JANE MAGNUS-STINSON, District Judge.
Presently pending before the Court is Defendant Banco Popular North America's ("Banco Popular") Motion to Dismiss Plaintiff's First Amended Class Action Complaint Pursuant to Fed.R.Civ.P. 12(b)(6) and 9(b). [Dkt. 135.]
Plaintiff Joshua Crissen is an individual residing in Bloomfield, Indiana. [Dkt. 85 at 3, ¶ 7.] Defendants Vinod Gupta and Satyabala Gupta are husband and wife, and reside in Boca Raton, Florida. [Id. at 3, ¶¶ 8-9.] Mr. and Ms. Gupta are the only directors and officers of Wiper Corporation ("Wiper"), a Florida corporation. [Id. at 3, ¶ 10.] Mr. Crissen alleges that "[Wiper] or its nominees have participated in tax sales in Indiana from at least 2002 through the present." [Id.] Defendant Vivek Gupta is Vinod and Satyabala Gupta's son, and resides in Boca Raton, Florida as well. [Id. at 4, ¶ 11.] Mr. Crissen alleges that Vivek Gupta "participated in the operation or management of and performed activities necessary or helpful to Vinod's and Wiper's tax sale business in Indiana from at least 2002 through the present." [Id.] Banco Popular is a New York state-chartered member bank with its principal place of business in New York. [Id. at 4, ¶ 12.] Mr. Crissen alleges that Banco Popular "participated in the operation or management of and performed activities necessary or helpful to Vinod's and Wiper's tax sale business in Indiana from at least 2002 through the present." [Id.]
Mr. Crissen describes the tax sale process in Indiana in the following way: In Indiana, when a real property owner fails to pay property taxes, the property can be sold at a tax sale to satisfy the delinquent taxes pursuant to Ind.Code § 6-1.1-24 et seq. [Dkt. 85 at 4, ¶ 13.] The process begins when each county auditor publishes a list of delinquent real estate parcels in area newspapers, which gives notice that the county auditor and treasurer will apply for court judgments against delinquent real estate and for orders to sell those judgments at public auction. [Id. at 4-5, ¶ 15.] After the court issues the requested judgments and orders, the county auditor will send a notice of the sale by certified mail, return receipt requested, to the last address of the property owner on the date
At the tax sale, the county treasurer sells the real property, subject to a right of redemption, to the highest bidder at public auction. [Id. at 5, ¶ 17.] An Indiana statute provides the minimum price for which the real property can be sold ("Minimum Price"), factoring in the taxes due and owing, all penalties owed, costs incurred by the county due to the sale, unpaid costs due from any prior tax sales, and other reasonable expenses of collection. [Id. at 5-6, ¶ 18.] When a bid equals at least the Minimum Price, the purchaser receives a certificate of sale and acquires a lien against the property in the amount paid. [Id. at 6, ¶ 19.] When no bid equals at least the Minimum Price, the county executive receives a certificate of sale and acquires a lien in the amount of the Minimum Price. [Id. at 6, ¶ 20.] The county executive can then decide to sell its certificate of sale at a public auction to the highest bidder for an amount less than the Minimum Price. [Id. at 6, ¶ 21.] The purchaser of a certificate of sale must give notice ("Notice of Redemption") by sending a copy of the Notice of Redemption by certified mail to the owner of record at the time of the sale and any person with a substantial property interest of public record in the real property. [Id. at 6, ¶ 23.] The Notice of Redemption must be sent no later than nine months after the date of the tax sale or ninety days after the date of the Commissioner's Sale. [Id. at 7, ¶ 24.]
Any person may redeem real property sold at a tax sale or Commissioner's Sale by paying the amount required for redemption before the expiration of the redemption period, which is one year after the date of sale. [Id. at 7, ¶ 25.] The amount of money required for redemption of the real property ("Redemption Amount") is set by Indiana statute. [Id. at 7, ¶ 26.] If the property is certified before redemption, the attorneys' fees and costs of giving notice ("Notify Costs") and the costs of a title search or of examining and updating the abstract of title for the real property that were incurred and paid by the purchaser ("Title Costs") are part of the Redemption Amount. [Id.] The purchaser of a certificate of sale certifies that he or she incurred and paid the Notify Costs and the Title Costs by completing, signing, and providing the county auditor with a Certification. [Id. at 7, ¶ 27.] The Notice of Redemption must set forth the components of the Redemption Amount, including the amounts owed for Notify Costs and Title Costs. [Id. at 8, ¶ 29.]
