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Commitments and Contingencies
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]  
Commitments and Contingencies
Commitments and Contingencies
Litigation
In the ordinary course of business, the Company may become subject to litigation or claims. There are no material legal proceedings pending or known to be contemplated against the Company, except as follows:
Regulatory Investigations and Litigation Relating to the Audit Committee Investigation
On October 29, 2014, the Company filed a Current Report on Form 8-K (the “October 29 8-K”) reporting the Audit Committee’s conclusion, based on the preliminary findings of its investigation, that certain previously issued consolidated financial statements of the Company, including those included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2013 and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended March 31, 2014 and June 30, 2014, and related financial information should no longer be relied upon. Prior to that filing, the Audit Committee previewed for the SEC the information contained in the filing. Subsequent to that filing, the SEC provided notice that it had commenced a formal investigation and issued subpoenas calling for the production of various documents. In addition, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York contacted counsel for the Audit Committee and counsel for the Company with respect to this matter, and the Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts issued a subpoena calling for the production of various documents. The Audit Committee and the Company are cooperating with these regulators in their investigations.
As discussed below, the Company and certain of its current and former directors and officers have been named as defendants in a number of lawsuits filed in response to the October 29 8-K, including class actions, derivative actions, and individual actions under the federal securities laws and state common and corporate laws in both federal and state courts in New York and Maryland.
Between October 30, 2014 and January 20, 2015, the Company and its current and former officers and directors (in addition to the Company’s underwriters for certain of the Company’s securities offerings) were named as defendants in ten putative securities class action complaints in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York (the “SDNY Actions”):  Ciraulu v. American Realty Capital, Inc., et al., No. 14-cv-8659 (AKH); Priever v. American Realty Capital Properties, Inc., et al., No. 14-cv-8668 (AKH); Rubinstein v. American Realty Capital Properties, Inc., et al., No. 14-cv-8669 (AKH); Patton v. American Realty Capital Properties, Inc., et al., No. 14-cv-8671 (AKH); Edwards v. American Realty Capital Properties, Inc., et al., No. 14-cv-8721 (AKH); Harris v. American Realty Capital Properties, Inc., et al., No. 14-cv-8740 (AKH); Abadi v. American Realty Capital Properties, Inc., et al., No. 14-cv-9006 (AKH); City of Tampa General Employees Retirement Fund v. American Realty Capital Properties, Inc., et al., No. 14-cv-10134 (AKH); Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association of America v. American Realty Capital Properties, Inc., et al., No. 15-cv-0421 (AKH); and New York City Employees Retirement System v. American Realty Capital Properties, Inc., et al., No. 15-cv-0422 (AKH). At a February 10, 2015 status conference, the court, among other things, consolidated the SDNY Actions under the caption In re American Realty Capital Properties, Inc. Litigation, No. 15-MC-00040 (AKH) (the “SDNY Consolidated Securities Class Action”), appointed a lead plaintiff, and designated the complaint filed in Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association of America v. American Realty Capital Properties, Inc., et al., No. 15-cv-0421 (AKH) as the operative complaint in the SDNY Consolidated Securities Class Action. The consolidated class action complaint asserts claims for violations of Sections 11, 12(a)(2) and 15 of the Securities Act of 1933 and Sections 10(b), 14(a) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rules 10b-5 and 14a-9 promulgated thereunder, arising out of allegedly false and misleading statements in connection with the purchase or sale of the Company’s securities. The proposed class period runs from May 6, 2013 to October 29, 2014. On March 17, 2015, the court entered an order setting deadlines of April 17, 2015 for the lead plaintiff in the SDNY Consolidated Securities Class Action to file an amended complaint and May 29, 2015 for the Company and defendants to file motions to dismiss.
In addition, on November 25, 2014, the Company and certain of its current and former officers and directors were named as defendants in a putative securities class action filed in the Circuit Court for Baltimore County, Maryland, captioned Wunsch v. American Realty Capital Properties, Inc., et al., No. 03-C-14-012816 (the “Maryland Securities Action”).  On December 23, 2014, the Company removed the Maryland Securities Action to the United States District Court for the District of Maryland (Northern Division), under the caption Wunsch v. American Realty Capital Properties, Inc., et al., No. 14-cv-4007 (ELH), and seeks to transfer the action to the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York.  The Maryland Securities Action asserts claims for violations of Sections 11 and 15 of the Securities Act of 1933, arising out of allegedly false and misleading statements made in connection with the Company’s securities issued in connection with the Cole Merger.  The Company is not yet required to respond to the complaint in the Maryland Securities Action.
