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Contingencies
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2020
Contingencies [Abstract]  
CONTINGENCIES

Note 9. CONTINGENCIES

 

Loss Contingencies

 

A number of actions have been commenced against the Company by vendors, landlords and former landlords, including a third party claim as a result of an injury suffered on a portion of a leased property not occupied by the Company. As certain of these claims represent amounts included in accounts payable they are not specifically discussed herein.

 

On December 20, 2018, pursuant to a Stock Purchase Agreement dated as of March 21, 2018 (“SPA”), the Company completed the sale of all of the outstanding shares of its subsidiary, Welding Metallurgy, Inc. to CPI Aerostructures. On March 19, 2019, in accordance with the procedures set forth in the SPA with CPI Aerostructures, the Company received a notice from CPI claiming that the working capital deficit used to compute the purchase price was understated. The issue of the amount of the working capital deficit was submitted to BDO USA, LLP (“BDO”), acting as an expert, and it issued a report dated September 3, 2019, where it determined that the amount of the working capital deficit was approximately $4,145,870. On September 9, 2019 the Company received a demand from CPI for payment of such amount. The Company advised CPI that the determination of BDO is void because, among other things, it believes BDO exceeded the scope of its authority as set forth in the SPA. On September 27, 2019, CPI filed a notice of motion in the Supreme Court of the State of New York, County of New York, against the Company seeking, among other things, an order of specific performance requiring delivery of the funds deposited in escrow, together with the balance of the working capital deficit which it claimed, and a judgment against the Company in the amount of approximately $4,200,000 of which $2,000,000 would be satisfied by delivery of the funds in escrow. On October 7, 2019, the Company agreed to the release of $619,316 of the funds held in escrow in respect of claims related to the working capital deficit not related to the value of WMI’s inventory. As of December 31, 2018, the Company has placed a reserve against substantially all of the escrowed amount and cannot estimate the amount of loss. For, among others, the reasons stated above the Company intends to contest vigorously any claim CPI may make for payment based on the BDO Report. Outside counsel for the company has advised that at this stage in the proceedings, it cannot offer an opinion as to the probable outcome.

 

On October 1, 2020, the court issued an order which stated that “CPI must commence a special proceeding to obtain the relief” sought by its Motion despite the fact that the stipulation of discontinuance entered into by CPI and the Company with respect to the action to enforce the SPA commenced by CPI on July 5, 2018, provided that the court would retain jurisdiction over the case. The court stated further that a special proceeding requires pleadings consisting of, among others, a petition which complies with the requirements for a complaint in an action and an answer. Since CPI brought the action in the form of a motion and not a complaint, neither party complied with the pleading requirements which the court stated is required. Consequently, the court denied CPI’s Motion and denied the Company’s cross motion to vacate BDO’s determination and conduct discovery.

 

The court’s decision does not resolve the Company’s dispute with CPI. CPI’s Motion was denied for procedural issues and the court did not consider the substance of the dispute. CPI, among other options, may choose to appeal this decision or commence a new proceeding. In either event, the Company intends to contest vigorously any claim CPI may make based on the BDO report.

 

Contract Pharmacal Corp. commenced an action on October 2, 2018, relating to a Sublease entered into between the Company and Contract Pharmacal in May 2018 with respect to the property at 110 Plant Avenue, Hauppauge, New York. In the action Contract Pharmacal seeks damages for an amount in excess of $1,000,000 for our failure to make the entire premises available by the Sublease commencement date. The Company disputes the validity of the claims asserted by Contract Pharmacal and believes it has meritorious defenses to those claims and have recently submitted a motion in opposition to its motion for summary judgement. As of September 30, 2020, it is not possible to estimate if a loss will be incurred, as such there has been no accrual.

 

From time to time we also may be engaged in various lawsuits and legal proceedings in the ordinary course of our business. We are currently not aware of any legal proceedings the ultimate outcome of which, in our judgment based on information currently available, would have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition or operating results. There are no proceedings in which any of our directors, officers or affiliates, or any registered or beneficial stockholder of our common stock, is an adverse party or has a material interest averse to our interest.