Baliga ex rel. Link Motion Inc. v. Link Motion Inc.

385 F. Supp. 3d 212
CourtDistrict Court, S.D. Illinois
DecidedJune 11, 2019
Docket18 Civ. 11642 (VM)
StatusPublished
Cited by16 cases

This text of 385 F. Supp. 3d 212 (Baliga ex rel. Link Motion Inc. v. Link Motion Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, S.D. Illinois primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Baliga ex rel. Link Motion Inc. v. Link Motion Inc., 385 F. Supp. 3d 212 (S.D. Ill. 2019).

Opinion

VICTOR MARRERO, United States District Judge.

Wayne Baliga ("Baliga") brings this case as a shareholder derivative action on behalf of, and against, Link Motion Inc. (f/k/a NQ Mobile Inc.) ("Link Motion" or the "Company"). Baliga alleges that defendants Vincent Shi ("Shi"), Jia Lian, and Xiao Yu (collectively, the "Individual Defendants" and, together with Link Motion, the "Defendants") are unlawfully divesting Link Motion's assets, including whole subsidiaries, by selling them without permission from shareholders.

Shi now seeks to dismiss Baliga's suit and responds to an order to show cause why the he should not be held in contempt for violating an Order of this Court. (See Dkt. No. 35.) For the reasons discussed below, Shi's motion is GRANTED in part and DENIED in part.

*215I. BACKGROUND

A. COMPANY BACKGROUND AND PRE-SUIT DISPUTES

Link Motion is a Cayman Islands company with its principle headquarters in Beijing, China. (See "Complaint," Dkt. No. 1.)1 It develops, licenses, supports, and sells software and services focusing on smart car and smart ride businesses and associated technologies. The Company maintains a portfolio of legacy mobile and productivity applications.

In 2011, Link Motion held its initial public offering on the New York Stock Exchange ("NYSE"), offering over seven million American Depository Shares ("ADS"). Over the years, Link Motion has continued to offer and issue ADS, such that the Company has nearly 100 million ADS outstanding to date. Baliga is a shareholder who holds ADS in Link Motion.

According to Baliga, Company operations began to unravel in late 2017 after independent investigations and audits of the Company uncovered Shi's potential misconduct. Shi, a Chinese citizen, has been a part of Link Motion since near its inception. He began serving as its Chief Operating Officer in October 2005 and became Chairman of the Board of Directors (the "Board") in 2014. Shi allegedly fabricated certain transactions to benefit himself to the detriment of shareholders and refused to step down as the Board and auditors attempted to investigate the matter.

As the Company fought internally, it faltered externally. In early 2018, the Company failed to file its required annual SEC Form 20-F as a foreign issuer. In November 2018, the Finland office of the Company allegedly had to close because of the lack of support from Link Motion. According to Baliga, a Texas office faces similar prospects of closure. In December 2018, the NYSE began procedures to delist Link Motion from the exchange. (See Dkt. No. 24 ¶ 2.)

While the Company faltered, the Individual Defendants allegedly transferred assets away secretly. For example, in October 2018, the Company transferred two businesses to a third party without Board approval or notice.

B. BALIGA BRINGS SUIT

To stem the loss of assets, on December 13, 2018, Baliga initiated this suit, bringing claims for appointment of a receiver (Count One); breach of fiduciary duties (Count Two); unjust enrichment (Count Three); violation of Section 10(b) of the Exchange Act, 15 U.S.C. Section 78j ("Section 10(b)") (Count Four); violation of Section 20(a) of the Exchange Act, 15 U.S.C. Section 78t (Count Five). Baliga delivered service of process upon Defendants via Law Debenture Corporate Services Inc., Link Motion's agent for service of process. (See Dkt. Nos. 16, 17, 18, 19.)

In conjunction with the filing of the Complaint, which effectively sought (1) preliminary injunctive relief to restrain the transfer Link Motion's assets; and (2) the appointment of a receiver over Link Motion to regain transferred assets, Baliga simultaneously moved for a temporary restraining order. (See "TRO Motion," Dkt. No. 63). On December 14, 2018, the Court issued a Temporary Restraining Order (1) preventing Link Motion from further transferring, liquidating, or dissipating any *216of its assets; and (2) directing the parties to confer and provide a joint update to the Court within one week regarding a proposed briefing schedule for Baliga's preliminary injunction request. (See "Temporary Restraining Order," Dkt. No. 7.)

One week later, Baliga and Link Motion submitted a joint letter offering competing briefing schedules regarding Baliga's requests for a preliminary injunction and appointment of a receiver. (See "December 21 Joint Letter," Dkt. No. 20.) The Court granted Link Motion's proposed briefing schedule, directing it to respond to Baliga's requests by January 21, 2019. (See Dkt. No. 21.) In the meantime, Link Motion consented to extending the Temporary Restraining Order until the Court ruled on the preliminary injunction request. Attorneys from DLA Piper LLP ("DLA Piper") signed the joint letter as "Counsel for Defendant, Link Motion Inc." (See December 21 Joint Letter at 2.) None of the Individual Defendants signed the December 21 Joint Letter or otherwise appeared.

On January 21, 2019, rather than filing its brief in opposition to a preliminary injunction, Link Motion filed a proposed stipulation. (See "Proposed Stipulation," Dkt. No. 22.) In the Proposed Stipulation, Baliga agreed to extend Link Motion's time to answer the Complaint to February 20, 2019, and Link Motion withdrew its opposition to preliminary injunctive relief and the appointment of a receiver. Attorneys from DLA Piper signed this letter on behalf of Link Motion as well. The Court endorsed the Proposed Stipulation the next day. (See Dkt. No. 23.)

A few days later, Baliga submitted an additional affidavit in support of the grant of of injunctive relief and appointment of a receiver, outlining recent developments. (See Dkt. No. 24.) Baliga explained that since he filed suit, the NYSE suspended trading of Link Motion ADS, the Company's independent registered public accountant resigned, and employees were working without pay. In light of these developments, the Court issued a Preliminary Injunction Order and appointed Robert W. Seiden as Temporary Receiver on February 1, 2019. (See "Preliminary Injunction Order," Dkt. No. 26.)

Link Motion never filed an answer or otherwise moved to dismiss the Complaint by the February 20, 2019 deadline. DLA Piper's letter dated March 1, 2019, might explain why. According to the firm, even before Baliga filed suit, Link Motion was already in arrears with its legal fees. (See "DLA Piper March 1 Letter," Dkt. No. 28.) Nevertheless, "at Link Motion's request," DLA Piper appeared "in order to protect Link Motion's immediate interest" in the litigation. (Id. at 6.) In the weeks that followed, however, Link Motion failed to "cooperate in the representation" or "respond to inquiries" from DLA Piper. (Id. ) As a result, DLA Piper moved to withdraw as Link Motion's counsel with Link Motion's consent, as evidenced by an email from Shi. (See id. at 1, 9.) The Court granted DLA Piper's request. (See id. at 4.)

C. CONTEMPT PROCEEDINGS AND MOTION TO DISMISS BRIEFING

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