Between November 17, 2014 and February 2, 2015, six shareholder derivative actions, purportedly in the name and for the benefit of the Company, were filed against certain of the Company’s current and former officers and directors in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York (the “SDNY Derivative Actions”):  Michelle Graham Turner 1995 Revocable Trust v. Schorsch, et al., No. 14-cv-9140 (AKH); Froehner v. Schorsch, et al., No. 14-cv-9444 (AKH); Serafin v. Schorsch, et al., No. 14-cv-9672 (AKH); Hopkins v. Schorsch, et al., No. 15-cv-262 (AKH); Appolito v. Schorsch, et al., No. 15-cv-644 (AKH); and The Joel and Robin Staadecker Living Trust v. Schorsch, et al., No. 15-cv-768 (AKH).  In addition, between December 30, 2014 and January 16, 2015, the Company and certain of its current and former officers and directors were named as defendants in two shareholder derivative actions filed in the Circuit Court for Baltimore City, Maryland (the “Maryland Derivative Actions”):  Meloche v. Schorsch, et al., No. 24-C-14-008210 and Botifoll v. Schorsch, et al., No. 24-C-15-000245.  In addition, on January 29, 2015, the Company and certain of its current directors, amongst others, were named as defendants in a shareholder derivative action filed in the Supreme Court of the State of New York, captioned Fran Kosky Roth IRA v. Rendell, et al., No. 15-650269 (the “New York Derivative Action,” and together with the SDNY Derivative Actions and the Maryland Derivative Actions, the “Derivative Actions”).  On February 9, 2015 and February 20, 2015, three plaintiffs who filed SDNY Derivative Actions-Appolito, Hopkins and The Joel and Robin Staadecker Living Trust-voluntarily dismissed their actions without prejudice. The Derivative Actions seek money damages and other relief on behalf of the Company for, among other things, alleged breaches of fiduciary duty, abuse of control, gross mismanagement and unjust enrichment in connection with the alleged conduct underlying the claims asserted in the securities actions and negligence and breach of contract. At a February 10, 2015 status conference, the court consolidated the SDNY Derivative Actions under the caption Serafin v. Schorsch, et al., No. 14-cv-9672 (AKH) (the “SDNY Consolidated Derivative Action”) and directed the plaintiffs to file a consolidated amended complaint by March 10, 2015. On February 18, 2015, the parties to the New York Derivative Action entered into a stipulation setting a deadline of April 20, 2015 for the Company and defendants to respond to the complaint in the action. On March 10, 2015, the plaintiffs in the SDNY Consolidated Derivative Action filed a consolidated amended complaint. The Company and defendants are required to file motions to dismiss the consolidated amended complaint in the SDNY Consolidated Derivative Action by April 3, 2015. On March 18, 2015, the parties to the Maryland Derivative Actions entered into a stipulation providing for, among other things, the consolidation of those actions. The Company and defendants are not yet required to respond to the complaints in the Maryland Derivative Actions.
On December 18, 2014, a former employee, Lisa McAlister, filed a defamation action against the Company and certain of its former officers and directors in the Supreme Court for the State of New York, captioned McAlister v. American Realty Capital Properties, Inc., et al., No. 14-162499. The complaint sought, among other things, compensatory and punitive damages and alleged that the October 29 8-K falsely blamed plaintiff for improper accounting and financial reporting practices. On January 26, 2015, the Company and the other defendants filed motions to dismiss plaintiff’s complaint. Subsequently, Ms. McAlister dismissed this action without prejudice.
On January 7, 2015, Ms. McAlister also filed a complaint, No. 2-4173-15-016, with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration of the United States Department of Labor. The complaint seeks, among other things, compensatory and punitive damages and asserts claims for wrongful termination of employment for allegedly reporting concerns relating to alleged improper accounting practices by the Company. Ms. McAlister has withdrawn the complaint without prejudice.
On January 15, 2015, the Company and certain of its former directors and officers were named as defendants in an individual securities fraud action filed in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, captioned Jet Capital Master Fund, L.P. v. American Realty Capital Properties, Inc., et al., No. 15-cv-307 (AKH) (the “Jet Capital Action”).  The Jet Capital Action seeks money damages and asserts claims for alleged violations of Sections 10(b), 18 and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rule 10b-5 promulgated thereunder, as well as common law fraud under New York law in connection with the purchase of the Company’s securities. The Company and defendants are required to respond to the complaint in the Jet Capital Action on the same schedule set by the court for the SDNY Consolidated Securities Class Action.
On February 20, 2015, the Company, certain of its current and former directors and officers, and ARC Properties Operating Partnership L.P. (in addition to several other individuals and entities) were named as defendants in an individual securities fraud action filed in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, captioned Twin Securities, Inc. v. American Realty Capital Properties, Inc., et al., No. 15-cv-1291 (the “Twin Securities Action”). The Twin Securities Action seeks money damages and asserts claims for alleged violations of Sections 10(b), 14(a), 18, and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rules 10b-5 and 14a-9 promulgated thereunder, Sections 11, 12(a)(2), and 15 of the Securities Act of 1933, as well as common law fraud under New York law in connection with the purchase of the Company’s securities. The Company and defendants are not yet required to respond to the complaint in the Twin Securities Action.
ARCT III Litigation Matters
