Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
110349/2010
ED ON 81512010
NYSCEF DOC. NO. 2 RECEIVED NYSCEF: 08/16/2010
-against-
attorneys an answer to plaintiffs’ complaint in this action within twenty (20) days after the
service of this summons, exclusive of the day of service (or within thirty (30) days after the
service is complete if this sumrnons is not personally delivered to you within the State of New
York), and in the case of your failure to appear or answer, judgment will be taken against you by
990931-1
By:
Thomas J . Fleming
Christine Wong
Attorneysfor Plaintiffs
Park Avenue Tower
65 East 5Sth Street
New York, New York 10022
(212) 451-2300
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-against- .
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Defendants.
Plaintiffs AJW Partners, LLC, AJW Offshore Ltd., AJW Qualified Partners, LLC, AJW
Master Fund, Ltd., AJW Partners 11, LLC, AJW Offshore 11, Ltd., AJW Qualified Partners 11,
LLC, New Millennium Capital Partners 111, LLC and AJW Master Fund 11, Ltd. (collectively, the
“Plaintiffs”) by their attorneys, Olshan Grundman Frome Rosenzweig & Wolosky LLP, for their
Complaint, allege:
The Parties
company organized under the laws of the State of Delaware, with its principal office in Roslyn,
New York.
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organized under the laws of the Cayman Islands, managed by an advisor with principal office in
limited liability company organized under the laws of New York, with its principal office in
4. Plaintiff AJW Master Fund, Ltd. (“AJW MF”) is a corporation organized under
the laws of the Cayman Islands, managed by an advisor whose principal office is in Roslyn, New
5. Plaintiff AJW Partners 11, LLC (“AJW Partners 11” or “AJWP 11”) is a limited
liability company organized under the laws of the State of Delaware, with its principal office in
6. Plaintiff AJW Offshore 11, Ltd. (“AJW Offshore 11”) is a corporation organized
under the laws of the Cayman Islands, which is managed from Roslyn, New York.
7. Plaintiff AJW Qualified Partners 11, LLC (“AJW Qualified 11” or “AJWQPII”) is
a limited liability company organized under the laws of New York, with its principal office in
“NMCP 111”) is a limited liability company organized under the laws of the State of New York,
with its principal office in Roslyn, New York. New Millennium Capital Partners I11 is the
9. Plaintiff AJW Master Fund 11, Ltd, (“AJW MF 11”) is a corporation organized
under the laws of the Cayman Islands, which is managed from Roslyn, New York.
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formerly known as Ruby Mining Company, is organized under the laws of Colorado and
headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. ADMH’s common stock is registered with the United States
Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) and its shares are publicly traded under the
symbol “ADMH”. ADMH, through its wholly-owned subsidiaries Admiralty Corporation and
Admiralty Marine Operations, Ltd. (collectively, the “Admiralty Defendants”), is engaged in the
business of locating and recovering cargoes from historic shipwrecks by use of a proprietary and
(“URC”), formerly known as Legal Access Technologies, Inc., is a corporation organized under
12. Upon information and belief, Herbert C. Leeming is a co-founder of ADMH and
its current Chief Executive Officer. Leeming also has been the President of URC since 2005.
As CEO of ADMH, Leeming negotiated the terms of the Notes and various agreements between
Plaintiffs and defendant ADMH and signed such agreements on behalf of ADMH.
13. The Admiralty Defendants have consented to be sued in this County pursuant to
the Security Agreements and the Intellectual Property Security Agreements between Plaintiffs
and ADMH. All of the defendants are also subject to personal jurisdiction in this County
pursuant to CPLR 302(a)(l), as they transact or have transacted business within this State, and/or
contracted to supply goods or services in this State, from which transactions or contacts the
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14. On June 23,2005, ADMH entered into a Securities Purchase Agreement (“SPA”)
and Registration Rights Agreement with plaintiffs AJW Partners,AJW Offshore, and AJW
Qualified, and New Millennium Capital Partners 11, LLC (“New Millennium 11” or “NMCP”),
under which ADMH agreed to issue, for good and valuable consideration, certain Callable
15. As of June 23,2005, such plaintiffs also entered into agreements related to the
SPA entered into on that same date, including a Security Agreement, Intellectual Property
Security Agreement (“IP Security Agreement”), and other agreements with ADMH.
16. Through July 2008, Plaintiffs thereafter loaned additional funds to ADMH on
similar terms, pursuant to similar agreements. All of the Notes referenced herein are in
17. For good and valuable consideration paid to ADMH, plaintiff AJW Partners
received Notes in the aggregate principal amount of $593,321.61,inclusive of the Note issued in
18. For good and valuable consideration paid to ADMH, plaintiff AJW Qualified
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19. For good and valuable consideration paid to ADMH, plaintiff AJW Offshore
20. For good and valuable consideration paid to ADMH, New Millennium I1 received
21. For good and valuable Consideration paid to ADMH, plaintiff AJW Master Fund
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about December 3 1,2007 and July 30,2008, additional Notes to certain plaintiffs, which Notes
23. In total, Plaintiffs loaned in excess of $4.8 million to ADMH over the course of
three years.
