Wamai v. Indus. Bank of Korea

1

Winifred Wairimu Wamai, individually and on behalf of the Estate of Adam Titus Wamai, Titus Wamai, Diana Williams, Lloyd Wamai, Angela Wamai, Velma Bonyo, Individually and on behalf of the Estate of Wycliffe Ochieng Bonyo, Dorine Bonyo, Elijah Bonyo Ochieng, Angela Bonyo, Winnie Bonyo, Boniface Chege, Caroline Wanjiru Gichuru, Lucy Gitau, Individually and on behalf of the Estate of Lawrence Ambrose Gitau, Catherine Waithera Gitau, Ernest Gitau, Felister Gitau, Catherine Gitumbu Kamau, Individually and on behalf of the Estate of Joel Gitumbu Kamau, David Kamau, Peter Kamau, Phillip Kamau, Henry Bathazar Kessy, Frederick Kibodya, Flavia Kiyanga, Lucy Kiongo, Individually and on behalf of the Estates of Joseph Kamau Kiongo and Teresia Wairimu Kamau, Alice Kiongo, Jane Kamau, Newton Kamau, Peter Kamau Kiongo, Pauline Kamau, Hannah Wambui, Pauline Kamau Kiongo, Mercy Wairumu Kamau, Daniel Kiongo Kamau, Raphael Kivindyo, Milka Wangari Macharia, Samuel Pussy, Individually and on behalf of the Estate of Rachael Mungasia Pussy, Doreen Pussy, Elsie Pussy, Andrew Pussy, Michael Ngigi Mworia, John Nduati, Aaron Makau Ndivo, Joyce Mutheu, Priscila Okatch, Individually and on behalf of the Estate of Maurice Okatch Ogalla, Jackline Achieng, Rosemary Anyango Okatch, Samson Ogolla Okatch, Dennis Okatch, Pauline Abdallah, Belinda Akinyi Adikanyo, Faith Kihato, Individually and on behalf of the Estate of Tony Kihato Irungu, Jacqueline Kihato, Steve Kihato, Annah Wangechi, Betty Kagai, Elsie Kagimbi, Josinda Katumba Kamau, Individually and on behalf of the Estate of Vincent Kamau Nyoike, Caroline Wanjuri Kamau, Faith Wanza Kamau, David Kiarie Kiburu, Grace Kimata, Individually and on behalf of the Estate of Francis Watoro Maina, Victor Watoro, Lydia Muriki Mayaka, Individually and on behalf of the Estate of Rachel Wambui Watoro, Nyangoro Mayaka, Doreen Mayaka, Dick Obworo Mayaka, Diana Nyangara, Debra Mayaka, George Magak Mimba, Tibruss Minja, Edward Mwae Muthama, Nicholas Mutiso, Sarah Tikolo, Individually and on behalf of the Estate of Geoffrey Moses Namai, Nigeel Namai, Charles Mwangi Ndibui, Julius Nzivo, Rosemary Olewe, Individually and on behalf of the Estate of Francis Olewe Ochilo, Juliet Olewe, Wendy Olewe, Patrick Okech, Mordechai Thomas Onono, Individually and on behalf of the Estate of Lucy Grace Onono, John Muriuki, Evitta Francis Kwimbere, Mary Ofisi, Joyce Onyango, Individually and on behalf of the Estate of Eric Abur Onyango, Tilda Abur, Barnabas Onyango, Kelesendhia Apondi Onyango, Paul Onyango, Kaka Abubakar Iddi, Charles Mwaka Mulwa, Victor Mpoto, Julius Ogoro, Mary Ndambuki, Individually and on behalf of the Estate of Kimeu Nzioka Nganga, Wellington Oluoma, Jacinta Wahome, Stella Mbugua, Sajjad Gulamaji, Mary Gitonga, Francis Maina Ndibui, Kirumba W'mburu Mukuria, Christant Hiza, Marini Karima, Zephania Mboge, Emily Minayo, Joash Okindo, Rukia Wanjiru Ali, Bernard Mutunga Kaswii, Hosiana Mbaga, Margaret Waithira Ndungo, Samuel Odhiambo Oriaro, Gaudens Thomas Kunambi, Livingstone Busera Madahana, Menelik Kwamia Makonnen, Tobias Oyanda Otieno, Charles Mwirigi Nkanatha, Justina Mdobilu, Gideon Maritim, Belinda Chaka, Clifford Tarimo, James Ndeda, Milly Mikali Amduso, Moses Kinyua, Valerie Nair, Aisha Kambenga, Individually and on behalf of the Estate of Bakari Nyumbu, Jane Kathuka, Individually and on behalf of the Estate of Geoffrey Kalio, Bernice Ndeti, Dawn Mulu, Tabitha Kalio, Aquilas Kalio, Catherine Kalio, Lilian Kalio, Hussein