Movie Financier Hedge Fund Files for Chapter 11 Over Increasing Litigation Costs

by Justin A. Saporito, Law Clerk

Aramid Entertainment Fund, Limited filed for Chapter 11 protection in the Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York on June 13, 2014.  Debtor has declared assets of $237.3 million and consolidated debt of $11.5 million.  Debtor was assigned case number 1:14-bk-11802, a judge has yet to be assigned.  Approximately 96 creditors were listed in the petition; among them are several other Aramid entities including Aramid Liquidating Trust, Ltd. and Aramid Entertainment, Inc. which jointly filed with the Debtor and were assigned consecutive case numbers.

                    Aramid Entertainment Fund, Limited is part of Aramid Capital Partners, LLP, a London based hedge fund that specializes in financing movies.  According to their website, Aramid Capital has provided financing for thirty-two (32) movies including Paranormal Activity, W., and How to Lose Friends & Alienate People.  Please click here for a list of their productions.

                   Debtor filed for Chapter 11 protection due to the cost of ongoing litigation against several of its borrowers who failed to repay loans or violated film-financing agreements.  One such suit began in February 2012 and is over an alleged $44 million in losses.  Debtor invested $22 million in a financing deal between Relativity Media, LLC and Sony Pictures.  Debtor alleges that executives from Fortress Investment Group, LLC used Aramid’s confidential information, which was allegedly obtained during a 2010 portfolio review as part of a proposed purchase of Debtor’s assets, to make a deal with Sony that destroyed Debtor’s investments.

                     Debtor and its affiliates are represented by James C. McCarroll, a partner at Reed Smith, LLP who specializes in Financial Industry, Commercial Restructuring, and Bankruptcy.

Affairs Afloat, Inc. Takes On Water With Chapter 11 Filing

By:  Justin A. Saporito, MAZURKRAEMER Legal Clerk

Affairs Afloat, Inc. voluntarily filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy relief on October 15^th, 2013.  The petition was filed in the Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York.  The case has been assigned to the Honorable Judge Burton R. Lifland, under case number 1:13-bk-13356. (Click case number for docket summary.)

The debtor is a river cruise operator that operates in New York City out of Pier 78 on West 38^th Street.   Affairs Afloat, Inc. was established in 1988 and provides services through its two river cruise ships, The Queen of Hearts (pictured right) and The Star of Palm Beach.  The Queen of Hearts is a three level ship that is Coast Guard certified for 450 guests plus staff and crew.  The Star of Palm Beach is a two level ship and is Coast Guard certified for 380 guests plus staff and crew.

Affairs Afloat hosts various cruises on specified dates in addition to its weekly cruises such as its Shadow Nightclub on Tuesday nights, Cruise Brasil on Wednesday nights, Candela Cruise on Thursday nights.  Debtor also holds a Kiddie Cruise on Sunday afternoons.  Debtor offers group packages for many of its events and its services are also available for private events.  For more information about debtor’s programs and services please visit their website here.

Debtor claimed assets and liabilities of between $1 and $10 million with HSBC Bank, the Internal Revenue Service, the Security Exchange Commission.  It appears that the Chapter 11 filing has not affected debtor’s operations as it is accepting reservations for cruises for Halloween and New Year’s Eve.  Affairs Afloat, Inc. is represented by Jonathan S. Pasternak of DelBello Donnellan Weingarten Wise & Wiederkehr, LLP.

Rhinoceros Visual FX and Design Firm Files for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy in New York

By:  Justin A. Saporito, MAZURKRAEMER Law Clerk

On September 17^th, 2013 Rhinoceros Visual Effects and Design LLC filed a voluntary petition for bankruptcy relief under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code.  The filing was made in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in the Southern District of New York and assigned case number 1:13-bk-13016. (A summary of the docket can be found here. )  The case has been assigned to the Honorable Judge Stuart M. Bernstein under case number 1:13-bk-13016.

The Debtor is a Multi-Video Group/Gravity Company.  The Multi Video Group, Ltd. owns and/or is associated with various companies that are in the business of graphic and audio design and editing.  Internationally, The Multi Video Goup, Ltd. is associated with companies such as Gravity Post Production in Tel Aviv, Israel and Digital Renaissance in Oberhausen, Germany.  Rhinoceros Visual Effects and Design LLC is, as the name implies, a visual effects and design firm located at 315 Madison Avenue, 3rd Floor New York, NY 10017.  Debtor’s clientèle has included Victoria’s Secret Stores, LLC, a subsidiary of Limited Brands, Inc., and Six Flags Theme Parks, Inc. (sources: VS, Six Flags)

The Debtor claims assets between $100,001 and $500,000 and liabilities between $1 and $10 million.  It has listed 62 creditors including various individuals and companies such as Bell Technologies and Verizon.  For a complete list of creditors please click here.  Debtor is represented by Paul H. Aloe of Kudman Trachten Aloe LLP.  A Scheduling Order was signed on September 17^th, 2013 scheduling the Initial Conference Hearing to be held on September 31^st, 2013 at 10:00 AM.