After the announcement of the ARCT III Merger Agreement on December 17, 2012, Randell Quaal filed a putative class action lawsuit on January 30, 2013 against the Company, the OP, ARCT III, ARCT III OP, the members of the board of directors of ARCT III and certain subsidiaries of the Company in the Supreme Court of the State of New York. The plaintiff alleges, among other things, that the board of ARCT III breached its fiduciary duties in connection with the transactions contemplated under the ARCT III Merger Agreement. In February 2013, the parties agreed to a memorandum of understanding regarding settlement of all claims asserted on behalf of the alleged class of ARCT III stockholders. In connection with the settlement contemplated by that memorandum of understanding, the class action and all claims asserted therein will be dismissed, subject to court approval. The proposed settlement terms required ARCT III to make certain additional disclosures related to the ARCT III Merger, which were included in a Current Report on Form 8-K filed by ARCT III with the SEC on February 21, 2013. The memorandum of understanding also added that the parties will enter into a stipulation of settlement, which will be subject to customary conditions, including confirmatory discovery and court approval following notice to ARCT III’s stockholders. If the parties enter into a stipulation of settlement, a hearing will be scheduled at which the court will consider the fairness, reasonableness and adequacy of the settlement. There can be no assurance that the parties will ultimately enter into a stipulation of settlement, that the court will approve any proposed settlement, or that any eventual settlement will be under the same terms as those contemplated by the memorandum of understanding, therefore any losses that may be incurred to settle this matter are not determinable.
CapLease Litigation Matters
Since the announcement of the CapLease Merger Agreement on May 28, 2013, the following lawsuits have been filed:
On May 28, 2013, Jacquelyn Mizani filed a putative class action lawsuit in the Supreme Court for the State of New York against the Company, the OP, Safari Acquisition LLC, CapLease, CapLease LP, CLF OP General Partner, LLC and the members of the CapLease board of directors (the “Mizani Action”). The complaint alleges, among other things, that the merger agreement at issue was the product of breaches of fiduciary duty by the CapLease directors because the proposed merger transaction (the “CapLease Transaction”) purportedly does not provide for full and fair value for the CapLease shareholders, the CapLease Transaction allegedly was not the result of a competitive bidding process, the merger agreement allegedly contains coercive deal protection measures and the merger agreement and the CapLease Transaction purportedly were approved as a result of improper self-dealing by certain defendants who would receive certain alleged employment compensation benefits and continued employment pursuant to the merger agreement. The complaint also alleges that CapLease, the Company, the OP and Safari Acquisition LLC aided and abetted the CapLease directors’ alleged breaches of fiduciary duty.
On July 3, 2013, Fred Carach filed a putative class action and derivative lawsuit in the Supreme Court for the State of New York against the Company, the OP, Safari Acquisition LLC, CapLease, CapLease LP, CLF OP General Partner, LLC and the members of the CapLease board of directors (the “Carach Action”). The complaint alleges, among other things, that the merger agreement was the product of breaches of fiduciary duty by the CapLease directors because the merger purportedly does not provide for full and fair value for the CapLease shareholders, the CapLease Transaction allegedly was not the result of a competitive bidding process, the merger agreement allegedly contains coercive deal protection measures and the merger agreement and the CapLease Transaction purportedly were approved as a result of improper self-dealing by certain defendants who would receive certain alleged employment compensation benefits and continued employment pursuant to the merger agreement. The complaint also alleges that with respect to the Registration Statement and draft joint proxy statement issued in connection with the proposed CapLease Transaction on July 2, 2013, that disclosures made therein were insufficient or otherwise improper. The complaint also alleges that CapLease LP, CLF OP General Partner, LLC, the Company, the OP and Safari Acquisition LLC aided and abetted the CapLease directors’ alleged breaches of fiduciary duty.
On June 25, 2013, Dewey Tarver filed a putative class action and derivative lawsuit in the Circuit Court for Baltimore City against the Company, the OP, Safari Acquisition LLC, CapLease, CapLease LP, CLF OP General Partner, LLC and the members of the CapLease board of directors (the “Tarver Action”). The complaint alleges, among other things, that the merger agreement was the product of breaches of fiduciary duty by the CapLease directors because the CapLease Transaction purportedly does not provide for full and fair value for the CapLease shareholders, the CapLease Transaction allegedly was not the result of a competitive bidding process, the merger agreement allegedly contains coercive deal protection measures and the merger agreement and the CapLease Transaction purportedly were approved as a result of improper self-dealing by certain defendants who would receive certain alleged employment compensation benefits and continued employment pursuant to the merger agreement. The complaint also alleges that CapLease, CapLease LP, CLF OP General Partner, LLC, the Company, the OP and Safari Acquisition, LLC aided and abetted the CapLease directors’ alleged breaches of fiduciary duty.
