受托人的律师已向 Taurus Fund LLC 的律师提供了受托人物品清单，随后各方同意了附件 A 的格式。\n\n10. 关于失踪物品，受托人与 Taurus Fund LLC 的律师在如何处理上存在分歧。受托人认为，紧急动议中的照片证据表明失踪物品显然曾位于 Mahwah 庄园内，并且 Taurus Fund LLC 作为 Mahwah 庄园的产权所有人，应被要求通过证词指明和/或澄清失踪物品的所有权，并解释它们从处所消失的原因。被告律师表示，由于这些物品不归 Taurus Fund LLC 所有，亦不受其控制，而是在 Mahwah 庄园管理人的看管下放置在 Mahwah 庄园内，他将协助确定适当的当事方是谁（推测为 Mahwah 庄园的相关日间经理），以便受托人能够查明这些失踪物品究竟发生了什么。被告律师已开始对此问题展开调查，并将把其查明的信息包含在其经核实的答复中（该答复将于 2023 年 10 月 31 日之前提交给法院）。\n\n日期：2023 年 10 月 26 日 纽约州纽约市\n\n签字人：/s/ Nicholas A. Bassett\n\nNicholas A. Bassett（特别准许出庭律师）\nPAUL HASTINGS LLP\n2050 M Street NW\nWashington, D.C., 20036\n(202) 551-1902\nnicholasbassett@paulhastings.com\n\n以及\n\nDouglas S. Skalka (ct00616)\nPatrick R. Linsey (ct29437)\nNEUBERT, PEPE & MONTEITH, P.C.\n195 Church Street, 13th Floor\nNew Haven, Connecticut 06510\n(203) 781-2847\ndskalka@npmlaw.com\nplinsey@npmlaw.com\n\n以及\n\nAvram E. Luft（特别准许出庭律师）\nG. Alexander Bongartz（特别准许出庭律师）\nPAUL HASTINGS LLP\n200 Park Avenue\nNew York, New York 10166\n(212) 318-6079\naviluft@paulhastings.com\nalexbongartz@paulhastings.com\n\n第 11 章受托人之律师\n\nLAZARE POTTER GIACOVAS & MOYLE LLP\n\n/s/ Michael T. Conway\nMichael T. Conway\n747 Third Avenue, Sixteenth Floor\nNew York, New York 10017\n电话：(917) 242-1587\nmconway@lpgmlaw.com\n\n被告之律师\n\n附件 A.\n\n范例模型\n范例回应表\n\n本人，__________，在愿受伪证罪处罚的前提下作出本文陈述，对受托人物品清单作出如下回应。\n\n受托人物品清单编号　是否归 Taurus Fund 所有 (是/否)　备注\n1-1　[是/否]　• 如声称归 Taurus Fund 所有，指明其对应被告物品清单上的哪一项物品\n1-2　[是/否]　• 如声称归 Taurus Fund 所有，指明其对应被告物品清单上的哪一项物品\n1-3　[是/否]　• 如声称归 Taurus Fund 所有，指明其对应被告物品清单上的哪一项物品\n1-4　[是/否]　• 如声称归 Taurus Fund 所有，指明其对应被告物品清单上的哪一项物品\n1-5　[是/否]　• 如声称归 Taurus Fund 所有，指明其对应被告物品清单上的哪一项物品\n1-6　[是/否]　• 如声称归 Taurus Fund 所有，指明其对应被告物品清单上的哪一项物品\n[…]\n\n根据 28 U.S.C. 1746，本人在愿受美利坚合众国法律关于伪证罪处罚的前提下声明，上述陈述真实且正确。\n\n日期：2023 年 10 月 [•] 日\n\n姓名：\n\n_______________________\n\n标签 1\nMahwah 庄园 – 2023 年 9 月 1 日 [1]\n\n1 所有照片均于 2023 年 9 月 1 日受托人对 Mahwah 庄园进行实地巡视期间拍摄。\n\n标签 2\nMahwah 庄园 – 2023 年 9 月 1 日","key_entities":["Kwok","Ho Wan Kwok","Despins","Paul Hastings","Guo","Je","Miles Guo"],"ecf_references":[],"word_count":1643,"status":"published","published_at":null,"created_at":null,"updated_at":"2026-08-23 13:02:35"}