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8. COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
9 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2015
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]  
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

Leases

 

We lease approximately 11,318 square feet located in San Diego, California, at a monthly rent of $16,576, and the lease expires on August 31, 2015. In addition to monthly rent, the lease provides for periodic cost of living increases in the base rent. Rent expense related to the operating lease was $49,728 for the three months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014 and $149,185 for the nine months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014. Our facility is covered by an appropriate level of insurance and we believe it to be suitable for our use and adequate for our present needs.

 

Our Korea-based subsidiary, Franklin Technology, Inc. (“FTI”), leases approximately 10,000 square feet of office space in Seoul, Korea, at a monthly rent of approximately $8,000, and the lease expires on September 1, 2015. In addition to monthly rent, the lease provides for periodic cost of living increases in the base rent and payment of common area costs. Rent expense related to the operating lease was approximately $24,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014 and approximately $72,000 for the nine months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014. The facility is covered by an appropriate level of insurance and we believe it to be suitable for our use and adequate for our present needs.

 

We lease one corporate housing facility for our vendors and employees who travel, under a non-cancelable operating lease that expires on September 13, 2015. During the nine months ended March 31, 2014, we leased an additional corporate housing facility whose lease was terminated in April 2014. Rent expense related to these operating leases was $2,603 and $6,945 for the three months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively, and $7,983 and $17,877 for the nine months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively.

 

Contingency

 

On July 27, 2010, we entered into a Common Stock Repurchase Agreement with C-Motech (the “Agreement”), under which we agreed to repurchase 3,370,356 shares of our Common Stock from C-Motech for $3,500,000. A total of 1,803,684 shares were repurchased on the date of the Agreement in exchange for non-cash consideration in the amount of $1,873,065, which represented amounts owed to the Company by C-Motech for certain marketing funds as well as the settlement of a price dispute for products previously purchased by the Company from C-Motech. Under the Agreement, the remaining 1,566,672 shares were to be repurchased by us upon payment of the balance, $1,626,935, on or before December 31, 2010.

 

On January 28, 2011 (the “Amendment Date”) the Agreement was amended to reflect (1) a change in the date the 1,566,672 shares are to be repurchased from C-Motech from December 31, 2010 to March 31, 2011, and (2) a change to the non-cash consideration of $1,873,065. In exchange for the 1,803,684 shares, we were to pay cash to C-Motech (in the same amount) for the shares, by March 31, 2011. In addition, in a separate agreement dated January 28, 2011, C-Motech agreed to pay us $1,873,065, for amounts owed, by March 31, 2011. The purpose of these revisions was to more clearly differentiate each party’s payment obligations to the other with respect to this transaction. Following the Amendment Date, we paid C-Motech $1,873,065 in exchange for the 1,803,684 shares previously transferred to us by C-Motech, and C-Motech paid us $1,873,065 for amounts owed, of which $1,581,457 was booked to other income and $291,608 was booked to cost of goods sold. The repurchase of the remaining 1,566,672 shares from C-Motech was not completed. We have provided formal notification to C-Motech that it is in breach of its obligations and we have also provided a demand to sell the shares back to us. We have attempted to tender payment for the shares without results. We were previously advised that there are two individuals, Cheng-Ji Zhu and Ok-Nam Yun, who claim to have purchased the shares from C-Motech through its former CEO; however, the authority of the former CEO to agree to the sale of the shares was disputed by C-Motech. The ownership of the shares was the subject of litigation involving Cheng-Ji Zhu and Ok-Nam Yun and C-Motech in U.S. and Korean courts. On April 1, 2015 the Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois County Department, Chancery Division issued an Order with respect to the matter of Cheng-Ji Zhu and Ok-Nam Yun, plaintiffs, v. Integrity Stock Transfer and Registrar, Mountain Share Transfer, Inc. and C-Motech Company Ltd., defendants. The order recognizes and enforces the plaintiff's Motion to Recognize and Enforce Foreign Judgment in which the plaintiffs previously prevailed over C-Motech with respect to the ownership of the 1,566,672 shares of Franklin Wireless Common Stock in an action that took place in Korea. As of the date of this Report, C-Motech is the registered owner of certificates representing 1,566,672 shares, which were issued by the Company in C-Motech’s name.

 

On May 7, 2013, we filed a lawsuit against C-Motech in the Superior Court of California for the County of San Diego for breach of the Agreement and breach of other contracts between the parties relating to indemnification and other obligations. On February 25, 2014, C-Motech answered the complaint and on February 26, 2014, C-Motech filed a Notice of Removal from the Superior Court of the State of California for the County of San Diego to the United States District Court for the Southern District of California. On June 19, 2014, C-Motech filed a voluntary petition for relief under Chapter 15 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code and on June 27, 2014, C-Motech filed a Motion for Recognition of a Foreign Main Proceeding under Chapter 15 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code and Further Relief. On July 10, 2014, this motion was heard in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of California during which the Court ordered that C-Motech's bankruptcy proceeding in South Korea was recognized as a foreign main proceeding and that our lawsuit against C-Motech in the U.S. District Court is stayed. The effect of this ruling is that we must participate in C-Motech's bankruptcy proceeding in South Korea if we wish to pursue our various claims against C-Motech. We are currently considering our options with respect to this ruling.

 

As of March 31, 2015, C-Motech is the record owner of 1,566,672 shares, or 15%, of our outstanding Common Stock.

 

Litigation

 

We are from time to time involved in certain legal proceedings and claims arising in the ordinary course of business.

 

Novatel Wireless, Inc.

