XML 46 R22.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT v3.3.0.814
Litigation
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2015
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]  
Litigation
Litigation
 
In view of the inherent difficulty of predicting the outcome of litigation, particularly where the claimants seek very large or indeterminate damages, the Company generally cannot predict what the eventual outcome of the pending matters will be, what the timing of the ultimate resolution of these matters will be, or what the eventual loss, fines or penalties related to each pending matter may be.
 
In accordance with the authoritative guidance issued by the FASB on contingencies, the Company accrues anticipated costs of settlement, damages and losses for claims to the extent specific losses are probable and estimable. The Company records a receivable for insurance recoveries when such amounts are probable and collectable.  In such cases, there may be an exposure to loss in excess of any amounts accrued.  If, at the time of evaluation, the loss contingency related to a litigation  is not both probable and estimable, the matter will continue to be monitored for further developments that would make such loss contingency both probable and estimable and, the Company will expense these costs as incurred. If the estimate of a probable loss is a range and no amount within the range is more likely, the Company will accrue the minimum amount of the range.

Stockholder Litigation
 
Company stockholders filed actions in the Suffolk County Division of the Supreme Court of the State of New York, putatively derivatively on behalf of the Company, against the Company, each of the Company’s Directors, Mr. Weber, the former Chief Financial Officer and Vice President of Operations of the Company, Wayne Lam, a former Vice president of the Company, the estate of Mr. Huai, the former Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company, and Jason Lin, a former employee of the Company (the “Derivative Action”). The consolidated amended Derivative Action complaint alleged that the defendants breached their duties to the Company by: (1) causing or allowing the dissemination of false and misleading information; (2) failing to maintain internal controls; (3) failing to manage the Company properly; (4) unjustly enriching themselves; (5) abusing their control of the Company; and (6) wasting Company assets.

On March 5, 2013, the Suffolk County Division of the Supreme Court of the State of New York granted a motion made by all of the defendants in the Derivative Action, except Mr. Lin, and dismissed the Derivative Action as to all defendants other than Mr. Lin. The stockholders appealed the dismissal of the Derivative Action and on March 18, 2015, the Appellate Division, Second Department unanimously affirmed the New York Supreme Court’s decision dismissing the Derivative Action. The Plaintiffs have not timely sought leave to appeal the Appellate Division’s decision to the New York Court of Appeals, and thus the Company believes this matter has been finally resolved.

 The Company has insurance policies that were purchased to cover, among other things, lawsuits like the Derivative Action and a class action lawsuit that has been settled by the Company (the "Class Action"). The Company’s Directors and Officers (“D&O”) Insurance, is composed of more than one layer, with each layer written by a different insurance company. However, the events that gave rise to the claims in the Derivative Action and the Class Action caused the Company’s insurers to reserve their rights to disclaim, rescind, or otherwise not be obligated to provide coverage to the Company and certain other insureds under the policies. In light of these uncertainties, the Company entered into settlements with two of its insurers. Pursuant to these settlements, the Company will not receive repayment of all amounts it might otherwise have received.
 
Since October 1, 2012, the Company has recorded $7.3 million of total costs associated with the Class Action and the Derivative Actions. As a result of the agreement reached with the insurer carriers of the Company’s D&O insurance, the Company recorded insurance recoveries of $5.7 million since October 1, 2012 of which $5.7 million have been reimbursed by the Company's insurance carriers as of September 30, 2015.

 During the three months ended September 30, 2015, the Company did not record any expense and for the nine months ended September 30, 2015 the Company recorded expense of $8,842, of investigation, litigation and settlement related legal costs, net of expected recoveries, related to expenses related to the Class Action and Derivative Action lawsuits and other settlement related activities that are not recoverable through insurance. During the three and nine months ended September 30, 2014, the Company recorded benefits of $22,502 and $5.2 million, respectively, of investigation, litigation and settlement related legal costs, net of expected recoveries, related to expenses related to the Class Action and Derivative Action lawsuits, the Estate settlement and other settlement related activities that are not recoverable through insurance.

 Other Claims
 
The Company is subject to various legal proceedings and claims, asserted or unasserted, which arise in the ordinary course of business. While the outcome of any such matters cannot be predicted with certainty, such matters are not expected to have a material adverse effect on the Company’s financial condition or operating results.
 
The Company continues to assess certain litigation and claims to determine the amounts, if any, that the Company believes may be paid as a result of such claims and litigation and, therefore, additional losses may be accrued and paid in the future, which could materially adversely impact the Company’s financial results, its cash flows and its cash reserves.