Mr. Crissen owns property in Greene County, Indiana (the "Property"). [Id. at 9, ¶ 35.] After property taxes on the Property became delinquent, the Greene County auditor and treasurer applied for a judgment against the Property and an order to sell the judgment at public auction. [Id. at 9, ¶ 36.] On October 9, 2009, after the requested judgment and order were entered, the Greene County treasurer offered the Property for sale, subject to a right of redemption, for a Minimum Price of $2,118.60. [Id. at 9, ¶ 37.] Vinod Gupta was the highest bidder with a bid of $8,000, and he remitted payment to the Greene County Treasurer for $208,281.27 to pay for the Property and several others that were offered for sale at the 2009 Greene County tax sale, and for which Vinod Gupta, Wiper, or one of their nominees was the highest bidder. [Id. at 9, ¶¶ 38-39.] Banco Popular "funded the entire $208,281.27 purchase price." [Id. at 9, ¶ 40.] The Greene County auditor issued a certificate of sale ("Tax Sale Certificate") for the Property to "Vinod C. Gupta c/o Banco Popular NA/Lien Holder" that same day. [Id. at 9, ¶ 41.] Banco Popular
On November 13, 2009, Vinod Gupta provided a signed Certification to the Greene County auditor certifying that he had incurred and paid $350 in Notify Costs and $150 in Title Costs relating to the Property. [Id. at 10, ¶ 43.] On February 8, 2010, the Property was redeemed by Mr. Crissen for a Redemption Amount of $3,027.04. [Id. at 10, ¶ 46.] Shortly thereafter, the county auditor notified Vinod Gupta and/or Banco Popular of the redemption and requested that the original Tax Sale Certificate be returned to the county auditor before the Redemption Amount and Surplus would be remitted to Banco Popular. [Id. at 10, ¶ 47.] Shortly before February 17, 2010, Banco Popular returned the original Tax Sale Certificate to the county auditor. [Id. at 10, ¶ 48.] On February 17, 2010, the county auditor remitted the Redemption Amount of $3,027.04 and the Surplus of $5,881.40 to Banco Popular. [Id. at 10, ¶ 49.]
Mr. Crissen alleges that Defendants "conspired to and devised a scheme to inflate the money required for the redemption of real property sold at Indiana tax sales or Commissioner's Sales for delinquent taxes and special assessments." [Id. at 10, ¶ 50.] As to Banco Popular, Mr. Crissen alleges that the Guptas (Vinod, Vivek, and Satyabala) and Wiper approached Banco Popular's predecessor, Kislak National Bank ("Kislak"), sometime before May 2002 to obtain funding to participate in the Indiana tax sales, Commissioner's Sales, or both. [Id. at 10, ¶ 51.] From May 2002 to the present, Kislak agreed to loan Vinod and Satyabala Gupta various amounts ($4,000,000 in May 2002, $6,000,000 to $7,000,000 from 2003 through January 2005, $7,000,000 from January 2005 through July 31, 2006, and $7,000,000 to $10,000,000 from July 31, 2006 to the present), for the purchase of certificates of sale at Indiana tax sales, Commissioner's Sales, or both. [Id. at 11-12, ¶¶ 52, 54, 56, 58.] From May 2002 to January 2005, Kislak directed that all Tax Sale Certificates were to be purchased in the name of and jointly owned by one or all of the Guptas or Wiper on the one hand and Kislak on the other, with Kislak's Miami Lakes Branch as the address of record. [Id. at 11, ¶¶ 53, 55.] Banco Popular succeeded Kislak in January 2005, and from January 2005 to July 2006 Banco Popular directed that all Tax Sale Certificates were to be purchased in the name of and jointly owned by one or all of the Guptas or Wiper on the one hand and Banco Popular on the other, with the Miami Lakes Branch as the address of record. [Id. at 4, ¶ 12; 11, ¶ 57.] However, on or before July 2006, Banco Popular's legal department, credit officers, or both, determined that the Tax Sale Certificates should no longer be purchased in the name of and jointly owned by the Guptas and Wiper with Banco Popular. [Id. at 12, ¶ 59.] Instead, Banco Popular directed that the Tax Sale Certificates be purchased in the name of the Guptas or Wiper and in care of Banco Popular, with the Miami Lakes Branch as the address of record. [Id. at 12, ¶ 60.]
