Quarterly Financial Report as of April 6, 2022 (Unaudited)
Note 6 – Legal Proceedings (continued)
(a) Mortgage Sellers
LBHI filed complaints in the Bankruptcy Court against numerous mortgage sellers seeking indemnification arising from the Allowed Claims of Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac (collectively, the “GSE Claims”) and Private Label Trustees (the “PL Claims”) against LBHI for losses from defective loans purchased from LBHI. Of the over 200 cases filed in this coordinated action, only three cases remain and LBHI expects recoveries from these outstanding matters to be less than $2 million in total.
Certain defendants filed a motion to dismiss the complaints on the basis that Lehman Brothers Bank, the original purchaser of the mortgage loans at issue, never effectuated the assignment of its indemnity rights to LBHI prior to the commencement of the chapter 11 cases and therefore, the Bankruptcy Court does not have subject matter jurisdiction over those cases. The moving defendants also seek dismissal on the basis that LBHI gave up its indemnity rights when it sold the loans to the Private Label Trusts. LBHI opposed the motion. The Bankruptcy Court heard argument on October 16, 2019, and reserved decision.
(b) LBIE Other
The outcome of the following litigation may impact LBHI’s potential indirect recoveries from LBIE:
AG Financial Products Inc.
On November 28, 2011, LBIE sued AG Financial Products Inc. (“AGR”), an affiliate of Assured Guaranty Corp., which in the past had provided credit protection to counterparties under credit default swaps. LBIE’s complaint, which was filed in the Supreme Court of the State of New York (the “New York Supreme Court”), alleged that AGR improperly terminated nine credit derivative transactions between LBIE and AGR and improperly calculated the termination payment in connection with the termination of 28 other credit derivative transactions between LBIE and AGR. LBIE asserted in the complaint that AGR owes LBIE a termination payment of approximately $1.4 billion.
On July 2, 2018, the New York Supreme Court dismissed LBIE’s claims with respect to the nine allegedly improperly terminated transactions in their entirety. That ruling remains subject to appeal. The Court also dismissed the claim that AGR breached its implied duty of good faith and fair dealing with respect to the valuation of the 28 terminated credit derivatives transactions, but found that there is a genuine question of fact as to the reasonableness and good faith of AGR’s calculation of its loss, and so LBIE may proceed with its claim against AGR for breach of contract. On July 31, 2018, AGR filed a Notice of Appeal with the New York State Appellate Division with respect to the surviving claims. On January 17, 2019, the Appellate Division denied AGR’s appeal.
After a lengthy delay due to the coronavirus, the trial in the New York State Supreme Court, Commercial Division began on October 18, 2021, and continued for five weeks, concluding on November 19th. The parties subsequently submitted briefs on open evidentiary issues. On February 28, 2022, Judge Melissa Crane conducted the hearing on those open issues and ruled on several issues from the bench. On March 2 , 2022, she issued a decision resolving the remaining outstanding issues. The parties submitted opening post trial briefs on April 25, 2022, and reply briefs will be filed on June 21, 2022.
Solely for the purpose of maintaining the confidentiality of its assumptions relating to these uncertain recoveries, which are informed by privileged advice from counsel, LBHI treats the AGR litigation as an Excluded Litigation herein and therefore excludes estimates for AGR litigation-related recoveries from these April 6, 2022 Cash Flow Estimates.