Contract/Commercial

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Contract/Commercial Fraud/White Collar Technology

D’Aloia v. Persons Unknown & Others: Victim of Crypto-Fraud Fails in Claim Against Crypto Exchange

In D’Aloia v. Persons Unknown & Others,[1] the High Court of England and Wales dismissed a claim brought by the victim of a crypto-scam against Bitkub, one of the exchanges with whom the fraudsters were alleged to have held their accounts.

This is the first judgment following a full contested trial on some fundamental points regarding the status and treatment of cryptocurrency and the potential liability of exchanges to victims of crypto-frauds. The lengthy judgment traverses a number of complex issues, confirming the rights attaching to tether (USDT) as a cryptoasset, as well as the application of trust and tracing principles in crypto-disputes.

Contract/Commercial

Court of Appeal Provides Comfort to Lenders on Default Interest Clauses

In Houssein & Others v. London Credit Ltd & Another[1], the Court of Appeal considered the proper application of the common law rules on penalties to a default interest clause in a loan agreement. Contrary to the conclusion of the High Court, the Court of Appeal found that in light of relevant case law, the lender ‘inevitably’ had a legitimate interest in the enforcement of the obligation to repay the loan, which would justify a default interest clause.

Contract/Commercial

UK Supreme Court Emphasises Importance of Mitigation in Sale of Goods Claims

In its judgment in Sharp Corporation Ltd v. Viterra BV[1] handed down last month, the UK Supreme Court held that damages for nonacceptance of goods should be determined by reference to the realisable value of the goods left in the seller’s hands in consequence of nonacceptance – and not on the basis of a notional substitute contract on the same terms as the parties’ contract.

Contract/Commercial Technology

Digital Asset Fraud: No Final Orders To Be Made Against Unidentifiable ‘Persons Unknown’

In its recent decision in Boonyaem v. Persons Unknown Category A, Persons Unknown Category B and INGFX Limited, the High Court of England and Wales addressed some of the key issues that have frequently arisen in cases of digital asset fraud. Notably, while the judge granted summary judgment against ‘persons unknown’ who were currently anonymous but identifiable, he refused to enter judgment against ‘persons unknown’ who were both anonymous and unidentifiable.

Contract/Commercial Fraud/White Collar

UK Supreme Court Confirms Requirements for Claims in ‘Knowing Receipt’

At the end of 2023, the UK Supreme Court handed down judgment in Byers and others v. Saudi National Bank[1]. Unanimously dismissing the appeal, the Supreme Court definitively determined that a claim in knowing receipt cannot be brought if the claimant’s equitable interest in the relevant property has been extinguished – regardless of the fact that the recipient of the property was aware that it was being transferred to it in breach of trust.

Contract/Commercial

Court of Appeal Sets Out Correct Approach to Material Adverse Change in Respect of Prospects Warranties

In an update to our May 2023 blog on the case, the Court of Appeal has held in Decision Inc Holdings Proprietary Ltd & Another v. Stephen Garbett & Another that the High Court erred both in its interpretation of and approach to a material adverse change in prospects warranty in a share purchase agreement.

The court also determined that a notice provision requiring Decision to summarise the nature of a claim and the amount claimed required it to give an amount claimed in respect of each of the alleged breaches.