Mr. Crissen alleges that from at least 2002 to the present, the Guptas, Wiper, and/or their nominees purchased property at Indiana tax sales, Commissioner's Sales, or both consistent with Kislak's and Banco Popular's direction and control. [Id. at 12, ¶ 61.] He also alleges that from at least 2002 to the present: (1) the Guptas and Wiper provided each Tax Sale Certificate for property they purchased at Indiana tax
Mr. Crissen seeks to represent a class of:
[Id. at 16, ¶ 88.]
Mr. Crissen asserts the following claims against all Defendants, including Banco Popular: (1) Substantive Racketeering under Federal RICO, [id. at 18-20, ¶¶ 95-107]; (2) Racketeering Conspiracy under Federal RICO, [id. at 20-21, ¶¶ 108-111]; (3) Substantive Racketeering under Indiana RICO, [id. at 21-24, ¶¶ 112-124]; (4) Racketeering Conspiracy under Indiana RICO, [id. at 24-25, ¶¶ 125-128]; (5) Relief under the Indiana Crime Victims Act, [id. at 25-26, ¶¶ 129-136]; (6) Fraud, [id. at 26-27, ¶¶ 137-147]; (7) Money Had and Received, [id. at 28, ¶¶ 148-151]; and (8) Unjust Enrichment, [id. at 28-29, ¶¶ 152-155]. He seeks actual and punitive damages, and attorneys' fees and costs. [Id. at 29.]
The Federal Rules of Civil Procedure require that a complaint provide the defendant with "fair notice of what the . . . claim is and the grounds upon which it rests."
RICO is an anti-fraud statute; therefore, Mr. Crissen's claims are subject to the heightened pleading requirements of Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 9(b). See Slaney v. Int'l Amateur Ath. Fed'n, 244 F.3d 580, 597 (7th Cir.2001) (noting that fraud allegations in a civil RICO complaint are subject to the heightened pleading standard of Fed.R.Civ.P. 9(b)). Rule 9(b) states:
To plead fraud with particularity, a RICO plaintiff "`must, at a minimum, describe the . . . predicate acts of fraud with some specificity and state the time, place, and content of the alleged false representations, the method by which the misrepresentations were communicated, and the identities of the parties to those misrepresentations.'" Rosenbaum v. Seybold, 2013 WL 2285946, *7, 2013 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 73097, *24 (N.D.Ind.2013) (quoting Slaney, 244 F.3d at 597); see also Midwest Grinding Co. v. Spitz, 976 F.2d 1016, 1020 (7th Cir.1992). Where there are multiple defendants, Rule 9(b) requires a RICO plaintiff "to plead sufficient facts to notify each defendant of his alleged participation in the scheme." Rosenbaum, 2013 WL 2285946 at *7, 2013 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 73097 at *24 (citing Goren v. New Vision Int'l, Inc., 156 F.3d 721, 726 (7th Cir. 1998)).
Banco Popular has moved to dismiss all of the claims that Mr. Crissen asserts against it. The Court will address each claim in turn. The Court notes at the outset that in considering a motion to dismiss filed before a class has been certified, it looks only to Mr. Crissen's individual claims and the circumstances he alleges relating to the Property—and not to allegations surrounding the tax sales for properties owned by putative class members. See Tatum v. Chrysler Group LLC, 2012 WL 6026868, *4, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 171746, *11-12 (D.N.J.2012) ("On a motion to dismiss a putative class action complaint, the Court may only consider the allegations of the named plaintiffs, and not the generalized allegations of unnamed plaintiffs or putative class members. . . . Accordingly, the Court will not consider
Additionally, a named plaintiff must have a valid cause of action against each defendant, and cannot rely on the allegations of putative class members if he or she does not also have a claim against that defendant. See Moffat v. UniCare Midwest Plan Group 31451, 2006 WL 897918, *8, 2006 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 16348, *25 (N.D.Ill.2006) (noting general rule that "each named plaintiff must have a colorable claim against each defendant. . ."); Donaldson v. Exelon Corp., 2006 WL 2668573, *5, 2006 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 66071, *16 (E.D.Pa.2006) ("[C]ourts have generally held that at least one named plaintiff must have a claim against each defendant"). Accordingly, the Court must look only to Mr. Crissen's allegations regarding his Property, and must determine whether he alone has adequately alleged claims against Banco Popular—and not whether unnamed, putative class members may have such claims.
