Legal Proceedings |
Note 6 - Legal
Proceedings
From time to time, the Company and
its subsidiaries may be named as a defendant in various lawsuits or proceedings. At the current time except as set forth below, the Company is unaware of any legal proceedings pending against the Company. The Company intends to
aggressively contest all litigation and contingencies, as well as pursue all sources for contributions to settlements. However, there can be no assurance that the Company will prevail with respect to any of its claims.
The Company is a party to material
legal proceedings as follows:
AmBase Corp., et al. v. 111 West 57th Sponsor LLC, et al. In April 2016, AmBase and certain of its subsidiaries and affiliates
(collectively, the “Plaintiffs”) initiated a litigation in the New York State Supreme Court for New York County (the “NY Court”), Index No. 652301/2016, (“AmBase v. 111 West 57th Sponsor LLC, et al.”) (the “Sponsor Action”). The
defendants in that litigation include 111 West 57th Sponsor LLC (the “Sponsor”), Kevin Maloney, Michael Stern, and various members and affiliates, (collectively, “Defendants”) and nominal defendants 111 West 57th Partners LLC and 111
West 57th Mezz 1 LLC. In the current version of the complaint, AmBase alleges that Defendants violated multiple provisions in the JV Agreement, including by failing to honor the exercise of AmBase’s contractual “equity put right” as
set forth in the JV Agreement (the “Equity Put Right”) and by not objecting to the 2017 foreclosure of the junior mezzanine loan on the project. AmBase is seeking compensatory damages, punitive damages, indemnification and equitable
relief, including a declaration of the parties’ rights, and an accounting. The Company has also demanded from the Sponsor access to the books and records for the 111 West 57th Property which the Sponsor refused, claiming they have
provided all books and records as required.
The Defendants
filed a motion to dismiss an earlier complaint, and on January 12, 2018, the NY Court issued an opinion allowing some of AmBase’s claims to go forward and dismissing others (“2018 Order”). Among other claims that the NY Court declined
to dismiss was AmBase’s claim that the Defendants violated the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing by frustrating AmBase’s Equity Put Right. Claims that the NY Court dismissed included AmBase’s claim that the Defendants
breached their contract with AmBase by financing capital contributions for the project through funds obtained from third parties. On January 16, 2018, some of the Defendants wrote to the NY Court suggesting that the opinion contained
certain clerical errors and was missing a page. On January 18, 2018, the NY Court removed its previous opinion from the docket and on January 29, 2018, posted a revised opinion. On April 13, 2018, AmBase filed a notice of appeal of
the 2018 Order to the New York Supreme Court Appellate Division, First Judicial Department (the “Appellate Division”). On January 22, 2020, the Company filed a motion with the Appellate Division seeking to enlarge the time to perfect
the Company’s appeal of the 2018 Order, in light of an intervening removal to and remand from federal court. On July 2, 2020, the Appellate Division granted AmBase’s motion and enlarged the time to perfect the Company’s appeal to the
October 2020 Term of the Appellate Division. On April 29, 2021, the Appellate Division affirmed Justice Bransten’s dismissal of the claims on appeal, while the claims that were not previously dismissed remain pending in the trial
court.
On April 27, 2018, the Company filed a third amended complaint adding federal RICO claims, and new claims for declaratory judgment, breach of contract, fraud, and breach of fiduciary duty, based on information
discovered during the course of discovery and events that had transpired since the Company filed its previous complaint in the Sponsor Action. On June 18, 2018, Defendants removed the complaint to the U.S. District Court for the
Southern District of New York (the “Federal Court”), where it was docketed as case number 18-cv-5482-AT.
On October
25, 2018, the Federal Court issued an order granting Defendants’ motion to dismiss the Company’s RICO claims and declined to exercise supplemental jurisdiction over the Company’s state-law claims, dismissing the latter claims without
prejudice. On August 30, 2019, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit affirmed the Federal Court’s dismissal of the federal RICO claims, vacated the Federal Court’s dismissal of the state-law claims, and remanded with
instructions for the Federal Court to remand those claims to the NY Court. On September 25, 2019, the Federal Court remanded the case to the NY Court, where it was assigned to the Honorable O. Peter Sherwood.
