UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-D

ASSET-BACKED ISSUER
DISTRIBUTION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF
THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the monthly distribution period from April 1, 2018 to April 30, 2018

Commission File Number of issuing entity: 333-205553-02

Central Index Key Number of issuing entity: 0001663274

BMW VEHICLE LEASE TRUST 2016-1

(Exact name of issuing entity as specified in its charter)

Commission File Number of depositor: 333-205553

Central Index Key Number of depositor: 0001126530

BMW AUTO LEASING LLC

(Exact name of depositor as specified in its charter)

Central Index Key Number of sponsor (if applicable): 0001541188

BMW FINANCIAL SERVICES NA, LLC

(Exact name of sponsor as specified in its charter)

Mathew Morgenstern, (201) 307-4000

(Name and telephone number, including area code, of the person to contact in connection with this filing)

Delaware
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization of the issuing entity)

22-2013053

(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)

c/o BMW Financial Services NA, LLC

300 Chestnut Ridge Road

Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey

(Address of principal executive offices of the issuing entity)

07677
(Zip Code)

201-307-4000
(Telephone number including area code)

Not Applicable
(Former name, former address, if changed since last report)

Registered/reporting pursuant to (check one)

				Name of exchange
Title of class	Section 12(b)	Section 12(g)	Section 15(d)	(If Section 12(b))
Fixed Rate Class A-1 Notes	☐	☐	☒
Fixed Rate Class A-2a Notes	☐	☐	☒
Floating Rate Class A-2b Notes	☐	☐	☒
Fixed Rate Class A-3 Notes	☐	☐	☒
Fixed Rate Class A-4 Notes	☐	☐	☒

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes ☒ No ☐

PART I — DISTRIBUTION INFORMATION

Item 1. Distribution and Pool Performance Information.

Distribution and pool performance information with respect to the assets of BMW Vehicle Lease Trust 2016-1 is set forth in the Statement relating to the May 21, 2018 distribution, which is attached as Exhibit 99.1.

There is no activity to report under Rule 15Ga-1(a) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 with respect to BMW Vehicle Lease Trust 2016-1 for the distribution period commencing on April 1, 2018 and ending on April 30, 2018. BMW Financial Services NA, LLC (Central Index Key Number: 0001541188), as securitizer, most recently filed a Form ABS-15G on February 9, 2018 with respect to all asset-backed securities sponsored by it, including those securities issued by BMW Vehicle Lease Trust 2016-1.

PART II — OTHER INFORMATION

Item 2. Legal Proceedings.

The following five paragraphs are disclosures received from Citibank, N.A. (“Citibank”), which serves as the indenture trustee, note registrar and paying agent under the indenture for the BMW Vehicle Lease Trust 2016-2 transaction.

In the ordinary course of business, Citibank is involved in a number of legal proceedings, including in connection with its role as trustee of certain residential mortgage backed securities (“RMBS”) transactions. Certain of these Citibank as trustee-related matters are disclosed herein.

On June 18, 2014, a civil action was filed against Citibank in the Supreme Court of the State of New York by a group of investors in 48 private-label RMBS trusts for which Citibank allegedly serves or did serve as trustee, asserting claims for purported violations of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 (the “Trust Indenture Act”), breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty and negligence based on Citibank’s alleged failure to perform its duties as trustee for the 48 RMBS trusts. On November 24, 2014, plaintiffs sought leave to withdraw this action. On the same day, a smaller subset of similar plaintiff investors in 27 private-label RMBS trusts for which Citibank allegedly serves or did serve as trustee, filed a new civil action against Citibank in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York asserting similar claims as the prior action filed in state court. In January 2015, the court closed plaintiffs’ original state court action. On September 8, 2015, the federal court dismissed all claims as to 24 of the 27 trusts and allowed certain of the claims to proceed as to the other three trusts. Subsequently, plaintiffs voluntarily dismissed all claims with respect to two of the three trusts. On April 7, 2017, Citibank filed a motion for summary judgment. Plaintiffs filed its consolidated opposition brief and cross motion for partial summary judgment on May 22, 2017. Briefing on those motions was completed on August 4, 2017. On March 22, 2018, the court granted Citibank’s motion for summary judgment in its entirety, denied Plaintiffs’ motion for summary judgment and ordered the clerk to close the case. On April 20, 2018, plaintiffs filed a notice of appeal.

On November 24, 2015, the same investors that brought the federal case brought a new civil action in the Supreme Court of the State of New York related to 25 private-label RMBS trusts for which Citibank allegedly serves or did serve as trustee. This case includes the 24 trusts previously dismissed in the federal action, and one additional trust. The investors assert claims for breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty, breach of duty to avoid conflicts of interest, and violation of New York’s Streit Act (the “Streit Act”). Following oral argument on Citibank’s motion to dismiss, Plaintiffs filed an amended complaint on August 5, 2016. On June 27, 2017, the state court issued a decision, dismissing the Event of Default claims, mortgage-file-related claims, the fiduciary duty claims, and the conflict of interest claims. The decision sustained certain breach of contract claims including the claim alleging discovery of breaches of representations and warranties, a claim related to robo signing, and the implied covenant of good faith claim. Citibank appealed the lower court’s decision, and on January 16, 2018, the Appellate Division, First Department, dismissed the claims related to robo signing and the implied covenant of good faith, but allowed plaintiffs’ claim alleging discovery of breaches of representations and warranties to proceed.

On August 19, 2015, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) as Receiver for a failed financial institution filed a civil action against Citibank in the Southern District of New York. This action relates to one private-label RMBS trust for which Citibank formerly served as trustee. FDIC asserts claims for breach of contract, violation of the Streit Act, and violation of the Trust Indenture Act. Citibank jointly briefed a motion to dismiss with The Bank of New York Mellon and U.S. Bank, N.A., entities that have also been sued by FDIC in their capacity as trustee, and these cases have all been consolidated in front of Judge Carter. On September 30, 2016, the Court granted the motion to dismiss without prejudice for lack of subject matter jurisdiction. On October 14, 2016, FDIC filed a motion for reargument or relief from judgment from the Court’s dismissal order. On July 11, 2017, Judge Carter ruled on the motion for reconsideration regarding his dismissal of the action. He denied reconsideration of his decision on standing, but granted leave to amend the complaint by October 9, 2017. The FDIC subsequently requested an extension of time to file its amended complaint, which was granted. The FDIC filed its amended complaint on December 8, 2017. Defendants jointly filed a motion to dismiss the amended complaint on March 13, 2018. On April 18, 2018, plaintiff filed its opposition.

There can be no assurances as to the outcome of litigation or the possible impact of litigation on the trustee or the RMBS trusts. However, Citibank denies liability and continues to vigorously defend against these litigations. Furthermore, it is Citibank’s belief that neither the above-disclosed litigations nor any other pending legal proceeding involving Citibank will materially affect Citibank’s ability to perform its duties as indenture trustee under the indenture for the BMW Vehicle Lease Trust 2016-2 transaction.

Item 10. Exhibits.

Exhibit 99.1

Statement relating to the May 21, 2018 distribution.

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.

Dated: May 31, 2018

BMW VEHICLE LEASE TRUST 2016-1

(Issuing Entity)

By: BMW Financial Services NA, LLC,

solely as servicer

By: /s/ Stefan Kramer

Name: Stefan Kramer

Title: Vice President Finance & CFO

BMW Vehicle Lease Trust 2016-1 10-D