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  • James Davis Ii, Medisale, Inc v. Richmond Capital Group, Llc, Influx Capital Group, Llc a/k/a INFLUX CAPITAL, LLC, Gtr Source, Llc, Addy Source, Llc, Yes Capital Funding Group, Llc d/b/a YES FUNDING SERVICES, LLC, Jonathan Braun, Michelle Gregg, Tzvi Reich a/k/a STEVE REICH, Robert Giardina, Bryan Baker d/b/a BAKER CAP FUNDING, d/b/a BAKER CAPITAL FUNDING, Rebar Capital, Llc, Azriel Inzelbuch a/k/a DAVID B. FRANK, Tsvi Davis a/k/a STEVEN DAVIS, Spg Advance, Llc Commercial - Other (Vacate Judgment) document preview
  • James Davis Ii, Medisale, Inc v. Richmond Capital Group, Llc, Influx Capital Group, Llc a/k/a INFLUX CAPITAL, LLC, Gtr Source, Llc, Addy Source, Llc, Yes Capital Funding Group, Llc d/b/a YES FUNDING SERVICES, LLC, Jonathan Braun, Michelle Gregg, Tzvi Reich a/k/a STEVE REICH, Robert Giardina, Bryan Baker d/b/a BAKER CAP FUNDING, d/b/a BAKER CAPITAL FUNDING, Rebar Capital, Llc, Azriel Inzelbuch a/k/a DAVID B. FRANK, Tsvi Davis a/k/a STEVEN DAVIS, Spg Advance, Llc Commercial - Other (Vacate Judgment) document preview
  • James Davis Ii, Medisale, Inc v. Richmond Capital Group, Llc, Influx Capital Group, Llc a/k/a INFLUX CAPITAL, LLC, Gtr Source, Llc, Addy Source, Llc, Yes Capital Funding Group, Llc d/b/a YES FUNDING SERVICES, LLC, Jonathan Braun, Michelle Gregg, Tzvi Reich a/k/a STEVE REICH, Robert Giardina, Bryan Baker d/b/a BAKER CAP FUNDING, d/b/a BAKER CAPITAL FUNDING, Rebar Capital, Llc, Azriel Inzelbuch a/k/a DAVID B. FRANK, Tsvi Davis a/k/a STEVEN DAVIS, Spg Advance, Llc Commercial - Other (Vacate Judgment) document preview
  • James Davis Ii, Medisale, Inc v. Richmond Capital Group, Llc, Influx Capital Group, Llc a/k/a INFLUX CAPITAL, LLC, Gtr Source, Llc, Addy Source, Llc, Yes Capital Funding Group, Llc d/b/a YES FUNDING SERVICES, LLC, Jonathan Braun, Michelle Gregg, Tzvi Reich a/k/a STEVE REICH, Robert Giardina, Bryan Baker d/b/a BAKER CAP FUNDING, d/b/a BAKER CAPITAL FUNDING, Rebar Capital, Llc, Azriel Inzelbuch a/k/a DAVID B. FRANK, Tsvi Davis a/k/a STEVEN DAVIS, Spg Advance, Llc Commercial - Other (Vacate Judgment) document preview
						
                                

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FILED: NEW YORK COUNTY CLERK 07/15/2019 10:22 PM INDEX NO. 656346/2018 NYSCEF DOC. NO. 197 RECEIVED NYSCEF: 07/15/2019 SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK COUNTY OF NEW YORK ----------------------------------------------------------------------x JAMES DAVIS II and MEDISALE, INC., Index No. 656346/2018 Plaintiffs, - against - RICHMOND CAPITAL GROUP, LLC; INFLUX CAPITAL GROUP, LLC, a/k/a INFLUX CAPITAL, LLC; GTR SOURCE, LLC; ADDY SOURCE, LLC; YES CAPITAL FUNDING GROUP, LLC, d/b/a YES FUNDING SERVICES, LLC; JONATHAN BRAUN; MICHELLE GREGG; TSVI REICH a/k/a STEVE REICH; ROBERT GIARDINA; BRYAN BAKER d/b/a BAKER CAP FUNDING d/b/a BAKER CAPITAL FUNDING; REBAR CAPITAL, LLC; AZRIEL INZELBUCH a/k/a DAVID B FRANK; and TZVI DAVIS a/k/a STEVEN DAVIS, Defendants. ----------------------------------------------------------------------x ______________________________________________________________________________ MEMORANDUM OF LAW IN SUPPORT OF MOTION TO REARGUE, OR IN THE ALTERNATIVE RENEW, MOTION TO DISMISS PLAINTIFFS’ ORIGINAL COMPLAINT, AND TO DISMISS PLAINTIFFS’ AMENDED COMPLAINT _____________________________________________________________________________ JACOBOWITZ NEWMAN TVERSKY LLP Evan M. Newman Abraham S. Beinhorn Nathan Cohen Attorneys for Defendants INFLUX CAPITAL LLC, GTR SOURCE, LLC, ADDY SOURCE LLC, TZVI REICH AND TSVI DAVIS 377 Pearsall Avenue, Suite C Cedarhurst, New York 11516 Tel: (516) 545-0343 Fax: (212) 671-1883 Email: abeinhorn@jntllp.com 1 of 36 FILED: NEW YORK COUNTY CLERK 07/15/2019 10:22 PM INDEX NO. 656346/2018 NYSCEF DOC. NO. 197 RECEIVED NYSCEF: 07/15/2019 TABLE OF CONTENTS PRELIMINARY STATEMENT ................................................................................................. 1 RELEVANT FACTUAL BACKGROUND ................................................................................ 3 A. The Influx Agreement .......................................................................................................... 3 B. The Addy Agreements ......................................................................................................... 4 C. The GTR Agreement............................................................................................................ 