Legrand v Ganich
2014 NY Slip Op 07577 [122 AD3d 411]
November 6, 2014
Appellate Division, First Department
Published by New York State Law Reporting Bureau pursuant to Judiciary Law § 431.
As corrected through Wednesday, December 31, 2014


[*1]
 Regine Legrand, Respondent,
v
Guilene Ganich et al., Appellants.

Paula Schwartz Frome, Garden City, for appellants.

Law Office of Frederic R. Abramson, New York (Frederic R. Abramson of counsel), for respondent.

Judgment, Supreme Court, New York County (Arthur F. Engoron, J.), entered April 22, 2013, against defendants in plaintiff's favor in the aggregate amount of $81,121.92, unanimously affirmed, without costs.

Following a nonjury trial, the court concluded that plaintiff made a loan to defendants rather than an equity investment in their business. This decision, which was based on the credibility of the witnesses, is entitled to deference, and could have been reached under a fair interpretation of the evidence (see e.g. Thoreson v Penthouse Intl., 80 NY2d 490, 495 [1992]; Matter of Metropolitan Transp. Auth., 86 AD3d 314, 320 [1st Dept 2011]). Concur—Mazzarelli, J.P., Acosta, DeGrasse and Clark, JJ.