--- type: court_doc id: "court_ctb_3511_0" court: "CTB" case_no: "22-50073" doc_number: 3511 doc_type: "ORDER" filed_date: null lang: "en" machine_translated: false url: "https://mubeitech.com/en/court/court_ctb_3511_0" json_url: "https://mubeitech.com/api/court/court_ctb_3511_0" --- # Guo Wengui / Miles Guo — bankruptcy case · ORDER · ECF #3511 UNITED STATES BANKRUPTCY COURT DISTRICT OF CONNECTICUT BRIDGEPORT DIVISION ) ) \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_) In Re: ) CHAPTER 11 HO WAN KWOK, et al.1 ) CASE NO.: 22-50073 (JAM) ) SEPTEMBER 6, 2024 REQUEST FOR STATUS CONFERENCE Pursuant to 11 U.S.C. § 105(d)(1), the defendants identified in Exhibit A hereto (collectively, the "Joint Defendants") hereby request a status conference with the Court to discuss matters of scheduling and efficiency concerning dispositive motion practice in the numerous avoidance actions filed by the Trustee that may impact the Joint Defendants and the interplay with this Court's *Order Directing Parties to Mediation, Appointing the Honorable James J. Tancredi as Mediator, and Amending Order Approving Procedures Applicable To Avoidance Claim Adversary Proceedings* [Dkt. No. 3163] (the "Mediation Order"). In support of this request, the Joint Defendants state as follows: The Joint Defendants have been engaged in the mediation process before the Honorable James Tancredi, but remain far from resolution of these adversary proceedings. While the mediations have not yet formally concluded pursuant to this Court's Mediation Order, there are a number of adversary proceedings with similar claims that are not subject to the mediation stay and have proceeded to various stages of dispositive motion practice. See, e.g., Despins v. Weddle Law PLLC, Adv. Pro. No. 24-05188 (Bankr. D. Conn); Despins v. Pillsbury Winthrop 1 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). Shaw Pittman LLP, Adv. Pro. No. 24-05014 (Bankr. D. Conn.); Despins v. Mitchell, Adv. Pro. No. 24-05110 (Bankr. D. Conn.); Despins v. Meta Platforms, Inc., Adv. Pro. No. 24-05117 (Bankr. D. Conn.); Despins v. The Francis Firm PLLC, Adv. Pro. No. 24-05168. By way of example, the non-stayed adversary proceedings and those against the Joint Defendants share the common issues concerning the propriety of the Trustee's offensive use of nunc pro tunc reverse veil piercing to avoid and recover pre-petition and post-petition transfers from alleged alter ego entities. This will equally be the case in the hundreds of other adversary proceedings against parties other than the Joint Defendants in which the Trustee seeks to avoid and recover transfers by alleged alter egos of the Debtor. The Joint Defendants understand that oral argument has been set for October 1, 2024, in the Mitchell and The Francis Firm adversary proceedings. Given the status of the Joint Defendants' mediations to date and the pendency of the motion practice in the above-referenced adversary proceedings, the Joint Defendants would like to pursue parallel paths of continuing a settlement dialogue with Judge Tancredi's assistance and at the same time address in an efficient manner many of the same legal issues that will shortly be before the Court. In connection therewith and subject to relief from the stay in the Mediation Order, the Joint Defendants anticipate pursuit of (i) motions to dismiss or motions for judgment on the pleadings, and (ii) motions to certify certain questions to the Delaware Supreme Court (as more particularly described below). To allow for the efficient adjudication of the common