6 PROCEDURAL HISTORY ......................................................................................................... 6 ARGUMENT ................................................................................................................................. 8 POINT I THE MOVING DEFENDANTS SHOULD BE GRANTED LEAVE TO REARGUE THEIR MOTION TO DISMISS THE ORIGINAL COMPLAINT ................... 8 A. Legal Standard ..................................................................................................................... 8 B. The Decision Relied on a Dissimilar Federal Court Decision ............................................. 9 C. The Decision Overlooks Requisite Elements for the Constructive Trust and Accounting Claims, Including an Applicable Fiduciary Relationship ......................................................... 11 D. The Decision Overlooked the Fact that Plaintiffs Did Not Allege General Consumer Behavior Falling Under the Ambit of GBL § 349 .................................................................... 12 E. The Court Failed to Consider the Documentary Evidence Disproving Plaintiffs’ Allegations of Fictitious Business Names ................................................................................. 13 F. In Inferring a Breach of Contract Claim, the Court Ignored the Dispositive Arguments Preemptively Set forth in the Moving Defendants’ Papers ....................................................... 14 POINT II ALTERNATIVELY, THE MOVING DEFENDANTS SHOULD BE GRANTED LEAVE TO RENEW THEIR MOTION TO DISMISS PLAINTIFFS’ ORIGINAL COMPLAINT .............................................................................................................................. 15 POINT III PLAINTIFFS’ AMENDED COMPLAINT SHOULD BE DISMISSED AS TO THE MOVING DEFENDANTS ................................................................................................ 16 A. As a Matter of Law for Plaintiffs’ Claim for a Declaratory Judgment .............................. 16 i. As a Matter of Binding Law Plaintiffs’ Merchant Cash Advance Agreements with the Moving Defendants Are Not Loans....................................................................................... 17 ii. Plaintiffs Cannot Allege Usury as a Basis for Affirmative Relief ................................. 18 B. Plaintiffs’ Constructive Trust Claim Fails as a Matter of Law .......................................... 18 C. Plaintiffs’ RICO Claim Is Inadequately Pled..................................................................... 19 i. Plaintiffs’ RICO Claims Are Impermissibly Vague ...................................................... 21 ii. Plaintiffs’ Allegations Cannot Sustain a Claim of Alleged Racketeering Activity Under 18 U.S.C. § 894 ..................................................................................................................... 22 ii 2 of 36 FILED: NEW YORK COUNTY CLERK 07/15/2019 10:22 PM INDEX NO. 656346/2018 NYSCEF DOC. NO. 197 RECEIVED NYSCEF: 07/15/2019 iii. The Amended Complaint Fails to Allege How the Affairs of a RICO Enterprise Were Conducted Through the Alleged Racketeering Activity ....................................................... 22 iv. Plaintiffs Do Not Allege a “Pattern of Racketeering Activity” ..................................... 23 D. Plaintiffs Fail to Allege a Claim for an Accounting .......................................................... 25 E. Plaintiffs’ Fifth Cause of Action Concerning Allegedly Fictious Entities Has Already Been Disproved as to the Moving Defendants .......................................................................... 26 F. Plaintiffs’ Claim of “Deceptive Business Practices” Fails to State a Basis for Relief Against the Moving Defendants ................................................................................................ 26 G. Plaintiffs’ Claim for Breach of Contract Should Be Dismissed as to the Moving Defendants ................................................................................................................................. 28 H. The Individual Defendants Cannot Be Held Liable for the Defendant Entities’ Contractual Obligations ................................................................................................................................ 30 CONCLUSION ........................................................................................................................... 