Mr. Crissen alleges in Count I of the Amended Complaint that Banco Popular has violated 18 U.S.C. § 1962(c), which provides that:
Banco Popular argues that Count I should be dismissed because Mr. Crissen has failed to adequately allege: (1) the existence of a RICO "enterprise," [dkt. 136 at 12-16]; (2) that Banco Popular participated in the operation and management of a separate RICO "enterprise," [id. at 16-18]; and (3) the predicate acts of mail fraud and wire fraud with particularity as required by Fed.R.Civ.P. 9(b), [id. at 18-22]. It also asserts that Mr. Crissen has not alleged that he has suffered any injury from a RICO violation by Banco Popular. [Id. at 22-24.]
"To state a claim under § 1962(c), a RICO plaintiff must show the `(1) conduct (2) of an enterprise (3) through a pattern (4) of racketeering activity.'" Richmond v. Nationwide Cassel L.P., 52 F.3d 640, 644 (7th Cir.1995) (quoting Sedima, S.P.R.L. v. Imrex Co., 473 U.S. 479, 496, 105 S.Ct. 3275, 87 L.Ed.2d 346 (1985)).
Banco Popular argues that the only enterprise Mr. Crissen identifies in the Amended Complaint is an "association-in-fact" between "Defendants and their employees," and that it is not plausible that Banco Popular and its employees would be conducting a racketeering enterprise with "the object to enrich the Guptas through the collection of extra fees. . . ." [Id. at 13.] Banco Popular also asserts that Mr. Crissen's
Mr. Crissen responds that the existence of an enterprise is a non-fraud element of the claim and not subject to Fed.R.Civ.P. 9(b). [Dkt. 147 at 5.] He agrees that this is an "association-in-fact" enterprise, but argues that he has adequately alleged an enterprise by alleging: (1) a purpose— "profiting from artificially inflating `the money required for the redemption of real property sold at Indiana tax sales or Commissioner's Sales for delinquent taxes and special assessments,'" [id. at 6]; (2) a relationship—the Guptas all have a familial relationship, and Banco Popular has conducted the affairs of the enterprise, [id.]; and (3) longevity—the scheme lasted over a decade, [id. at 7]. He also asserts that Banco Popular conflates the issue of whether he has alleged an enterprise with the issue of whether he has alleged that Banco Popular conducted the affairs of an enterprise. [Id. at 7-8.]
An "enterprise" under RICO is "an ongoing `structure' of persons associates through time, joined in purpose, and organized in a manner amenable to hierarchial or consensual decision-making." Jennings v. Emry, 910 F.2d 1434, 1440 (7th Cir. 1990). Mr. Crissen purports to allege an "association-in-fact enterprise," which is a "union or group of individuals associated in fact although not a legal entity." 18 U.S.C. § 1961(4).
Significantly, an enterprise "must be more than a group of people who get together to commit a `pattern of racketeering activity.'" United States v. Neapolitan, 791 F.2d 489, 499-500 (7th Cir. 1986). "The hallmark of an enterprise is a `structure,'" and there must be "a structure and goals separate from the predicate acts themselves." United States v. Korando, 29 F.3d 1114, 1117 (7th Cir.1994). "[T]here need not be much structure, but the enterprise must have some continuity and some differentiation of the roles within it." Richmond, 52 F.3d at 645 (citing Burdett v. Miller, 957 F.2d 1375, 1379 (7th Cir.1992)). The structure should have three features: "a purpose, relationships among those associated with the enterprise, and longevity sufficient to permit the associates to pursue the enterprise's purpose." Panwar v. Access Therapies, Inc., 975 F.Supp.2d 948, 957, 2013 WL 5486783, *6, 2013 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 141776, *16 (S.D.Ind.2013).
