Petersen Energia Inversora, S.A.U. et al v. Argentine Republic et al

Filing 183

***STRICKEN DOCUMENT. Deleted document number #183 from the case record. The document was stricken from this case pursuant to #187 Order. (va) MEMO ENDORSEMENT on Letter of Request for International Judicial Assistance (Letter Rogatory). ENDORSEMENT: SO ORDERED. (Signed by Judge Loretta A. Preska on 10/6/2020) (va) Modified on 10/6/2020 (va). Modified on 10/14/2020 (va).

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK
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:
PETERSEN ENERGÍA INVERSORA,
S.A.U. and PETERSEN ENERGÍA, S.A.U., :
:
:
Plaintiffs,
:
:
v.
:
:
ARGENTINE REPUBLIC and YPF S.A., :
:
Defendants.
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------------------------------ETON PARK CAPITAL MANAGEMENT,
L.P., ETON PARK MASTER FUND, LTD.,
ETON PARK FUND, L.P.,
Plaintiffs,
v.
ARGENTINE REPUBLIC and YPF S.A.,

Case No.: 1:15-CV-02739 (LAP)
Letter of Request for International
Judicial Assistance
(Letter Rogatory)

x
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:

Case No.: 1:16-CV-08569 (LAP)
Letter of Request for International
Judicial Assistance
(Letter Rogatory)

Defendants.
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INTRODUCTION
The United States District Court for the Southern District of New York presents its
compliments to the Argentine Ministry of Foreign Affairs, International Trade and Worship and
the appropriate judicial authority of Argentina and requests international judicial assistance to
obtain evidence to be used in a civil proceeding before this Court in the above-captioned actions.
The United States District Court for the Southern District of New York is the
competent court of law and equity over the above-captioned actions and has jurisdiction under
28 U.S.C. §§ 1330 and 1367. This Court is authorized to request depositions abroad by letters of
request under 28 U.S.C. § 1781(b)(2) and Chapter I of the Hague Convention on the Taking of
Evidence Abroad in Civil or Commercial Matters (the “Hague Convention”), 23 U.S.T. 2555,

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T.I.A.S. 7444. This Court may grant reciprocal assistance by the enforcement of letters of request
from the Argentine courts pursuant to its authority under 28 U.S.C. § 1782.
ASSISTANCE REQUESTED
This Court requests the assistance described herein as necessary in the interests of
justice. Specifically, this Court requests that the appropriate judicial authority of Argentina compel
Enrique Eskenazi, Sebastián Eskenazi, Matías Eskenazi Storey, and Ezequiel Eskenazi Storey to
provide testimony on the subject matter described in Exhibit A to this Letter of Request for
International Judicial Assistance. This Court requests that testimony be taken separately of each
person individually. Testimony should be given under oath, which may be taken in accordance
with domestic procedure in Argentina. This Court requests that, to the extent possible, the
appropriate judicial authority of Argentina audio and video record the testimony of Enrique
Eskenazi, Sebastián Eskenazi, Matías Eskenazi Storey, and Ezequiel Eskenazi Storey, in addition
to transcribing the testimony in writing.1 This Court also requests that the appropriate judicial
authority of Argentina allow cross-examination and local counsel for Defendants the Argentine
Republic (the “Republic”) and YPF. S.A. (“YPF,” and together with the Republic, “Defendants”)
to question Enrique Eskenazi, Sebastián Eskenazi, Matías Eskenazi Storey, and Ezequiel Eskenazi
Storey.2 This Court further requests that the appropriate judicial authority of Argentina directly
inform the parties or their representatives (at the addresses provided below) of the time and place

1

See Hague Convention, Article 9 (“The judicial authority which executes a Letter of
Request shall . . . . follow a request of the requesting authority that a special method or procedure
be followed, unless this is incompatible with the internal law of the State of execution or is
impossible of performance by reason of its internal practice and procedure or by reason of practical
difficulties.”).
2

See id.; see also Código Procesal Civil y Comercial de la Nación (CPCCN), Article 442.

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at which the testimony will take place, so that the parties and their representatives in the abovecaptioned actions may attend.3
IDENTIFYING INFORMATION OF PARTIES
AND THEIR REPRESENTATIVES
The addresses of the parties to this proceeding and their representatives are as
follows:
Party

Defendant Argentine Republic

Representatives
Robert J. Giuffra, Jr.
Sergio J. Galvis
Joseph E. Neuhaus
Thomas C. White
Elizabeth A. Cassady
Sullivan & Cromwell LLP
125 Broad Street
New York, NY 10004-2498
Telephone: [phone]
Facsimile: [phone]
Attorneys of
Procuración del Tesoro de la Nación
Posadas 1641
C11121 ADC Buenos Aires
República Argentina

Defendant YPF S.A.

