Item 3. LEGAL PROCEEDINGS.
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Item 3. LEGAL PROCEEDINGS.
We are subject to various claims and legal actions in the ordinary course of our business.
Litigation Matters
On August 12, 2019, Marc Jansen filed a putative securities class action against IFF, its Chairman and CEO, and its then-CFO, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York. The lawsuit was filed after IFF disclosed that preliminary results of investigations indicated that Frutarom businesses operating principally in Russia and Ukraine had made improper payments to representatives of customers. On December 26, 2019, the Court appointed a group of six investment funds as lead plaintiff and Pomerantz LLP as lead counsel. On March 16, 2020, lead plaintiff filed an amended complaint, which added Frutarom and certain former officers of Frutarom as defendants. The amended complaint alleges, among other things, that defendants made materially false and misleading statements or omissions concerning IFF’s acquisition of Frutarom, the integration of the two companies, and the companies’ financial reporting and results. The amended complaint asserts claims under Section 10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and SEC Rule 10b-5, and under the Israeli Securities Act-1968, against all defendants, and under Section 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 against the individual defendants, on behalf of a putative class of persons and entities who purchased or otherwise acquired IFF securities on the New York Stock Exchange between May 7, 2018 and August 12, 2019 and persons and entities who purchased or otherwise acquired IFF securities on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange between October 9, 2018 and August 12, 2019. The amended complaint seeks an
award of unspecified compensatory damages, costs, and expenses. IFF, its officers, and Frutarom filed a motion to dismiss the case on June 26, 2020.
Two motions to approve securities class actions were filed in the Tel Aviv District Court, Israel, in August 2019, similarly alleging, among other things, false and misleading statements largely in connection with IFF’s acquisition of Frutarom and the above-mentioned improper payments. One motion ("Borg") asserts claims under the U.S. federal securities laws against IFF, its Chairman and CEO, and its former CFO. On November 8, 2020, IFF and its officers filed their response to the Borg motion. The other motion ("Oman") (following an initial amendment) asserted claims under the Israeli Securities Act-1968 against IFF, its Chairman and CEO, and its former CFO, and against Frutarom and certain former Frutarom officers and directors, as well as claims under the Israeli Companies Act-1999 against certain former Frutarom officers and directors. On October 4, 2020, the Oman plaintiff filed a motion to remove IFF and its officers from the motion and to add factual allegations from the U.S. amended complaint. Responses to the motion to amend the Oman motion were filed during November 2020. The court granted the motion to amend the Oman motion on February 17, 2021.
On October 29, 2019, IFF and Frutarom filed a claim in the Tel Aviv District Court, Israel, against Ori Yehudai, the former President and CEO of Frutarom, and against certain former directors of Frutarom, challenging the bonus of US $20 million granted to Yehudai in 2018. IFF and Frutarom allege, among other things, that Yehudai was not entitled to receive the bonus because he breached his fiduciary duty by, among other things, knowing of the above-mentioned improper payments and failing to prevent them from being made. The parties agreed, pursuant to the court’s recommendation, to attempt to resolve the dispute through mediation, which is still ongoing, during which the proceedings relating to this claim are stayed.
On March 11, 2020, an IFF shareholder filed a motion to approve a class action in Israel against, among others, Frutarom, Yehudai, and Frutarom’s former board of directors, alleging that former minority shareholders of Frutarom were harmed as a result of the US $20 million bonus paid to Yehudai. The parties to this motion agreed to attempt to resolve the dispute through mediation to take place regarding the aforesaid claim against Yehudai, which as noted is still ongoing, during which the proceedings relating to this motion are stayed.
Investigation
On June 3, 2020, the Israel Police’s National Fraud Investigation Unit and the Israeli Securities Authority commenced an investigation into Frutarom and certain of its former executives, based on suspected bribery of foreign officials, money laundering, and violations of the Israeli Securities Act-1968. The National Fraud Investigation Unit and the Israeli Securities Authority have provided IFF and Frutarom with various orders. IFF is working to ensure compliance with such orders, all in accordance with, and subject to, Israeli law.
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