Our Control Person Claims Upheld In Magnachip

ATTORNEY: MICHAEL J. WERNKE
POMERANTZ MONITOR MARCH/APRIL 2016

In this case, defendant Magnachip had been forced to restate its earnings drastically after its revenue recognition policies had been found wanting. We settled our claims against all the other defendants in the litigation, except for Avenue Capital Management, which was, at one point, Magnachip’s majority shareholder. We had sued ACM under the “controlling person” provisions of the securities laws.

The district court has now substantially denied ACM’s motion to dismiss our claims against it.

The Court rejected ACM’s argument that it did not control MagnaChip because it was a minority shareholder for much of the Class Period. The Court held as adequate to allege control that ACM was a majority shareholder when the alleged fraud began; its appointees continued to serve on the Board of Directors even after its holdings declined; it continued to have significant influence over MagnaChip’s affairs; and ACM used its control to cash out its investment in MagnaChip at enormous profits.