RYA W. ZOBEL, District Judge.
Plaintiffs Diane Mammola ("Diane") and Michela Mammola ("Michela") filed this action pro se against Mt. Washington Co-Operative Bank ("MWB") and its successor in interest by merger East Boston Savings Bank ("EBSB") alleging various claims in connection with several mortgage and commercial loans. Defendants move to dismiss the complaint pursuant to Fed. R. Civ. P. 12(b)(6) for failure to state a claim.
"To survive a motion to dismiss, a complaint must contain sufficient factual matter, accepted as true, to `state a claim to relief that is plausible on its face.'"
Between 2004 and 2008, MWB made a series of commercial loans, secured by real estate, to Ten Yeamans Street Realty Trust, Fourteen Yeamans Street Realty Trust, and Triple-M Realty Trust (together, the "Realty Trusts"). Seta Mammola ("Seta")
Plaintiffs makes various allegations of improper conduct by defendants regarding these loans. At times unorganized and difficult to understand, the complaint appears to allege that MWB acted deceptively in failing to disclose that it was having regulatory difficulties and was the subject of a cease and desist order issued by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation ("FDIC"). "Constrained in its banking activities" by the FDIC order, MWB purportedly "materially changed its relationship" with plaintiffs with respect to the properties mortgaged by the Realty Trusts. Complaint at ¶¶ 61 and 66. Plaintiffs claim that, as a direct and proximate result of MWB's "altered conduct," Seta filed for bankruptcy and the Realty Trusts' properties were sold or foreclosed upon. As for the mortgage on the Milano Avenue property, Diane and her husband defaulted on their loan payments in late 2007 due to medical and other reasons. The complaint alleges that in April 2008, MWB loan officers contacted plaintiffs' father Robert Mammola ("Robert")
Based on these allegations, plaintiffs bring twelve claims, all of which defendants seek to dismiss under the
Count I asserts MWB breached a contract by "seeking out" Robert to assume Diane's mortgage on the Milano Avenue property and disclosing confidential information. Plaintiffs do not identify the contract at issue, how MWB's alleged conduct constituted a breach, or what damages they suffered as a result.
Count III alleges a violation of fair debt and collection practices by "providing incorrect information about an individual to someone else" and "contacting someone other than the actual debt holder or consignor [sic] for debt collection." Complaint at ¶ 79. The complaint specifically refers to defendants' conversations with Robert about Diane's mortgage on the Milano Avenue property; allegedly misleading statements made to the bankruptcy court regarding the ownership of the Realty Trusts properties; and communications with third parties interested in purchasing the Realty Trusts properties. Plaintiffs do not specify whether Count III is brought under the federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act ("FDCPA"), 15 U.S.C. § 1692e, or Massachusetts debt collection practices statute, Mass. Gen. Laws c. 93, § 49 and c. 93A. Similarly, Count VIII charges "predatory lending" but cites to the FDCPA and contains allegations essentially identical to those made in Count III. To the extent both claims rely on alleged misrepresentations made to Robert regarding the Milano Avenue mortgage in 2008, they are barred by the one-year and four-year statutes of limitations of the FDCPA and c. 93, respectively.
Count IV alleges that defendants breached a duty of good faith and fair dealing by failing to work with plaintiffs to "cure and/or resolve any covenant violations" which defendants allegedly created through their dealings with the FDIC. Counts V and VI assert that defendants breached their fiduciary duty by "restructur[ing] Plaintiff's financial life" and "failing to respond, refusing to cooperate and appearing unwilling to consider Plaintiff's legitimate purchase or refinance options, while at the same time imposing unreasonable demands to cross-collateralize loans which Plaintiff made." Complaint at ¶¶ 84 and 88. The basis for liability in Counts IV-VI is not entirely clear, but appears to relate to the Realty Trusts' loans. As already discussed, plaintiffs lack standing to bring claims regarding the trusts or their property. Moreover, the relationship between a borrower and lender does not generally create a fiduciary duty unless the borrower has reposed his or her trust and confidence in the lender and the lender knows of and accepts the borrower's trust.
Count IX vaguely alleges fraud, deceit, and intentional misrepresentation, contending that defendants or their agents made various false statements negligently, intentionally, or recklessly. Claims of fraud are subjected to the heightened pleading standard of Fed. R. Civ. P. 9(b) and "must state with particularity the circumstances constituting fraud or mistake," including "specifics about the time, place, and content of the alleged false representations,"
Count X claims duress with respect to pressure that defendants allegedly asserted on Robert to assume Diane's mortgage on the Milano Avenue property. Plaintiffs do not explain how defendants' alleged conduct toward Robert constitutes duress upon themselves. Moreover, Massachusetts sets a three-year statute of limitations for tort actions, Mass. Gen. Laws c. 260, § 2A; the conduct described occurred in 2008, meaning the duress claim expired well before plaintiffs filed their complaint on April 23, 2013.
Count XI, asserting unfair and deceptive acts and practices in violation of Mass. Gen. Laws c. 93A, is derivative of the preceding claims in the complaint, all of which have been dismissed. Count XI therefore fails as well.
Finally, Count XII seeks "injunctive relief," which is a remedy, not a cause of action.
Defendants' motion to dismiss (Docket # 7) is ALLOWED as to all counts. Judgment shall enter dismissing the complaint.