24. Each of the Notes matured, by their terms, within three years of the date of issue.
To date, six Notes (dated June 2005 through June 2007) have matured and become due. These
25. Pursuant to a Security Agreement and IP Security Agreement, dated June 23,
2005 and June 20,2005, respectively, ADMH induced Plaintiffs to purchase the Notes by
granting them a first priority security interest in all of ADMH’s goods, inventory, contract rights,
programs, computers, documentation and all rights associated with such software, computers and
licenses and trade secrets. The Security Agreement and IP Security Agreement provide that if an
Event of Default under the Notes occurs, Plaintiffs shall have all rights available under the
Uniform Commercial Code, plus the right to immediate possession of the collateral and the right
26. Plaintiffs duly perfected their security interests under the Security Agreement and
27. A key provision in both the IP Security Agreement and Security Agreement
assured Plaintiffs that ADMH would not sell, transfer, pledge any of its intellectual property
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assets, without notice to or consent from Plaintiffs. Paragraphs 2 and 3 of the IP Security
28. Further, the Security Agreement grants Plaintiffs a security interest and first lien
29. Further, the IP Security Agreement provides that “all rights of [Plaintiffs] and all
30. In May 2007, Plaintiffs commenced an action against the Admiralty Defendants
and others for defaults under the Notes issued in 2005 and 2006. The parties subsequently
entered into a settlement agreement whereby the 2005 and 2006 Notes were reinstated, the
defaults were waived, and additional secured convertible notes and warrants were issued
(“Settlement Agreement”).
3 1. The Settlement Agreement granted Plaintiffs a first priority security interest in all
of Admiralty Defendants’ assets, including the ship itself, to secure all of Admiralty Defendants’
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default under the promissory note, all of Admiralty Defendants’ assets would be sold and
distributed according to an intercreditor agreement entered into concurrently with the Settlement
Agreement.
33. Plaintiffs and the Admiralty Defendants also executed a security agreement that
granted Plaintiffs a security interest in essentially all of Admiralty Defendants’ assets and
intellectual property.
34. Plaintiffs have learned through a press release that the Admiralty Defendants have
entered an agreement with Defendant URC that purports to license to URC, in perpetuity, the
exclusive worldwide rights to use the proprietary ATLIS technology, including associated patent
rights.
35. URC is controlled by Defendant Leeming, who co-founded ADMH and is well
aware of the existence of the IP Security Agreements and subsequent similar agreements
36. As CEO of ADMH, Leeming was intimately aware of the restrictions placed on
the licensing of the ATLIS technology by the 2005 IP Security Agreement and subsequent
agreements, including the Settlement Agreement. Leeming was also very well aware, having
been an active and integral participant in the many negotiations with Plaintiffs in connection with
the SPAS and Notes, that Plaintiffs would be left with greatly diminished security and no remedy
at law if the ATLIS technology was licensed, encumbered or otherwise conveyed away.
Leeming intentionally procured the breach of the IP Security Agreement, which has damaged
Plaintiffs.
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seek Plaintiffs’ permission (written or otherwise) to enter into any agreements with third-parties
with respect to the ATLIS technology. The Admiralty Defendants did not even bother to notify
Assignments
38. Plaintiffs AJWP, AJWQP, AJWO, and AJW MF have assigned certain of their
rights under the Notes, SPA, Security Agreements and related agreements to Plaintiffs AJWP 11,
AJW Offshore 11, AJW Qualified 11, AJMF I1 and New Millennium 111. Additionally, New
Millennium I1 has assigned all of its right, title and interest in the Notes to plaintiff New
Millennium 111.
39. Section 3.1 of the Notes defines as an Event of Default, inter alia, ADMH’s
40. To date, ADMH has defaulted on six Notes, which were issued between June
2005 and June 2007 and matured three years later, by failing to pay the principal and interest
when due.
41, Section 3.5 of the Notes defines as an Event of Default, inter alia,ADMH’s
42. ADMH breached the representations and warranties under the Security
Agreements and IP Security Agreements not to sell, transfer or pledge any of its intellectual
property assets without notice to or consent from Plaintiffs by entering into a licensing
agreement with defendant URC whereby URC obtained the exclusive right to used ADMH’s
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44. ADMH has failed to honor its obligations regarding Plaintiffs’ Notes and other
agreements, and has failed to cure this defect, despite having received a default notice by letter
dated October 15,2008 and a notice to cure by letter dated February 2,2009.