30 iii 3 of 36 FILED: NEW YORK COUNTY CLERK 07/15/2019 10:22 PM INDEX NO. 656346/2018 NYSCEF DOC. NO. 197 RECEIVED NYSCEF: 07/15/2019 TABLE OF AUTHORITIES Cases Champion Auto Sales, LLC v Pearl Beta Funding, LLC, 159 AD3d 507, 69 N.Y.S. 3d 507, 2018 N.Y. Slip Op. 01645 [1st Dept 2018], lv to appeal denied, 31 NY3d 910 [2018] ............................................................................................... 10, 17 Cirfico Holdings Corp. v GTE Products Corp., 99 AD2d 939, 940 [1st Dept 1984] ........................................................................................... 15 Colonial Funding Network, Inc. for TVT Capital, LLC v. Epazz Inc., 252 F. Supp. 3d 274 (S.D.N.Y 2017) ........................................................................................ 17 Counihan v. Allstate Ins. Co., 194 F.3d 357, 362 [2d Cir.1999] ............................................................................................... 19 Craig Outdoor Adver., Inc. v. Viacom Outdoor, Inc., 528 F.3d 1001, 1027-28 [8th Cir. 2008] ................................................................................... 23 DLJ Mortg. Cpital Inc. v. Kontogiannis, 726 F. Supp. 2d 225, 236 [E.D.N.Y. 2010] ............................................................................... 20 Elghanian v Elghanian, 277 AD2d 162, 717 N.Y.S. 2d 54 [1st Dept 2000] ............................................................. 11, 26 Elsevier Inc. v. W.H.P.R., Inc., 692 F. Supp. 2d 297, 308 [S.D.N.Y. 2010] ................................................................... 20, 22, 23 ESPN, Inc. v. Office of the Comm’r of Baseball, 76 F. Supp.2d 383, 389 [S.D.N.Y. 1999] .................................................................................. 14 First Asset Capital Management v. Satinwood, Inc. 385 F.3d 159 (2d Cir. 2004) ...................................................................................................... 24 Fleetwood Serv., LLC v Complete Bus. Sols. Grp. Inc., 2019 WL 1558087 (E.D. P.A. Apr. 10, 2019) .................................................................. 1, 9, 10 Frame v Maynard, 39 A.D. 3d 328, 833 N.Y.S. 2d 487 [1st Dept 2007] ................................................................ 14 Freeley v. Whitman Corp., 65 F. Supp. 2d 164, 173-74 (S.D.N.Y. 1999) ..................................................................... 20, 20 Freitas v. Geddes S&L Ass’n, 63 N.Y.2d 254, 262 [1984] ....................................................................................................... 17 GICC Capital Corp. v. Technology Fin. Group, Inc., 67 F.3d 463, 466 [2d Cir. 1995], cert. denied, 518 U.S. 1017, 116 S. Ct. 2547 [1996] ..... 23, 25 Gross v. Waywell, 628 F. Supp. 2d 475, 485 [S.D.N.Y. 2009] ............................................................................... 20 H.J. Inc. v. Northwestern Bell telephone Co., 492 U.S. 229, 109 S. Ct. 2893 (1989) ....................................................................................... 24 Harris v Seward Park Hous. Corp., 79 AD3d 425, 426 [1st Dept 2010] ........................................................................................... 28 Hartford Acc. & Indem Co. v. Weolowski, 33 N.Y.S.2d 169, 171 [1973] .............................................................................................. 17, 18 iv 4 of 36 FILED: NEW YORK COUNTY CLERK 07/15/2019 10:22 PM INDEX NO. 656346/2018 NYSCEF DOC. NO. 197 RECEIVED NYSCEF: 07/15/2019 IBIS Capital Group, LLC v. Four Paws Orlando LLC, 2017 N.Y. Slip Op. 30477(U), 2017 WL 1065071 (Nassau Sup. Ct. 2017) (same) ................. 17 K9 Byte, Inc. v. Arch Capital Funding, LLC, 56 Misc. 3d 807, 819 [Westchester Co 2017] ..................................................................... 17, 25 Katzman v. Victoria’s Secret Catalogue, 167 F.R.D. 649, 655 [S.D.N.Y. 1996] ...................................................................................... 21 Massaro v. United States, 2004 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 20084, *13 (S.D.N.Y. 2004) ............................................................... 23 McDonald v. Schencker, 18 F.3d 491, 499 [7th Cir. 1994] ............................................................................................... 20 McLaughlin v. Anderson, 962 F.2d 187, 191 [2d Cir. 1992] .............................................................................................. 21 Michael v Communications Workers of Am. AFL-CIO, 130 Misc 2d 424, 427 [Sup Ct 1985] .......................................................................................... 