First Brands seeks control of USD 3.8m deferred compensation trust
Company claims ownership of trust funds due to document terms; insolvency notice, Chapter 11 filing cited as reason for trustee to hold funds for creditors

First Brands lender Evolution moves to halt USD 25.7m receivables release amid ongoing collateral dispute
Evolution seeks to pause FBG’s request to release funds pending lien appeal outcome; lender claims release risks dissipating collateral and harming recovery if it wins appeal

Europe on default watch following Bain downgrade
The most junior tranche of Bain’s Euro CLO 2018-1 has been downgraded to default in a first for the CLO 2.0 regime

Private credit sidesteps LME fights as sponsors quietly cede control of struggling companies
2021-2022 buyout deals drive defaults; aggressive actions in BSL capital structures don't fly in private credit

First Brands wins conditional disclosure statement approval, beats Chapter 7 push as judge calls confirmation ‘last real shot’
Chapter 7 conversion denied despite concerns over feasibility and cash burn; interim CEO testifies on plan feasibility, citing uncertain litigation outcomes

Optimum to show restructuring proposal to creditors’ advisors as company presses for deal before 4Q
Market participants discuss fraudulent conveyance claims amid reorganisation; creditor advisors are already restricted to review diligence documents

First Brands gets signoff for Horizon deals, bringing in tens of millions in proceeds
Horizon North America sale generates USD 64m in proceeds, reducing secured claims; deals aim to address First Brands' USD 9.3bn debt obligations

First Brands factoring provider Leucadia opposes disclosure statement, saying ‘death trap’ could deem creditors ineligible for recoveries

Provision disqualifies creditors from recoveries for objecting to plan, LAM argues

US Trustee moves to dismiss or convert First Brands’ bankruptcy cases, alleges ‘sleight of hand’ to dodge administrative expenses
Company faces USD 9.3bn debt, significant issues from tariffs and capital expenditures; DIP financing includes 30-day deadline for restructuring agreement

First Brands' journey from fraud-led freefall into bankruptcy to mediation-backed plan amidst examiner allegations
Proposed plan for debtor Premier Marketing Group is result of mediation efforts; case has been plagued with fights over adequate protection, discovery, and more

First Brands secured lender Black Diamond sues auditor BDO, accusing it of missing ‘rampant fraud’
BDO accused of ignoring red flags, including cash needs and factoring dependence

First Brands examiner highlights over USD 700m in transfers to former CEO Patrick James, but James says findings are ‘one-sided’
Preliminary findings suggest claims for substantive consolidation, veil piercing; James says in response that transfers were not concealed, appeared in company ledger

First Brands announces RSA, plan forthcoming via mediation deal
Hilco to manage winding down, including inventory sales and receivables collections; plan aims to resolve DIP defaults, allow junior creditor recoveries

First Brands Group examiner delays report as Onset seeks to strike CarVal Mexican law expert report, declaration
Examiner pushes status report deadline to 17 April, eight days past the original deadline; Onset, CarVal dispute reportedly centers on competing claims to about USD 16m held in escrow

Three former First Brands Group executives move to dismiss fraud claims in adversary suit
Three former executives moved to dismiss alleged fraud suit, claim no individualised misconduct; former executives contend conspiracy lacked a viable underlying unlawful act

First Brands secures final mediation extension to advance case resolution talks, judge warns against further delays
Judge approves extension of FBG case resolution mediation with Judge Isgur through 27 March; likely the final extension for case resolution talks

European CLO default rate remained stable in 2025 — Fitch
The annual default rate remained largely stable for EMEA CLO portfolios in 2025, while defaults decreased among issuers rated CC or below, according to new data from Fitch 

First Brands seeks expedited sale of Walbro business for USD 50m to Overdrive Capital
USD 50m cash purchase price plus assumed liabilities, Polaris Industries as guarantor; expedited approval needed due to funding constraints and potential job losses

Raistone enters Chapter 7 to liquidate following major customer First Brands’ collapse into Chapter 11
Raistone provided factoring services to First Brands, its largest revenue source; First Brands faces fraud allegations, with Raistone having significant unsecured credit exposure

First Brands adequate protection fight with Evolution yields appellate court ruling friendly to allegedly secured lenders – Legal Analysis
District Court remands dispute back to Bankruptcy Court for further findings and corrected analysis; District Court sets precedent for Chapter 11 cases in Southern District of Texas that prima facie showing of security interest entitles creditors to adequate protection

First Brands Group extends mediation period through 27 February
Multiple complaints filed, alleging duplicate factoring and insider transactions; examiner investigates factoring activity and related transfers

New filings detail Patrick Drahi's diversion of assets to detriment of certain Altice creditors – report
EUR 4.5bn loan affected, 55% of Altice International's assets; creditors explore litigation, including covenant breach and conveyance claims

First Brands CEO Patrick James indicted on charges of defrauding lenders
James is accused of multiple fraudulent schemes, with brother Edward James also indicted; they are facing charges on bank and wire fraud

Saks gets 10-member unsecured creditors committee, including Chanel and Amazon.com
Chanel leads UCC with USD 136m claim, followed by Kering; Amazon.com joins UCC after opposing interim DIP financing

First Brands seeks to extend plan exclusivity to 22 April in 'massive, complicated' bankruptcy
Complexity cited, with 112 debtor entities and over 100 non-debtor subsidiaries; USD 1.1bn in new money DIP financing secured, with stabilisation efforts ongoing