45. As a result of the foregoing defaults, Plaintiffs have exercised their rights under
the Notes to accelerate and immediately demand payment in full of the Default Sum or Default
Amount, as defined in Section 3.9 of the Notes, plus appropriate interest and penalties. Plaintiffs
have given ADMH the requisite Default Notice, also as defined in Section 3.9 of the Notes,
Attorneys’ Fees
46. In addition to the foregoing, upon a default, Plaintiffs are entitled to their costs of
collection, including an award of attorneys’ fees pursuant to Section 4.5 of the Notes and Section
48. Based upon the foregoing, ADMH has breached its obligations to AJW Partners
under the Notes, As a direct, approximate and foreseeable result of ADMH’s breach, AJW
Partners is entitled to recover from ADMH an amount to be determined at trial, representing the
Default Sum or Default Amount as defined in Section 3.10 of the Notes, plus all interest and
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under the Notes, As a direct, approximate and foreseeable result of ADMH’s breach, AJW
Qualified is entitled to recover from ADMH an amount to be determined at trial, representing the
Default Sum or Default Amount as defined in Section 3.10 of the Notes, plus all interest and
52. Based upon the foregoing, ADMH has breached its obligations to AJW Offshore
under the Notes. As a direct, approximate and foreseeable result of ADMH’s breach, AJW
Offshore is entitled to recover from ADMH an amount to be determined at trial, representing the
Default Sum or Default Amount as defined in Section 3,lO of the Notes, plus all interest and
54. Based upon the foregoing, ADMH has breached its obligations to AJW Master
Fund under the Notes. As a direct, approximate and foreseeable result of ADMH’s breach, AJW
Master Fund is entitled to recover from ADMH an amount to be determined at trial, representing
the Default Sum or Default Amount as defined in Section 3.10 of the Notes, plus all interest and
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under the Notes. As a direct, approximate and foreseeable result of ADMH’s breach, AJW
the Default Sum or Default Amount as defined in Section 3.10 of the Notes, plus all interest and
58. Based upon the foregoing, ADMH has breached its obligations to AJW Offshore
I1 under the Notes. As a direct, approximate and foreseeable result of ADMH’s breach, AJW
the Default Sum or Default Amount as defined in Section 3.10 of the Notes, plus all interest and
60. Based upon the foregoing, ADMH has breached its obligations to AJW Qualified
I1 under the Notes. As a direct, approximate and foreseeable result of ADMH’s breach, AJW
the Default Sum or Default Amount as defined in Section 3.10 of the Notes, plus all interest and
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Millennium I11 under the Notes. As a direct, approximate and foreseeable result of ADMH’s
breach, New Millennium I11 is entitled to recover from ADMH an amount to be determined at
trial, representing the Default Sum or Default Amount as defined in Section 3.10 of the Notes,
64. Based upon the foregoing, ADMH has breached its obligations to AJW MF I1
under the Notes. As a direct, approximate and foreseeable result of ADMH’s breach, AJW MF
Default Sum or Default Amount as defined in Section 3.10 of the Notes, plus all interest and
66, Based upon the foregoing, Plaintiffs are entitled to an Order directing ADMH to
marshal, in preparation for foreclosure, all of its assets in which Plaintiffs have a security interest
under the Settlement Agreement, Security Agreements and IP Security Agreements, and deliver
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Notes and related agreements between Plaintiffs and the Admiralty Defendants, and intentionally
induced the Admiralty Defendants to breach such agreements by entering into a licensing
agreement with URC over the ATLIS technology. As a direct, proximate and foreseeable result
of this breach, Plaintiffs are entitled to recover an amount to be determined at trial, plus all
71. Based on the foregoing, Plaintiffs bargained for and relied upon their security
interest and first lien in the Admiralty Defendants’ intellectual property, including but not limited
to the ATLIS technology, in agreeing to loan the Admiralty Defendants millions of dollars.
72. Defendants had knowledge of the Notes and related agreements, specifically the
provisions granting Plaintiffs a first lien and requiring Plaintiffs’ written consent for any transfer,
Defendants to enter into a licensing agreement with URC without first seeking the written
consent of Plaintiffs.
75. Based on the foregoing, Plaintiffs are entitled to an order setting the fraudulent
transfer aside.
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interest, attorney’s fees, costs and disbursements, in an amount to be determined at trial but
13. Ordering that ADMH marshal,in preparation for foreclosure, all of their
assets in which Plaintiffs have a security interest under the Settlement Agreement, Security
Agreements and IP Security Agreements, and deliver promptly to Plaintiffs a list of those assets
C. Setting aside the license agreement between the Admiralty Defendants and
defendant URC.
D, Granting such other and further relief as the Court deems just and proper.
By:
Thomas J. Fleming
Christine Wong
Attorneysfar Plaint&
\
Park Avenue Tower
65 East 55* Street
New York, New York 10022
(212) 451-2300
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