Mr. Crissen's allegations amount to nothing more than Banco Popular acting as a bank, and extending a line of credit to the Guptas and Wiper so that Gupta and Wiper could purchase properties at Indiana tax sales. Even if Banco Popular used fraudulent means to carry out those activities, those activities constituted Banco Popular's own business affairs and were not, as alleged, acts to further the goals of a separate enterprise. See Crichton v. Golden Rule Ins. Co., 576 F.3d 392, 400 (7th Cir.2009) ("A RICO enterprise is
Even if Mr. Crissen had adequately alleged the existence of an enterprise, he has not adequately alleged that Banco Popular participated in the operation and management of the enterprise as opposed to conducting its own business affairs. Mr. Crissen is correct that enterprise allegations necessary to support a RICO claim need only meet the requirements of Fed.R.Civ.P. 8(a), and not the heightened pleading requirements of Fed. R.Civ.P. 9(b). United Food & Commer. Workers Unions & Emplrs. Midwest Health Benefits Fund v. Walgreen Co., 719 F.3d 849, 853 (7th Cir.2013). However, his allegations do not meet the lower threshold of Rule 8(a). Specifically, Mr. Crissen argues that he has alleged that Banco Popular:
The Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals' discussion of the adequacy of allegations relating to participation in an enterprise in Walgreen Co., 719 F.3d 849, is instructive in determining whether Mr. Crissen's allegations are sufficient. There, the plaintiff, an employee benefit plan (the "Fund"), alleged that Walgreens fraudulently overcharged it by filling prescriptions for generic drugs with a more expensive and different dosage than what was prescribed. Id. at 850. The Fund sued Walgreens and Par Pharmaceutical Companies and Par Pharmaceutical, Inc. (collectively, "Par"), the companies which manufactured the generic drugs at issue, for RICO violations. The Fund alleged that Walgreens had reconfigured its computer systems so that prescriptions for certain drugs were automatically filled with dosage forms manufactured by Par, that Walgreens did not consult the prescribing physician before filling the prescriptions with the different dosage forms, that Walgreens' director of pharmacy marketing falsely represented in an email to company pharmacists that one of Par's products could be substituted as an "AB-rated generic product," and that Walgreens continued its practice of switching dosage forms even after a warning from the Illinois Department of Public Health. Id. at 852.
The Walgreen Co. Court found that, even if the Fund had adequately alleged the existence of an enterprise, it had not "adequately allege[d] that Walgreens and Par were conducting the affairs of [an enterprise], as opposed to their own affairs." Id. at 854. The Court acknowledged that the Fund had provided specific allegations regarding communications between Walgreens and Par and actions taken by both, but still found the Fund's allegations lacking:
Id. at 854-55.
The Fund's allegations in Walgreen Co.—which did not rise to the level necessary to sustain a RICO claim—are far more extensive than Mr. Crissen's allegations regarding Banco Popular's involvement in the alleged tax sale scheme. Mr. Crissen argues that he has adequately alleged participation in a RICO enterprise because he has alleged that Banco Popular was the purchaser of properties and, as
Further, the Court rejects Mr. Crissen's argument that Banco Popular was the purchaser of the properties because it required the Guptas to include its name on the Tax Sale Certificates. [Dkt. 147 at 9.] The allegations in the Amended Complaint make clear that the practice of including Kislak or Banco Popular on the Tax Sale Certificates ended well before Vinod Gupta purchased the Property in 2009. [Dkt. 85 at 12, ¶ 59 ("On or before July 31, 2006, [Banco Popular's] legal department, credit officers or both determined the certificates of sale should no longer be purchased in the name of and jointly owned by one or all of the Pledgors and [Banco Popular").] So, as to Mr. Crissen—whose property is the only relevant property at this stage of the litigation, before a class has been certified—he has affirmatively alleged that Banco Popular was not a purchaser of his property.
Mr. Crissen also argues that Banco Popular was the purchaser because it took actions consistent with a purchaser of Tax Sale Certificates by, among other things, certifying the correctness of the Redemption Amount and Surplus, signing Accounts Payable Vouchers, not obtaining the Guptas' signatures on redemption checks, corresponding with counties regarding sale and redemption, and mailing and submitting Tax Sale Certificates to county auditors. [Dkt. 147 at 10-11.] But it is not adequate for Mr. Crissen to merely allege that Banco Popular acted like a purchaser, so therefore was a purchaser. See Cohen v. Am. Sec. Ins. Co., 735 F.3d 601, 612 (7th Cir.2013) ("[the] complaint might be loosely read to allege this [claim], but it does not do so plausibly, as Iqbal and Twombly require. . . . Under the plausibility standard explained in Iqbal and Twombly, it's not enough to `plead[] facts that are `merely consistent with' a defendant's liability.'. . . The complaint must allege `more than a sheer possibility that a defendant has acted unlawfully'") (citations
Additionally, any allegation that Banco Popular was the purchaser because it funded the purchase price, [see, e.g., dkt. 85 at 9, ¶ 40], does not show that Banco Popular did anything other than act as a bank interacting with its customer. See Walgreen Co., 719 F.3d at 855 ("[T]he activities the complaint describes are entirely consistent with Walgreens and Par each going about its own business, with Par manufacturing generic drugs and marketing its products to pharmacies, and Walgreens purchasing drugs and filling prescriptions. To be sure, Walgreens and Par were not strangers. Representatives from the companies regularly communicated with one another, and Walgreens purchased its generic [drugs] from Par. This type of interaction, however, shows only that the defendants had a commercial relationship, not that they had joined together to create a distinct entity for purposes of improperly filling . . . prescriptions").
