form_ex77e-835.htm
N-SAR EXHIBIT 77E
Pending Litigation. Since 2009, seven class action lawsuits have been pending in the U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado against OppenheimerFunds, Inc. (“OFI”), OppenheimerFunds Distributor, Inc., the Fund’s principal underwriter and distributor (the “Distributor”), and certain funds (but not including the Fund) advised by OFI Global Asset Management, Inc. and distributed by the Distributor (the “Defendant Funds”). The lawsuits also name as defendants certain officers and current and former trustees of the respective Defendant Funds. The lawsuits raise claims under federal securities law and allege, among other things, that the disclosure documents of the respective Defendant Funds contained misrepresentations and omissions and that the respective Defendant Funds’ investment policies were not followed. The plaintiffs in these actions seek unspecified damages, equitable relief and awards of attorneys’ fees and litigation expenses. The Defendant Funds’ Boards of Trustees have also engaged counsel to represent the Funds and the present and former Independent Trustees named in those suits. On March 5, 2014, the parties in six of these lawsuits executed stipulations and agreements of settlement resolving those actions. The settlements are subject to a variety of contingencies, including approval by the court. The settlements do not resolve a seventh outstanding lawsuit relating to Oppenheimer Rochester California Municipal Fund.
Other class action and individual lawsuits have been filed since 2008 in various state and federal courts against OFI and certain of its affiliates by investors seeking to recover investments they allegedly lost as a result of the “Ponzi” scheme run by Bernard L. Madoff and his firm, Bernard L. Madoff Investment Securities, LLC (“BLMIS”). Plaintiffs in these suits allege that they suffered losses as a result of their investments in several funds managed by an affiliate of OFI and assert a variety of claims, including breach of fiduciary duty, fraud, negligent misrepresentation, unjust enrichment, and violation of federal and state securities laws and regulations, among others. They seek unspecified damages, equitable relief and awards of attorneys’ fees and litigation expenses. Neither the Distributor, nor any of the Oppenheimer mutual funds, their independent trustees or directors are named as defendants in these lawsuits. None of the Oppenheimer mutual funds invested in any funds or accounts managed by Madoff or BLMIS. On February 28, 2011, a stipulation of partial settlement of three groups of consolidated putative class action lawsuits relating to these matters was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. On August 19, 2011, the court entered an order and final judgment approving the settlement as fair, reasonable and adequate. In September 2011, certain parties filed notices of appeal from the court’s order approving the settlement. The settlement does not resolve other outstanding lawsuits against OFI and its affiliates relating to BLMIS.
OFI believes the lawsuits and appeals described above are without legal merit and, with the exception of actions it has settled, is defending against them vigorously. While it is premature to render any opinion as to the outcome in these lawsuits, or whether any costs that the Defendant Funds may bear in defending the suits might not be reimbursed by insurance, OFI believes that these suits should not impair the ability of OFI or the Distributor to perform their respective duties to the Fund, and that the outcome of all of the suits together should not have any material effect on the operations of any of the Oppenheimer mutual funds.