legal issues across both the adversary proceedings against the Joint Defendants as well as the other adversary proceedings that are not subject to the stay under the Mediation Order, the Joint Defendants request a status conference to discuss with the Court the best means of having these common legal issues adjudicated in an efficient manner. The Joint Defendants' goal is to streamline the proceedings for the Court and the parties to conserve judicial resources and minimize the costs of the parties, including the estate. For example, the Joint Defendants could file one or more omnibus motions to dismiss and/or motions for judgment on the pleadings to address legal issues that are common across the claims asserted by the Trustee against them. These omnibus motions can then be adjudicated with the pending motions to dismiss in a coordinated manner to minimize the number of briefs and oral arguments, as well as the number of written decisions the Court would have to issue. This is by no means the only way to accomplish the goal of efficiency and economy, and the Joint Defendants will be prepared to discuss other ways to achieve these goals at the conference if this request is granted. In addition, the Joint Defendants anticipate filing motions to seek certification of specific state law questions to the Delaware Supreme Court related to the use and applicability of the Trustee's theory of nunc pro tunc reverse veil piercing. Because most of the entities the Trustee alleges to be the Debtor's alter egos are Delaware limited liability companies, the Trustee's ability to use reverse-piercing and the legal effect of an alter-ego determination is governed by Delaware law. Conn. Gen. Stat. § 34-275(a). The Joint Defendants believe that Delaware law does not permit the Trustee's actions against them and respectfully submit that the most efficient and economical manner to resolve this issue is for this Court to certify these issues to the Delaware Supreme Court pursuant to Del. Sup. Ct. Rule 41(a)(ii). These questions are undecided by the Delaware Supreme Court and will affect hundreds of adversary proceedings in this case. Accordingly, subject to lifting the stay in the Mediation Order, the Joint Defendants intend to seek certification of these state law issues to the Delaware Supreme Court. To best address the procedural and scheduling issues described above and the interplay with the Mediation Order, the Joint Defendants request a status conference with the Court to discuss these matters so that they can be resolved in an efficient and economical manner. Given the pendency of motions to dismiss in other non-stayed cases raising similar issues, including those scheduled for oral argument on October 1, 2024, the Joint Defendants respectfully request that the Court schedule a status conference at its earliest convenience. Respectfully submitted, By: /s/ Jeffrey Hellman Jeffrey Hellman, Esq. Law Offices of Jeffrey Hellman, LLC 195 Church Street, 10th Floor Tel.: 203-691-8762 Fax: 203-832-4401 New Haven, CT 06510 jeff@jeffhellmanlaw.com Federal Bar No.: ct04102 Counsel for Ohtzar Shlomo Solomon Treasure　By: /s/ Eric Goldstein Eric Goldstein (ct27195) Shipman & Goodwin LLP One Constitution Plaza Hartford, CT 06103 Tel: (860) 251-5059 Email: egoldstein@goodwin.com Counsel for Anthem HealthChoice Assurance, Inc. dba Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield; Anthem Health Plans, Inc.; Sedgwick Realty LLC　Corp.; Federal Express Corporation; and Direct Persuasion LLC By: /s/ Scott Charmoy Scott M. Charmoy, Esq. CT 