Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Commitments and Contingencies

v3.23.3
Commitments and Contingencies
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2023
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]  
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

15. COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

 

Legal Matters—From time to time, the Company is subject to various claims and legal proceedings in the ordinary course of business, including lawsuits, arbitrations, class actions and other litigation. The Company is also the subject of various actions, inquiries, investigations and proceedings by regulatory and other governmental agencies. The outcome of any such legal and regulatory matters, including those discussed in this Note 15, is inherently uncertain, and some of these matters may result in adverse judgments or awards, including penalties, injunctions or other relief, which could materially and adversely impact the Company's business, financial condition, operating results and cash flows. See Part I, Item 1A “Risk Factors — Risks Relating to Legal and Accounting Matters — Unfavorable outcomes in legal proceedings may harm our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows” in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022.

The Company has determined, based on its current knowledge, that the aggregate amount or range of losses that are estimable with respect to its legal proceedings, including the matters described below, would not have a material adverse effect on its business, financial position, results of operations or cash flows. As of September 30, 2023, amounts accrued were not material. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the ultimate outcome of legal proceedings involves judgments, estimates and inherent uncertainties, and cannot be predicted with certainty. It is possible that an adverse outcome of any matter could be material to the Company's business, financial position, results of operations or cash flows as a whole for any particular reporting period of occurrence. In addition, it is possible that a matter may prompt litigation or additional investigations or proceedings by other government agencies or private litigants.

The Company holds a number of state licenses in connection with its business activities, and must also comply with other applicable compliance and regulatory requirements in the states where it operates. In most states where the Company operates, one or more regulatory agencies have authority with respect to regulation and enforcement of the Company's business activities under applicable state laws, and the Company may also be subject to the supervisory and examination authority of such state regulatory agencies. Examinations by state regulators have and may continue to result in findings or recommendations that require the Company, among other potential consequences, to provide refunds to customers or to modify its internal controls and/or business practices.

In the ordinary course of its business, the Company is and has been from time to time subject to, and may in the future be subject to, governmental and regulatory examinations, information requests, investigations and proceedings (both formal and informal) in connection with various aspects of its activities by state agencies, including the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation, the Attorney General of the Commonwealth of Virginia, the New York Attorney General’s Office and the Colorado Department of Law, certain of which may result in adverse judgments, settlements, fines, penalties, restitution, disgorgement, injunctions or other relief. The Company has responded to and cooperated with the relevant state agencies and will continue to do so in the future, as appropriate.

On September 29, 2022, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (the “CFPB”) initiated a civil action in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York ("SDNY") against MoneyLion Technologies Inc., ML Plus LLC and the Company's 38 state lending subsidiaries, alleging violations of the Military Lending Act and the Consumer Financial Protection Act. The CFPB is seeking injunctive relief, redress for allegedly affected consumers and civil monetary penalties. On January 10, 2023, the Company moved to dismiss the lawsuit, asserting various constitutional and merits-based arguments. On June 13, 2023, the CFPB filed its first amended complaint, alleging substantially similar claims as those asserted in its initial complaint. On July 11, 2023, the Company moved to dismiss the lawsuit, again asserting various constitutional and merit-based arguments. On October 9, 2023, the Company moved for a stay of the action pending a decision from the United States Supreme Court in CFPB v. Community Financial Services Association of America, Ltd., No. 22-448 (U.S. argued Oct. 3, 2023). The Company continues to maintain that the CFPB’s claims are meritless and is vigorously defending against the lawsuit. Nevertheless, at this time, the Company cannot predict or determine the timing or final outcome of this matter or the effect that any adverse determinations in the lawsuit may have on its business, financial condition or results of operations.

 

On July 21, 2023, Jeffrey Frommer, Lyusen Krubich, Daniel Fried and Pat Capra, the former equity owners of MALKA (collectively, the “Seller Members”), brought a civil action in the SDNY against MoneyLion Technologies Inc. alleging, among other things, breaches of the Membership Interest Purchase Agreement governing the MALKA Acquisition (the “MIPA”). Among other claims, the Seller Members allege that they are entitled to payment of $25.0 million of Class A Common Stock pursuant to the earnout provisions set forth in the MIPA, based on the Seller Members’ assertion that MALKA achieved certain financial targets for the year ended December 31, 2022 (such payment, the “2022 Earnout Payment”). The Company believes that the Seller Members are not entitled to any portion of the 2022 Earnout Payment under the terms of the MIPA and that the Seller Members’ claims in their lawsuit are meritless. The Company continues to vigorously defend against the lawsuit and has filed counterclaims against the Seller Members, alleging, among other things, negligent misrepresentation, conversion, breach of fiduciary duties and breach of contract and seeking compensatory damages and other remedies as a result of wrongdoing by the Seller Members. On October 17, 2023, the SDNY denied, in full, the Seller Members’ motion for a preliminary injunction to remove the restrictive legends on certain shares of Class A Common Stock previously issued to the Seller Members. At this time, the Company cannot predict or determine the timing or final outcome of this matter or the effect that any adverse determinations in the lawsuit may have on its business, financial condition or results of operations.

 

On July 27, 2023, MassMutual Ventures US II LLC, Canaan X L.P., Canaan XI L.P., F-Prime Capital Partners Tech Fund LP and GreatPoint Ventures Innovation Fund II, L.P., each of which are former equityholders of Even Financial Inc. and former holders of the Company’s Series A Preferred Stock (collectively, the “Former Preferred Stockholders”), brought a civil action in the SDNY against MoneyLion Inc., its Board of Directors and certain officers seeking declaratory relief and related damages. The Former Preferred Stockholders allege that the 1-for-30 Reverse Stock Split of the Class A Common Stock effected on April 24, 2023 was undertaken in a manner designed to trigger the Automatic Conversion Event pursuant to which all outstanding shares of Series A Preferred Stock automatically converted into certain shares of Class A Common Stock following the close of trading on the NYSE on May 26, 2023. The Former Preferred Stockholders further allege that the Definitive Proxy Statement the Company filed with the SEC on March 31, 2023 relating to the Special Meeting of Stockholders to approve the Reverse Stock Split proposal contained false and/or misleading statements and material omissions, and that the Company improperly failed to obtain the separate vote of the holders of the Series A Preferred Stock to approve the Reverse Stock Split. In connection therewith, the Former Preferred Stockholders assert claims against all defendants under Section 14(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and for breach of the Certificate of Designations governing the Series A Preferred Stock, and a claim against the individual defendants for breach of fiduciary duty. The Company believes that the Former Preferred Stockholders’ claims are meritless, and on November 6, 2023, the Company filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit in its entirety. The Company intends to vigorously defend against the lawsuit. Nevertheless, at this time, the Company cannot predict or determine the timing or final outcome of this matter or the effect that any adverse determinations in the lawsuit may have on its business, financial condition or results of operations.