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Zanett Lombardier, Ltd. v. Maslow

Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, First Department
May 30, 2006
29 A.D.3d 495 (N.Y. App. Div. 2006)

Summary

finding "conclusory statement of (defendant's) intent did not adequately plead sufficient details of scienter"

Summary of this case from Zutty v. Rye Select Broad Mkt. Prime Fund, L.P.

Opinion

8633.

May 30, 2006.

Order, Supreme Court, New York County (Charles Edward Ramos, J.), entered March 18, 2005, as amended by order, same court and Justice, entered June 30, 2005, which granted defendants' motion to dismiss the amended complaint, unanimously affirmed, with one bill of costs.

Malcolm S. Taub, New York, for appellants.

Fischer Mandell, LLP, New York (Mitchell G. Mandell of counsel), for respondents.

Before: Andrias, J.P., Marlow, Sullivan, Gonzalez and Sweeny, JJ., concur.


In this action alleging fraud, constructive fraud, misrepresentation and breach of fiduciary duty in connection with an investment loss, the court was not required to accept factual allegations that are contradicted by documentary evidence, or legal conclusions that are unsupportable in the face of undisputed facts ( Robinson v. Robinson, 303 AD2d 234, 235). Dismissal is warranted under CPLR 3211 (a) (1) where documentary evidence and undisputed facts negate or dispose of claims in the complaint or conclusively establish a defense ( see Silvester v. Time Warner, 1 Misc 3d 250, 255), affd 14 AD3d 430 [2005]).

To state a claim for fraud, a plaintiff must allege misrepresentation or concealment of a material fact, falsity, scienter by the wrongdoer, justifiable reliance on the deception, and resulting injury ( Kaufman v. Cohen, 307 AD2d 113, 119). Plaintiffs failed to plead fraud with the particularity required by CPLR 3016 (b) ( see Callas v. Eisenberg, 192 AD2d 349, 350), since there were no actionable misrepresentations or concealments as to the marketability of the Projectavision product or the profitability of Vidikron, resulting in acceleration of the PNC loan.

The conclusory statement of intent did not adequately plead sufficient details of scienter ( see Credit Alliance Corp. v. Arthur Andersen Co., 65 NY2d 536, 554). Nor could plaintiffs, as sophisticated investors, validly claim justifiable reliance under these circumstances, as they could have discovered the underlying condition and true nature of both companies by ordinary intelligence or with reasonable investigation ( see Stuart Silver Assoc. v. Baco Dev. Corp., 245 AD2d 96, 98-99).

We have considered plaintiffs' remaining arguments and find them without merit.


Summaries of

Zanett Lombardier, Ltd. v. Maslow

Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, First Department
May 30, 2006
29 A.D.3d 495 (N.Y. App. Div. 2006)

finding "conclusory statement of (defendant's) intent did not adequately plead sufficient details of scienter"

Summary of this case from Zutty v. Rye Select Broad Mkt. Prime Fund, L.P.

finding "conclusory statement of (defendant's) intent did not adequately plead sufficient details of scienter"

Summary of this case from Zutty v. Rye Select Broad Mkt. Prime Fund, L.P.

dismissing misrepresentation claim because, inter alia, “plaintiffs, as sophisticated investors, [could not] validly claim justifiable reliance ... as they could have discovered the underlying condition and true nature of both companies by ordinary intelligence or with reasonable investigation”

Summary of this case from The Anschutz Corp.. v. Lynch

stating that "conclusory statement of intent did not adequately plead sufficient details of scienter"

Summary of this case from In re Worldcom, Inc.

stating that "conclusory statement of intent did not adequately plead sufficient details of scienter"

Summary of this case from In re Worldcom, Inc.
Case details for

Zanett Lombardier, Ltd. v. Maslow

Case Details

Full title:ZANETT LOMBARDIER, LTD., et al., Appellants, v. MARVIN MASLOW et al.…

Court:Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, First Department

Date published: May 30, 2006

Citations

29 A.D.3d 495 (N.Y. App. Div. 2006)
2006 N.Y. Slip Op. 4186
815 N.Y.S.2d 547

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