EX-99.01 4 ex99-01.txt LEGAL PROCEEDINGS 1 EXHIBIT 99.1 SECOND AND THIRD PARAGRAPHS UNDER THE CAPTION "LEGAL PROCEEDINGS" BEGINNING ON PAGE 11 OF THE ANNUAL REPORT ON FORM 10-K OF SSBH FOR THE YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 1999 (FILE NO. 1-4346). In September 1992, Harris Trust and Savings Bank (as trustee for Ameritech Pension Trust ("APT")), Ameritech Corporation, and an officer of Ameritech filed suit against Salomon Brothers Inc. ("SBI") and Salomon Brothers Realty Corporation ("SBRC") in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois (Harris Trust Savings Bank, not individually but solely as trustee for the Ameritech Pension Trust, Ameritech Corporation and John A. Edwardson v. Salomon Brothers Inc and Salomon Brothers Realty Corp.). The second amended complaint alleges that three purchases by APT from defendants of participation interests in net cash flow or resale proceeds of three portfolios of motels owned by Motels of America, Inc. ("MOA"), as well as a fourth purchase by APT of a similar participation interest in a portfolio of motels owned by Best Inns, Inc. ("Best"), violated the Employee Retirement Income Security Act ("ERISA"), and that APT's purchase of the participation interests in the third MOA portfolio and in the Best portfolio violated the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization Act ("RICO") and the Illinois Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Practices Act ("Consumer Fraud Act"), and constituted fraud, negligent misrepresentation, breach of contract and unjust enrichment. SBI had acquired the participation interests when it purchased principal mortgage notes issued by MOA and Best to finance purchases of motel portfolios; 95% of three of those interests and 100% of the fourth were sold to APT for a total of approximately $20.9 million. Plaintiffs' second amended complaint seeks judgment (a) on the ERISA claims for the approximately $20.9 million purchase price, for rescission and for disgorgement of profits, as well as other relief, and (b) on the RICO and state law claims in the amount of $12.3 million, with damages trebled to $37 million on the RICO claims and punitive damages in excess of $37 million on certain of the state law claims as well as other relief. Following motions by defendants, the court dismissed the RICO, Consumer Fraud Act, fraud, negligent misrepresentation, breach of contract, and unjust enrichment claims. The court also found that defendants were not ERISA fiduciaries and dismissed two of the three claims based on that allegation. Defendants moved for summary judgment on plaintiffs' only remaining claim, which alleged an ERISA violation. The motion was denied, and defendants appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. In July 1999, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit reversed the denial of defendants' motion for summary judgment and dismissed the sole remaining ERISA claim against the Company. Plaintiffs filed a petition for certiorari with the U. S. Supreme Court seeking review of the decision of the Court of Appeals. The petition was granted in January 2000. Both the Department of Labor and the Internal Revenue Service have advised SBI that they were or are reviewing the underlying transactions. With respect to the Internal Revenue Service, SSBH, SBI and SBRC have consented to extensions of time for the assessment of excise taxes that may be claimed with respect to the transactions for the years 1987, 1988 and 1989. In August 1996, the IRS sent SSBH, SBI and SBRC what appeared to be draft "30-day letters" with respect to the transactions and SSBH, SBI and SBRC were given an opportunity to comment on whether the IRS should issue 30-day letters, which would actually commence the assessment process. In October 1996, SSBH, SBI and SBRC submitted a memorandum setting forth reasons why the IRS should not issue such 30-day letters. Since that time, the IRS has not issued such 30-day letters to SSBH, SBI or SBRC.