From time-to-time, the Company is involved in legal proceedings. The following is a summary of our current outstanding litigation. Note that references to GreenBox POS are for historical purposes. GreenBox POS changed its name to RYVYL Inc. on October 13, 2022.
| ● | On November 8, 2022, the Company filed a complaint against its former Chief Operating Officer Vanessa Luna, Luna Consultant Group, LLC and Does 1 through 50 in San Diego Superior Court (the “Company Filing”). The Company is alleging that Ms. Luna abused her position for additional compensation, failed to follow proper protocols and breached her fiduciary duties and duty of loyalty by secretly maintaining alternative employment. The action seeks damages, including interest and costs of suit incurred. On November 10, 2022, Ms. Luna filed her own complaint against the Company and Fredi Nisan in San Diego Superior Court (the “Luna Filing”). Ms. Luna alleges that Mr. Nisan used contract negotiations to coerce her, that the Company improperly coded transactions and misled investors, and that when her concerns were reported to management, she was wrongfully terminated, resulting in a number of claims. Ms. Luna also alleges sexual misconduct on the part of Mr. Nisan. Ms. Luna is seeking damages including compensatory damages, unpaid wages (past and future), loss of wages and benefits (past and future), and other damages to be proven at trial. The Company and Mr. Nisan deny all allegations of the Luna Filing. In April 2023, Ms. Luna sought to add Coyni, Inc. as a defendant with regard to her claims. She was granted permission to file a Second Amended Complaint, and Coyni, Inc. has challenged the allegations by way of demurrer, which was denied on August 9, 2024. In addition, the Company and Mr. Nisan have filed a motion for leave to amend their complaint against Luna, adding additional claims against her, including securities fraud, and, on August 9, 2024, the Court granted permission for the Company to file a Second Amended Complaint. As the Company cannot predict the outcome of the matter, the probability of an outcome cannot be determined. The Company intends to vigorously defend against all claims asserted by Ms. Luna and to vigorously prosecute its own claims against Ms. Luna. The San Diego Superior Court consolidated the Company Filing and Luna Filing into a single proceeding, RYVYL Inc. v. Luna, on August 4, 2023. The parties are currently in the discovery phase. On October 17, 2024, the parties entered into a confidential settlement agreement, and on October 24, 2024, a stipulated motion to stay all pleadings was filed with the Court. |
| ● | On December 12, 2022, Jacqueline Dollar (aka Jacqueline Reynolds), former Chief Marketing Officer of the Company, filed a complaint against the Company, Fredi Nisan, and Does 1-20 in San Diego Superior Court. Ms. Dollar is alleging she was undercompensated compared to her male counterparts and retaliated against after raising concerns to management resulting in sex discrimination in violation of the California Fair Employment and Housing Act (“FEHA”) and failure to prevent discrimination in violation of FEHA. Ms. Dollar is also claiming intentional infliction of emotional distress. Ms. Dollar is seeking an unspecified amount of damages related to, among other things, payment of past and future lost wages, stock issuances, bonuses and benefits, compensatory damages, and general, economic, non-economic, and special damages. As the Company cannot predict the outcome of the matter, the probability of an outcome cannot be determined. The Company intends to vigorously defend against all claims. The parties are currently in the discovery phase. |
| ● | On February 1, 2023, a putative class action lawsuit titled Cullen v. RYVYL Inc. fka GreenBox POS, Inc., et al., Case No. 3:23-cv-00185-GPC-AGS, was filed in the United States District Court for the Southern District of California against several defendants, including the Company and certain of our current and former directors and officers (the “Cullen Defendants”). The complaint was filed on behalf of persons who purchased or otherwise acquired the Company’s publicly traded securities between January 29, 2021 and January 20, 2023. The complaint alleged that the Cullen Defendants violated Sections 11, 12(a)(2), and 15 of the Securities Act and Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Exchange Act by making false and/or misleading statements regarding the Company’s financial controls, performance and prospects. On June 30, 2023, the plaintiff filed an amended complaint. All defendants filed motions to dismiss the amended complaint on August 14, 2023. On March 1, 2024, the Court issued an order granting in part and denying in part defendants’ motions to dismiss, which included dismissing all Securities Act claims and narrowing the potential class period. The plaintiff filed a second amended complaint on April 30, 2024, which alleges claims against the Cullen Defendants under Exchange Act Sections 10(b) and 20(a) only and a class period of May 13, 2021 through January 20, 2023. The Company filed its motion to dismiss the second amended complaint on July 1, 2024. On October 21, 2024, the Court issued an order granting in part and denying in part defendants’ motions to dismiss. The scope of the remaining claims is consistent with the Court’s last motion to dismiss decision dated March 1, 2024. On November 12, 2024, Plaintiff filed a Third Amended Complaint, which asserts the same legal causes of action and proposed class period as the previous complaint. The Company is evaluating the amended complaint and may be filing a further motion to dismiss. The action seeks damages, including interest, and the award of reasonable fees and costs to the putative class. The Company denies all allegations of liability and intends to vigorously defend against all claims. However, given the preliminary stage of the lawsuit, the uncertainty of litigation, and the legal standards that must be met for success on the merits, the Company cannot predict the outcome at this time or estimate a reasonably possible loss or range of loss that may result from this action. |