On June 11, 2020, Defendants filed a motion with the NY Court to dismiss some of the state law claims asserted by the Company in the third amended complaint. On July 28, 2020, Plaintiffs filed a motion for leave to amend the
third amended complaint, which Defendants opposed. The proposed complaint added, among other things, claims arising from certain defendants’ role in the 2017 foreclosure of the junior mezzanine loan on the project. On July 22, 2021,
the NY Court granted Plaintiffs leave to amend and denied the motion to dismiss without prejudice as moot in light of the Court’s decision granting Plaintiffs leave to amend.
On July 29, 2021, Plaintiffs filed their fourth amended complaint. On September 3, 2021,
Defendants submitted a motion to dismiss the fourth amended complaint in part, which Plaintiffs opposed. On May 9, 2022, the NY Court issued a Decision and Order on Defendants’ motion to dismiss, allowing some of AmBase’s claims to go
forward and dismissing others (“May 9, 2022 Order”). The NY Court declined to dismiss AmBase’s claims that the Defendants breached their contracts with AmBase by permitting transfers or encumbrances upon 111 West 57th Sponsor LLC’s
and 111 West 57th Control LLC’s membership interests in connection with third-party financing without seeking or obtaining prior written approval. The Court also declined to dismiss AmBase’s claim that Defendants breached their
obligations under the Development Agreement by, among other things, failing to use “commercially reasonable efforts” to plan, design, develop, construct, and obtain permits for the Property in a timely manner and failing to devote
sufficient time and attention to its obligations under the Development Agreement.
Claims that the NY Court dismissed included AmBase’s claims that Defendants breached their
contract with AmBase by making capital contributions to Sponsor from third parties; consenting to the strict foreclosure without obtaining AmBase’s prior written approval in violation of the “Major Decisions” provision; refusing to
cooperate and share information with AmBase’s construction consultant; and engaging in fraud and intentional misconduct in violation of Joint Venture Agreement section 8.5. The NY Court also dismissed AmBase’s claim that Defendants
made fraudulent misrepresentations or omissions (as duplicative of the breach of contract claims) and other claims whose dismissal was compelled by a prior decision of the First Department, namely, AmBase’s claims that Sponsor, Stern,
and Maloney breached their fiduciary duties of loyalty; to impose a constructive trust on the insurance loss fund; and to impose a constructive trust on Stern’s, Maloney’s, JDS’s, PMG’s, and the construction manager’s construction
management fees and Stern’s and Maloney’s equity interest in the Project. Finally, the Court dismissed AmBase’s current allegations that piercing certain of Defendants’ corporate veils is warranted. On January 18, 2023, the Company
filed a notice of appeal appealing the May 9, 2022 Order with regard to all defendants in the Sponsor Action and perfected the appeal on July 10, 2023.
On November 28, 2023, the Appellate Division First Department issued its decision modifying the NY Court’s
decision in part and affirming the NY Court’s decision in part. The First Department modified the NY Court’s decision by reinstating Plaintiffs’ breach of contract claim based on Defendants’ refusing to cooperate and share
information with AmBase’s construction consultant and one part of Plaintiffs’ fraudulent misrepresentation or omission claim asserted against one of the individual defendants. The First Department otherwise affirmed the NY Court’s
decision.
Liberty Mutual Insurance Company and Liberty Mutual Fire Insurance Company (“Liberty
Mutual Defendants”) were named as defendants in the fourth amended complaint. On September 30, 2021, the Liberty Mutual Defendants answered the fourth amended complaint and filed a counterclaim against the Company’s subsidiaries for
specific performance of a pledge agreement securing certain insurance policies issued for the Project. Plaintiffs replied to those counterclaims on October 20, 2021. On March 14, 2024, the parties filed a Stipulation of
Discontinuance Against Liberty Mutual Insurance Company and Liberty Mutual Fire Insurance Company whereby all causes of action, counterclaims, and crossclaims by and against the Liberty Mutual Defendants were discontinued without
prejudice. The Court entered the Stipulation on March 15, 2024.
