Opinion ID: 2717990
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The Plane

Text: The other five cashier’s checks were used to purchase a one-half interest in an airplane. Craig Levering, a friend of Rosbottom’s, testified that he approached Rosbottom in April 2009 about jointly purchasing a plane. On June 17, 2009, Rosbottom asked his in-house attorney to form a Texas LLC with the name N73CL, LLC (the name a reference to the tail number of the plane) and two members: Levering Aviation, LLC (owned by Levering), and the newly formed Westwind II, LLC, solely owned by Kisla. The next day, two of Rosbottom’s cashier’s checks totaling $245,000 were deposited into an account of Ohio River, one of Rosbottom’s LLCs. A second deposit of $300,000, consisting of three of Rosbottom’s $100,000 cashier’s checks, was made into another of Ohio River’s accounts that same day. Both deposits, totaling $545,000, were wired the following day into an account owned by Houma Inn, another of Rosbottom’s LLCs. Later that day, Kisla instructed a Rosbottom employee to send two wires totaling $540,000—representing Westwind II’s 50% share of the purchase price—to the North Dallas Bank. The closing for the plane had to occur by June 19, 2009, and occurred that day with Kisla present while Levering was overseas and Rosbottom was hospitalized. Levering and Rosbottom agreed to split the plane’s operating expenses 5 Case: 13-30071 Document: 00512733084 Page: 6 Date Filed: 08/13/2014 No. 13-30071 equally in an account opened for that purpose. Kisla instructed Maher, the Rosbottom comptroller, to wire Rosbottom’s $10,000 share to the account, with the note: “You pick what account… just not harold.” Maher understood this to mean the money was not to come from Rosbottom’s personal accounts, including his “HLR Business Account,” due to the bankruptcy. Levering testified that he offered to buy out Westwind II’s share because Rosbottom rarely used the plane. On October 28, 2009, Levering purchased Westwind II’s share with a Levering Aviation check for $535,851.70, payable to Nitro Gaming. Westwind II was dissolved on November 2. In December, Levering exchanged the check for a cashier’s check payable to Nitro Gaming, which was deposited into Nitro Gaming’s account. Rosbottom’s false oath count (Count 7) was based on Rosbottom’s testimony under oath at a creditor’s hearing in December 2009 that he did not know anything about Westwind II. Rosbottom testified that the creditor’s question may be referring to Nitro Gaming having paid for part of a plane because Mr. Levering was out of the country and that Levering had since reimbursed Nitro Gaming.