| ● | On June 22, 2023, a shareholder derivative complaint was filed in the United States District Court for the Southern District of California against certain of the Company’s current and/or former officers and directors (the “Hertel Defendants”), Christy Hertel, derivatively on behalf of RYVYL Inc., f/k/a GreenBox POS v. Ben Errez et al., Case No. 3:23-CV-01165-GPC-SBC. On August 4, 2023, a second shareholder derivative complaint was filed in the United States District Court for the Southern District of California against the Hertel Defendants, Marcus Gazaway, derivatively on behalf of RYVYL Inc., f/k/a GreenBox POS v. Ben Errez et al., Case No. 3:23-CV-01425-LAB-BLM. Both derivative complaints generally allege that the Hertel Defendants failed to implement adequate internal controls that would prevent false and misleading financial information from being published by the Company and that controlling shareholders participated in overpayment misconduct resulting in violations of Sections 10(b), 14(a) and 20 of the Exchange Act and breached their fiduciary duties and, purportedly on behalf of the Company. On April 2, 2024, the Court granted the parties’ joint motion for an order consolidating the Hertel and Gazaway cases under the caption In re RYVYL Inc. Derivative Litigation, Lead Case No. 3:23-CV-01165-GPC-SBC (S.D. Cal.). On May 6, 2024, the Court issued an order staying the action until after the final resolution of any motion to dismiss the securities class action detailed above. On May 1, 2024, a third nearly identical shareholder derivative complaint was filed in Clark County, Nevada by plaintiff Christina Brown, derivatively on behalf of RYVYL, Inc., v. Ben Errez et al., Case No. A-24-892382-C. The Company currently is working with Ms. Brown’s counsel to coordinate a stay of the Nevada action on the same terms as the stay of the Hertel and Gazaway cases. The complaint seeks damages and contribution from the Hertel Defendants and a direction that the Company and the Hertel Defendants take actions to reform and improve corporate governance and internal procedures to comply with applicable laws. The Hertel Defendants deny all allegations of liability and intend to vigorously defend against all claims. However, given the preliminary stage of the lawsuits, the uncertainty of litigation, and the legal standards that must be met for success on the merits, the Company cannot predict the outcome of either case at this time. |
| ● | On October 1, 2023, the Company filed a demand for arbitration against Sky Financial with the American Arbitration Association in San Diego, California (the “Arbitration”). In the Arbitration, the Company seeks to recover for breach of contract and Sky Financial’s failure to perform its obligations On October 2, 2023, the Company filed a complaint against Sky Financial in San Diego Superior Court asserting the same claims asserted in the Arbitration, solely to toll any applicable statutes of limitations pending the Arbitration and, if necessary, provide jurisdiction for the court to compel arbitration. The action seeks damages, including interest and costs of suit incurred. The parties agreed to proceed in the Arbitration and to implement the steps needed to extend the current stay of the San Diego Superior Court action pending the Arbitration. Subsequently, the parties agreed to stay the Arbitration and attend mediation. A mediation was scheduled but then vacated by stipulation of the parties. The parties have agreed to continue the stay of the Arbitration pending a mediation, which is to be re-scheduled. |
| ● | On July 6, 2022, the Company’s subsidiary, RYVYL EU (formerly known as Transact Europe OOD), received a notary invitation from Satya Consulting PTE Limited (“Satya”) filed in Bulgaria. In the filed claim, Satya alleges nonpayment of its fee in the amount of EUR 900,000, to which statutory default interest is to be added, for failure of payment under the Company’s stock purchase agreement for Transact Europe Holdings OOD. RYVYL EU has retained Bulgarian counsel to assist in the defense of the asserted claim and denies all allegations. As RYVYL EU cannot predict the outcome of the matter, the probability of an outcome cannot be determined. RYVYL EU intends to vigorously defend against all claims. On October 18, 2024, RYVYL EU entered into a confidential settlement agreement with no material impact to the Company. A hearing is scheduled for November 15, 2024, where it is expected that the Court will approve the settlement and terminate the case. |
| ● | On January 2, 2024, the Company filed a Statement of Claim against Chessa Sabourin in the Ontario Superior Court of Justice. Case No. CV-24-00712190-0000. The Company seeks to recover funds unlawfully held by Sabourin, or in the alternative, damages in the equivalent amount. Additionally, punitive and exemplary damages. In September 2023, the Company mistakenly sent funds to Ms. Sabourin and attempted to reverse or recall the transfers but was unable to do so. To date, Ms. Sabourin has failed and/or refused to return the funds mistakenly sent to her. On October 21, 2024, the Court issued a default judgment against Sabourin. |
| ● | On June 25, 2024, J. Drew Byelick, a former Chief Financial Officer of the Company, filed a complaint against the Company in the United States District Court for the Southern District of California, Case No. ‘24CV1096 JLS MSB. Mr. Byelick is alleging breach of contract, fraudulent inducement of employment, along with intentional misrepresentation and concealment. The Company filed a motion to dismiss the complaint on October 4, 2024 and Mr. Byelick filed an opposition to the Company’s motion on November 8, 2024. The Company denies all allegations of liability and intends to vigorously defend against all claims. However, given the preliminary stage of the lawsuit, the uncertainty of litigation, and the legal standards that must be met for success on the merits, the Company cannot predict the outcome at this time or estimate a reasonably possible loss or range of loss that may result from this action. |
