March 6 - Western Alliance has filed a complaint in the New York Supreme Court alleging that Jefferies Financial and other parties breached contractual obligations and committed fraud in relation to a commercial loan secured by accounts receivable purchased from First Brands Group.
The bank said it sued after Jefferies informed Western Alliance it would not make a payment of $126.4 million that was due under a forbearance agreement connected to First Brands Group. The complaint centers on conduct tied to that commercial loan and the receivables backing it.
In reaction to the filing and Jefferies' notice, Jefferies' shares fell by more than 3% in premarket trading, while Western Alliance's stock declined by over 4.6% ahead of the opening bell.
Investors have separately brought lawsuits against Jefferies, claiming the firm misled them into investing in a fund tied to First Brands, which has since filed for bankruptcy. According to the complaint, First Brands owed Jefferies' asset management arm about $715 million in receivables.
The filing by Western Alliance accuses Jefferies and others of breach of contract and fraud. It specifically links those allegations to a commercial loan that was collateralized by accounts receivable purchased from First Brands Group.
The bank's complaint highlights the central role of the forbearance agreement in the dispute. A forbearance agreement, the bank noted, is a temporary arrangement under which a lender agrees to delay or reduce loan payments for a defined period rather than declare the loan in default.
The documentation lodged in New York Supreme Court seeks remedies tied to the alleged contractual violations and fraudulent conduct. The complaint and the broader litigation come amid investor suits and the bankruptcy of the auto parts supplier, which together form the factual backdrop to the current legal claims.
Context and immediate effects
The refusal by Jefferies to make the $126.4 million payment under the forbearance agreement is the proximate cause of Western Alliance's lawsuit. The existence of approximately $715 million of receivables owed by First Brands to Jefferies' asset management arm is a related factual element cited in investor litigation.
At the market level, both firms experienced declines in premarket trading following the developments.