Michael A. Paskin
Damaris Hernández
Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP
825 Eighth Avenue
New York, NY 10019-7475
Telephone: [phone]

3

See Hague Convention, Article 7 (“The requesting authority shall, if it so desires, be
informed of the time when, and the place where, the proceedings will take place, in order that the
parties concerned, and their representatives, if any, may be present. This information shall be sent
directly to the parties or their representatives when the authority of the State of origin so
requests.”).
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Facsimile: [phone]
Osvaldo César Guglielmino
Guglielmino Derecho Internacional
Cerrito 1320, Piso 11
C1010ABB Buenos Aires
República Argentina
Telephone: [phone]
Mark C. Hansen
Derek T. Ho
Kellogg, Hansen, Todd, Figel & Frederick,
P.L.L.C.
1615 M Street, N.W., Suite 400
Washington, D.C. 20036
Telephone: [phone]
Facsimile: [phone]
Plaintiffs Petersen Energía Inversora, S.A.U.,
Petersen Energía, S.A.U., Eton Park Capital
Management, L.P., Eton Park Master Fund,
Ltd., and Eton Park Fund, L.P.

Israel Dahan
King & Spalding LLP
1185 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10036
Telephone: [phone]
Facsimile: [phone]
Reginald R. Smith
King & Spalding LLP
1100 Louisiana Street, Suite 4000
Houston, TX 77002
Telephone: [phone]
Facsimile: [phone]

The addresses of the persons from whom testimony is being requested are as
follows:
Enrique Eskenazi
DNI 3.171.746
Fecha de nacimiento: 04/08/1925
Nacionalidad: Argentina
Domicilio (Boletin Oficial): Av. Cnel. Díaz 2748, piso 7, CABA
Last-known address: Av. Cnel. Díaz 2748, piso 7, CABA
Sebastián Eskenazi
DNI 16.764.074
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Fecha de nacimiento: 20/08/1963
Nacionalidad: Argentina
Domicilio (Boletin Oficial): Malasia 850, CABA
Last-known address: Av. Cnel. Díaz 2748, piso 7, CABA
Matías Eskenazi Storey
DNI 20.383.823
Fecha de nacimiento: 25/05/1968
Nacionalidad: Argentina
Domicilio (Boletin Oficial): Coronel Díaz 2748, piso 11, CABA
Last-known address: José C. Paz 1233, Acassuso, Pcia. de Bs.As.
Ezequiel Eskenazi Storey
DNI 14.156.036
Fecha de nacimiento: 30/08/1960
Nacionalidad: Argentina
Domicilio (Boletin Oficial): Av. Libertador 2712, piso 2, CABA
Last-known address: Av. Libertador 2732, piso 2, CABA
SUMMARY OF THE ACTIONS4
The above-captioned actions are civil proceedings brought by Plaintiffs Petersen
Energía Inversora, S.A.U., Petersen Energía, S.A.U. (“Petersen”), Eton Park Capital Management,
L.P., Eton Park Master Fund, Ltd., and Eton Park Fund, L.P. (“Eton Park” and together with
Petersen, “Plaintiffs”) against Defendants. Petersen and Eton Park filed complaints in April 2015
and November 2016, respectively, alleging that Defendants breached undertakings made to
shareholders in YPF’s bylaws (the “Bylaws”) and seek compensatory damages and other relief for
Defendants’ purported breaches of contract.
Until 1993, YPF was wholly owned and operated by the Republic. In the early
1990s, the Republic decided to privatize YPF and, eventually, to sell its shares in an initial public
offering. Plaintiffs allege that, as part of this privatization process, Argentina adopted certain
provisions in YPF’s Bylaws that purportedly obligated the Republic to conduct a tender offer if
the Republic acquired control over a specified percentage of YPF shares. Plaintiffs allege that
4

The Court does not adopt this summary as findings of fact or law. Based solely on
Defendants’ representations, this Court believes that justice cannot be served between the parties
in the above-captioned actions unless the evidence requested herein is made available by the
appropriate judicial authority of Argentina.
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they relied on these provisions in the Bylaws in deciding to acquire YPF shares. In April 2012,
the Republic’s Executive Branch issued Decree 530/2012, which provided for the Republic’s
immediate and temporary intervention in YPF. On May 3, 2012, the Argentine Congress passed
Law 26,741, signed May 4, 2012 and effective May 7, 2012, declaring a public need for
expropriation of 51% of YPF’s shares, which were then owned by Repsol YPF S.A. (“Repsol”),
YPF’s majority shareholder. The Republic completed the expropriation in 2014 when it acquired
and paid Repsol for its shares.
Plaintiffs subsequently instituted legal proceedings against Defendants, alleging
that the Republic breached its purported obligation to conduct a tender offer for Plaintiffs’ YPF
shares in accordance with the Bylaws, and that YPF breached its purported obligation to enforce
the Bylaws against the Republic.
RECIPROCITY
In the furtherance of justice and by the proper and usual process of this Court, the
United States District Court for the Southern District of New York may provide similar
cooperation and assistance to the Argentine courts in the event that the Argentine courts request
similar assistance.
REIMBURSEMENT FOR COSTS
Defendants have assured this Court that they stand ready and willing to reimburse
the Argentine courts in accordance with Argentine law for the costs incurred in executing this
Letter of Request for International Judicial Assistance.
CONCLUSION
This Court expresses its appreciation and respectfully requests that, in the interests
of justice, you compel by your proper and usual process Enrique Eskenazi, Sebastián Eskenazi,
Matías Eskenazi Storey, and Ezequiel Eskenazi Storey to provide testimony.
6th
IT IS SO ORDERED, this ___ day of October 2020:
______,

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______________________________
Hon. Loretta A. Preska
United States District Judge

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