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Commitments and Contingencies
6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2022
Commitments and contingencies (Note 5)  
Commitments and Contingencies

Note 5 – Commitments and Contingencies

 

Securities and Exchange Commission Settlement

 

On September 20, 2018, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) approved an offer to settle the enforcement proceedings against the Company pursuant to Section 21C of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. These proceedings arose out of the violation of the Regulation S-X requirement that interim financial statements filed as part of a Form 10-Q be reviewed by an independent public accounting firm prior to filing.

 

On three occasions, specifically, May 20, 2013, August 19, 2013, and August 22, 2016, Cool Technologies filed Form 10-Qs that contained financial statements that were not reviewed by an independent public accounting firm. In two cases, the Company properly disclosed that the 10Q’s were “unaudited and unreviewed” as set forth by the guidance in the Division of Corporation Finance Financial Reporting Manual Section 4410.3 and in each case, the Company subsequently filed a restated and amended Form 10-Q/A that complied with the Interim Review Requirement. In no instance were the filings ever subjected to audit challenge.

 

Pursuant to the enforcement proceeding instituted by the SEC, the Company settled for a fine of $75,000 and agreed to cease and desist from any future violations of Sections 13(a) of the Exchange Act and Rule 13a-13 thereunder, and Rule 8-03 of Regulation S-X. As of June 30, 2022 and December 31, 2021, $50,000 is still due, which is included within accounts payable on the condensed consolidated balance sheets.

 

Cool Technologies’ subsidiary Ultimate Power Truck, LLC (“UPT”) is in pending litigation (PGC Investments, LLC, et al. v. Ultimate Power Truck, LLC, in the Circuit Court for the Sixth Judicial Circuit, Pinellas County, Florida). The litigation is a commercial landlord-tenant action wherein the Plaintiffs seek damages for nonpayment of rent arising out of a commercial lease agreement for which UPT was the tenant. The plaintiffs also named Cool Technologies as a defendant in the amended and second amended complaint. Cool Technologies has moved to dismiss the second amended complaint for lack of personal jurisdiction and failure to state a cause of action, which remain pending. On July 7, 2022, the parties entered into a settlement agreement. As per the agreement, Cool Technologies must pay Dennis Campbell and PGC Investments $25,000 within 5 business days of the effective date (July 7, 2022), another $25,000 on or before September 30, 2022, and 50,000 unregistered shares of the Company’s common stock on or before September 30, 2022. After delivery of all funds and shares, it is anticipated that the litigation will be dismissed in late September or early October 2022.

 

PGC Investments, LLC has also initiated an AAA arbitration proceeding against Cool Technologies seeking damages in the amount of $360,500 for breach of contract and breach of the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing. The parties have entered into a settlement agreement in conjunction with the Pinellas County litigation, and it is anticipated the arbitration will also be dismissed in late September or early October 2022.

 

All expenses related to the UPT litigation and arbitration have been accrued under accounts payable.

 

From time to time, the Company may be a party to other legal proceedings. Management currently believes that the ultimate resolution of these other matters, if any, and after consideration of amounts escrowed, will not have a material adverse effect on the consolidated results of operations, financial position, or cash flow.