In sum, Mr. Crissen has not adequately alleged that Banco Popular participated in an enterprise—even assuming he has alleged the existence of an enterprise—because the only activities he has adequately alleged that Banco Popular engaged in are normal activities of a bank, and cannot, without more, form the basis of a § 1962(c) RICO claim.
To state a claim under § 1962(d), a plaintiff must allege that: "(1) the defendant agreed to maintain an interest in or control of an enterprise or to participate in the affairs of an enterprise through a pattern of racketeering activity, and (2) the defendant further agreed that someone would commit at least two predicate acts to accomplish those goals." Slaney, 244 F.3d at 600. Because Mr. Crissen has failed to adequately allege facts that would establish a violation of RICO § 1962(c), his claim under § 1962(d) for racketeering conspiracy also fails. See Walgreen Co., 719 F.3d at 856-57 ("Having failed to plead facts that would establish a violation of Section 1962(c), the Fund cannot state a claim for conspiracy under Section 1962(d) based on those same facts"). Accordingly, Mr. Crissen's § 1962(d) claim (Count II) against Banco Popular is dismissed.
Mr. Crissen asserts claims for substantive racketeering under Indiana's version of RICO, Ind.Code § 35-45-6-2, [dkt. 85 at 21-24, ¶¶ 112-124], and racketeering conspiracy, [id. at 24-25, ¶¶ 125-128]. Banco Popular argues that the Indiana RICO claims fail for the same reasons the federal RICO claims do, that Mr. Crissen has not pled predicate acts of racketeering with the required particularity, and that there is no claim for conspiracy under the Indiana RICO statute. [Dkt. 136 at 24-26.] Mr. Crissen responds that the Indiana RICO statute requires a lesser degree of enterprise involvement than the federal RICO statute, that his allegations "plausibly show [Banco Popular] performed activities necessary or helpful to the operation of the enterprise, whether directly or indirectly, even if it lacked any element of control," and that he has asserted a civil conspiracy claim and not a conspiracy claim under the Indiana RICO statute. [Dkt. 147 at 25-28.]
"The Indiana RICO statute is modeled after federal RICO, and also requires proof of conduct of an enterprise through a pattern of racketeering activity." Directv v. Edwards, 293 F.Supp.2d 873, 879 (N.D.Ind.2003) (quoting Williams v. Aztar Ind. Gaming Corp., 2003 WL 1903369, *9, 2003 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 6450, *31 (S.D.Ind.2003)). While Mr. Crissen is correct that the Indiana RICO statute does not require that the defendant exert "some degree of management or direction over the enterprise" as the federal RICO statute does, Pringle v. Garcia, 2013 WL 594095, *12, 2013 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 20482, *33-34 (N.D.Ind.2013), the Court has not dismissed the federal RICO claim for failure to exert control over the enterprise. Instead, it has found here that Mr. Crissen did not adequately allege that Banco Popular participated in an enterprise because the activities alleged were regular activities of a bank. Accordingly, Mr. Crissen's Indiana RICO claims fail for the same reasons his federal RICO claims fail—he has not adequately alleged the existence of an enterprise or that Banco Popular participated in an enterprise. See Jennings v. Auto Meter Prods., 495 F.3d 466, 476 (7th Cir.2007) (dismissing Indiana RICO claims where federal RICO claims failed because Indiana's RICO statute was modeled after federal RICO statute and "also requires proof of conduct of an enterprise through a
Mr. Crissen alleges that Banco Popular has violated the Indiana Crime Victims Act (the "CVA"), Ind.Code §§ 35-43-4-2 and 35-43-4-3, by making false statements in connection with Certifications, invoices, Accounts Payable Vouchers, and Notices of Redemption, and committing "multiple acts of criminal deception, theft, and conversion against [Mr. Crissen's] . . . property." [Dkt. 85 at 25-26, ¶¶ 129-136.] Banco Popular argues that Mr. Crissen has not alleged "any statement, communication, or other act by [Banco Popular] that was false or deceptive or `created a false impression' with respect to Mr. Crissen's property." [Dkt. 136 at 28 (emphasis omitted).] Mr. Crissen responds that Banco Popular exerted control over his money by receiving the redemption amount from the county, using that money to pay itself the interest owed on the Guptas line of credit, and depositing the remainder in the other Defendants' business account. [Dkt. 147 at 30.] He argues that "it is reasonable to infer that [he] only consented to his redemption proceeds being used to pay for amounts he could legally be charged by statute," that Banco Popular's "control over that component of the Redemption Amount was unauthorized because [he] did not consent to it being used for anything other than to pay for Title and Notify Costs incurred and paid," and that "because [Banco Popular] knew the Title and Notify Costs were not charged . . ., it committed theft" and received stolen property. [Id. at 30-31.]
