12. Settlement with CEDE & Co.
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12 Months Ended |
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Dec. 31, 2013
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Notes to Financial Statements | |
12. Settlement with CEDE & Co. |
In December 2013, the Companys Board unanimously approved the reinstatement of 3,047,403 shares of common stock of the Company. The circumstances related to the reinstatement are as follows: 3,047,403 shares of common stock of the Company were held in street (nominee) name by Cede & Co. of the Depository Trust Co. (the Cede Shares). The Cede Shares were ordered cancelled by a federal district court relating to litigation initiated by the Securities and Exchange Commission against the Company and its former CEO, Jeffrey Mueller in 2001. Either before or after the courts order (the timing of which is unknown to the Company), the Cede Shares, at that time held directly or indirectly by Mueller, were placed with Cede & Co. in nominee name. In furtherance of the courts order, the physical certificates relating to the Cede Shares should have been returned to the Companys transfer agent (NATCO) for cancellation. This did not occur. Rather, Cede & Co. retained the stock certificates representing the Cede Shares and continued to treat the Cede Shares as outstanding and free trading shares of the Company.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, NATCO, in furtherance of then Company counsels instructions, cancelled the Cede Shares on the Companys books and records in 2005, and, in furtherance thereof, reduced the Companys outstanding shares of common stock by 3,047,403. Cede & Co. has requested, in effect, that, inasmuch as the Cede Shares continue to be within its system, the Cede Shares be reinstated on the Companys books and records and that the outstanding shares of the Company be increased by 3,047,403. Although the Company believes Cede & Co.s request is misplaced, particularly since it appears that Cede & Co. had prior notice of the courts order cancelling the Cede Shares, the Company has elected to avoid litigation with Cede & Co. and instead has elected to reinstate the Cede Shares. Accordingly, 3,047,403 shares of the Companys common stock has been added back to the Companys outstanding share count.
As a result, the Company recorded the fair value of the reinstated shares of $3,108,347 as part of Operating Expenses in 2013 in the accompanying consolidated Statement of Operations. The fair value of the shares was determined based on the trading price of the Companys shares on December 16, 2013, the date of the Companys Board of Directors approved such reinstatement. |