9 Midwest Grinding Co. v. Spitz, 976 F.2d 1016, 1025 [7th Cir. 1992] ......................................................................................... 20 New York v. Feldman, 210 F Supp 2d 294, 301 [S.D.N.Y. 2002] ........................................................................... 12, 13 Oak Beverages, Inc. v. Tomra of Massachusetts, L.L.C., 96 F. Supp. 2d 336, 346 [SDNY 2000] ..................................................................................... 23 Schneider v Solowey, 141 AD2d 813 [2d Dept 1988] .................................................................................................... 9 Schneider v. Phelps, 41 N.Y.2d 238, 242 [1977] ....................................................................................................... 18 Sharp v Kosmalski, 40 NY2d 119 [1976] ........................................................................................................... 11, 19 Sherman v Mulerman, 45 Misc 3d 1220(A), 2014 WL 6673912 [NY Sup 2014] ........................................................ 28 Storper v WL Ross & Co., LLC, 2018 N.Y. Slip Op. 32235[U], 2018 WL 4334218, *4 [Sup Ct, NY County 2018] ................. 25 Teller v Bill Hayes, Ltd., 213 AD2d 141, 149, 630 N.Y.S. 2d 769 [2d Dept 1995].......................................................... 27 United States v. Persico, 832 F.2d 705, 714 [2d Cir. 1987] .............................................................................................. 23 Unitel Telecard Distrib. Corp. v Nunez, 90 AD3d 568, 569, 936 N.Y.S. 2d 117 [1st Dept 2011] ..................................................... 11, 26 Vicom, Inc. v. Harbridge Merch Servs., Inc., 20 F.3d 771, 782 [7th Cir. 1994] ............................................................................................... 24 Wilkinson Floor Covering, Inc. v Cap Call, LLC, 59 Misc 3d 1226(A) [Sup Ct New York Co. 2018] .................................................................. 17 William P. Pahl Equip. Corp. v Kassis, 182 AD2d 22, 27 [1st Dept 1992] ............................................................................................. 15 v 5 of 36 FILED: NEW YORK COUNTY CLERK 07/15/2019 10:22 PM INDEX NO. 656346/2018 NYSCEF DOC. NO. 197 RECEIVED NYSCEF: 07/15/2019 Wilson Impex PTE Ltd. V. American Polymer Group, Inc., 97 Civ. 4157, 1999 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 17013, *8-9 [S.D.N.Y. 1999] ....................................... 23 Zoo Holdings, LLC v. Clinton, 11 Misc.3d 1051(A) [Sup. Ct. N.Y. Co. 2006] ......................................................................... 18 Statutes 18 U.S.C. § 1962 ..................................................................................................................... 19, 20 18 USC § 894 .......................................................................................................................... 20, 22 General Business Law § 349......................................................................................... 2, 12, 27, 28 Rules CPLR § 2221(d ............................................................................................................................... 8 CPLR § 2221(e) ............................................................................................................................ 15 CPLR § 3211................................................................................................................................... 1 vi 6 of 36 FILED: NEW YORK COUNTY CLERK 07/15/2019 10:22 PM INDEX NO. 656346/2018 NYSCEF DOC. NO. 197 RECEIVED NYSCEF: 07/15/2019 PRELIMINARY STATEMENT Defendants Influx Capital Group, LLC a/k/a Influx Capital LLC (“Influx Capital”), GTR Source, LLC (“GTR”), Addy Source, LLC (“Addy”), Tzvi Reich (“Reich”) and Tsvi Davis (“Davis”) (collectively, the “Moving Defendants”), by and through their attorneys, Jacobowitz Newman Tversky LLP, respectfully submit this memorandum of law in support of their motion for an Order: (a) Pursuant to CPLR § 2221, granting the Moving Defendants leave to reargue or, in the alternative, to renew their motion to dismiss Plaintiffs’ Complaint (the “Motion to Dismiss”), which the Court previously denied in its May 28, 2019 Decision and Order (the “Decision”); (b) Pursuant to CPLR § 3211(a)(1) and (7), dismissing plaintiffs James Davis, II and Medisale, Inc.’s (collectively, “Plaintiffs”) Amended Complaint as to the Moving Defendants; and (c) Granting such further relief as to the Moving Defendants as the Court deems just and equitable. The Moving Defendants respectfully submit that, in itsDecision, the Court mistakenly relied on inapplicable law that was misconstrued by Plaintiffs’ Counsel, and overlooked undisputed and outcome-determinative facts and law. Consideration of such factors establishes unequivocally that Plaintiffs have not – nor could they in any further amended pleading– sustain a cognizable cause of action against the Moving Defendants. First, the Court’s Decision mistakenly relied upon a recent decision of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania in Fleetwood Services, LLC v Complete Bus. Sols. Grp. Inc., 2019 WL 1558087 (E.D. P.A. Apr. 10, 2019), because Plaintiffs’ Counsel misrepresented its relevance to the present case. As demonstrated below, the district court’s decision in Fleetwood was expressly premised on the unchallenged assumption that the agreement at issue constituted a usurious loan. Fleetwood thus has no bearing on the present case, where the 7 of 36 FILED: NEW YORK COUNTY CLERK 07/15/2019 10:22 PM INDEX NO. 656346/2018 NYSCEF DOC. NO. 197 RECEIVED NYSCEF: 07/15/2019 agreements at issue satisfy each of the established criteria for cash advance agreements and thus, as a matter of settled New York law, are not loans that could possibly be subject to the usury laws. Moreover, Plaintiffs’ Counsel failed to disclose that the court in Fleetwood had backtracked and asked the parties to brief the issue of whether the relevant agreement was, in fact, a loan – noting that was the key question to determine whether there was usurious interest. Thus, not only is the proposition that Plaintiffs’ Counsel tried to glean from Fleetwood contrary to New York law, but Fleetwood does not stand for that proposition – neither the original decision, let alone that court’s second guessing of its own decision. Second, the Decision ignored that, as the Court itself had noted at the May 28, 2019 hearing on the various Motions to Dismiss (the “Hearing”), Plaintiffs’ fail to allege necessary elements for each of their causes of action. Third, the Court ignored the documentary evidence – including Plaintiffs’ own proffer of the agreements at issue, which conclusively refute Plaintiffs’ claims. Fourth, in allowing Plaintiffs’ claims that the Moving Defendants allegedly engaged in deceptive business practices in violation of GBL § 349 to survive their motion to dismiss, the Court overlooked the fact that Plaintiffs fail to allege any conduct effecting consumers at large. Finally, in inferring a breach of contract allegation from Plaintiffs’ claim to “void or reform agreements” the Court’s Decision ignored the Moving Defendants’ dispositive legal arguments and the documentary evidence conclusively refuting Plaintiffs’ “implied” allegations of any contractual breach of the underlying agreements. For similar reasons, the Amended Complaint, filed by Plaintiffs after the Court’s Decision on the Motions to Dismiss the original Complaint, should be dismissed. Although, Plaintiffs have penned dozens of pages casting general aspersions on the merchant cash advance industry at large 2 8 of 36 FILED: NEW YORK COUNTY CLERK 07/15/2019 10:22 PM INDEX NO. 656346/2018 NYSCEF DOC. NO. 197 RECEIVED NYSCEF: 07/15/2019 and asserting vague and conclusive allegations against “Defendants” collectively, Plaintiffs’ claims against the Moving Defendants are inadequately pled, lacking in substance, and are merely a transparent attempt by Plaintiffs to avoid their own obligations under their separate agreements with the separate Moving Defendants, despite having long-ago accepted the benefits of their bargain. While Plaintiffs allege that the Moving Defendants underfunded their respective agreements by withholding a portion of the “Funded Amount” the agreements themselves conclusively demonstrate to the contrary, as sums withheld from the “Funded Amounts” were expressly authorized under the agreements. Accordingly, the Court should grant the Moving Defendants’ motion and dismiss them from this action. RELEVANT FACTUAL BACKGROUND As set forth in Plaintiffs’ Amended Complaint, this action concerns numerous merchant cash advance (“MCA”) agreements that Plaintiffs solicited and willingly executed, whereby Plaintiffs sold the rights to a specified percentage of their future accounts receivable in exchange for upfront working capital. See Exhibit A to the Affirmation of Abraham S. Beinhorn