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The Receiver would like the
investors/claimants to be aware of
several significant developments which
have occurred with respect to the
progress of the Receivership.
Proposed Sale of Radio Station KTEK
As previously reported, the Receiver
sought the District Court’s approval for
procedures for the sale of Radio Station
KTEK (the “Station”), an asset of the
Receivership Estate. On April 4, 2011
the District Court entered an Order
approving the proposed sale procedures.
In summary, the Receiver was authorized
to enter into a “stalking horse”
agreement with South Texas Broadcasting
(“STB”) and then to seek higher “topping
bids” through an auction process. The
“stalking horse” sale of the Station
provided for a consideration of
$1,000,000 in cash and the discharge of
approximately $1,500,000 in secured
indebtedness held by STB. As ordered by
the Court, the Receiver gave notice of
the sale through publication in the
Houston Chronicle. In addition to the
notices required by the Court, the
Receiver also advertised the proposed
sale of the Station in two widely
circulated trade publications/websites.
The Receiver also contacted media
brokers who had expressed interest in
the Station. Notwithstanding these
efforts, no “topping bids” were received
by the deadline established in the
Procedures Order and, accordingly, the
Receiver sought confirmation of the sale
of the Station to STB, pursuant to the
“stalking horse” contract.
Prior to the hearing on Receiver’s
Motion for Confirmation of the Sale, a
group of investors, through counsel,
objected to the sale on a variety of
grounds and asserted that based upon
documentation they had received in
connection with their investments in
BizRadio promissory notes, they held
security interests in the Station assets
superior to the security interest held
by STB. They also contended that the
hearing on the Sale to STB should be
postponed because others who held
potential interests in the Station had
not been noticed. At the hearing on
Motion for Confirmation, after hearing
legal arguments with respect to the
competing claims, the District Court
determined that additional efforts to
notify potentially interested parties
should be undertaken. Subsequently,
based upon the efforts of the Objectors
and on the part of the Receiver, a
comprehensive list of 172 potentially
interested persons was compiled and on
August 8, 2011 Receiver served the
Motion for Confirmation and supporting
papers on all of those persons. It
should be emphasized that this extensive
list includes anyone ever potentially
asserting an interest in the Station and
service upon them does not imply that
the Receiver believes that any of those
individuals served hold an interest
superior to other investors/claimants
upon the Receivership Estate.
Although at the hearing on June 28,
2011, the Court received arguments with
respect to the competing claims of
security interests, the Court reserved
judgment on those issues and ordered a
further hearing on September 15, 2011.
The Court also established August
29,2011 as the deadline for any
additional objections to the sale.
Settlement
with Richard Jordan
On August 23, 2011 the District Court
authorized and approved the Receiver’s
Settlement with Richard Jordan, a former
officer and equity owner of Daniel
Frishberg Financial Services (“DFFS”),
one of the Receivership entities. In
connection with his investigation
regarding the Receivership entities, the
Receiver determined that in or about
October 2008, Mr. Jordan entered into a
transaction with DFFS, Albert Kaleta and
Daniel Frishberg, pursuant to which Mr.
Jordan’s ownership interest would be
purchased by DFFS. In or about November
2008, Mr. Jordan was paid the sum of
$250,000 as a first installment on that
purchase. The Receiver contended that
the $250,000 paid to Mr. Jordan
consisted of proceeds raised by Kaleta
through the KCM promissory note
offerings to investors. Without
admitting knowledge of the source of
these proceeds, Mr. Jordan agreed to pay
$250,000 to the Receivership Estate.
$50,000 of this amount is to be paid
within five days after execution of the
Settlement Agreement. An additional
$100,000 is to be paid by the
anniversary of the initial payment, with
the remaining $100,000 to be paid on or
before December 31, 2012. Pursuant to
the terms of the Settlement, Mr. Jordan
stipulated to the entry of judgment for
any unpaid amounts should he default on
any of these payment obligations.
Receiver v. Frishberg, Kaleta et al.
On August 23, 2011, the Receiver
commenced an action in the U.S. District
Court against Daniel and Elisea
Frishberg, Albert Kaleta, Barrington
Financial Advisors, Inc. (“Barrington”),
and William C. Heath, Barrington’s
president and CEO.
The suit alleges that the Frishbergs and
Kaleta breached the fiduciary duties of
loyalty and care which they owed to KCM,
BizRadio, and DFFS (the “Receivership
Entities”) as officers and directors,
and seeks damages commensurate with the
liabilities that the Receivership
Entities were exposed to as a result of
those breaches of fiduciary duty --
namely claims against the Receivership
Estate by defrauded investors. The suit
also seeks the return of all KCM and
BizRadio Note proceeds received,
directly or indirectly, by the
Frishbergs and Kaleta as fraudulent
transfers from the Receivership
Entities.
The Receiver seeks damages from
Barrington and Heath for their
participation with Frishberg in the
tortious interference with and transfer
of DFFS client accounts to Barrington,
which represent substantially all of the
assets of DFFS. Frishberghas received
payments from Barrington for these DFFS
assets; by his Complaint the Receiver
seeks the return of those payments to
the Receivership Estate.
Anticipated Claims/Settlements
The Receiver is engaged in negotiations
with other entities and individuals
against whom the Receivership Estate has
legally cognizable claims including,
without limitation, claims upon
promissory notes payable to the
Receivership entities. It is anticipated
that these negotiations will be
concluded promptly. In instances in
which the Receiver is unable to achieve
a settlement which is fair and
equitable, litigation will be commenced
prior to September 23, 2011 consistent
with the District Court’s Scheduling
Order. |