Counsel who filed each of these three cases reached an agreement with each other as to who will serve as lead plaintiff and lead plaintiffs’ counsel in the cases and where they will be prosecuted. Thus, on August 9, 2013, counsel in the Tarver Action filed a motion for stay in the Baltimore Court, informing the court that they had agreed to join and participate in the prosecution of the Mizani and Carach Actions in the New York Court. The Defendants consented to the stay of the Tarver Action in the Baltimore Court, and on September 5, 2013, Judge Pamela J. White issued an order granting that stay. Consequently, there has been no subsequent activity in the Baltimore Court in the Tarver Action. Also on August 9, 2013, all counsel involved in the Mizani and Carach Actions filed a joint stipulation in the New York Court, reflecting agreement among all parties that the Mizani and Carach Actions should be consolidated (jointly, “the Consolidated Actions”) and setting out a schedule for early motion practice in response to the complaints filed (the “Consolidation Stipulation”). Pursuant to the Consolidation Stipulation, an amended complaint was also filed in the New York court on August 9, 2013 and was designated as the operative complaint in the Consolidated Actions (“Operative Complaint”). Pursuant to the Consolidation Stipulation, all Defendants filed a motion to dismiss all claims asserted in the Operative Complaint on September 23, 2013. Plaintiffs’ response was due on or before November 7, 2013. On November 7, 2013, Plaintiffs filed a motion seeking leave to file a second amended complaint, which the Defendants opposed. On March 24, 2014, Plaintiffs’ counsel in the Consolidated Actions dismissed those claims without prejudice. Consequently, only the Tarver Action currently remains pending among these cases, although it remains stayed.
On October 8, 2013, John Poling filed a putative class action lawsuit in the Circuit Court for Baltimore City against the Company, the OP, Safari Acquisition LLC, CapLease, CapLease LP, CLF OP General Partner, LLC and the members of the CapLease board of directors (the “Poling Action”). The complaint alleges that the merger agreement breaches the terms of the CapLease 8.375% Series B Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock (“Series B”) and the terms of the 7.25% Series C Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock (“Series C”) and is in violation of the Series B Articles Supplementary and the Series C Articles Supplementary. The Complaint alleges claims for breach of contract and breach of fiduciary duty against the CapLease entities and the CapLease board of directors. The complaint also alleges that the Company, the OP and Safari Acquisition, LLC aided and abetted CapLease and the CapLease directors’ alleged breach of contract and breach of fiduciary duty.
On November 13, 2013, all counsel involved in the Poling Action filed a joint stipulation, reflecting agreement among all parties concerning a schedule for early motion practice in response to the complaint filed (the “Scheduling Stipulation”). Pursuant to the Scheduling Stipulation, all Defendants filed a motion to dismiss all claims asserted in the Operative Complaint on December 20, 2013. Plaintiff has filed an opposition to that motion, which remains pending.
Cole Litigation Matters
Three putative class action and/or derivative lawsuits, which were filed in March and April 2013, assert claims for breach of fiduciary duty, abuse of control, corporate waste, unjust enrichment, aiding and abetting breach of fiduciary duty and other claims relating to the merger between a wholly owned subsidiary of Cole and Cole Holdings Corporation, pursuant to which Cole became a self-managed REIT. On October 22, 2013, the Circuit Court for Baltimore City granted all defendants’ motion to dismiss with prejudice the action pending before the court, but the plaintiffs appealed that dismissal. On July 31, 2014, plaintiffs dismissed the pending appeal based on an agreement by defendants to reimburse plaintiffs in the amount of $100,000. The other two lawsuits, which also purport to assert shareholder class action claims under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), are pending in the United States District Court for the District of Arizona. Defendants filed a motion to dismiss both complaints on January 10, 2014. Subsequently, both of those lawsuits have been stayed by the Court pursuant to a joint request made by all parties pending final approval of the consolidated Baltimore Cole Merger Actions described below.
To date, eleven lawsuits have been filed in connection with the Cole Merger. Two of these suits - Wunsch v. Cole, et al. (“Wunsch”), No. 13-CV-2186, and Sobon v. Cole, et al. (“Sobon”) - were filed as putative class actions on October 25, 2013 and November 18, 2013, respectively, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona. Between October 30, 2013 and November 14, 2013, eight other putative stockholder class action or derivative lawsuits were filed in the Circuit Court for Baltimore City, Maryland, captioned as: (i) Operman v. Cole, et al. (“Operman”); (ii) Branham v. Cole, et al. (“Branham”); (iii) Wilfong v. Cole, et al. (“Wilfong”); (iv) Polage v. Cole, et al. (“Polage”); (v) Corwin v. Cole, et al. (“Corwin”); (vi) Green v. Cole, et al. (“Green”); (vii) Flynn v. Cole, et al. (“Flynn”) and (viii) Morgan v. Cole, et al. (“Morgan”). All of these lawsuits name the Company, Cole and Cole’s board of directors as defendants; Wunsch, Sobon, Branham, Wilfong, Flynn, Green, Morgan and Polage also name CREInvestments, LLC, a Maryland limited liability company and a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Cole, as a defendant. All of the named plaintiffs claim to be Cole stockholders and purport to represent all holders of Cole’s stock. Each complaint generally alleges that the individual defendants breached fiduciary duties owed to plaintiff and the other public stockholders of Cole in connection with the Cole Merger, and that certain entity defendants aided and abetted those breaches. The breach of fiduciary duty