filed herewith (“Atty Aff”) (hereinafter cited to as the “Am. Compl.”). Each such agreement was between Plaintiffs and a single named defendant entity, with Influx Capital, GTR and Addy, respectively, pursuant to terms more fully described below. A. The Influx Agreement Plaintiffs first entered into a Secured Merchant Agreement with Influx Capital on or about October 4, 2018, whereby Influx Capital purchased $374,750.00 of Plaintiffs’ future accounts 3 9 of 36 FILED: NEW YORK COUNTY CLERK 07/15/2019 10:22 PM INDEX NO. 656346/2018 NYSCEF DOC. NO. 197 RECEIVED NYSCEF: 07/15/2019 receivable (the “Influx Agreement”). See Atty Aff, Exhibit 2 to Exhibit B1 for a copy of the Influx Agreement (previously filed as NYSECF Doc No. 65). While Plaintiffs allege that the Influx Agreement was “underfunded” because they did not receive the full $250,000.00 purchase price, Plaintiffs’ own Amended Complaint and the exhibits (referenced) therein plainly refute any notion of “underfunding”, as the Influx Agreement explicitly provides for the fees allegedly withheld from the funded amount. See Am. Compl., ¶¶ 137-46 and Exhibit 2 to Exhibit B of the Atty Aff. For instance, the Influx Agreement includes a $94,421.00 deduction for a previous balance owed to non-party “Capital Merchant Services.” See the Payment Authorization Form in Exhibit 2 to Exhibit B. Although, Plaintiffs now contend that amount was incorrect (Am. Compl., ¶¶ 145- 48), the documentary evidence shows that, as part of the Influx Agreement, Plaintiffs executed a “Balance Transfer Form” expressly authorizing the $94,421.00 deduction. See Atty Aff, Exhibit 2 to Exhibit B. Moreover, as Plaintiffs concede, Influx Capital often deducted less than the agreed upon daily remittance and the total amount of all remittances to Influx Capital under the Influx Agreement was significantly less than the purchased amount. See Am. Compl. ¶ 151. B. The Addy Agreements On or about October 16, 2018, Plaintiffs entered into an MCA Agreement with Addy whereby they sold $299,800.00 of their future accounts receivable for a purchase price of $200,000.00, as further set forth therein (the “First Addy Agreement”). See Exhibit 3 to Exhibit B (previously filed as NYSECF Doc No. 66). Plaintiffs allege that there was a “10% reduction of the funded amount” of the First Addy Agreement, but “Defendants still sought to collect the full purchased amount.” See Am. Compl. ¶ 161. 1 As noted below, Exhibit B is the Moving Defendants’ motion to dismiss Plaintiffs’ original complaint (previously filed as NYSCEF Doc Nos. 59-73). 4 10 of 36 FILED: NEW YORK COUNTY CLERK 07/15/2019 10:22 PM INDEX NO. 656346/2018 NYSCEF DOC. NO. 197 RECEIVED NYSCEF: 07/15/2019 Yet, here, as well, Plaintiffs disingenuously ignore the explicit terms of their agreement, which specifically authorizes various fees, including a $19,999.00 professional service fee expressly set forth in an executed “ACH Authorization Form.” See Exhibit 3 to Exhibit B of Atty Aff. Such fees easily account for the $20,000.00 allegedly “underfunded” and thus conclusively refute Plaintiffs’ claims. On or about November 1, 2018, Plaintiffs entered into a second agreement with Addy, pursuant to which Addy paid Plaintiffs $320,000.00 in exchange for $479,680.00 of Plaintiffs’ future accounts receivable, as further set forth therein (“Second Addy Agreement”). See Atty Aff, Exhibit 4 to Exhibit for a fully executed copy of the Second Addy Agreement (previously filed as NYSECF Doc No. 67). Like the Influx Agreement and the First Addy Agreement, the Second Addy Agreement also has contractually agreed upon deductions and fees in executed forms which are conspicuously missing from the versions of the agreements Plaintiffs attached to their Complaint (and incorporated into Amended Complaint). The full version of the Second Addy Agreement includes an executed Balance Transfer Form authorizing a $281,803.00 deduction in satisfaction of the balance owed on the First Addy Agreement, as well as an executed Authorization Form authorizing a $10,000.00 professional service fee. Id. Although Plaintiffs allege that, on a few occasions, Addy received daily remittances in excess of the authorized amount (Am. Compl. ¶ 93), Plaintiffs do not, and could not, dispute that the cumulative amount of all daily remittances received by Addy pursuant to the Second Addy Agreement was hundreds of thousands of dollars less than Addy is entitled to receive under the agreement. Id. at ¶¶ 172-78. 