Matthew
Phillips was also named as an individual defendant in the fourth amended complaint. Following the First Department’s reinstatement of one part of Plaintiffs’ fraudulent misrepresentation or omission claim as asserted against
Phillips, on March 26, 2024, the parties filed a Stipulation of Discontinuance Against Matthew Phillips whereby Plaintiffs AmBase Corporation and 111 West 57th Investment LLC discontinued their Fifth Claim for Relief for
fraudulent misrepresentation or omission only against Phillips, with prejudice.
On January 30, 2023, Sponsor, Stern, Maloney, and various defendant members and affiliates filed their answer and asserted counterclaims against the Company’s subsidiaries for breach of the Joint
Venture Agreement in connection with a proposed refinancing of the Project in 2016. Plaintiffs replied to those counterclaims on February 21, 2023. Discovery in the case is currently ongoing. For additional information with regard to the
Company’s investment in the 111 West 57th Property, including the foreclosure, see Note 3.
AmBase Corp., et al. v. Spruce
Capital Partners, et al. In July 2017, the Company initiated a second litigation in the NY Court, Index No. 655031/2017, (the “Lender Action”). The defendants in the 111 West 57th Spruce action were 111 W57 Mezz Investor, LLC (“Spruce”),
Spruce Capital Partners LLC, 111 West 57th Sponsor LLC, Michael Z. Stern, and Kevin P. Maloney and nominal defendants 111 West 57th Partners LLC and 111 West 57th Mezz 1 LLC. The Company has since voluntarily discontinued its
claims against Sponsor, Stern, and Maloney, without prejudice to reinstating them in the 111 West 57th Spruce Action or any other action.
Spruce had
given notice to the junior mezzanine borrower that it proposed to accept the pledged collateral (including the joint venture members’ collective interest in the property) in full satisfaction of the joint venture’s indebtedness under the
Junior Mezzanine Loan (i.e., a “Strict Foreclosure”). After the Sponsor refused to object to Spruce’s proposal on behalf of the junior mezzanine borrower, and Spruce refused to commit to honor Investment LLC’s objection on its own behalf,
the Company initiated the 111 West 57th Spruce Action to obtain injunctive relief halting the Strict Foreclosure. For additional information on the events leading to this litigation see Note
3.
On July 26,
2017, the NY Court issued a temporary restraining order barring Spruce from accepting the collateral, pending a preliminary injunction hearing scheduled for August 14, 2017. Spruce and the Sponsor subsequently filed papers in opposition
to the request for a preliminary injunction and cross-motions to dismiss and quash subpoenas. On August 14, 2017, the NY Court postponed the hearing until August 28, 2017, keeping the temporary restraining order preventing a Strict
Foreclosure in effect until the August 28, 2017 hearing. Subsequently, the Company filed a response brief in support of their request for injunctive relief halting the Strict Foreclosure process and in opposition to the motions to quash
the subpoenas.
On August 28,
2017, the NY Court held a preliminary injunction hearing, lifted the temporary restraining order, denied Plaintiffs’ request for a preliminary injunction, and granted Defendants’ cross-motions. In order to prevent the Strict Foreclosure
process from going forward, the Company immediately obtained an interim stay from the New York Supreme Court Appellate Division, First Judicial Department (“Appellate Division”). That stay remained in place until August 29, 2017,
permitting the Company to obtain an appealable order, notice an appeal, and move for a longer-term stay or injunctive relief pending appeal. The Appellate Division held a hearing on August 29, 2017, to consider the Company’s motion for an
interim stay or injunctive relief pending appeal, both of which it denied, thus allowing the purported Strict Foreclosure to move forward.
In January
2019, the Appellate Division issued a decision that resolved the Company’s appeal from the order denying a preliminary injunction and dismissing its claims. The Appellate Division affirmed the decision below in part and otherwise
dismissed the appeal. It noted that the Company should be allowed to move for leave to amend to state claims for damages and/or the imposition of a constructive trust, as the dismissal of the Company’s claims was without prejudice.