claims asserted include claims that the Cole Merger did not provide for full and fair value for the Cole shareholders, that the Cole Merger was the product of an “inadequate sale process,” that the Cole Merger Agreement contained coercive deal protection measures and that the Cole Merger Agreement and the Cole Merger were approved as a result of or in a manner which facilitates improper self-dealing by certain defendants. In addition, the Flynn, Corwin, Green, Wilfong, Polage and Branham lawsuits claim that the individual defendants breached their duty of candor to shareholders and the Branham and Polage lawsuits assert claims derivatively against the individual defendants for their alleged breach of fiduciary duties owed to Cole. The Polage lawsuit also asserts derivative claims for waste of corporate assets and unjust enrichment. The Wunsch and Sobon lawsuits also assert claims against Cole and the individual defendants under Section 14(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), based on allegations that the proxy materials omitted to disclose allegedly material information, and a claim against the individual defendants under Section 20(a) of the Exchange Act bNumberased on the same allegations. Among other remedies, the complaints seek unspecified money damages, costs and attorneys’ fees.
In January 2014, the parties to the eight lawsuits filed in the Circuit Court for Baltimore City, Maryland (the “consolidated Baltimore Cole Merger Actions”) entered into a memorandum of understanding regarding settlement of all claims asserted on behalf of the alleged class of Cole stockholders. In connection with the settlement contemplated by that memorandum of understanding, the class action and all claims asserted therein would be dismissed, subject to court approval. The proposed settlement terms required Cole to make certain additional disclosures related to the Cole Merger, which were included in a Current Report on Form 8-K filed by Cole with the SEC on January 14, 2014. The memorandum of understanding also contemplated that the parties would enter into a stipulation of settlement, subject to customary conditions, including confirmatory discovery and court approval following notice to Cole’s stockholders. The Sobon lawsuit was voluntarily dismissed on February 3, 2014.
On August 14, 2014, the parties in the consolidated Baltimore Merger Actions executed a Stipulation and Release and Agreement of Compromise and Settlement (the “Settlement Stipulation”). The parties in the consolidated Baltimore Merger Actions submitted the Settlement Stipulation, along with related filings, for approval by the Maryland court on August 18, 2014. On August 25, 2014, the Baltimore Circuit Court entered an Order on Preliminary Approval of Derivative and Class Action Settlement and Class Action Certification and scheduled a final settlement hearing in the consolidated Baltimore Merger Actions.
The defendants in the consolidated Baltimore Merger Actions mailed a Notice of Pendency of Derivative and Class Action (the “Class Notice”) to the Cole stockholders on October 7, 2014, following the court’s preliminary approval of the parties’ Settlement Stipulation. On December 3, 2014, the parties in the consolidated Baltimore Merger Actions executed an Amended Stipulation and Release and Agreement of Compromise and Settlement (the “Amended Stipulation”) modifying the Stipulation. A final settlement hearing in the consolidated Baltimore Merger Actions was held on December 12, 2014, and on January 13, 2015, the Baltimore Circuit Court issued an order approving the settlement pursuant to the terms of the Amended Stipulation. Two objectors have since filed a notice of appeal of the settlement order. Following court approval of the settlement of the consolidated Baltimore Merger Actions, the Wunsch case was dismissed voluntarily on January 21, 2015.
On December 27, 2013, Realistic Partners filed a putative class action lawsuit against the Company and the members of its board of directors in the Supreme Court for the State of New York. Cole was later added as a defendant also. The plaintiff alleges, among other things, that the board of the Company breached its fiduciary duties in connection with the transactions contemplated under the Cole Merger Agreement and that Cole aided and abetted those breaches. In January 2014, the parties entered into a memorandum of understanding regarding settlement of all claims asserted on behalf of the alleged class of the Company’s stockholders. In connection with the settlement contemplated by that memorandum of understanding, the class action and all claims asserted therein will be dismissed, subject to court approval. The proposed settlement terms required the Company to make certain additional disclosures related to the Cole Merger, which were included in a Current Report on Form 8-K filed by the Company with the SEC on January 17, 2014. The memorandum of understanding also contemplated that the parties will enter into a stipulation of settlement, which will be subject to customary conditions, including confirmatory discovery and court approval following notice to the Company’s stockholders. If the parties enter into a stipulation of settlement, a hearing will be scheduled at which the court will consider the fairness, reasonableness and adequacy of the settlement. There can be no assurance that the parties will ultimately enter into a stipulation of settlement, that the court will approve any proposed settlement, or that any eventual settlement will be under the same terms as those contemplated by the memorandum of understanding, therefore any losses that may be incurred to settle this matter are not determinable.
Contractual Lease Obligations
The following table reflects the minimum base rental cash payments due from the Company over the next five years and thereafter for certain ground and office lease obligations (in thousands):
 