Civil plaintiffs who can prove, by a preponderance of the evidence, that they have been the victims of certain property crimes committed by defendants—whether or not the crimes were ever criminally charged— can recover up to three times the amount of any pecuniary losses. See White v. Indiana Realty Assoc. II, 555 N.E.2d 454, 456 (Ind.1990) (citations omitted); Ind. Code § 34-24-3-1. Mr. Crissen bases his CVA claim on his allegations that Banco Popular has violated two Indiana criminal statutes—Ind. Code §§ 35-43-4-2 and 35-43-4-3. Section 35-43-4-2 provides that "[a] person who knowingly or intentionally exerts unauthorized control over property of another person, with intent to deprive the other person of any part of its value or use, commits theft," and Section 35-43-4-3 states that "[a] person who knowingly or intentionally exerts unauthorized control over property of another person commits
In Count V of the Amended Complaint, Mr. Crissen alleges that "Defendants committed multiple acts of criminal deception, theft, and conversion against [his] . . . property." [Dkt. 85 at 25, ¶ 134.] But, similar to the shortcomings with Mr. Crissen's other claims against Banco Popular, Mr. Crissen has not alleged any activities on the part of Banco Popular that are inconsistent with its business as a banking institution. The Court has already found that Mr. Crissen has not adequately alleged that Banco Popular was a purchaser of the Property. His remaining allegations outline normal actions that a banking institution would take. [See, e.g., dkt. 85 at 9, ¶ 40, 11-13 (Banco Popular funded the purchase price of properties by extending a line of credit to the Guptas and Wiper); 9, ¶ 42 (Banco Popular directed Vinod Gupta to deliver the Tax Sale Certificate to it); 10, ¶¶ 47-48 (Banco Popular returned the original Tax Sale Certificate to the county auditor after the Property was redeemed and upon the auditor's request); 15, ¶ 81 (Banco Popular used the redemption amount and surplus to pay off the Guptas' and Wiper's lines of credit).
There is nothing nefarious about Banco Popular requesting Tax Sale Certificates to document the line of credit it had extended to the Guptas and Wiper, and sending those Certificates to the county auditor upon the auditor's request. And applying money from the Guptas and Wiper in the form of Redemption Amounts and Surplus to pay down the line of credit is exactly what a bank would do with money it was owed. Further, depositing the Surplus into the Guptas' or Wiper's business accounts was an act in the regular course of business and Banco Popular cannot be liable for theft or conversion of that money when it relinquished control over it. Put simply, Mr. Crissen has not alleged any acts by Banco Popular which were false, deceptive, or improper. Mr. Crissen also argues that he has alleged Banco Popular knowingly received stolen property, which is enough to allege an ICV claim. [Dkt. 147 at 31.] But his allegation refers generally to "Defendants," and provides no specific allegations against Banco Popular. [See dkt. 85 at 13, ¶ 70 ("Defendants knew the Certifications and Notices of Redemption were false because they knew they did not incur and pay the Notify Costs and Title Costs").] Again, Mr. Crissen alleges that Vinod Gupta, and not Banco Popular, was the purchaser of the Property and certified that he incurred and paid the Notify and Title Costs when he allegedly did not. Any allegation that Banco Popular knew it was receiving stolen property by virtue of its knowledge as the purchaser and the entity that should have incurred and paid Notify and Title Costs but did not, contradicts Mr. Crissen's allegations specific to the Property, is not plausible, and cannot save his ICV claim. The Court concludes that Mr. Crissen has failed to state a claim under the ICV against Banco Popular, and Count V of the Amended Complaint is dismissed.
