{"id":"court_ctb_58_0","court":"CTB","case_no":"22-50073","doc_number":58,"sub_number":0,"doc_type":"ORDER","filed_date":null,"title":"| UNITED STATES BANKRUPTCY COURT |  | |--------------------------------|--|","summary_zh":null,"summary_en":null,"body_en":"| UNITED STATES BANKRUPTCY COURT |  |\n|--------------------------------|--|\n| DISTRICT OF CONNECTICUT        |  |\n| BRIDGEPORT DIVISION            |  |\n\n| In re:                                       |                     |\n|----------------------------------------------|---------------------|\n|                                              | Chapter 11 Case No. |\n|                                              |                     |\n| Ho Wan Kwok1                                 | 22-50073 (JAM)      |\n| Debtor.                                      |                     |\n|                                              |                     |\n| Pacific Alliance Asia Opportunity Fund L.P., |                     |\n| Movant,                                      |                     |\n| vs.                                          |                     |\n| Ho Wan Kwok,                                 |                     |\n| Respondent                                   | March 2, 2022       |\n\n# **MOTION OF PACIFIC ALLIANCE ASIA OPPORTUNITY FUND L.P. TO SCHEDULE THE HEARING AND LIMIT NOTICE REGARDING ITS MOTION FOR ENTRY OF ORDER CONFIRMING THE INAPPLICABILITY OF THE AUTOMATIC STAY OR, IN THE ALTERNATIVE, RELIEF FROM THE AUTOMATIC STAY PURSUANT TO SECTION 362(d)(2) OF THE BANKRUPTCY CODE**\n\nNow comes Pacific Alliance Asia Opportunity Fund L.P. (\"PAX\"), and through the\n\ninstant motion (the \"Motion\"), hereby moves the Court for entry of an order pursuant to section\n\n105(a) of the United States Bankruptcy Code, 11 U.S.C. §§ 101 *et seq.* (the \"Bankruptcy Code\")\n\nand Rules 2002, 9006, and 9007 of the Federal Rules of Bankruptcy Procedure (the \"Bankruptcy\n\nRules\") setting the hearing date and a briefing schedule and limiting notice of the hearing on the\n\n*Motion of Pacific Alliance Asia Opportunity Fund L.P. for Entry of Order Confirming the*\n\n<sup>1</sup> The last four digits of the Debtor's taxpayer identification number are 9595.\n\n*Inapplicability of the Automatic Stay Or, In the Alternative, Relief from the Automatic Stay Pursuant to Section 362(d)(2) of the Bankruptcy Code* (the \"Stay Motion\") as set forth in the Proposed Order (the \"Order\") attached hereto as Exhibit A. In further support of its Motion, PAX states as follows:\n\n### **JURISDICTION**\n\n1. The Court has jurisdiction to consider this matter pursuant to 28 U.S.C. §§ 157 and 1334. This is a core proceeding pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 157(b)(2).\n\n2. For purposes of this Motion, PAX accepts that venue may be proper in this district without prejudice to any future motion to transfer venue. This Motion is a core proceeding under 28 U.S.C. §157(b).\n\n3. The predicate for the relief requested herein is Bankruptcy Code § 105 and Bankruptcy Rules 2002, 9006, and 9007 and Rules 2002-1 and 4001-1 of the Local Rules of the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Connecticut.\n\n### **BACKGROUND**\n\n4. In the Stay Motion, PAX seeks entry of an Order confirming that the automatic stay is inapplicable to a discrete pre-petition proceeding pending in the Supreme Court of the State of New York (Justice Ostrager presiding), holding the debtor, Ho Wan Kwok (\"Kwok\"), in civil contempt for failure to return his yacht, the \"Lady May,\" to New York in violation of that court's orders. Alternatively, the Stay Motion seeks relief from the automatic stay to permit enforcement of the February 9 Contempt Order (except to the extent it requires Kwok to immediately pay money to PAX) issued by Justice Ostrager.