5 11 of 36 FILED: NEW YORK COUNTY CLERK 07/15/2019 10:22 PM INDEX NO. 656346/2018 NYSCEF DOC. NO. 197 RECEIVED NYSCEF: 07/15/2019 C. The GTR Agreement Plaintiffs entered into a separate agreement with GTR, dated November 7, 2018, whereby Plaintiffs sold to GTR $562,125.00 of their future accounts receivable for $375,000.00 (the “GTR Agreement”). See Atty Aff, Exhibit 5 to Exhibit B for a fully executed copy of the GTR Agreement (previously filed as NYSECF Doc No. 68). Plaintiffs likewise allege here that they were underfunded, even though the GTR Agreement itself refutes Plaintiffs’ allegation. To wit, Plaintiffs feign confusion about a $289,990.00 deduction from the Funded Amount authorized under the GTR Agreement. See Am. Compl., ¶ 222. However, Plaintiffs executed a Payment Authorization Form explicitly authorizing the $289,990.00 deduction in order to pay off a balance previously owed to Influx Capital under its separate agreement with Plaintiffs. See Atty Aff, Exhibit 5 to Exhibit B. Similarly, the GTR Agreement expressly authorizes numerous other deductions and fees and belies Plaintiffs’ claims that such were unauthorized. Id. Notably, by their own admission, Plaintiffs have paid GTR significantly less than the $562,125.00 purchase price they agreed to remit to GTR pursuant to the GTR Agreement. See Am. Compl., ¶¶ 218-24. PROCEDURAL HISTORY Plaintiffs filed a Summons and Complaint on or about December 20, 2018. See Atty Aff, Exhibit 1 to Exhibit B for a copy of Plaintiffs’ Summons and Complaint (previously filed as NYSCEF Doc Nos. 64 and 1-10. As set forth therein, Plaintiffs asserted seven distinct causes of action against various merchant cash advance funders and several individuals, including the Moving Defendants: (1) Void or Reform Agreements/Declaratory judgment; (2) Constructive Trust; (3) RICO; (4) Accounting; (5) Disclosure of Confidential Information; (6) “Fictious Names Violate the General Business Law”; and (7) Deceptive Business Practices. Id. 6 12 of 36 FILED: NEW YORK COUNTY CLERK 07/15/2019 10:22 PM INDEX NO. 656346/2018 NYSCEF DOC. NO. 197 RECEIVED NYSCEF: 07/15/2019 Simultaneous with the commencement of this action, Plaintiffs brought an application for an order to show cause with temporary restraints, by which it sought to restrain all the defendants from enforcing their respective cash advance agreements and collecting the monies owed to them thereunder. See NYSCEF Doc. Nos. 11-17. After the Order to Show Cause was signed by an ex parte judge, the Moving Defendants opposed Plaintiffs’ application, and the Court issued an interim order granting some, but not all, of the restraints sought by Plaintiffs – notably allowing the Moving Defendants to enter Plaintiffs’ duly executed confessions of judgment (“COJs”) in New York County. See NYSCEF Doc. Nos. 21 and 50. Yet, when GTR did just that, the Plaintiffs brought a separate application for yet another Order to Show Cause with temporary restraints, essentially attempting to override the interim order insofar as it permitted the filing of Plaintiffs’ COJs in New York County. See GTR Source, LLC v Medisale Inc. d/b/a Medisale et al. (Index No. 150294/2019). The Court nonetheless granted Plaintiffs’ application and encouraged the parties to pursue settlement. Id. Plaintiffs subsequently brought a third application for an order to show cause, essentially renewing their original request to enjoin and restrain defendants from effectively seeking to enforce their various agreements with Plaintiffs, which the Court signed on January 30, 2019. See NYSECF Doc Nos. 78 and 90. Thereafter, the Court issued an Order granting Plaintiffs’ third request for a preliminary injunction by extending the temporary restraints put in place on January 30, 2019. See NYSECF Doc No. 120. The Moving Defendants also moved to dismiss Plaintiffs’ Complaint pursuant to CPLR §3211(a)(1)(7) and (8). See Exhibit B to the Atty Aff for a copy of the Moving Defendants’ Motion to Dismiss with supporting papers (previously filed as NYSCEF Doc Nos. 59-73). 