 
Future Minimum
Base Rent Payments
2015
 
$
24,093

2016
 
22,880

2017
 
22,014

2018
 
19,958

2019
 
72,316

Thereafter
 
213,344

Total
 
$
374,605


Purchase Commitments
Cole Capital enters into purchase and sale agreements and deposits funds into escrow towards the purchase of such acquisitions, some of which are expected to be assigned to one of the Managed REITs at or prior to the closing of the respective acquisition. As of December 31, 2014, Cole Capital was a party to 51 purchase and sale agreements with unaffiliated third-party sellers to purchase a 100% interest in 192 properties, subject to meeting certain criteria, for an aggregate purchase price of $1.0 billion, exclusive of closing costs. As of December 31, 2014, Cole Capital had $29.8 million of property escrow deposits held by escrow agents in connection with these future property acquisitions, which may be forfeited if the transactions are not completed under certain circumstances. During the year ended December 31, 2014, Cole Capital forfeited $0.4 million of property escrow deposits, which are included in acquisition related expenses on the consolidated statement of operations. Cole Capital will be reimbursed by the assigned Managed REIT for amounts escrowed when it acquires a property.
Environmental Matters
In connection with the ownership and operation of real estate, the Company may potentially be liable for costs and damages related to environmental matters. The Company has not been notified by any governmental authority of any non-compliance, liability or other claim, and is not aware of any other environmental condition, in each case, that it believes will have a material adverse effect on the results of operations.