In the recent decision of George L. Miller v. Edward Welke, et al. (In re United Tax Group, LLC), Adv. Pro. No. 16-50088 (LSS), the Delaware Bankruptcy Court considered a motion for judgment on the pleadings in connection with the Trustee's complaint asserting preference and fraudulent transfer claims.
The Court found that the Trustee failed to adequately plead all counts necessary to give rise to a preference claim. Specifically, the Court held that the Trustee failed to: (i) identify the transferee of each transfer, and (ii) identify the nature and amount of each alleged antecedent debt. The Court also declined to consider the Trustee's factual allegations raised in his answering brief.
As for the fraudulent transfer claims, the Court found that the Trustee failed to allege facts necessary to demonstrate that the debtor was insolvent at the time such transfers were made, which is an element of a fraudulent transfer claim under Section 548 of the Bankruptcy Code. In addition, the Trustee failed to set forth a factual basis for his contention that the Debtor received less than reasonably equivalent value for certain of the transfers. The Court found that the Trustee's allegations merely parroted the language of Section 548.
In light of the above, the Court granted dismissal of the Trustee's claims, but granted leave for the Trustee to amend the complaint to adequately plead facts to support the Trustee's claims.
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