7 13 of 36 FILED: NEW YORK COUNTY CLERK 07/15/2019 10:22 PM INDEX NO. 656346/2018 NYSCEF DOC. NO. 197 RECEIVED NYSCEF: 07/15/2019 Plaintiffs belatedly opposed the Moving Defendants’ Motion Dismiss by filing an untimely opposition that failed to even address many of the Moving Defendants’ substantive legal arguments. See Atty Aff, Exhibit C for a copy of Plaintiffs’ Opposition, and Exhibit D for a copy of Moving Defendants’ Reply (previously filed as NYSCEF Doc Nos 121 and 122, respectively). On May 28, 2019, the Court heard oral arguments on the Moving Defendants’ Motion to Dismiss, as well as on defendant Jonathan’s Braun’s (“Braun”) Motion to Dismiss and Plaintiffs’ Cross-Motion to amend the complaint and expedite discovery,2 and subsequently issued its Decision and Order denying the motions to dismiss except as to Plaintiffs’ Fifth Cause of Action for disclosure of confidential information, which the Court dismissed. See Atty Aff, Exhibit F for copy of the Court’s Decision, and Exhibit G for a copy of the Court Reporter’s Transcript from the May 28, 2019 hearing (the “Transcript”). On June 25, 2019, Plaintiffs filed their Amended Complaint. See Exhibit A to the Atty Aff; See also NYSECF Doc Nos. 176-78. ARGUMENT POINT I THE MOVING DEFENDANTS SHOULD BE GRANTED LEAVE TO REARGUE THEIR MOTION TO DISMISS THE ORIGINAL COMPLAINT A. Legal Standard Pursuant to CPLR § 2221(d), a motion for leave to reargue: 1. shall be identified specifically as such; 2 Although the Moving Defendants’ Motion to Dismiss had long been fully submitted, Plaintiffs’ Cross- Motion to Braun’s separate dismissal motion inappropriately sought relief as to the Moving Defendants and was, in effect, an unauthorized sur-reply to the Moving Defendants’ Motion to Dismiss. Accordingly, the Moving Defendants’ also submitted opposition thereto. See a copy of the Moving Defendants’ Opposition to Plaintiffs’ Cross-Motion attached to the Atty Aff as Exhibit E (previously filed as NYSECF Doc No 161); see also NYSECF Doc Nos. 153-158. 8 14 of 36 FILED: NEW YORK COUNTY CLERK 07/15/2019 10:22 PM INDEX NO. 656346/2018 NYSCEF DOC. NO. 197 RECEIVED NYSCEF: 07/15/2019 2. shall be based upon matters of fact or law allegedly overlooked or misapprehended by the court in determining the prior motion, but shall not include any matters of fact not offered on the prior motion; and 3. shall be made within thirty days after service of a copy of the order determining the prior motion and written notice of its entry. This rule shall not apply to motions to reargue a decision made by the appellate division or the court of appeals. “A motion to reargue is designed to give a party a chance to convince the court that relevant facts were overlooked or misapprehended or any controlling principle of law was misapplied.” Michael v Communications Workers of Am. AFL-CIO, 130 Misc 2d 424, 427 [Sup Ct 1985]. This determination is within the sound discretion of the court and a motion to reargue should be granted where the movant party shows that the court overlooked or misapprehended the facts or the law, or for some reason mistakenly arrived at its earlier decision. See Schneider v Solowey, 141 AD2d 813 [2d Dept 1988]. B. The Decision Relied on a Dissimilar Federal Court Decision The Court’s Decision relied heavily on a decision recently rendered by the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania in Fleetwood Serv., LLC v Complete Bus. Sols. Grp. Inc., 2019 WL 1558087 (E.D. P.A. Apr. 10, 2019). Plaintiffs’ Counsel presented the Fleetwood decision for the first time during the Court’s Hearing on the motions to dismiss, and represented to the Court that the decision was “based on many of the things we have alleged in this case” and serves as an instance where a court sustained a RICO claim against merchant cash advance funders based on claims that the defendant’s conduct rendered the cash advance agreement a usurious loan. See Fleetwood, 2019 WL 1558087; See also Exhibit G. However, notwithstanding Plaintiffs’ Counsel’s inaccurate representations to the contrary, the Fleetwood decision is entirely inapposite because it was expressly premised on the unchallenged assumption that the “Factoring Agreement was a loan.” See Fleetwood, 2019 WL 9 15 of 36 FILED: NEW YORK COUNTY CLERK 07/15/2019 10:22 PM INDEX NO. 656346/2018 NYSCEF DOC. NO. 197 RECEIVED NYSCEF: 07/15/2019 1558087. Thus, in sustaining the cause of action, the court expressly acknowledged that “Defendants do not challenge Plaintiffs’ allegation the payments Fleetwood Services made amounted to ‘collection of unlawful debt’ and the Amended Complaint sufficiently alleged a RICO violation based on this theory.” Id. As such, the Fleetwood decision could not be more different than this action, where the agreements at issue are not loans, as the Moving Defendants have asserted throughout the pendency of this action, which is entirely consistent with settled New York law. Moreover, as set forth below, the Fleetwood court soo