<sup>2</sup>\n\n<sup>2</sup> This alternative relief includes enforcing the February 9 Contempt Order to ensure the return of the Lady May to New York, allowing continued accrual of fines (which constitute debts that Kwok cannot discharge in this chapter\n\n5. In issuing his February 9, 2022 final Order of Civil Contempt against Kwok, Justice Ostrager warned, \"if billionaire litigants can simultaneously seek to use Court process in New York and elsewhere in the United States while knowingly and intentionally violating Court orders, there is no rule of law.\" This applies with equal force to these chapter 11 proceedings. Kwok cannot exploit the protections of the Bankruptcy Code to evade Justice Ostrager's orders, and the automatic stay does not allow him to do so.\n\n6. As argued in the Stay Motion, Kwok's contumacious behavior is long-standing and flagrant. First, Kwok moved the Lady May out of the jurisdiction of the New York Supreme Court in direct violation of that court's September 30 and October 15, 2020 Orders. Then, in March 2021, Justice Ostrager issued a conditional order of civil contempt—which was unanimously affirmed by the New York Appellate Division, First Department—requiring Kwok or the registered owner to return the Lady May by May 15, 2021 or face a daily \\$500,000 fine for each day that the yacht remained outside of that court's jurisdiction. Kwok defied the court.\n\n7. Nearly a year later, after an evidentiary hearing, Justice Ostrager entered the February 9 Contempt Order directing (i) Kwok to pay \\$134 million (\\$500,000 per day for the period between May 15, 2021 and February 7, 2022); and (ii) continued accrual of the \\$500,000 daily fine if the Lady May was not returned to the court's jurisdiction within ten business days from notice of entry. One day before the deadline to pay the \\$134 million contempt fine to PAX, and after Kwok's efforts to obtain an emergency stay of that order pending appeal failed, Kwok filed this chapter 11 case. But bankruptcy protection is for honest, good-faith debtors. And the automatic stay does not shield debtors from the consequences of defying court orders and\n\n<sup>11</sup> case), and permitting Justice Ostrager to order any other appropriate sanctions (including issuance of an arrest warrant), if Kwok fails to promptly return the Lady May to New York.\n\nassaulting the dignity of the judicial system. Therefore, PAX asks this Court to enter an order confirming its right to institute further proceedings to enforce Justice Ostrager's February 9 Contempt Order or, alternatively, relief from stay to permit enforcement of the February 9 Contempt Order, except to the extent it requires Kwok to immediately pay money to PAX.\n\n#### **REQUESTED RELIEF AND AUTHORITY**\n\n8. PAX requests entry of the Order (1) setting a hearing on the Stay Motion for **March 22, 2022 at 1:00 p.m.**, the same date and time the Court is currently scheduled to preside over the Chapter 11 Case Management Conference; (2) requiring that any objections to the Stay Motion be filed by Tuesday, March 15, 2022 and replies, if any, filed by March 21, 2022 at 9:00 a.m.; and (3) limiting notice to certain core constituents and other parties who have registered to receive notice through the ECF system. Cause exists for the granting of this relief.