XML 33 R23.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT v3.23.3
Commitments and Contingencies
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2023
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]  
Commitments and Contingencies Commitments and Contingencies
Lawsuits and Legal Proceedings

From time to time, the Company may become involved in various lawsuits and legal proceedings which arise in the ordinary course of business. However, litigation is subject to inherent uncertainties, and an adverse result in these or other matters may arise from time to time that may harm the business.
Shareholder Class Actions and Derivative Litigations

On June 28, 2020, a purported securities class action, captioned Lundy v. Ideanomics Inc. et al., was filed in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York against the Company and certain current officers and directors of the Company. Additionally, on July 7, 2020, a purported securities class action captioned Kim v. Ideanomics Inc. et al, was filed in the Southern District of New York against the Company and certain current officers and directors of the Company. Both cases alleged violations of Section 10(b) and 20(a) of the Exchange Act arising from certain purported misstatements by the Company beginning in September 2020 regarding its Ideanomics China division. On November 4, 2020, the Lundy and Kim actions were consolidated and the litigation is now titled “In re Ideanomics, Inc. Securities Litigation.” In December 2020, the Court appointed Rene Aghajanian as lead plaintiff and an amended complaint was filed in February 2021, alleging violations of Section 10(b) and 20(a) of the Exchange Act arising from certain purported misstatements by the Company beginning in March 2020 regarding its Ideanomics China division and seeking damages. The defendants filed a motion to dismiss on May 6, 2021. On March 15, 2022, the Court granted Defendants’ motions to dismiss in full and dismissed Plaintiff’s complaint. On April 14, 2022, Plaintiff sought leave to amend its complaint and Defendants opposed that request. On February 8, 2023, the Court denied Plaintiffs’ motion to amend and dismissed the case.

Merger-related Litigation and Demand Letters

Following the announcement of the Company’s agreement to acquire VIA, the Company received several demand letters on behalf of purported stockholders of the Company and the Company and certain of its officers and directors have been named as defendants in complaints filed and consolidated in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York demanding the issuance of additional disclosures in connection with the merger. The specific complaints, all of which have been consolidated, have the following filing dates: Macmillan v. Ideanomics, Inc.et al.¸ December 2, 2021; Saee v. Ideanomics, et al., December 7, 2021; and Foran v. Ideanomics, Inc., et al., January 11, 2022. In those complaints, Plaintiffs allege that the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-4 initially filed with the SEC on November 5, 2021, is false and misleading and purportedly omits material information regarding the Company’s acquisition of VIA. The Company believes that its disclosures
comply fully with applicable law and that the demand letters and complaints are without merit. Nevertheless, in order to moot the purported deficiencies alleged in the demand letters and the complaints, avoid the risk of delaying the consummation of the merger, and minimize the costs, risks, and uncertainties inherent in litigation, the Company, without admitting any liability or wrongdoing, voluntarily provided certain supplemental disclosures. Nothing in those supplemental disclosures should be considered an admission of the legal necessity or materiality under applicable laws of any of the disclosures included. To the contrary, the Company denies all of the allegations in the demand letters and the complaints that any additional disclosures are required.

SEC Investigation

As previously reported, the Company is subject to an investigation by the Division of Enforcement of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). The Company is cooperating with the SEC investigation and has responded to requests for documents, testimony and information. The SEC staff has notified the Company that the staff has made a preliminary determination to recommend that the SEC initiate an enforcement action against the Company regarding certain disclosures, transactions and accounting determinations from 2017 into 2019 that relate to the Company’s former business focus and do not relate to the Company’s EV business. Certain individuals, including certain current and former members of Ideanomics' management team, received similar notifications. Although the Company believes that it has defenses, the Company is engaged in discussions with the SEC about a resolution through settlement of the matters at hand. Until a final settlement is agreed with the SEC, the Company is unable to predict the outcome of this matter at this time. As part of any potential resolution the Company could be required to pay civil penalties or other amounts, and remedies or conditions could be imposed as part of any resolution.

McCarthy v. Ideanomics

On December 14, 2022, Conor McCarthy, Ideanomics’ former CFO, filed an arbitration in front of the American Arbitration Association alleging breach of his separation agreement by Ideanomics and claiming as damages the entirety of his separation payment (approximately $0.7 million), statutory interest, and costs. The parties settled the arbitration on April 12, 2023 and later amended, pursuant to which Ideanomics will make payments towards Mr. McCarthy that shall total in the amount of $0.7 million. During the three months ended September 30, 2023, the Company made the payment of $0.2 million, and the balance of $0.4 million is recorded in "accrued salaries" in the unaudited condensed consolidated balance sheets.

Cantor Fitzgerald, LLC v. Ideanomics

On January 10, 2023, Cantor sued Ideanomics in the Supreme Court of the State of New York, New York County for breach of contract to pay $0.2 million in fees associated with a Letter Agreement entered into on October 22, 2021. The parties negotiated a payment plan, under which Ideanomics failed to meet its obligations. Cantor filed a confession of judgment for the remaining $0.1M on July 18, 2023.

Acuitas Capital, LLC v. Ideanomics

As previously reported, on March 14, 2023, Acuitas Capital, LLC (“Acuitas”) filed suit against Ideanomics in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, alleging breach of the Securities Purchase Agreement executed between the parties on November 14, 2022. On August 7, 2023, Ideanomics and Acuitas entered into a Settlement Agreement pursuant to which the parties subsequently filed with the court a stipulation of discontinuance with prejudice of the action. This settled the matter with no admission of liability made by either party.


3i LP v. Ideanomics

On March 21, 2023, Ideanomics was served with a notice of lawsuit filed in the Supreme Court of New York, New York County. The summons alleges breach of contract regarding an exclusive term sheet. On June 9, 2023, Ideanomics filed a motion to dismiss for failure to state a claim, since the term sheet expressly stated that it was non-binding (among other reasons), which the plaintiff opposed. Ideanomics’ counsel filed motions to dismiss the First and Second causes of action and the Court denied the motions on October 23, 2023. Although the Company believes it has defenses, the case remains pending. The Company recorded $0.5 million in "accrued expense" in the the unaudited condensed consolidated balance sheets.

Osirius Group v. Ideanomics
On April 22, 2023, Osirius Group, LLC (“Osirius”) filed suit against Ideanomics in the U.S. District for the Eastern District Court of Michigan, alleging breach of contract between the parties. On August 22, 2023, a default judgment was entered by the Court in the amount of approximate $2.8 million dollars. The Company has since made payments in aggregate of $1.3 million, and the balance of $1.5 million remaining to be paid.

Additional Matters
In addition to the above, Ideanomics and its subsidiaries face a number of lawsuits alleging breach of contract for failure to make payment on contractual obligations.