1. Why did I receive settlement notice?
2. What is the class action about?
3. Why is there a settlement?
4. What does the Settlement provide?
5. How much will my distribution be?
6. How can I receive my distribution?
7. When will I receive my distribution?
8. Can I exclude myself from the Settlement?
9. Do I have a lawyer in this case?
10. How will the lawyers be paid?
11. How do I tell the Court I don’t like the Settlement?
12. When and where will the Court decide whether to approve the Settlement?
13. Do I have to attend the Fairness Hearing?
14. May I speak at the Fairness Hearing?
15. What happens if I do nothing at all?
16. How Do I Get More Information?
17. How can a rollover affect my taxes?
18. What types of retirement accounts and plans may accept my rollover?
19. How do I do a rollover?
The Court caused the Notice to be sent to you because our records indicate that you may be a Settlement Class Member. If you fall within the definition of the Settlement Class, you have a right to know about the Settlement and about all of the options available to you before the Court decides whether to give its final approval to the Settlement. If the Court approves the Settlement, and after any objections and appeals are resolved, the Net Settlement Amount will be allocated among Settlement Class Members according to a Court-approved Plan of Allocation.
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In the Class Action, the Class Representatives claim that the Defendants improperly administered the Plan and, following the termination of the Plan, caused the stock held by the Plan to be redeemed at a price that was below fair market value. Defendants deny all claims and assert that they have always acted prudently and in the best interests of participants and beneficiaries.
The Settlement Class (whose members are “Settlement Class Members”) includes all vested Participants in the Plan as of June 29, 2017, or their Beneficiaries or Alternate Payee. All Defendants, other than Nick Bouras, are excluded from the Settlement Class.
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The Court has not reached a final decision as to the Class Representatives’ claims. Instead, the Class Representatives and Defendants have agreed to the Settlement. The Settlement is the product of extensive negotiations between the Class Representatives, the Secretary, Defendants, and their respective counsel. These negotiations were facilitated by an experienced mediator. The parties to the Settlement have taken into account the uncertainty, risks, and costs of litigation and have concluded that it is desirable to settle on the terms and conditions set forth in the Global Settlement Agreement. The Class Representatives and Class Counsel believe that the Settlement is best for the Settlement Class. Nothing in the Settlement Agreement is an admission or concession on Defendants’ part of any fault or liability whatsoever. They have entered into the Settlement Agreement to avoid the uncertainty, expense, and burden of additional litigation.
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Under the Settlement, Defendants or their insurers will pay $12,727,272.73 into a Qualified Settlement Fund to resolve the claims of the Settlement Class against Defendants. The Net Settlement Amount (after deduction of any Court-approved Attorneys’ Fees and Costs, Case Contribution Awards, and Administrative Expenses) will be allocated to Settlement Class Members according to a Plan of Allocation to be approved by the Court (as explained further in FAQ 5). Class Members who are entitled to a distribution will receive their distribution as a rollover to a qualified retirement account or by check.
All Settlement Class Members and anyone claiming through them will fully release the Defendants and the Released Parties from certain Released Claims, as defined in the Settlement Agreement. The Released Parties include each Defendant and certain related parties as outlined in the Settlement Agreement. The Released Claims include any claims against any of the Released Parties with respect to the Plan that were asserted in the Class Action against Defendants, in the case against certain Defendants brought by the Secretary, or which could have been asserted against Defendants in connection with the Plan.
This is only a summary of the Released Claims, and is not a binding description. The governing releases are found within Article 7 of the Settlement Agreement, which is available here.
The Defendants in the Secretary’s Action will also pay to the Secretary a penalty of $1,272,727.27, which is equal to 10% of the Class Settlement Amount, in connection with settling the claims brought by the Secretary in the Secretary’s Action.
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The amount, if any, that will be allocated to you will be based upon records provided by the Plan’s recordkeeper. Calculations regarding individual distributions will be performed by the Settlement Administrator, whose determinations will be final and binding, pursuant to the Court-approved Plan of Allocation.
To receive a distribution from the Net Settlement Amount, you must be a “Settlement Class Member” as described in FAQ 2.
There are approximately 1,500 Settlement Class Members according to preliminary review of Plan records. Pursuant to the proposed Plan of Allocation, the Net Settlement Amount will be divided pro rata among Settlement Class Members. Each Settlement Class Member will have the opportunity to receive a share of the Net Settlement Amount (defined in the Settlement Agreement as their “Settlement Credit Amount”) based on the amount of the stock allocated to their Plan accounts relative to other Class Members as of June 29, 2017, the date of the Plan’s termination. The Settlement Agreement (in Article 5) provides the following illustrative example of the proposed Plan of Allocation:
For illustrative purposes, if it is assumed that (i) the Net Settlement Amount equals $10 million, (ii) the total shares of stock allocated to Participants’ Plan accounts equals 52,000 shares; and (iii) Class Member A’s Plan account held 100 shares, then Class Member A’s Settlement Credit Amount equals $19,230. This is because Class Member A’s percentage of the stock allocated to Plan Participants’ Accounts equals 0.1923% (100/52,000=0.001923), and the Net Settlement Amount multiplied by 0.1923% equals $19,230 ($10,000,000*0.001923=$19,230). |
A more complete description regarding the details of the Plan of Allocation can be found in the Settlement Agreement, which is available here.