\n\n9. In pertinent part, Bankruptcy Rule 9006(c) provides that \"when an act is required or allowed to be done at or within a specified time by these Rules or by a notice given thereunder or by order of the court, the court for cause shown may in its discretion, with or without motion or notice, order the period reduced.\"\n\n10. Cause exists to set the hearing for the Stay Motion on the same date and time as the Chapter 11 Case Management Conference because simultaneous scheduling will promote judicial economy and reduce administrative expense as the Debtor and PAX, as well as other parties in interest and the Office of the United States Trustee, will be in Court for the Chapter 11 Case Management Conference.\n\n11. Bankruptcy Rules 9007 and 2002(m) give the Court the power to regulate and designate the content, form, and recipients of notices. PAX seeks to limit the notice recipients of the Stay Motion to the following parties (hereinafter, the \"Notice Parties\"):\n\n4\n\n- a. The Debtor;\n- b. The Office of the United States Trustee;\n- c. The Internal Revenue Service;\n- d. The Debtor's top 20 creditors; and\n- e. Any other parties that have requested service pursuant to Bankruptcy Rule 2002 as of the time of service.\n\nPAX respectfully submits that such notice is sufficient and that no further notice of this Motion is required.\n\n12. The notice period requested herein will allow for the efficient and timely hearing of the Stay Motion, while also providing sufficient time for the Notice Parties to raise any objections or concerns regarding the relief sought in the Stay Inapplicability Motion.\n\n13. Finally, the PAX requests that the Court permit that service of the Stay Motion by overnight courier, e-mail or facsimile on the Notice Parties by no later than a date certain the Court deems sufficient notice under the circumstances.\n\n**WHEREFORE,** the Debtors respectfully request that the Court enter an order shortening notice of the hearing on the Exclusivity Extension Motion.\n\n[*Signature on following page*]\n\nDated: Hartford, Connecticut March 2, 2022\n\n## **Pacific Alliance Asia Opportunity Fund L.P.**\n\n*By: /s/ Patrick M. Birney*  Patrick M. Birney (CT No. 19875) Annecca H. Smith (CT No. 31148) **ROBINSON & COLE LLP**  280 Trumbull Street Hartford, CT 06103 Telephone: (860) 275-8275 Facsimile: (860) 275-8299 E-mail: pbirney@rc.com asmith@rc.com\n\n-and-\n\nPeter Friedman (admitted *pro hac vice*) Stuart M. Sarnoff (admitted *pro hac vice*) **O'MELVENY & MYERS LLP**  Times Square Tower 7 Times Square New York, NY 10036 Telephone: (212) 326-2293 E-mail: pfriedman@omm.com ssarnoff@omm.com\n\n## **CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE**\n\nI hereby certify that on March 2, 2022, a copy of the foregoing was filed electronically through the Court's CM/ECF System and served in the manner described in the accompanying Motion.\n\n> */s/ Patrick M. Birney*\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_ Patrick M. Birney","body_zh":"United States Bankruptcy Court（美国破产法院）\n\nDistrict of Connecticut（康涅狄格区）\nBridgeport Division（布里奇波特分院）\n\n关于：\n\n第 11 章 案件编号：\n\nHo Wan Kwok（郭文贵）1　22-50073 (JAM)\n债务人。\n\nPacific Alliance Asia Opportunity Fund L.P.（太平洋联盟亚洲机会基金有限合伙），\n动议人，\n诉\nHo Wan Kwok（郭文贵），\n被申请人　2022年3月2日\nPACIFIC ALLIANCE ASIA OPPORTUNITY FUND L.P. 关于确定听证日期并限制送达通知范围的动议，涉及其请求作出确认自动中止不适用或依据《破产法典》第 362(d)(2) 条免除自动中止的裁定的动议\n\n现 Pacific Alliance Asia Opportunity Fund L.P.（“PAX”）特此通过本动议（“本动议”），依据《美国法典》第 11 编第 101 条及以下各条规定的《美国破产法典》（“《破产法典》”）第 105(a) 条以及《联邦破产诉讼程序规则》（“《破产规则》”）第 2002 条、第 9006 条和第 9007 条，提请法院作出裁定，确定听证日期和简报提交时间表，并限制关于 Pacific Alliance Asia Opportunity Fund L.P. 