ABN Corporation v. Groupe Pelm International Corporation

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

ABN CORPORATION, et al., Case No. 23-cv-00004-RFL

Plaintiffs,

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE

v.

GROUPE PELM INTERNATIONAL

CORPORATION, et al., Defendants.

This case involves allegations that Groupe PELM, its CEO Christian Pelligrini, and its attorney Victoria Brieant sold the plaintiffs personal protective equipment when, in fact, no such equipment existed. (Dkt. No. 1.) The Complaint alleges that Groupe PELM represented to the plaintiffs that it had two lots comprising over six million nitrile gloves for sale, inducing the plaintiffs to make a $50,000 deposit toward that purchase. (Id. ¶¶ 2–7.) The Complaint alleges that Brieant confirmed to the plaintiffs that her client “owned” the equipment at issue, and that Brieant represented repeatedly that the gloves were at a warehouse for inspection. (Id. ¶¶ 9–12, 18.) In fact, Groupe PELM allegedly “had no goods to sell to the Plaintiffs.” (Id. ¶ 38.) Brieant has retained her own counsel, but continues to represent her co-defendants Groupe PELM and Pellegrini (the “GP defendants”). The Court has serious concerns that Brieant’s continued representation of her co-…