Ramadhani, Individually and on behalf of the Estate of Ramadhani Mahundi, Charles Mungoma Olambo, Caroline Okech, Enos Nzalwa, Ali Hussein Ali, Individually and on behalf of the Estate of Hindu Omari Idi, Omar Idi, Hamida Idi, Mahamud Omari Idi, Rashid Omar Idi, Fatuma Omar, Kamali Musyoka Kithuva, Individually and on behalf of the Estate of Dominic Musyoka Kithuva, Beatrice Martha Kithuva, Titus Kyalo Musyoka, Benson Malusi Musyoka, Caroline Kasungo Mgali, Monica Wangari Munyori, Nuri Hamisi Sultani, Individually and on behalf of the Estate of Mohamed Abdallah Mnyolya, Nafisa Malik, Grace Makasi Paul, Individually and on behalf of the Estate of Eliya Elisha Paul, Blasio Kubai, Elizabeth Maloba, Individually and on behalf of the Estate of Frederick Maloba, Margaret Maloba, Lewis Maloba, Marlon Maloba, Sharon Maloba, Kenneth Maloba, Edwina Owuor, Individually and on behalf of the Estate of Josiah Owuor, Vincent Owuor, Warren Owuor, Grace Gicho, Individually and on behalf of the Estate of Peter Macharia, Diana Macharia, Ngugi Macharia, Margaret Njoki Ngugi, John Ngugi, Ann Ruguru, David Ngugi, Paul Ngugi, Stanley Ngugi, Lucy Chege, Margaret Gitau, Susan Gitau, Peris Gitumbu, Stacy Waithere, Monicah Kamau, Joan Kamau, Margaret Nzomo, Barbara Muli, Stephen Muli, Lydia Ndivo Makau, Sarah Mbogo, Individually and on behalf of the Estate of Francis Mbogo Njung'e, Misheck Mbogo, Isaac Kariuki Mbogo, Reuben Nyaga Mbogo, Nancy Mbogo, Ephantus Njagi Mbogo, Stephen Njuki Mbogo, Ann Mbogo, Nephat Kimathi Mbogo, Daniel Owiti Oloo, Magdaline Owiti, Benson Bwaku, Beatrice Bwaku, Jotham Godia, Grace Godia, Hannah Ngenda Kamau, Duncan Nyoike Kamau, Christine Mikali Kamau, Ruth Nduta Kamau, Mercy Wanjiru, Stanley Nyoike, Jennifer Njeri, Anthony Njoroge, Simon Ngugi, Michael Ikonye Kiarie, Jane Ikonye Kiarie, Sammy Ndungu Kiarie, Elizabeth Kiato, Charity Kiato, Judy Kiarie, Nancy Mimba Magak, Raphael Peter Munguti, Mary Munguti, Angela Mwongeli Mutiso, Benson Ndegwa, Phoeba Ndegwa, Margaret Mwangi Ndibui, Caroline Ngugi Kamau, Charles Olewe, Phelister Okech, Estate of Phaedra Vrontamitis, Leonidas Vrontamitis, Alexander Vrontamitis, Paul Vrontamitis, Anastasia Gianpoulos, John Ofisi, Katherine Mwaka, Eucabeth Gwaro, Trusha Patel, Pankaj Patel, Mary Mudeche, Michael Ware, Sammy Mwangi, Lucy Mwangi, Joseph Wahome, Solomon Mbugua, Japeth Godia, Merab Godia, Winfred Maina, Jomo Matiko Boke, Selina Boke, Humphrey Kiburu, Jennifer Wambai, Harrison Kimani, Grace Kimani, Elizabeth Muli-Kibue, Hudson Chore, Lydia Nyaboka Otao Okindo, Stanley Kinyua Macharia, Nancy Macharia, Betty Oriaro, Rachel Oyanda Otieno, Hilario Ambrose Fernandes, Catherine Mwangi, Doreen Oport, Philemon Oport, Gerald Bochart, Yvonne Bochart, Leilani Bower, Muraba Chaka, Roselyn Ndeda, James Mukabi, Florence Omori, Individually and on behalf of the Estate of Edwin Omori, Bryan Omori, Jerry Omori, Janathan Okech, Mary Muthoni Ndungu, Individually and on behalf of the Estate of Francis Ndungu Mbugua, Samuel Mbugua Ndungu, Jamleck Gitau Ndungu, John Muiru Ndungu, Edith Njeri, Annastaciah Lucy Boulden, Agnes Wanjiku Ndungu, Faith Maloba, Derrick Maloba, Steven Maloba, Charles Ochola, Rael Ochola, Juliana Onyango, Marita Onyango, Mary Onsongo, Individually and on behalf of the Estate of Evans Onsongo, Enoch Onsongo, Peris Onsongo, Venice Onsongo, Salome Onsongo, Bernard Onsongo, George Onsongo, Edwin Onsongo, Gladys Onsongo, Pinina Onsongo, Irene Kung'u, Belinda Maloba, Plaintiffs-Appellants, v. Industrial Bank of Korea, Defendant-Appellee.