提起的《关于作出确认自动中止不适用或依据〈破产法典〉第 362(d)(2) 条免除自动中止之裁定的动议》（“中止动议”）的听证通知范围，具体载于作为附件 A 附于本动议的拟议裁定（“拟议裁定”）。为进一步支持本动议，PAX 陈述如下：\n\n1 债务人纳税人识别号的后四位为 9595。\n\n管辖权\n\n1. 依据《美国法典》第 28 编第 157 条和第 1334 条，本法院对审理本事项具有管辖权。依据《美国法典》第 28 编第 157(b)(2) 条，本案属于核心程序。\n\n2. 就本动议而言，PAX 承认本区管辖地可能适当，但这不影响今后提出任何移送管辖地的动议。依据《美国法典》第 28 编第 157(b) 条，本动议属于核心程序。\n\n3. 本文所请求救济的法律依据为《破产法典》第 105 条、《破产规则》第 2002 条、第 9006 条和第 9007 条，以及《康涅狄格区美国破产法院本地规则》第 2002-1 条和第 4001-1 条。\n\n背景\n\n4. 在中止动议中，PAX 请求法院作出裁定，确认自动中止不适用于目前在 Supreme Court of the State of New York（纽约州最高法院，由 Ostrager 法官主持）审理的一项独立的破产申请前程序，该程序因债务人 Ho Wan Kwok（“郭文贵”）违反该法院命令、未将其游艇“Lady May（梅号）”归还纽约而认定其构成民事藐视法庭。或者，中止动议请求免除自动中止，以允许执行 Ostrager 法官作出的 2月9日藐视法庭裁定（但要求郭文贵立即向 PAX 支付款项的范围除外）。2\n\n2 该替代救济包括执行 2月9日藐视法庭裁定以确保将梅号归还纽约，允许继续累积罚款（该罚款构成郭文贵在本第 11 章案件中无法免除的债务），以及在郭文贵未能及时将梅号归还纽约的情况下允许 Ostrager 法官下达任何其他适当的制裁（包括签发逮捕令）。\n\n5. Ostrager 法官在对郭文贵作出 2022年2月9日民事藐视法庭最终裁定时警告称：“如果亿万富翁诉讼当事人可以在明知并蓄意违反法院命令的同时，企图在纽约及美国其他地方利用法院诉讼程序，那么法治将荡然无存。”这一论断同样适用于本第 11 章程序。郭文贵不能利用《破产法典》的保护来规避 Ostrager 法官的命令，自动中止也不允许他这样做。\n\n6. 正如中止动议中所主张的那样，郭文贵的抗拒不服从行为由来已久且极其恶劣。首先，郭文贵直接违反纽约州最高法院 2020年9月30日和10月15日的命令，将梅号移出了该法院的司法管辖范围。随后在 2021年3月，Ostrager 法官作出了一项附条件民事藐视法庭裁定——该裁定获得了 New York Appellate Division, First Department（纽约州最高法院上诉分部第一部门）的一致维持——要求郭文贵或登记所有人于 2021年5月15日之前归还梅号，否则该游艇脱离该法院管辖范围每持续一天，将面临每天 500,000 美元的罚款。郭文贵公然违抗法院。\n\n7. 近一年后，在举行证据听证会后，Ostrager 法官作出了 2月9日藐视法庭裁定，指令：(i) 郭文贵支付 1.34 亿美元（针对 2021年5月15日至 2022年2月7日期间，按每天 500,000 美元计算）；以及 (ii) 若未在裁定作出通知送达后十个工作日内将梅号归还至法院管辖范围内，则每日 500,000 美元的罚款继续累积。就在向 PAX 支付 1.34 亿美元藐视法庭罚款的截止期限前一天，且在郭文贵为上诉期间申请紧急中止执行该裁定的努力失败之后，郭文贵提交了本第 11 章案件的申请。但破产保护是为诚实、善意的债务人设立的。自动中止绝非债务人违抗法院命令和挑衅司法系统尊严的保护伞。因此，PAX 请求本法院作出裁定，确认其有权提起进一步程序以执行 Ostrager 法官的 2月9日藐视法庭裁定，或者免除自动中止以允许执行 2月9日藐视法庭裁定，但要求郭文贵立即向 PAX 支付款项的范围除外。\n\n请求的救济及法律依据\n\n8. PAX 请求作出裁定：(1) 将中止动议的听证定于 2022年3月22日下午 1:00 举行，与法院目前排定主持第 11 章案件管理会议的日期和时间相同；(2) 要求对中止动议的任何异议须于 2022年3月15日星期二之前提交，答辩书（如有）须于 2022年3月21日上午 9:00 之前提交；以及 (3) 将通知范围限制在若干核心当事方以及已登记通过 ECF 系统接收通知的其他各方。准予该救济存在充分理由。\n\n9. 《破产规则》第 9006(c) 条相关部分规定：“当根据本规则、或根据本规则发出的通知、或根据法院裁定，要求或允许在指定时间内完成某项行为时，法院在显示有充分理由的情况下，可经裁量自行决定（无论是否提出动议或发出通知）命令缩短该期间。”\n\n10. 将中止动议的听证安排在与第 11 章案件管理会议相同的日期和时间存在充分理由，因为同时排期将增进司法经济并减少行政费用，届时债务人和 PAX 以及其他利益相关方和 Office of the United States Trustee（美国受托人办公室）均将出庭参加第 11 章案件管理会议。\n\n11. 《破产规则》第 9007 条和第 2002(m) 条赋予法院对通知的内容、形式和受送达人进行规范和指定的权力。PAX 申请将中止动议的通知受送达人限制为以下各方（以下简称“受通知方”）：\n- a. 债务人；\n- b. 美国受托人办公室；\n- c. Internal Revenue Service（美国国税局）；\n- d. 债务人的前 20 大债权人；以及\n- e. 截至送达时依据《破产规则》第 2002 条请求送达的任何其他方。\n\nPAX 谨此提请认定，此类通知已属充分，无需就本动议发出进一步通知。\n\n12. 本文所请求的通知期限将使得中止动议能够得到高效且及时的听证，同时也为各受通知方就中止不适用动议中所寻求的救济提出任何异议或关切留出了充分的时间。\n\n13. 最后，PAX 请求法院允许其在法院认为在当时情况下构成充分通知的特定日期之前，通过隔夜快递、电子邮件或传真向各受通知方送达中止动议。\n\n据此，债务人谨请求法院作出裁定，缩短排他期延长动议的听证通知期限。\n\n[签名见下页]\n\n日期：康涅狄格州哈特福德 2022年3月2日\nPacific Alliance Asia Opportunity Fund L.P.\n\n签署人：/s/ Patrick M. Birney  Patrick M. Birney (康涅狄格州执业号 19875) Annecca H. Smith (康涅狄格州执业号 31148) ROBINSON & COLE LLP  280 Trumbull Street Hartford, CT 06103 电话：(860) 275-8275 传真：(860) 275-8299 电子邮件：pbirney@rc.com asmith@rc.com\n\n—以及—\n\nPeter Friedman (申请个案特许出庭) Stuart M. Sarnoff (申请个案特许出庭) O'MELVENY & MYERS LLP  Times Square Tower 7 Times Square New York, NY 10036 电话：(212) 326-2293 电子邮件：pfriedman@omm.com ssarnoff@omm.com\n\n送达证书\n\n我特此证明，于 2022年3月2日，上述文件的一份副本已通过法院的 CM/ECF 系统进行电子提交，并已按随附动议中所述的方式完成送达。\n\n/s/ Patrick M. Birney___________ Patrick M. Birney","key_entities":["Kwok","Ho Wan Kwok","Je"],"ecf_references":[],"word_count":1492,"status":"published","published_at":null,"created_at":null,"updated_at":"2026-08-23 12:54:22"}