On May 3, 2019, the Company’s
subsidiary, Investment LLC, entered into a stipulation with Spruce to amend the complaint in the Lender Action to state claims against Spruce for breaches of the Uniform Commercial Code and Pledge Agreement and various torts. The
amended complaint sought the entry of a declaratory judgment, the impression of a constructive trust, permanent injunctive relief restraining Spruce from disposing of or encumbering the 111 West 57th Property, and damages,
including punitive damages. The amended complaint did not name the Company as a plaintiff or Spruce Capital Partners as a defendant. On May 31, 2019, Spruce filed a motion to dismiss the amended complaint. On January 29, 2020, the
Court entered a decision and order granting in part and denying in part Spruce’s motion to dismiss the amended complaint. On February 26, 2020, Spruce filed a notice of appeal to the Appellate Division seeking the appeal of the
January 29, 2020 order. On March 4, 2020, Investment LLC filed a notice of cross-appeal to the Appellate Division, seeking to appeal the January 29, 2020 order to the extent the NY Court dismissed some of Investment LLC’s claims. On
March 30, 2021, the Appellate Division issued a decision and order revising the January 29, 2020, order by reinstating Investment LLC’s derivative claim for breach of the covenant of good faith and fair dealing and dismissing the
remaining claims.
While the appeal was pending, the parties to the Lender Action conducted discovery. On April 13, 2021, Investment LLC moved for leave to file a Second Amended Complaint to (1) bolster its factual allegations against the
existing Defendant, (2) add claims against Spruce Capital Partners, Joshua Crane, and Robert Schwartz (“Spruce Defendants”), Arthur Becker and his affiliates (“Atlantic Defendants”), Apollo and its affiliates (“Apollo Defendants”),
and AIG and its affiliates (“AIG Defendants”). On September 30, 2021, the Court granted the motion, and Investment LLC filed its Second Amended Complaint on the same day. On November 22, 2021, the various defendants filed separate
motions to dismiss the claims against them. On December 13, 2021, Investment LLC filed a combined opposition to the motions. The defendants filed their replies on January 7, 2022.
On May 17, 2022, Plaintiff in the Lender Action filed a motion requesting that the court hold oral argument on the pending motions to dismiss. The court granted the motion and heard argument
on July 22, 2022. During argument, counsel for Plaintiff made an oral motion to amend the complaint to add an express allegation that Defendants committed the tort of interference with contractual relations by procuring Sponsor’s
breach of the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing in the JV Agreement. The court called for supplemental briefs on the issue, which were filed on August 5, 2022.
On December 15,
2022, the NY Court issued a decision and order granting in part and denying in part the motions to dismiss (“December 15, 2022 Order”). Specifically, the NY Court declined to dismiss Plaintiff’s claims against ACREFI Mortgage
Lending, LLC, Apollo Credit Opportunity Fund III AIV I LP, and AGRE Debt 1 – 111 W 57, LLC (“Apollo Lenders”) for breach of the Pledge Agreement in connection with the strict foreclosure. The NY Court dismissed Plaintiff’s claims
for tortious interference with contract against the Spruce Defendants, AIG Defendants, and Apollo Defendants, and Plaintiff’s claim for unjust enrichment against the Atlantic Defendants.
On January 3, 2023, the Apollo Lenders filed a notice of appeal to the Appellate Division seeking review of the December 15, 2022 Order. On January 18,
2023, Plaintiff filed notices of appeal and cross-appeal appealing the December 15, 2022, Order with regard to all Defendants. On August 9, 2023, pursuant to mutual agreement with the Plaintiff and the AIG Defendants, Plaintiff
filed a stipulation to withdraw its appeal against the AIG Defendants. Following briefing and oral argument, the Appellate Division First Department issued its decision on October 5, 2023. The First Department modified the NY
Court’s decision to dismiss Plaintiff’s claim against the Apollo Lenders for breach of the Pledge Agreement in connection with the strict foreclosure, and otherwise affirmed the NY Court’s decision. On November 3, 2023, Plaintiff
filed motions for leave to appeal the First Department’s decision to the Court of Appeals in both the First Department and the Court of Appeals. On December 19, 2023, the First Department denied Plaintiff’s motion for leave to
appeal to the Court of Appeals, which concerned Plaintiff’s claim against the Apollo Lenders for breach of the Pledge Agreement in connection with the strict foreclosure and Plaintiff’s claims against the Spruce Defendants and
Apollo Lenders for tortious interference with contract. On April 23, 2024, the Court of Appeals denied Plaintiff’s motion for leave to appeal to the Court of Appeals, which concerned Plaintiff’s claims against Apollo Commercial
Real Estate Finance, Inc. and Apollo Global Management, Inc. for tortious interference with contract.
