breach of contractual obligation under note guarantee (the “Note”) (the “Weissmann Complaint”). On October 8, 2021, Weissmann brought a counterclaim against FR Holdco and third-party defendants Marcus Lemonis, NBCUniversal Media, LLC, the Consumer National Broadcasting Company, Camping World, Inc. (“CW”), and Machete Productions (“Machete”) (the “Weissmann Counterclaim”), in which he alleges claims in connection with the Note and his appearance on the reality television show The Profit. Weissmann alleges the following causes of action against FR Holdco and all third-party defendants, including CW: (i) fraud; (ii) fraud in the inducement; (iii) fraudulent concealment; (iv) breach of fiduciary duty; (v) defamation; (vi) defamation per se; (vii) false light; (viii) intentional infliction of emotional distress; (ix) negligence; (x) unjust enrichment; and (xi) RICO § 1962. Weissmann seeks costs and damages in an amount to be proven at trial but no less than the amount in the Note (approximately $2.5 million); in connection with his RICO claim, Weissmann asserts he is entitled to damages in the amount of three times the Note. On February 18, 2022, NBCUniversal, CNBC, and Machete filed a motion to compel arbitration (the “NBC Arbitration Motion”). On May 5, 2022, an agreed order was filed staying the litigation in favor of arbitration. On May 31, 2022, FR Holdco filed an arbitration demand against Weissmann for collection on the Note. Weissmann filed his response and counterclaims, and third-party claims against FR Holdco, CW, Marcus Lemonis, NBCUniversal, and Machete on July 7, 2022. On or about July 21, 2022, FR Holdco and the other respondents filed their responses and affirmative defenses. On March 11, 2024, FR Holdco’s arbitration demand and the Weissmann arbitration demand were tried before a single arbitrator pursuant to the JAMS streamlined arbitration rules in a confidential arbitration hearing. On May 23, 2024, the arbitrator issued an interim award in favor of FR Holdco in the amount of $4,318,892.22, plus interest, costs, and attorneys’ fees as set forth in the Tumbleweed bankruptcy plan and to be determined by the arbitrator in subsequent proceedings. On July 31, 2024, the arbitrator heard the parties’ arguments on the amount of attorneys’ fees and costs owed to FR Holdco, after Weissmann conceded in a written briefing the obligation to pay attorneys’ fees and costs to FR Holdco as the prevailing party.
Tumbleweed Complaint
On November 10, 2021, Tumbleweed Tiny House Company, Inc. (“Tumbleweed”) filed a complaint against FR Holdco, CW, Marcus Lemonis, NBCUniversal Media, LLC, and Machete Productions in which Tumbleweed alleges claims in connection with the Note and its appearance on the reality television show The Profit (the “Tumbleweed Complaint”), seeking primarily monetary damages. Tumbleweed alleges the following claims against the defendants, including FR Holdco and CW: (i) fraud; (ii) false promise; (iii) breach of fiduciary duty (and aiding and abetting the same); (iv) breach of contract; (v) breach of oral contract; (vi) tortious interference with prospective economic advantage; (vii) fraud in the inducement; (viii) negligent misrepresentation; (ix) fraudulent concealment; (x) conspiracy; (xi) unlawful business practices; (xii) defamation; and (xiii) declaratory judgment. On April 21, 2022, the Court granted a motion to compel arbitration filed by NBCUniversal and joined by all defendants, including FR Holdco, CW, and Marcus Lemonis, compelling Tumbleweed’s claims to arbitration. Tumbleweed served its arbitration demand on FR Holdco, CW, and Marcus Lemonis on May 17, 2022. FR Holdco, CW, and Marcus Lemonis filed responses and affirmative defenses on May 31, 2022. On July 20, 2022, pursuant to the JAMS streamlined arbitration rules, the Tumbleweed Complaint was consolidated together with the Weissmann Complaint. The parties have exchanged discovery. On March 11, 2024, FR Holdco’s arbitration demand and the Weissman arbitration demand were tried before a single arbitrator pursuant to the JAMS streamlined arbitration rules in a confidential arbitration hearing. On May 23, 2024, the arbitrator issued an interim award in favor of all respondents, including FR Holdco, CW, and Lemonis. On July 31, 2024, the arbitrator heard the parties arguments on the amount of attorneys’ fees and costs owed to FR Holdco, CW, Lemonis, and the other defendants, after Tumbleweed conceded the obligation to pay attorneys’ fees and costs to the prevailing parties.
Precise Complaint
On May 3, 2022, Lynn E. Feldman, Esquire, in her capacity as the Chapter 7 Trustee (the “Trustee”) for the Estate of Precise Graphix, LLC (the “Precise Estate”) filed a complaint against NBCUniversal Media, LLC, Machete Corporation, and CW in which the Trustee alleges claims on behalf of the Precise Estate in connection with its appearance on The Profit and subsequent commercial relationship with CW (the “Precise Complaint”), seeking primarily monetary damages from CW. The Trustee alleges the following claims against defendants, including CW: (i) fraud; (ii) false promise; (iii) breach of fiduciary duty; (iv) breach of contract; (v) breach of oral contract; (vi) fraud in the inducement; (vii) negligent misrepresentation; (viii) fraudulent concealment; (ix) conspiracy; (x) unlawful business practices in violation of California Business and Professions