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Commitments and Contingencies
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2022
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]  
Commitments and Contingencies

(10) COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

(A) EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENTS

The Company has employment agreements with certain key officers for either a one-, two-, three- or five-year term. Annually, the contracts with a five-year term will renew for new five-year terms unless prior to the end of the first year of each five-year term, either the Company or the executive provides notice to the other party of its intention not to extend the employment period beyond the current five-year term. Typically, the contracts with a one- or two-year term will renew for new one- or two-year terms unless prior to the term either the Company or the executive provides notice to the other party of its intention not to extend the employment period beyond the current one or two-year term (as applicable); however, there is currently one agreement that renews after two years for additional one-year terms and one agreement with a three-year term that does not have a renewal period. In the event of a change in control, as defined, during the employment period, the agreements provide for severance compensation to the executive in an amount equal to the balance of the salary, bonus, and value of fringe benefits which the executive would be entitled to receive for the remainder of the employment period.

Employment agreements expire at various dates through 2027, with future minimum payments under these agreements of approximately $12.1 million.

(B) OTHER COMMITMENTS

As of September 30, 2022, the Company had one commitment to extend credit of up to $1.8 million with an expiration date of January 1, 2025. Generally, any commitments would be on the same terms as loans to or investments in existing borrowers or investees, and generally have fixed expiration dates. Since some commitments would be expected to expire without being drawn upon, the total commitment amounts do not necessarily represent future cash requirements.

 

(C) SEC LITIGATION

On December 29, 2021, the SEC filed a civil complaint in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York against the Company and its President and Chief Operating Officer alleging certain violations of the antifraud, books and records, internal controls and anti-touting provisions of the federal securities laws. The litigation relates to certain issues that occurred during the period 2015 to 2017, including (i) the Company’s retention of third parties in 2015 and 2016 concerning posting information about the Company on certain financial websites and (ii) the Company’s financial reporting and disclosures concerning certain assets, including Medallion Bank, in 2016 and 2017, a period when the Company had previously reported as a business development company (BDC) under the Investment Company Act of 1940. Since April 2018, the Company does not report as a BDC, and has not worked with such third parties since 2016. The Company does not expect to change previously reported financial results. The Company filed a motion to dismiss the complaint on March 22, 2022, the SEC filed an amended complaint on April 26, 2022 and the Company filed a motion to dismiss the amended complaint on August 5, 2022.

The SEC is seeking injunctive relief, disgorgement plus pre-judgment interest and civil penalties in amounts unspecified, as well as an officer and director bar against the Company’s President and Chief Operating Officer. The Company and its President and Chief Operating Officer intend to defend themselves vigorously and believe that the SEC will not prevail on its claims. Nevertheless, depending on the outcome of the litigation, the Company could incur a loss and other penalties that could be material to the Company, its results of operations and/or financial condition, as well as a bar against its President and Chief Operating Officer. In addition, the Company has and expects to further incur significant legal fees and expenses in defending such charges by the SEC and the Company may be subject to shareholder litigation relating to these SEC matters.

(D) OTHER LITIGATION AND REGULATORY MATTERS

The Company and its subsidiaries are subject to inquiries from certain regulators and are currently involved in various legal proceedings incident to the normal course of business, including collection matters with respect to certain loans. We intend to vigorously defend any outstanding claims and pursue our legal rights. In the opinion of management, based on the advice of legal counsel, except for the pending SEC litigation, as described above, there is no proceeding pending, or to the knowledge of management threatened, which in the event of an adverse decision could result in a material adverse impact on the financial condition or results of operations of the Company.