Note 4 – Legal Proceedings (continued)
(a) ECAPS
LBHI owns a claim of GBP 1.1 billion related to the subordinated debt issued by LBH PLC, a non-controlled affiliate in administration in the UK. LBH PLC also has outstanding subordinated notes owned by three third party trusts known as ECAPS I, II, and III. A dispute over the relative priority of these subordinated debt instruments issued by LBH PLC was litigated in the UK courts. The Court of Appeal held that the subordinated notes owned by ECAPS I-III are senior to the subordinated debt owned by LBHI. In August 2022, the Supreme Court declined to consider LBHI’s appeal of that decision.
In October 2023, a trial was conducted before Justice Hildyard in the UK High Court on the question of whether statutory interest on ECAPS’ subordinated notes claims should be paid before principal on LBHI’s subordinated debt claim.
In November 2023, the Court issued its decision in favor of ECAPS, finding that statutory interest on ECAPS’s subordinated notes claims should be paid before principal on LBHI’s subordinated debt claim.
In January 2024, LBHI filed a request to appeal this decision with the UK Court of Appeal. In April 2024, the UK Court of Appeal issued an order accepting LBHI’s request for appeal. The hearing is scheduled for October 2nd and 3rd, 2024.
The outcome of this matter will have a material effect on LBHI recoveries.
For details related to the partial settlement and further information, please refer to the “ongoing litigation” section of LBH PLC’s website: www.pwc.co.uk/services/business-recovery/administrations/non-lbie-
companies/lbh-plc-in-administration.html
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 recoveries from this matter as an Excluded Recovery in its June 30, 2024 Cash Flow Estimates. As a result, LBHI excludes from its June 30, 2024 Cash Flow Estimates all potential recoveries from its subordinated debt claim against LBH PLC (including indirectly LBIE’s litigation against AGR), and its agreements with holders of approximately 16.8% of the ECAPS.
(b) LBIE vs. AG Financial Products (“AGR”)
In November 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.
In July 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 which allowed LBIE to proceed with its claim against AGR for breach of contract.
The trial in the New York Supreme Court, concluded in November 2021. In March 2023, the Court issued its decision in favor of AGR and granted AGR’s claim. LBIE appealed that decision, and in March 2024, the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court, First Judicial Department (“Appellate Division”) issued its decision upholding the lower court ruling in all respects. LBIE filed an application to appeal that decision to the New York Court of Appeals in August 2024. A decision on that application to appeal is pending.
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 Recovery herein and therefore excludes estimates for the AGR litigation from these June 30, 2024 Cash Flow Estimates.