The defendants, SL Green Realty Corp. and its subsidiaries, argued that Bravia misrepresented its citizenship when it invoked diversity jurisdiction, claiming the plaintiff’s principal place of business was New York, not Hong Kong as alleged.
Bravia, which obtained a $12.99 million state court judgment against a predecessor entity of SL Green, had repeatedly represented in its complaints and filings that it was a Hong Kong corporation with its principal place of business in Hong Kong.
The defendants pointed to evidence that Bravia moved out of its Hong Kong address in 2018 and currently has no active office there, contending the company’s CEO and founder, Bharat Bhise, lives in New York.
In response, Bravia argued it became dormant in 2018 and its citizenship should be based on its last transaction of business, which it claimed occurred in Hong Kong during an unsuccessful attempt to acquire a Singapore container depot.
Judge Koeltl found substantial factual issues regarding Bravia’s principal place of business, when it became inactive, and where its last transaction occurred, noting these questions justify discovery to determine if there was fraud on the court.
The judge denied the motion to dismiss without prejudice, allowing the defendants to conduct expedited discovery limited to Bravia’s citizenship the action was filed.
An evidentiary hearing will be held after the 60-day discovery period to determine Bravia’s citizenship of filing, at which point the defendants may renew their motion to dismiss.
The defendants, represented by Meister Seelig & Fein PLLC, had also sought to vacate a previously entered judgment on Count Two, which the judge had granted on judgment on the pleadings in July 2025.