15889 Charmoy & Charmoy, LLC 1465 Post Road, Suite 100 Westport, CT 06680 (203) 255-8100 scottcharmoy@charmoy.com Counsel for Putnam Landscaping LLC　By: /s/ Michael Seidband Michael A. Siedband, Esq. (admitted PHV) Federal Express Corporation 3620 Hacks Cross Road, Bldg. B Memphis, TN 38104 Tel: (901) 355-2075 Email: Michael.siedband@fedex.com Counsel for Federal Express Corporation By: /s/ Rowena Moffett Rowena A. Moffett, Esq. (ct19811) Brenner, Saltzman & Wallman LLP 271 Whitney Avenue New Haven, CT 06511 Tel. (203) 772-2600 Email: rmoffett@bswlaw.com Counsel for Morvillo Abramowitz Grand Iason & Anello PC　By: /s/ Michael T. Conway Michael T. Conway Lazare Potter Giacovas & Moyle LLP 747 Third Avenue, 16th Floor New York, NY 10017 (917) 242-1597 mconway@lpgmlaw.com Counsel for Arri Americas Inc. By: /s/ Zachary W. Doninger__ The Strong Firm, P.C. Bret L. Strong　By: /s/ Sabrina L. Streusand Sabrina L. Streusand (admitted PHV) Streusand, Landon, Ozburn & Lemmon, LLP Texas Bar No. 00795671 bstrong@thestrongfirm.com Zachary W. Doninger (admitted pro hac vice) Texas Bar No. 24129542 SDTX Bar No. 3804761 zdoninger@thestrongfirm.com Two Hughes Landing 1790 Hughes Landing, Suite 200 The Woodlands, Texas 77380 Phone: 281.367.1222 Fax: 281.210.1361 Counsel for Defendant DJD Creative, LLC　1801 S MoPac Expressway, Suite 320 Austin, Texas 787046 Telephone: (512) 236-9901 Facsimile: (512) 236-9904 streusand@slollp.com -and Ross G. Fingold, Esq. Stokesbury & Fingold, LLC 10 Waterside Drive, Suite 204 Farmington, CT 06032 Telephone: (860) 606-1709 Facsimile: (860) 606-1770 Ct Bar 05452 rfingold@lawssf.com Counsel for Cloudflare, Inc. By: /s/ Richard J. Bernard Richard J. Bernard (CT Bar No. 413177) FAEGRE DRINKER BIDDLE & REATH LLP 1177 Avenue of the Americas New York, New York 10036 Telephone: (212) 248-3140 Facsimile: (212) 248-3141 Email: richard.bernard@faegredrinker.com -and　By: /s/ Benjamin D. Feder Eric R. Wilson (ct443553) Benjamin D. Feder (ct443211) Canterbury Green 201 Broad Street Stamford, CT 06901 Telephone: (203) 324-1400 ekrasnow@kelleydrye.com ewilson@kelleydrye.com bfeder@kelleydrye.com Josh Peterson FAEGRE DRINKER BIDDLE & REATH LLP 2200 Wells Fargo Center 90 S. 7th Street Minneapolis, Minnesota 55402 Telephone: (612) 766-7000 Facsimile: (612) 766-1600 Email: josh.peterson@faegredrinker.com -and Jaclyn C. Marasco　-and- ASK LLP Richard J. Reding, Esq. MN SBN 0389945 (admitted pro hac vice) 2600 Eagan Woods Drive, Suite 400 St. Paul, MN 55121 Telephone: (651) 406-9665 rreding@askllp.com -and- Edward E. Neiger, Esq. 60 East 42nd Street, 46th Floor FAEGRE DRINKER BIDDLE & REATH　New York, NY 10165 LLP　Telephone: (212) 267-7342 222 Delaware Avenue, Suite 1400　eneiger@askllp.com Wilmington, Delaware 19801 Telephone: (302) 467-4200　Counsel to Indium Software, Inc. Facsimile: (302) Email: jaclyn.marasco@faegredrinker.com Counsel to Cirrus Design Corporation By: /s/ John F. Carberry　By: /s/ David J. Kozlowski /s/ Kara A. Zarchin　David J. Kozlowski (CT Bar No. 28240) John F. Carberry, Esq. (ct02881)　Morrison Cohen LLP Kara A. Zarchin, Esq. (ct30783)　909 Third Avenue Cummings & Lockwood LLC　New York, New York 10022 Six Landmark Square Stamford, CT 06901　Telephone: (212) 735-8825 Email: dkozlowski@morrisoncohen.com Tel: (203) 351-4280 Fax: (203) 708-3933　-and E-Mail: jcarberry@cl-law.com kzarchin@cl-law.com　Jeffrey Rhodes (admitted pro hac vice) Counsel for Target Enterprises, LLC　Tayman Lane Chaverri LLP and Jamestown Associates, LLC　2001 L Street NW, Suite 500 Washington, DC 20036 Telephone: (202) 921-4080 Facsimile: (202) 478-2781 Email: jrhodes@tlclawfirm.com Counsel to Mark Gundersen /s/ Eric Seltzer　By: /s/ Robert E. Kaelin Eric Seltzer / Fed Bar #CT01224　Robert E. Kaelin – ct11631 Gilbride, Tusa, Last & Spellane LLC　rkaelin@murthalaw.com 31 Brookside Drive　Murtha Cullina LLP Greenwich, Connecticut 06830　280 Trumbull Street, 12th Floor Email: ehs@gtlslaw.com Telephone: 203-622-9360　Hartford, Connecticut 06103 Telephone: (860) 240-6000 Counsel for Miller Motorcars Inc.　