Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Commitments and Contingencies

v3.20.2
Commitments and Contingencies
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2020
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]  
Commitments and Contingencies

Note 12 - Commitments and Contingencies

 

Licensing agreements.

 

We are committed to pay royalties for the usage of certain brands, as governed by various licensing agreements, including Rich Dad, and Homemade Investor. Total royalty expenses included in our Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Income/(Loss) were $0.1 million and $1.0 million for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively.

  

Custodial and Counterparty Risk.

 

We are subject to custodial and other potential forms of counterparty risk in respect to a variety of contractual and operational matters. In the course of ongoing Company-wide risk assessment, management monitors our arrangements that involve potential counterparty risk, including the custodial risk associated with amounts prepaid to certain vendors and deposits with credit card and other payment processors. Deposits held by our credit card processors at March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019, were $2.1 million and $2.3 million, respectively. These balances are included on the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets in restricted cash. While these balances reside in major financial institutions, they are only partially covered by federal deposit insurance and are subject to the financial risk of the parties holding these funds. When appropriate, we utilize Certificate of Deposit Account Registry Service (CDARS) to reduce banking risk for a portion of our cash in the United States. A CDAR consists of numerous individual investments, all below the FDIC limits, thus fully insuring that portion of our cash. At March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019, we did not have a CDAR balance.

 

Litigation.

 

We and certain of our subsidiaries, from time to time, are parties to various legal proceedings, claims and disputes that have arisen in the ordinary course of business. These claims may involve significant amounts, some of which would not be covered by insurance.

 

Tranquility Bay of Pine Island, LLC v. Tigrent, Inc., et al. On March 16, 2017, suit was filed in the Twentieth Judicial Circuit In and For Lee County, Florida by Tranquility Bay of Pine Island, LLC ("TBPI") against Tigrent Inc. and various of its present and former shareholders, officers and directors. By amendment dated May 24, 2019, the Company and its then General Counsel and now Chief Executive Officer were named as defendants to a civil conspiracy count. The suit primarily relates to the alleged obligation of Tigrent to indemnify the Plaintiff pursuant to an October 6, 2010 Forbearance Agreement. The suit includes claims for Breach of Contract, Permanent and Temporary Injunction, Breach of Fiduciary Duty, Civil Conspiracy, Tortious Interference and Fraudulent Transfer. On March 20, 2019, the Court dismissed the complaint in its entirety with leave to amend. On April 11, 2019, TBPI filed its Second Amended Complaint in Twentieth Judicial Circuit In and For Lee County, Florida against Tigrent Inc. ("Tigrent"), Legacy Education Alliance Holding, Inc. ("Holdings"), and certain shareholders of the Company. The suit includes claims for Breach of Contract, Breach of Fiduciary Duty against Tigrent, Civil Conspiracy against Tigrent and Holdings, and various Counts of Fraudulent Transfer against various shareholders of the Company. On May 24, 2019, with leave from the court, TBPI filed its Third Amended Complaint in Twentieth Judicial Circuit In and For Lee County, Florida against Tigrent, Holdings, and certain shareholders of the Company. The suit includes claims for Breach of Contract against Tigrent, Breach of Fiduciary Duty against Tigrent, Damages for Violation of the Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act, Civil Conspiracy against Tigrent and Holdings, and various Counts of Fraudulent Transfer against various shareholders of Tigrent, including the Company's CEO, James E. May. On June 23, 2020, the Court entered summary judgment in favor of Tigrent with respect to TBPI's claims against Tigrent alleging (i) breach of fiduciary duty, (ii) violation of the Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act, and (iii) indemnification against certain attorney's fees claimed to have been incurred by TBPI. The Company believes the claims of the plaintiff are without merit and intends to defend this matter vigorously.

 

In the Matter of Legacy Education Alliance International, Ltd. On October 28, 2019, an Application for Administration was filed in the High Court of Justice, Business and Property Courts of England and Wales (the "English Court"), whereby four creditors of Legacy Education Alliance, International Ltd ("Legacy UK"), one of our UK subsidiaries, sought an administration order with respect to the business affairs of the subsidiary, the appointment of an administrator, and such other ancillary orders as the applicants may request or as the court deemed appropriate. On November 15, 2019, the creditors obtained an Administration Order from the English Court. Under the terms of the Administration Order, two individuals have been appointed as administrators of Legacy UK and will manage Legacy UK and operate its affairs, business and property under the jurisdiction of the English Court. The administrators engaged a third-party to market Legacy UK's business and assets for sale to one or more third parties. On November 26, 2019, Legacy UK's assets and deferred revenues sold for £300 thousand (British pounds) to Mayflower Alliance LTD. We will not receive any proceeds from the sale of Legacy UK. The Administrator has asserted claims against two of our other UK subsidiaries, LEAI Property Development UK Ltd. and LEAI Property Investment UK Ltd., in an aggregate amount totaling £622,166. We are currently negotiating a resolution of these claims, but there can be no assurances that an agreement will be reached or what the impact that any such agreement will have on our financial performance. Further details regarding the resolution of other claims and liabilities may not be known for several months. Because there are a number of intercompany relationships between the Company and Legacy UK, the financial impact of any future claims in relation to the administration and disposition of Legacy UK, outside of those included in the discontinued operations of Legacy UK (see Note 4 "Discontinued Operations"), is unknown to us at this time, as is the timing and other conditions and effects of the administrative process.

 

In the Matter of Elite Legacy Education UK Ltd. On March 18, 2020, a Winding-Up Petition, CR-2020-001958, was filed in the High Court of Justice, Business and Property Courts of England and Wales against one of our UK subsidiaries, Elite Legacy Education UK Ltd. ("ELE UK"), by one its creditors. The Petition seeks an order from the Court to wind up the affairs of ELE UK under the UK Insolvency Act of 1986. ELE UK has disputed the claim of the creditor that filed the Petition and on June 11, 2020, ELE UK obtained a court order vacating the hearing on the Petition originally set for June 24, 2020.  A hearing on ELE UK's application for an injunction against the winding-up petition has been set for July 24, 2020.  Because there are a number of intercompany relationships between the Company and ELE UK, the economic effect of such an order, if granted, is unknown at this time.