Mr. Crissen's fraud claim again relies upon Banco Popular's alleged representations regarding the Certifications, invoices, and Notices of Redemption. [See dkt. 85 at 26-27, ¶¶ 137-147.] Banco Popular argues that Mr. Crissen has not alleged that it made, either directly or indirectly, a material false representation to him or to anyone that he relied upon, or that injured him. [Dkt. 136 at 26.] Mr. Crissen responds that, because the Property was purchased by Vinod Gupta c/o Banco Popular, and due to various activities allegedly undertaken by Banco Popular, it is reasonable
In Indiana, the elements of a fraudulent misrepresentation claim are that: "(1) the defendant made false statements of past or existing material fact; (2) the defendant made the statements knowing them to be false or made them . . . recklessly without knowledge of their truth or falsity; (3) the defendant made the statements to induce the plaintiff to act upon them; (4) the plaintiff justifiably relied and acted upon the statements; and (5) the plaintiff sustained damages as a proximate result." Smith v. State Farm Fire & Cas. Ins. Co., 2012 WL 5398199, *3, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 157400, *7 (N.D.Ind.2012) (citing Haire v. State Farm Fire & Cas. Co., 2011 WL 4732850, *2, 2011 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 116376, *6 (N.D.Ind.2011)). Under Indiana law, a fraud claim "cannot be based on a misrepresentation of law or on a promise to be performed in the future." Smith, 2012 WL 5398199 at *3, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 157400 at *7-8.
As discussed above, the Court rejects the notion that Mr. Crissen has alleged that Banco Popular was the purchaser of the Property, either because the Tax Sale Certificate listed the purchaser as Vinod Gupta "c/o Banco Popular" or because that status could be inferred through Banco Popular's actions. Additionally, it has found that any allegation that Banco Popular knew it was receiving allegedly stolen funds contradicts Mr. Crissen's allegations showing that Banco Popular was not the purchaser of the Property. Therefore, the only remaining basis for Mr. Crissen's fraud claim would be that Banco Popular somehow assisted the other Defendants in committing fraud. The Court has also already rejected that argument— the allegations against Banco Popular as a non-purchaser of the property all involve typical activities of a bank, and not fraudulent ones.
Further, any allegations that "Defendants" knew the Certifications and Notices of Redemption were false since they knew they did not incur and pay the Notify and Title Costs, or that "Defendants" acted in concert, do not meet the particularity requirements of Fed.R.Civ.P. 9(b) because they do not identify specific acts by Banco Popular as opposed to "Defendants" as a whole. See, e.g., Sears v. Likens, 912 F.2d 889, 893 (7th Cir.1990) (fraud claim failed to satisfy Rule 9(b)'s particularity requirements where "the complaint lumps all the defendants together and does not specify who was involved in what activity"). Mr. Crissen's fraud claim (Count VI) against Banco Popular is dismissed.
Banco Popular argues that Mr. Crissen's money had and received claim fails because "[t]here is a comprehensive legal framework governing the property tax certificate sale and redemption process," and Mr. Crissen cannot seek equitable relief through a money had and received claim when the parties' obligations are governed by statute. [Dkt. 136 at 29.] It also contends that the claim fails because it did not receive money from Mr. Crissen. [Id.] Mr. Crissen responds that the statutory framework related to the tax sale process does not preclude his claim, and that Banco Popular was the beneficiary of his money even if it did not receive that money directly from him. [Dkt. 147 at 31-32.]
Mr. Crissen's unjust enrichment claim is similar to his money had and received claim—he again asserts that Banco Popular received the Title and Notify Costs, which it neither incurred nor paid, and so has been unjustly enriched. [Dkt. 85 at 28-29, ¶¶ 152-155.] Banco Popular argues that Mr. Crissen has not alleged that he expected payment of a fee from Banco Popular, nor that Banco Popular reasonably believed that Mr. Crissen was expecting compensation. [Dkt. 136 at 31.] Mr. Crissen responds that he is entitled to restitution for the Title and Notify Costs because Defendants did not incur or pay them. [Dkt. 147 at 33.]
To prevail on a claim of unjust enrichment under Indiana law, "a plaintiff must establish that it conferred a measurable benefit on the defendant under circumstances in which the defendant's retention of the benefit without payment would be unjust. . . . Recovery under this theory only requires the plaintiff to establish that the defendant impliedly or expressly requested the benefits be conferred. . . . However, a party who has not expressly or impliedly requested the benefit is under no obligation to pay for the benefit." Garage Doors v. Morton, 682 N.E.2d 1296, 1303 (Ind.Ct.App.1997) (citations omitted). Mr. Crissen's unjust enrichment claim suffers from the same defect as his money had and received claim. Mr. Crissen has not adequately alleged that Banco Popular somehow knew the money it received from the auditor was allegedly stolen, and Banco Popular was perfectly entitled to apply that money to the Guptas' and Wiper's lines of credit—it was owed that money. Additionally, it was entitled to keep any interest amount it was owed. Nowhere does Mr. Crissen allege that Banco Popular was not owed that money, or that it kept any amount over and above the money applied to the line of credit or representing interest. This is fatal to his unjust
For the foregoing reasons, the Court