Facsimile: (860) 240-6150 and By: /s/ Matthew A. Pesce Matthew A. Pesce – ct31208 mpesce@murthalaw.com Murtha Cullina LLP 107 Elm Street Four Stamford Plaza, 11th Floor Stamford, CT 06902 Phone: (203) 653-5400 Facsimile: (203) 653-5444 Counsel for 3 Columbus Circle, LLC, Bering Yachts, LLC, and ModSquad, Inc. By: /s/ Robert N. Sensale Robert N. Sensale (ct 10556) Bershtein, Volpe & McKeon P.C. 900 Chapel Street, 11th Floor New Haven, CT 06510 Telephone: 203-777-5800 Facsimile: 203-777-5806 Email: rns@bvmlaw.com Counsel for 270 W. 39th St. Co LLC　By: /s/ Alan H. Martin Alan H. Martin, Esq. California Bar No. 132301 (admitted pro hac vice) SHEPPARD MULLIN RICHTER & HAMPTON LLP 650 Town Center Drive, 10th Floor Costa Mesa, CA 92626 Telephone: (714) 513-5100 Facsimile: (714) 513-5130 AMartin@sheppardmullin.com -and Benjamin Gilbert, Esq. New York Bar No. 5899372 (admitted pro hac vice) 30 Rockefeller Plaza, 39th Floor New York, NY 10112 Telephone: (212) 653-8700 Facsimile: (212) 653-8701 BOGilbert@sheppardmullin.com Counsel to Agora Lab, Inc. By: /s/ Matthew D. Valauri Matthew D. Valauri (ct30193) Wilson Elser Moskowitz Edelman & Dicker LLP 1010 Washington Boulevard Stamford, CT 06901 Telephone: 203.388.2433 Facsimile: 203.388.9101 Email: matthew.valauri@wilsonelser.com Counsel for Clayman Rosenberg Kirschner & Linder LLP　By: /s/ Sari B. Placona Sari B. Placona (pro hac vice) McManimon, Scotland & Baumann, LLC 75 Livingston Avenue, Second Floor Roseland, New Jersey 07068 Telephone: (973) 721-5030 splacona@msbnj.com Counsel for McManimon, Scotland & Baumann, LLC Defendant　Adversary Proceeding Number Ohtzar Shlomo Solomon Treasure LLC　24-05082 Anthem HealthChoice Assurance, Inc. dba Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield　24-05112 Anthem Health Plans, Inc.　24-05058 Sedgwick Realty Corp.　24-05222 Federal Express Corporation　24-05059 Putnam's Landscaping, LLC　24-05211 Morvillo Abramowitz Grand Iason & Anello PC　24-05196 Arri Americas Inc.　23-05031 Direct Persuasion LLC　24-05010 DJD Creative LLC　24-05063 Cloudflare, Inc.　24-05115 Cirrus Design Corporation　24-05225 Iridium Software, Inc.　24-05122 Target Enterprises, LLC　24-05138 Jamestown Associates, LLC　24-05147 Mark Gundersen　24-05048 3 Columbus Circle, LLC　24-05120 Bering Yachts, LLC　24-05207 ModSquad, Inc.　24-05114 Miller Motorcars Inc.　24-05128 270 W. 39th St. Co LLC　24-05055 Agora Lab, Inc.　24-05005 Clayman Rosenberg Kirschner & Linder LLP　24-05202 McManimon, Scotland & Baumann, LLC　24-05194 EXHIBIT A CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE I hereby certify that on September 6, 2024, a copy of the foregoing was filed electronically and served by first class mail, postage prepaid and/or via email on anyone unable to accept electronic filing. Notice of this filing will be sent by e-mail to all parties by operation of the Court's electronic filing system or by First Class mail to anyone unable to accept electronic filing as indicated on the Notice of Electronic Filing. Parties may access this filing through the Court's CM/ECF System. /s/ Eric S. Goldstein Eric S. Goldstein