{"id":"court_ctb_3835_0","court":"CTB","case_no":"22-50073","doc_number":3835,"sub_number":0,"doc_type":"ORDER","filed_date":null,"title":"UNITED STATES BANKRUPTCY COURT DISTRICT OF CONNECTICUT In re:","summary_zh":null,"summary_en":null,"body_en":"## **UNITED STATES BANKRUPTCY COURT DISTRICT OF CONNECTICUT**\n\nIn re:\n\nKwok, *et al.*,\n\nDebtors.\n\nG CLUB OPERATIONS, LLC,\n\nMovant,\n\nv.\n\nLUC A. DESPINS, CHAPTER 11 TRUSTEE FOR THE ESTATE OF HO WAN KWOK,\n\nRespondent.\n\n Chapter 11 Case No. 22-50073 (JAM) (Jointly Administered)\n\nRe: ECF Nos. 3752\n\n## **ORDER DENYING MOTION TO QUASH**\n\nOn October 28, 2024, G Club Operations, LLC (\"G Club\") filed the Motion to Quash (the \"Motion,\" ECF No. 3752) the Rule 2004 Examination Subpoena (the \"Subpoena\") served by Mr. Luc A. Despins, in his capacity as the Chapter 11 trustee (the \"Trustee\") for the bankruptcy estate of Mr. Ho Wan Kwok (the \"Individual Debtor\"). The Subpoena seeks to depose G Club about its current operations and management. G Club argues the Subpoena is improper because: (i) there are pending adversary proceedings between G Club and the Trustee, including *Despins v. ACA Capital Group Ltd. (In re Kwok)*, Case No. 22-50073 (JAM), Adv. P. No. 24-05249 (JAM) (Bankr. D. Conn. Oct. 29, 2024) (the \"Omnibus Alter Ego Action\"); (ii) the Subpoena seeks to depose G Club in New York, New York, which is impermissibly far from Puerto Rico, where G Club is located; and (iii) the scope of the Subpoena is too broad.\n\nOn November 1, 2024, the Trustee filed an objection to the Motion. (ECF No. 3778.) The Trustee agreed to limit the scope of the deposition, depose G Club remotely or in Puerto Rico, and argued that the pending proceeding doctrine should not bar the taking of the deposition because it would focus narrowly on G Club's current operations and management. The Trustee asserted that knowledge about the current operations of entities related to the Individual Debtor may assist in finding additional assets of the estate.\n\nA hearing on the Motion was held on November 6, 2024. During the hearing, G Club offered to produce documents to the Trustee to defeat the need to depose its current manager. The Trustee indicated that he was unlikely to be satisfied with documents showing nominal control but would review what G Club produced and report back to the Court at a subsequent hearing. A second hearing was held on November 18, 2024, during which hearing G Club pressed its Motion and the Trustee continued to oppose the Motion.\n\nUnder the specific facts and circumstances of these jointly administered Chapter 11 cases and related adversary proceedings, the Court concludes that the taking of the deposition is not barred by the pending proceeding doctrine, *see In re Wash. Mut., Inc.