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A sample Rollover Form is enclosed with the Notice and explains the steps necessary to receive your share of the Settlement via direct rollover to an individual retirement account or qualified employer plan. You may make an election by completing the Rollover Form online here. Rollover Forms should be submitted prior to the date set forth above for the Fairness Hearing. Settlement payments distributed via direct rollover will not be subject to automatic withholdings. Further information regarding rollovers can be found in FAQs 17-19.
All other settlement payments will be mailed in the form of a check. You do not need to do anything to receive a check. However, because checks will be sent by mail, it is important to notify the Settlement Administrator at (866) 675-3082 or via the contact form of any changes to your mailing address. You may also notify Class Counsel (identified in FAQ 11) of any changes to your mailing address.
Payments made directly to Class Members by check are subject to automatic tax withholding and tax reporting, as determined by the Settlement Administrator. Any tax withheld by the Settlement Administrator may not constitute all tax that you may owe in connection with your settlement payment. You will be responsible for determining and paying any tax that is due but was not automatically withheld in connection with your settlement payment.
If you submit a Rollover Form but your requested rollover is not effectuated for any reason (for example, because your Rollover Form was submitted too late, the information that you provided was not sufficient, or the financial institution that you designated did not accept the rollover), the Settlement Administrator will attempt to mail you a check. Such checks will be subject to automatic tax withholding and reporting, as determined by the Settlement Administrator, and all other terms of the Settlement Agreement that apply to payments by check.
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The timing of the distribution of the Net Settlement Amount is conditioned on several matters, including the Court’s final approval of the Settlement in this Action and the Consent Judgment in the Secretary’s Action and any approvals becoming final and no longer subject to any appeals in any court. An appeal of the final approval orders may take several years. If the Settlement is approved by the Court and there are no appeals, the Settlement distribution likely will occur within approximately four months of the Court’s Final Approval Order in this Action and the Consent Judgment in the Secretary’s Action, unless there are unforeseen circumstances. There will be no payments under the Settlement if the Settlement Agreement is terminated.
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No. The Class has been certified for Settlement purposes under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 23(b). Therefore, as a Settlement Class Member, you are bound by the Settlement (if it receives final Court approval) and any judgments or orders that are entered in the Class Action. If you wish to object to any part of the Settlement, you may file an objection with the Clerk of the Court and write to Class Counsel and Defense Counsel about why you object to the Settlement, as discussed below.
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The Court has appointed the law firms of Bailey & Glasser LLP and Ajamie LLP as Class Counsel in the Class Action. If you want to be represented by your own lawyer, you may hire one at your own expense.
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Class Counsel will file a motion for an award of Attorneys’ Fees and Costs, Case Contribution Awards, and Administrative Expenses, prior to the objection deadline. This motion will be considered at the Fairness Hearing. Class Counsel will limit their application for Attorneys’ Fees and advanced litigation costs to not more than fifteen percent (15%) of the Class Settlement Amount. In addition, Class Counsel will seek to recover administrative expenses associated with the Settlement as well as a Case Contribution Award for the two Class Representatives. The Court will determine the amount of fees, costs, case contribution award, and administrative expenses that will be awarded, if any. All papers filed in this Class Action, including Class Counsel’s motion for Attorneys’ Fees and Costs, Case Contribution Awards, and Administrative Expenses, will be available for review here and via the Public Access to Court Electronic Records System (PACER), available online at http://www.pacer.gov.
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If you are a Settlement Class Member, you can object to the Settlement by mailing to Class Counsel and to Defense Counsel at the addresses below a written objection explaining why you object and enclosing any supporting documents. Your written objection must: (1) clearly identify the case name and number: Coleman, et al. v. Brozen, et al., Case No. 3:20-cv-01358-E; (2) include your full name, current address, and telephone number; (3) describe the position you wish to assert, including the factual and legal grounds for the position; (4) provide copies of all documents that you wish to submit in support of your position; (5) provide the name(s), address(es) and phone number(s) of any attorney(s) representing you; and (6) include your signature. Your written objection and supporting documents must be mailed to Class Counsel and Defense Counsel and postmarked no later than 30 calendar days prior to Fairness Hearing to be considered. Class Counsel and Defense Counsel will have an opportunity to respond to your objection. You also must file your objection with the Court by mailing or hand delivering it to the Clerk of Court of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas, 1100 Commerce Street, Dallas, Texas 75242-1003. There is also a web portal for filing documents on the Court’s website, https://www.flmd.uscourts.gov/electronic-document-submission-web-portal.
