Item 8.01 Other Events.
Settlement of Certain Litigation
As previously disclosed in the Company’s Annual
Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021, among other disclosure, on October 15, 2018, the Company closed the Purchase
and Sale Agreement (the “EZ Agreement”) with EZ-CLONE Enterprises, Inc., a California corporation (the “EZ”).
The Company was unable to close the EZ Agreement in accordance with the terms and conditions thereof.
On September 15, 2020, the Company received notice
that William Blackburn and Brad Mickelsen (“Plaintiffs”), the minority shareholders of EZ-CLONE Enterprises, Inc., a majority
owned subsidiary of the Company, filed a complaint against the Company, in the Superior Court of California, County of Sacramento (“Complaint”)
for claims related to breach under the EZ Agreement. The Complaint alleged, among other things, that the Company made certain false representations
and other claims to consummate the transaction and as a result has failed to complete the second closing as required under EZ Agreement.
The Plaintiffs were seeking rescission of the EZ Agreement, unspecified damages in excess of ten thousand dollars, and other equitable
relief.
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On September 15, 2020, the Company filed a notice
of removal with the California Superior Court, County of Sacramento, and the United States District Court for the Eastern District of
California. The case was removed to Federal District Court for the Eastern District of California and Plaintiffs filed an Ex Parte
Application for TRO and an Order for Preliminary Injunction with the Federal Court. The TRO was granted on September 16, 2020, and
a preliminary injunction hearing was scheduled for September 29, 2020. After reviewing all pleadings and oral arguments at the hearing,
the Court issued a ruling granting Plaintiffs’ request for a preliminary injunction. The parties provided legal briefs to the
Federal court to determine if rescission should be granted. The Court did not reach a decision on this issue and denied, without
prejudice, the Company’s effort to reverse the preliminary injunction.
On December 29, 2022, to avoid the costs, risks,
and uncertainties inherent in litigation, the Company, EZ and William Blackburn (collectively, the “EZ Parties”)
entered into that certain Settlement Agreement and General Mutual Release (the “Settlement Agreement) whereby the Company and
the EZ Parties agreed to settle, compromise, fully, and finally resolve all the disputes and potential disputes between them
pursuant to the terms and conditions of the EZ Agreement. Among other things, the Company will relinquish such number of shares such
that the Company owns an aggregate number of EZ shares less than 20% and in exchange EZ will assume certain obligations of the
Company under the lease for the real property on which EZ conducts its business and EZ will cooperate with Company to reach an
agreement with the present landlord eliminating all liability the Company may have under the current lease terms. Both Parties agree
that the terms of the Settlement Agreement are fair and equitable and that all such disputes, known or unknown, between them are
forever discharged and extinguished. By agreement of the parties the Settlement Agreement is deemed performed and complete as of
December 31, 2022.
The Settlement Agreement is filed as an exhibit to
this Current Report on Form 8-K. The description above is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the Settlement Agreement.