Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Commitments and Contingencies

v3.20.1
Commitments and Contingencies
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2019
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]  
Commitments and Contingencies

17. COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

 

PATENT LICENSE AGREEMENT

 

On March 29, 2012, the Company, as licensee (the “Licensee”) entered into an exclusive patent license agreement with the Executive Chairman of the Board and Balance Holdings, LLC (an entity controlled by the Executive Chairman) (collectively, the “Licensor”), whereby the Company agreed to pay a royalty of 10% of the gross profits received by the Company from commercial sales and/or use of two provisional patent applications, one relating to an inductive charging parking bumper and one relating to a process which allows multiple EVs to plug into an EV charging station simultaneously and charge as the current becomes available.

 

On March 11, 2016, the Licensee and the Licensor entered into an agreement related to the March 29, 2012 patent license agreement. The parties acknowledged that the Licensee has paid a total of $8,525 in registration and legal fees for the U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61529016 (the “Patent Application”) (related to the inductive charging parking bumper) to date. Effective March 11, 2016, the patent license agreement, solely with respect to the Patent Application and the parties’ rights and obligations thereto, was terminated. The Executive Chairman of the Board agreed to be solely responsible for all future costs and fees associated with the prosecution of the patent application. In the event the Patent Application is successful, the Executive Chairman of the Board shall grant a credit to the Licensee in the amount of $8,525 to be applied against any outstanding amount(s) owed to him. If the Licensee does not have any outstanding payment obligations to the Executive Chairman of the Board at the time the Patent Application is approved, the Executive Chairman of the Board shall remit the $8,525 to the Licensee within twenty (20) days of the approval. The parties agreed to a mutual release of any claims associated with the patent license agreement. As of December 31, 2019, the Company has not paid nor incurred any royalty fees related to this patent license agreement.

 

TAXES

 

During the third quarter of 2019, the Company filed its Federal corporate income tax returns for the years ended December 31, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018. The Company has sustained losses for the years ended December 31, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2018. The Company has determined that no tax liability, other than required minimums and related interest and penalties, has been incurred. The Company expects to be current with its state and local tax filings in the first calendar quarter of 2020.

 

LITIGATION AND DISPUTES

 

In July 2017, the Company was sued by Zwick and Banyai PLLC and Jack Zwick. The case alleges a breach of contract and unjust enrichment for failure to pay invoices in the aggregate amount of $53,069 for services rendered, plus interest and costs. The Company is one of six defendants in the case.

 

On October 26, 2018, Michael Bernstein, Esq. filed amended affirmative defenses on behalf of the Company. Following that, there was no record activity in the case and on September 20, 2019, the Court entered its Notice of Lack of Prosecution and Order to Appear for Hearing on November 19, 2019. When Plaintiffs failed to appear for the hearing, the Court dismissed the case. A couple of weeks later, Plaintiffs filed a motion to vacate the dismissal, asserting that they had moved offices in June of 2019, and were never provided notice of the hearing at their new address. At the January 23, 2020 hearing on Plaintiffs’ motion to vacate, the Court vacated the dismissal, over the objections of counsel, and the case is once again pending.

 

On January 31, 2020, the Company’s new attorney for this matter, Mr. Yechezkel Rodal, Esq. filed his notice of appearance and took over as defense counsel. On February 11, 2020, Jack Zwick and Zwick & Banyai PLLC each served a Request for Production of Documents on the Company, and Zwick & Banyai PLLC served a set of 14 Interrogatories. The Company’s responses to the discovery requests are due on April 20, 2020.

 

350 Green, LLC

 

350 Green lawsuits relate solely to alleged pre-acquisition unpaid debts of 350 Green. Also, there are other unpaid creditors, aside from those noted above, that claim to be owed certain amounts for pre-acquisition work done on behalf of 350 Green solely, that potentially could file lawsuits at some point in the future.

 

On March 26, 2018, final judgment has been reached relating to the Assignment for the Benefit of the Creditors, whereby all remaining assets of 350 Green are abandoned to their respective property owners where the charging stations have been installed, thus on March 26, 2018, the assignment proceeding has closed. Concurrent with the closing of the public offering, the Company was to pay the former principals of 350 Green LLC $25,000 in installment debt and $50,000 within 60 days thereafter in settlement of a $360,000 debt (inclusive of imputed interest) and the return of 8,065 shares of the Company’s common stock by the former principals of 350 Green LLC, in accordance with a Settlement Agreement between the parties dated August 21, 2015, that would have resulted in a gain of $285,000.

 

On December 31, 2018, the Company entered into a modification of the Settlement Agreement and Mutual Release dated August 21, 2015 with the former members of 350 Green LLC whereby the members would return to the Company 8,064 common shares and would also cancel the outstanding note (“Note”) issued to the members with a balance of $360,000, both, initially issued in conjunction with the acquisition of 350 Green LLC in exchange for $50,000. The Company paid the $50,000 as of December 31, 2018. The Note and common shares were returned and canceled in January 2019. The Company recorded a gain of $310,000 during the year ended December 31, 2019 which was included in other income and expense on the consolidated statement of operations.

 

Repositioning of Executive Employment Agreement

 

On February 13, 2018, the Company and Genweb2 entered into a letter agreement whereby the parties agreed that, concurrent with the closing of the public offering, the Company will settle outstanding liabilities of $116,999 owed to Genweb2 as follows: (i) the Company will pay $48,500 in cash out of the proceeds of the public offering; and (ii) in satisfaction of the remaining liability of $48,500, the Company will issue shares of restricted common stock at a price equal to 80% of the per unit price in the public offering. On February 16, 2018, the Company paid $48,500 in cash. On March 16, 2018, the Company issued 17,132 shares of common stock.

 

On February 13, 2018, the Company and Dickinson Wright PLLC (“Dickinson Wright”) entered into a letter agreement whereby the parties agreed that, concurrent with the closing of the public offering, the Company will settle outstanding liabilities of $88,845 owed to Dickinson Wright as follows: (i) the Company will pay $88,845 in cash out of the proceeds of the public offering. On February 16, 2018, the Company paid the full amount owed to Dickinson Wright.

 

On October 19, 2018, the Company entered into an agreement with its then-Chief Executive Officer (“Former CEO”), whereby the Former CEO will be repositioned as the Company’s Senior Vice President of Sales (“VP of Sales”) in conjunction with his resignation of his position as CEO. In connection with the agreement the parties agreed to the following:

 

  the VP of Sales will be entitled to receive a base salary of $10,000 per month as well as commissions on sales;
  the VP of Sales will be entitled to receive an aggregate payment of $225,000 in connection with the VP of Sales’ previous employment agreement with the Company dated July 16, 2015 payable in January 2019;
  the VP of Sales is entitled to receive restricted common stock with an aggregate value of $250,000, half of which vests in January 2019 and half vests on October 19, 2019; and
  all previously outstanding vested options may be exercised in accordance with their terms and all previously outstanding unvested options shall be forfeited.

 

As of December 31, 2018, there was $145,000 of vested restricted common stock included within accrued issuable equity. During the year ended December 31, 2019, the Company issued 56,948 shares is satisfaction of this obligation. See Note 13- Stockholders’ Equity for additional details.