Class Counsel | Defendant’s Counsel |
Gregory Porter | Todd D. Wozniak |
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The Court will hold a Fairness Hearing on July 16, 2025, at United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas, 1100 Commerce Street, Dallas, Texas 75242-1003, in Courtroom 1310. At the Fairness Hearing, the Court will consider whether the Settlement is fair, reasonable, and adequate. The Court also will consider the motion for Attorneys’ Fees and Costs, Case Contribution Award, and Administrative Expenses. If there are objections, the Court will consider them then. You do not have to appear at the Fairness Hearing in order to have your objection considered by the Court.
Please note that if the Fairness Hearing is rescheduled, or if it is held by video conference or telephone, a notice will be posted here on this website.
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No, but you are welcome to come at your own expense. You may also make an appearance through an attorney at your own expense. If you send an objection, you do not have to come to the Court to talk about it. As long as you filed and mailed your written objection on time, the Court will consider it.
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Yes. If you wish to attend and speak at the Fairness Hearing, you must file an intent of notice to participate with the Clerk of the Court and mail to Class Counsel and Defense Counsel (as identified in FAQ 11) a notice of intent to appear postmarked at least 14 calendar days before the Fairness Hearing. In order to speak at the Fairness Hearing, you must also comply with the requirements for making an objection (described in FAQ 11) if you wish to object to the Settlement.
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If you are a “Settlement Class Member” as described on page 1 of the Notice, and you do nothing, the Settlement Administrator will attempt to mail your pro rata share of the Net Settlement Amount directly to you via check, if the Settlement is finally approved.
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If you have questions regarding the Settlement, call the Settlement Administrator at (866)675-3082 or write to Coleman, et al. v. Brozen, et al., c/o Settlement Administrator, P.O. Box 26170, Santa Ana, CA 92799. All papers filed in this lawsuit are also available for review via the Public Access to Court Electronic Records System (PACER), at http://www.pacer.gov, and can be reviewed in person during regular business hours at the Office of the Clerk of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas, 1100 Commerce Street, Dallas, Texas 75242-1003. Please note that neither RVNB nor any current or former employees, attorneys, or representatives of RVNB may advise you regarding the Settlement or how you should proceed.
The Settlement Administrator has determined that the payment you are receiving from the Qualified Settlement Fund (“Fund”) is eligible to be rolled over to an Individual Retirement Account (“IRA”) or an employer plan. This Q&A is intended to help you decide whether to do such a rollover. The notice describes the rollover rules that apply to payments from the Fund.
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You will be taxed on a payment from the Fund if you do not roll it over. If you are under age 59½ and do not do a rollover, you will also have to pay a 10% additional income tax on early distributions (generally, distributions made before age 59½), unless an exception applies. However, if you do a rollover, you will not have to pay tax until you receive payments later and the 10% additional income tax will not apply if those payments are made after you are age 59½ (or if an exception to the 10% additional income tax applies).
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You may roll over the payment to either an IRA (an individual retirement account or individual retirement annuity) or an employer plan (a 401(k), section 403(b) plan, or governmental section 457(b) plan) that will accept the rollover. The rules of the IRA or employer plan that holds the rollover will determine your investment options, fees, and rights to payment from the IRA or employer plan (for example, IRAs are not subject to spousal consent rules, and IRAs may not provide loans). Further, the amount rolled over will become subject to the tax rules that apply to the IRA or employer plan.
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There are two ways to do a rollover. You can do either a direct rollover or a 60-day rollover.
If you do a direct rollover: the Fund will make the payment directly to your IRA or an employer plan. You should contact the IRA sponsor or the administrator of the employer plan for information on how to do a direct rollover. The information they give you can then be used to complete the settlement administration form. You generally need to have an account opened (even if it is not funded) for an institution to process your rollover.
If you do not do a direct rollover: you may still do a rollover by making a deposit into an IRA or eligible employer plan that will accept it. Generally, you will have 60 days after you receive the payment to make the deposit. If you do not do a direct rollover, the Fund is required to withhold 20% of the payment for federal income taxes (up to the amount of cash and property received other than employer stock). This means that, in order to roll over the entire payment in a 60-day rollover, you must use other funds to make up for the 20% withheld. If you do not roll over the entire amount of the payment, the portion not rolled over will be taxed and will be subject to the 10% additional income tax on early distributions if you are under age 59½ (unless an exception applies).
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