*, 408 B.R. 45, 51 (Bankr. Del. 2009), because the Trustee is seeking to depose G Club on a narrow range of topics about its current activities rather than the issues directly related to the Omnibus Alter Ego Action and other adversary proceedings, *see In re Jasper Pellet*s*, LLC*, 647 B.R. 151, 156 (Bankr. D.S.C. 2022); *In re Se. Materials, Inc.*, No. 09-52606, 2010 WL 5128608, at \\*3–4 (Bankr. M.D.N.C. 2010); *In re Int'l Fibercom*, 283 B.R. 290, 292 (Bankr. D. Ariz. 2002), and allowing Rule 2004 discovery into the narrow topics proposed by the Subpoena will support the Trustee's investigation into the estate's assets. Accordingly, it is hereby\n\n2\n\n**ORDERED:** The Motion (ECF No. 3752) is **DENIED**. The Trustee may depose G Club on November 20, 2024, as agreed between the parties as to the topics as narrowed in discussions between the parties.\n\nDated at Bridgeport, Connecticut this 18th day of November, 2024.","body_zh":"UNITED STATES BANKRUPTCY COURT DISTRICT OF CONNECTICUT（美国康涅狄格区破产法院）\n\nIn re:（关于：）\n\nKwok, et al.,（郭等人，）\n\nDebtors.（债务人。）\n\nG CLUB OPERATIONS, LLC（G Club运营有限责任公司），\n\nMovant（动议人），\n\nv.（诉）\n\nLUC A. DESPINS, CHAPTER 11 TRUSTEE FOR THE ESTATE OF HO WAN KWOK（Luc A. Despins，作为Ho Wan Kwok［郭文贵］破产财产的第11章受托人），\n\nRespondent.（相对人。）\n\n第11章 案号 22-50073 (JAM) (联合审理)\n\n涉及：ECF Nos. 3752\n驳回撤销动议的裁定\n\n2024年10月28日，G Club Operations, LLC（G Club运营有限责任公司，简称“G Club”）提交了撤销动议（简称“该动议”，ECF No. 3752），请求撤销Luc A. Despins先生以Ho Wan Kwok（郭文贵）先生（简称“个人债务人”）破产财产的第11章受托人（简称“受托人”）身份送达的《破产程序规则》第2004条调查传票（简称“该传票”）。该传票寻求就G Club当前的运营和管理对其进行取证录供。G Club主张该传票不当，理由是：(i) G Club与受托人之间存在待决的对抗性诉讼程序，包括Despins v. ACA Capital Group Ltd. (In re Kwok), Case No. 22-50073 (JAM), Adv. P. No. 24-05249 (JAM) (Bankr. D. Conn. Oct. 29, 2024)（简称“综合另我诉讼”）；(ii) 该传票寻求在纽约州纽约市对G Club进行取证录供，该地距离G Club所在地波多黎各过远，属于不可接受的距离；以及(iii) 该传票的范围过宽。\n\n2024年11月1日，受托人对该动议提出了异议。(ECF No. 3778.) 受托人同意限制取证录供的范围，以远程方式或在波多黎各对G Club进行取证录供，并主张待决诉讼程序原则不应阻碍进行该取证录供，因为其将严格聚焦于G Club当前的运营和管理。受托人主张，了解与个人债务人相关的实体的当前运营情况可能有助于查找破产财产的其他资产。\n\n该动议的听证会于2024年11月6日举行。在听证会期间，G Club提议向受托人出示文件，以消除对其现任管理人进行取证录供的必要性。受托人表示他不太可能对显示名义控制权的文件感到满意，但会审阅G Club出示的文件并在随后的听证会上向法院报告。第二次听证会于2024年11月18日举行，在此次听证会上，G Club坚持其动议，受托人继续反对该动议。\n\n在这些联合审理的第11章案件及相关对抗性诉讼程序的具体事实和情况下，法院认定进行该取证录供并未受到待决诉讼程序原则的阻碍，参见 In re Wash. Mut., Inc., 408 B.R. 45, 51 (Bankr. Del. 2009)，因为受托人寻求就G Club当前活动的狭窄范围主题对其进行取证录供，而非直接与综合另我诉讼及其他对抗性诉讼程序相关的问题，参见 In re Jasper Pellets, LLC, 647 B.R. 151, 156 (Bankr. D.S.C. 2022); In re Se. Materials, Inc., No. 09-52606, 2010 WL 5128608, at *3–4 (Bankr. M.D.N.C. 2010); In re Int'l Fibercom, 283 B.R. 290, 292 (Bankr. D. Ariz. 2002)，并且允许就该传票提议的狭窄主题进行第2004条证据开示将支持受托人对破产财产资产的调查。因此，特此\n裁定：该动议 (ECF No. 3752) 予以驳回。受托人可在2024年11月20日对G Club进行取证录供，主题按双方在讨论中缩小的范围为准。\n\n2024年11月18日订于康涅狄格州布里奇波特。","key_entities":["Kwok","Despins","Ho Wan Kwok","RICO","Je"],"ecf_references":[{"doc_number":3752,"court":"CTB"},{"doc_number":3778,"court":"CTB"}],"word_count":572,"status":"published","published_at":null,"created_at":null,"updated_at":"2026-08-23 12:19:46"}