On January 13, 2023, the Apollo Lenders filed their answer and affirmative defenses to the Company’s Second Amended Complaint together with crossclaims against 111 W57th Mezz Investor LLC, Spruce Capital
Partners LLC, Joshua Crane, Robert Schwartz, Michael Stern, Kevin Maloney, 111 West 57th Sponsor LLC, 111 West 57th Control LLC, and 111 West 57th Manager LLC (the “Crossclaim Defendants”). The crossclaims were for (1)
contribution against all Crossclaim Defendants; (2) indemnification against 111 W57th Mezz Investor LLC, Spruce Capital, Crane, and Schwartz; and (3) a declaratory judgment that 111 W57th Mezz Investor LLC, through Spruce Capital,
Crane, and Schwartz, has indemnified the Apollo Lenders against any and all loss that the Apollo Lenders have incurred or may incur in defending against this case. On January 23, 2023, the Apollo Lenders filed a notice of
voluntary discontinuance without prejudice, voluntarily discontinuing their first crossclaim for contribution only as it was brought against Stern, Maloney, Sponsor, 111 West 57th Control LLC, and 111 West 57th Manager LLC. On
April 30, 2024, the Apollo Lenders filed a motion for an order of discontinuance of their crossclaims, which the Court granted on June 7, 2024, and which was entered on June 12, 2024.
On July 12, 2024, Plaintiff
served a motion for leave to appeal to the Court of Appeals the judgment, to the extent it was final, against Apollo Lenders, Spruce Capital Partners LLC, Joshua Crane, and Robert Schwartz. Also on July 12, 2024, Plaintiff filed a
notice of appeal to the First Department of the trial court’s order granting Apollo Lenders’ motion for an order of discontinuance of their crossclaims.
On January 30, 2023, Defendant 111 W57 Mezz Investor LLC filed its answer to Plaintiff’s Second Amended Complaint. Because the Court has resolved the motions to dismiss, discovery has recommenced, and Plaintiffs are actively
seeking the production of documents.
Since the
Company is not a party to the Loan Agreements, it does not have access to communications with the lenders, except for those individual communications that the Sponsor has elected to share or that have been produced in the ongoing
litigation. The Company has continued to demand access to such information, including access to the books and records for the 111 West 57th Property both under the JV Agreement and as part of the Sponsor Action and the Lender
Action. For additional information with regard to the Company’s investment in the 111 West 57th Property and the Company’s recording of an impairment of its equity investment in the 111 West 57th Property in 2017,
see Note 3.
111 West 57th Investment LLC, et al. v. Kasowitz Benson Torres LLP, et al., No. 151139/2024 (N.Y. Sup. Ct.). On June 27, 2024, 111 West 57th Investment LLC, derivatively on behalf of 111 West 57th
Partners LLC and 111 West 57th Mezz 1 LLC, and 111 West 57th Manager Funding LLC, derivatively on behalf of 111 West 57th Manager LLC (collectively, “Plaintiffs”), filed a Complaint against Kasowitz Benson Torres LLP and Douglas B.
