Shrestha, and former officer David Mindnich, on behalf of a putative class of purchasers of Plug Power common stock between January 19, 2022 and March 1, 2023. The complaint alleges that the defendants made “materially false and/or misleading statements” about the Company’s business and operations, including that “the Company was unable to effectively manage its supply chain and product manufacturing, resulting in reduced revenues and margins, increased inventory levels, and several large deals being delayed until at least 2023, among other issues The defendants filed a motion to dismiss the complaint on December 14, 2023, and briefing was completed in March 2024. All proceedings are stayed pending resolution of the motion to dismiss.
Beginning on September 13, 2023, three separate actions were filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware and in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York asserting claims derivatively and on behalf of the Company against certain former and current Company officers and directors based on the claims asserted in the 2023 Securities Action. Those cases have been consolidated in the District of Delaware under the caption In re Plug Power, Inc. Stockholder Deriv. Litig., No. 1:23-cv-01007-MN (D. Del.). The defendants named in the constituent complaint were Mr. Marsh, Mr. Middleton, Mr. Mindnich, Martin Hull, Ms. Helmer, Mr. Kenausis, Mr. McNamee, Mr. Schneider, Mr. Silver, Mr. Willis, and current or former directors Jean Bua, Kavita Mahtani, and Kyungyeol Song. In an order entered on April 26, 2024, the Court approved the parties’ stipulation to stay all proceedings until motions to dismiss have been resolved in the 2023 Securities Action.
2024 Securities Litigation
On March 22, 2024, Ete Adote filed a complaint in the United States District Court for the Northern District of New York asserting claims under the federal securities laws against the Company, Mr. Marsh, and Mr. Middleton, on behalf of an alleged class of purchasers of Plug common stock between May 9, 2023 and January 16, 2024, styled Adote v. Plug Power, Inc. et al., No. 1:24-cv-00406-MAD-DJS (N.D.N.Y.). The allegations in the 2024 Securities Action are substantially similar to those in the consolidated 2023 Securities Action but cover a different putative class period that extends into 2024. On April 30, 2024, a second complaint asserting substantially similar claims against the same defendants, but on behalf of a putative class of purchasers of Plug Power common stock between March 1, 2023 and January 16, 2024, was filed in the Northern District of New York, styled Lee v. Plug Power, et al., No. 1:24;cv-0598-MAD-DJS (N.D.N.Y.). The Court has approved stipulations in both actions extending the time for all defendants to respond to any pleading until after the Court appoints lead plaintiff(s).
Other Litigation
On May 2, 2023, a lawsuit entitled Jacob Thomas and JTurbo Engineering & Technology, LLC v. Joule Processing, LLC and Plug Power Inc., Case No. 4:23-cv-01615, was filed in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas against Joule Processing, LLC and Plug Power Inc. The complaint alleges misappropriation of trade secrets under both the federal Defend Trade Secrets Act of 2016, 18 U.S.C. § 1836, and the Texas Uniform Trade Secrets Act, three breach of contract claims, and four common law claims under Texas law. On December 5, 2023, the Court granted, in part, the partial motion to dismiss filed by Joule Processing, LLC and Plug Power Inc., and the Court dismissed with prejudice one of the breach of contract claims and the four common law claims. The Court also transferred another of the breach of contract claims to the United States District Court for the Northern District of New York, Case No. 1:23-cv-01528. That claim was dismissed without prejudice, and that matter was closed on April 4, 2024. Currently pending before the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas is Plaintiff[s’] Verified Amended Application for Temporary Restraining Order, Preliminary Injunction and Permanent Injunctive Relief (the “Amended Application for Injunctive Relief”). Joule Processing, LLC and Plug Power Inc. filed their Response in Opposition to the Amended Application for Injunctive Relief on March 27, 2024, and Jacob Thomas and JTurbo Engineering & Technology, LLC filed their Reply in Support of the Amended Application for Injunctive Relief on April 4, 2024.
On July 24, 2023, an action entitled Felton v. Plug Power, Inc., Case No. 1:23-cv-887, was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of New York asserting claims against the Company pursuant to the New York State Human Rights Law. The complaint asserts that the plaintiff is seeking damages to redress injuries suffered as a result of harassment and discrimination on the basis of his race, together with creating a hostile work environment, and retaliation. Plug disagrees with plaintiff’s representations about his time at Plug and intends to vigorously defend against his