In 2019, purported stockholder Phillip Swan by his counsel, and stockholders Tom Bradley and Sarah Smith by their counsel, filed derivative actions in the Baltimore City Circuit Court of Maryland, purportedly on behalf of the Company, asserting claims for breach of fiduciary duty, waste of corporate assets and unjust enrichment against the named defendants. Those actions were consolidated. Prior to filing suit, each of these stockholders had made demands on the Board of Directors in 2018 that the Company bring such lawsuits. After an investigation and due consideration, and in the exercise of its business judgment, the Board of Directors determined that it is not in the best interests of the Company to commence litigation against any current or former officers or directors based on the matters raised in the demands.
In addition, in late 2020, Robert Wojcik, a purported shareholder of the Company, filed a derivative action in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland, purportedly on behalf of the Company, asserting violations of Section 14(a) of the Exchange Act, Sections 10(b) and 21D of the Exchange Act, as well as claims for breach of fiduciary duty, unjust enrichment, abuse of control, gross mismanagement, and waste of corporate assets. Wojcik also did not make a demand on the Company prior to filing suit.
Other
Gulf Coast Subordinated Debt
In August 2021, we filed suit in the Circuit Court for Baltimore County (the “Court”) against the holders of certain Subordinated Debt (the “Debt Holders”) associated with our Gulf Coast master lease agreement, following an assertion by the Debt Holders that our prior exercise of offset rights in connection with Gulf Coast’s non-payment of rent had resulted in defaults under the terms of the Subordinated Debt. The suit seeks a declaratory judgment to, among other items, declare that the aggregate amount of unpaid rent due from Gulf Coast under the master lease agreement exceeds all amounts which otherwise would be due and owing by an indirect subsidiary of Omega (“Omega Obligor”) under the Subordinated Debt, and that all principal and interest due and owing under the Subordinated Debt may be (and was) offset in full as of December 31, 2021. In October 2021, the Debt Holders filed a motion to dismiss for lack of personal jurisdiction. On November 3, 2022, the Court granted the Debt Holders’ motion to dismiss for lack of personal jurisdiction, and Omega filed a timely appeal of the ruling. While Omega believes Omega Obligor is entitled to the enforcement of the offset rights sought in the action, Omega cannot predict the outcome of the declaratory judgment action, irrespective of whether (a) it is ultimately litigated in the Court if Omega Obligor prevails in its appeal or (b) if the order granting the motion to dismiss for lack of personal jurisdiction is affirmed and the issues are litigated in the Delaware Court (as defined below).
On or about January 19, 2023, the Debt Holders served a lawsuit against the Omega Obligor in the Superior Court of the State of Delaware (the “Delaware Court”), asserting claims for (i) breach of the instruments evidencing the Subordinated Debt, (ii) declaratory judgment, and (iii) unjust enrichment, all claims that are factually based on the claims that are the subject of Omega Obligor’s suit in the Court and that are now on appeal. On February 8, 2023, Omega Obligor filed a motion to dismiss or, in the alternative, to stay this action pending the outcome of the above-referenced lawsuit in Maryland. On July 10, 2023, the Delaware state court case stayed the proceeding pending a hearing in September 2023. Omega believes that the claims are baseless and is evaluating procedural and substantive legal options in connection with this recently filed suit to the extent the stay is lifted.
Other
In addition to the matters above, we are subject to various other legal proceedings, claims and other actions arising out of the normal course of business. While any legal proceeding or claim has an element of uncertainty, management believes that the outcome of each lawsuit, claim or legal proceeding that is pending or threatened, or all of them combined, will not have a material adverse effect on our consolidated financial position or results of operations.