Heitner (collectively, “Defendants”) in the Supreme Court of the State of New York, County of New York. Plaintiffs’ claims arise out of Defendants’ representation of 111 West 57th Partners LLC, 111 West 57th Mezz 1 LLC, and 111 West 57th
Manager LLC in connection with the real estate development project of 111 West 57th Street (the “Project”) and related financing and other transactions, while simultaneously representing persons and entities with interests adverse to and
in conflict with 111 West 57th Partners LLC’s, 111 West 57th Mezz 1 LLC’s, and 111 West 57th Manager LLC’s interests (and the interests of other members of these represented entities), including but not limited to: Michael Stern, Kevin
Maloney, and various entities owned and/or controlled by them. Specifically, in representing 111 West 57th Partners LLC, 111 West 57th Mezz 1 LLC, and 111 West 57th Manager LLC throughout the restructuring of the financing and the
raising of capital for the Project, including, without limitation, the New York Uniform Commercial Code “strict foreclosure” in 2017 on the Project, Defendants acted to the detriment of these clients to benefit their other, longtime
clients, resulting in 111 West 57th Partners LLC losing an extremely valuable asset in the strict foreclosure. Plaintiffs assert claims for breach of fiduciary duty and legal malpractice. Plaintiffs seek to recover money damages,
improperly paid legal fees, costs, attorneys’ fees, and such other relief as is just and proper (together with interest thereon). On July 2, 2024, Plaintiff voluntarily discontinued their claims, without prejudice and without costs, as
against Defendant Douglas B. Heitner. For additional information with regard to the Company’s investment in the 111 West 57th Property, see Note 3.
AmBase Corp. et al. v. 111 West 57th Sponsor LLC et al., No. 651782/2024 (N.Y. Sup. Ct.). On April 4, 2024, AmBase Corporation, 111 West 57th Manager Funding LLC, and 111 West 57th Investment LLC, on
behalf of itself and derivatively on behalf of 111 West 57th Partners LLC and 111 West 57th Mezz 1 LLC (collectively, “Plaintiffs”), filed a Summons with Notice against 111 West 57th Sponsor LLC, 111 West 57th Control LLC, 111 West 57th
Developer LLC, Kevin Maloney, Michael Stern, JDS Construction Group LLC, JDS Development LLC, PMG Construction Group LLC, Property Markets Group, Inc., 111 Construction Manager LLC, Manager Member 111W57 LLC, and John and Jane Does 1–10
(collectively, “Defendants”) in the Supreme Court of the State of New York, County of New York. Plaintiffs’ claims arise out of alleged fraudulent transfers by, between, and/or to Defendants before and during the pendency of the
underlying litigation AmBase Corp. et al. v. 111 West 57th Sponsor LLC et al., Index No. 652301/2016. Specifically, despite knowing of contractual agreements, obligations, and/or claims between
Plaintiffs and the Defendants, following the commencement of the suit by Plaintiffs, Defendants allegedly continued to make transfers and/or incur obligations in violation of the law, for no consideration or equivalent value, which
rendered the transferor(s) insolvent (or when they were already insolvent), and rendering the transferor(s) unable to meet debts as they become due, unable to pay actual or future creditors, unable to meet business/transaction obligations
as they arise, and/or with the actual intent to hinder, delay, and/or defraud Plaintiffs and other creditors. The Summons with Notice further states that, upon information and belief, the scheme included the transfer to one or more
insider(s) and or their affiliates, principals, and/or agents. The scheme was allegedly concealed from Plaintiffs, who were not given the opportunity to consent or to dissent. Plaintiffs allege that they have suffered damages and demand
relief of no less than $100 million plus Plaintiffs’ own attorneys’ fees and costs, as well as restitution, constructive trust,
the voiding of the fraudulent conveyances, statutory remedies, and such other and further relief as the Court deems proper. For additional information with regard to the Company’s investment in the 111 West 57th Property, see Note 3.
AmBase Corp., et al. v. ACREFI Mortgage Lending LLC, et al. In June 2018, the Company initiated another litigation in the NY Court, Index No. 655031/2017, (the “Apollo Action”). The defendants in the
Apollo Action were ACREFI Mortgage Lending, LLC, Apollo Credit Opportunity Fund III AIV I LP, AGRE Debt 1 – 111 W 57, LLC, and Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance, Inc. (collectively, the “Apollo Defendants”). In the Apollo Action, the
Company alleged that the Apollo Defendants aided and abetted the Sponsor, Stern, and Maloney in breaching their fiduciary duties to the Company in connection with the 111 West 57th Property and tortiously interfered with the JV Agreement.