 

On December 10, 2010, Novatel Wireless, Inc. filed a complaint in the United States District Court for the Southern District of California, against us and one other defendant. The complaint alleges that certain products, including, but not limited to, mobile data hot spots and data modems, infringe on U.S. Patent Nos. 5,129,098; 7,318,225; 7,574,737 and 7,319,715. On April 13, 2012, the plaintiff filed a Second Amended Complaint which amended certain claims and added U.S. Patent No. 7,944,901 to the original complaint. On April 27, 2012, we filed a Motion to Dismiss the Second Amended Complaint as to certain of the claims. On July 6, 2012, the Court held oral argument on the Motion to Dismiss and on July 19, 2012, the Court issued an order granting in part and denying in part the Motion to Dismiss. On August 2, 2012, we answered the complaint and an Early Neutral Evaluation Conference took place on October 31, 2012 and a follow-up Settlement Conference was held on June 12, 2013. A claim construction hearing took place on October 9, 2014. On November 25, 2014, the Court granted plaintiff's Joint Motion to Joinder of Required Party, which added Nova Intellectual Solutions, LLC as a plaintiff to this litigation. This matter is currently in the discovery phase. Due to the preliminary nature of these proceedings, we do not believe an amount of loss, if any, can be reasonably estimated for this matter. We intend to vigorously defend ourselves against these allegations.

 

On April 24, 2015, Nova Intellectual Solutions, LLC filed a complaint in the United States District Court for the Southern District of California, against us and FTI. The complaint alleges that one of the Company's products infringes on U.S. Patent No. 7,944,901. As of the date of this Report, neither we nor FTI have been served with the complaint. Due to the preliminary nature of these proceedings, we do not believe an amount of loss, if any, can be reasonably estimated for this matter. We intend to vigorously defend ourselves against these allegations.

 

C-Motech Co., Ltd.

 

On May 7, 2013, we filed a lawsuit against C-Motech Co., Ltd. in the Superior Court of California for the County of San Diego for breach of a Common Stock Repurchase Agreement we entered into with C-Motech On July 27, 2010. Under that Agreement, we agreed to repurchase 3,370,356 shares of our Common Stock from C-Motech for $3,500,000. A total of 1,803,684 shares were repurchased on the date of the Agreement in exchange for non-cash consideration in the amount of $1,873,065, and the remaining 1,566,672 shares were to be repurchased by us upon payment of the balance, $1,626,935, on or before December 31, 2010. This date was extended to March 31, 2011 and certain other changes made by an Amendment to the Agreement, as more particularly described in Item 13 below. However, the repurchase of the remaining 1,566,672 shares was not completed, notwithstanding our formal demand to C-Motech to sell the shares back to us and our attempt to tender payment for the shares. Accordingly, the action seeks damages, specific performance and declaratory relief for breach of the Common Stock Repurchase Agreement. The action also seeks indemnification from C-Motech for breach of other contracts between the parties relating to indemnification and intentional interference with certain other contracts. On February 25, 2014, C-Motech answered the complaint and on February 26, 2014, C-Motech filed a Notice of Removal from the Superior Court of the State of California for the County of San Diego to the United States District Court for the Southern District of California. On June 19, 2014, C-Motech filed a voluntary petition for relief under Chapter 15 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code and on June 27, 2014, C-Motech filed a Motion for Recognition of a Foreign Main Proceeding under Chapter 15 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code and Further Relief. On July 10, 2014, this motion was heard in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of California during which the Court ordered that C-Motech's bankruptcy proceeding in South Korea was recognized as a foreign main proceeding and that our lawsuit against C-Motech in the U.S. District Court is stayed. The effect of this ruling is that we must participate in C-Motech's bankruptcy proceeding in South Korea if we wish to pursue our various claims against C-Motech. We are currently considering our options with respect to this ruling.

 

Cell and Network Selection LLC

 

On October 1, 2013, Cell and Network Selection LLC filed a complaint in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, Tyler Division against one of our customers as one of several defendants. The complaint alleges that certain wireless devices, including one device provided by the Company, infringe on U.S. Patent No. 6,195,551. As of March 31, 2015, this legal proceeding is pending, but we do not believe this action will have a material effect on the Company.

 

Concinnitas, LLC

 

On December 3, 2013, Concinnitas, LLC filed a complaint against us in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, Marshall Division. The complaint alleges that at least one product model sold by the Company infringes U.S. Patent No. 7,805,542. The product model identified in the complaint was purchased by the Company from one of our suppliers. On August 28, 2014, the parties, including our supplier, entered into a Patent License, Settlement and Release Agreement and filed a request with the Court to dismiss this action. On September 2, 2014, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, Marshall Division, issued an Order approving the dismissal, with prejudice, of the action filed by Concinnitas, LLC.

 

Change of Control Agreements

 

On September 21, 2009 we entered into Change of Control Agreements with OC Kim, our President, Yun J. (David) Lee, our Chief Operating Officer, and Yong Bae Won, our Vice President, Engineering. Each Change of Control Agreement provides for a lump sum payment to the officer in case of a change of control of the Company. The term includes the acquisition of Common Stock of the Company resulting in one person or company owning more than 50% of the outstanding shares, a significant change in the composition of the Board of Directors of the Company during any 12-month period, a reorganization, merger, consolidation or similar transaction resulting in the transfer of ownership of more than fifty percent (50%) of the Company's outstanding Common Stock, or a liquidation or dissolution of the Company or sale of substantially all of the Company's assets.

 

The Change of Control Agreement with Mr. Kim is for three years and calls for a payment of $5 million upon a change of control; the agreement with Mr. Lee is for two years and calls for a payment of $2 million upon a change of control; and the agreement with Mr. Won is for two years and calls for a payment of $1 million upon a change of control.

 

The Board of Directors has approved extension of the Change of Control Agreements with Mr. Kim, and Mr. Lee through September 21, 2017. The Change of Control Agreement with Mr. Won expired on September 21, 2014 and was not renewed or extended.