No. 21-1956-cv

United States Court of Appeals, Second Circuit

March 8, 2023

UNPUBLISHED OPINION

AMENDED SUMMARY ORDER

RULINGS BY SUMMARY ORDER DO NOT HAVE PRECEDENTIAL EFFECT. CITATION TO A SUMMARY ORDER FILED ON OR AFTER JANUARY 1, 2007 IS PERMITTED AND IS GOVERNED BY FEDERAL RULE OF APPELLATE PROCEDURE 32.1 AND THIS COURT'S LOCAL RULE 32.1.1. WHEN CITING A SUMMARY ORDER IN A DOCUMENT FILED WITH THIS COURT, A PARTY MUST CITE EITHER THE FEDERAL APPENDIX OR AN ELECTRONIC DATABASE (WITH THE NOTATION "SUMMARY ORDER"). A PARTY CITING A SUMMARY ORDER MUST SERVE A COPY OF IT ON ANY PARTY NOT REPRESENTED BY COUNSEL.

At a stated term of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, held at the Thurgood Marshall United States Courthouse, 40 Foley Square, in the City of New York, on the 8^th day of March, two thousand twenty-three.

Appeal from the judgment of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York (Cote, J.).

FOR PLAINTIFFS-APPELLANTS: JEFFREY A. TRAVERS (Michael J. Miller Steven R. Perles, Perles Law Firm, PC, Washington, DC; Steven W. Pelak, Michael O'Leary, Holland &Hart, LLP Washington, DC, on the brief), The Miller Firm, LLC Orange, VA.

FOR DEFENDANT-APPELLEE: JOSEPH R. PALMORE (Carl H. Loewenson Jr., J. Alexander Lawrence, Lena H. Hughes, Morrison &Foerster LLP, New York, NY, on the brief), Morrison &Foerster LLP, Washington, DC.

PRESENT: PIERRE N. LEVAL, DENNY CHIN, JOSEPH F. BIANCO, Circuit Judges.

UPON DUE CONSIDERATION, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED, ADJUDGED, AND DECREED that the judgment of the district court is AFFIRMED.

Plaintiffs-appellants appeal from the district court's judgment, entered on July 30, 2021, conditionally dismissing their complaint for forum non conveniens. The 323 plaintiffs in this lawsuit are victims, or the representatives of the estates of victims, of the simultaneous terrorist attacks, on August 7 1998, against the United States embassies in Kenya and Tanzania by al Qaeda. Plaintiffs sued the Islamic Republic of Iran ("Iran") for providing material support to al Qaeda in the terrorist attacks and obtained default judgments against Iran in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, totaling $5.5 billion in compensatory and punitive damages. Iran has not satisfied these judgments. Plaintiffs, as judgment creditors, filed this lawsuit against defendant-appellee Industrial Bank of Korea ("IBK"), a bank that is headquartered in the Republic of Korea ("Korea") and is majority-owned by the Korean government. In their complaint, plaintiffs principally alleged that IBK fraudulently funneled funds for Iran through financial institutions in the Southern District of New York, including IBK's New York branch, and, in doing so, violated United States sanctions against Iran and deprived plaintiffs of their ability to collect against their judgments. Spec...