The Company was seeking damages as well as punitive damages for tortious interference with the JV Agreement and aiding and abetting the Sponsor’s breaches of their fiduciary duties to the joint venture. The Apollo Defendants filed a
motion to dismiss on August 17, 2018. On October 22, 2019, the NY Court entered an order dismissing the Company’s complaint in the Apollo Action in its entirety. On November 8, 2019, the NY Court entered judgment (the “Apollo Dismissal”)
dismissing the Apollo Action in favor of the Apollo Defendants. On December 10, 2019, the Company filed a notice of appeal seeking the appeal of the Apollo Dismissal. On August 7, 2020, the Company perfected its appeal of the Apollo
Dismissal. After Investment LLC filed its motion to amend the complaint in the Lender Action to add claims against Apollo, the parties to the Apollo Action filed a stipulation to withdraw the appeal in the Apollo Action. For additional
information with regard to the Company’s investment in the 111 West 57th Property, see Note 3.
AmBase Corp., et al. v. Custom House Risk Advisors, Inc., et al. On April 2, 2020, the Company initiated litigation in the United
States District Court for the Southern District of New York, Case No. 1:20-cv-02763-VSB (the “Custom House Action”). The defendants in the Custom House Action were Custom House Risk Advisors, Inc. and Elizabeth Lowe
(collectively, the “Custom House Defendants”). In the Custom House Action, the Company alleged that the Custom House Defendants (a) aided and abetted Sponsor, Stern, and Maloney in breaching their fiduciary duties to the Company
by structuring an insurance policy to the personal benefit of Sponsor, Stern and Maloney and the detriment of the 111 West 57th Project and concealing the structure and ownership of the insurance policy from the Company and (b)
committed fraud by making material misrepresentations about the terms of the policy to the Company, inducing the Company to contribute additional capital to the 111 West 57th Project to cover the costs of the insurance policy.
The Company sought damages as well as disgorgement of profits the Custom House Defendants earned from their wrongful conduct. On April 10, 2020, the Custom House Defendants waived service of process. In an agreement dated July
31, 2020, the Company and the Custom House Defendants agreed to certain terms for a settlement and entered into a settlement agreement which requires that the Custom House Defendants satisfy certain conditions prior to any
dismissal of the Custom House Action. On December 6, 2021, the Court approved a stipulation dismissing the Company’s claims and agreed to retain jurisdiction to enforce the settlement agreement. For additional information with
regard to the Company’s investment in the 111 West 57th Property, see Note 3.
With respect to its disputes and litigation relating to its interest in the 111 West 57th Property, the Company is pursuing, and will continue to pursue, other options to realize the Company’s investment value, various legal
courses of action to protect its legal rights, recovery of its asset value from various sources of recovery, as well as considering other possible economic strategies, including the possible sale of the Company’s interest in and/or
rights with respect to the 111 West 57th Property; however, there can be no assurance that the Company will prevail with respect to any of its claims.
The Company
can give no assurances regarding the outcome of the matters described herein, including as to the effect of Spruce’s actions described herein, whether the Sponsor will perform their contractual commitments to the Company under the JV
Agreement, as to what further action, if any, the lenders may take with respect to the project, as to the ultimate resolution of the ongoing litigation proceedings relating to the Company’s investment interest in the 111 West 57th
Property, as to the ultimate effect of the Sponsor’s, the Company’s or the lenders’ actions on the project, as to the completion or ultimate success of the project, or as to the value or ultimate realization of any portion of the
Company’s equity investment in the 111 West 57th Property. For additional information with regard to the Company’s investment in the 111 West 57th Property, see Note 3.
While the
Company’s management is evaluating future courses of action to protect and/or recover the value of the Company’s equity investment in the 111 West 57th Property, the adverse developments make it uncertain as to whether any such
courses of action will be successful. Any such efforts are likely to require sustained effort over a period of time and substantial additional financial resources. Inability to recover all or most of such value would, in all likelihood,
have a material adverse effect on the Company’s financial condition and future prospects. The Company can give no assurances with regard to if it will prevail with respect to any of its claims.
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