COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES | COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES Legal Proceedings CTI Litigation In March 2009, one of our former employees, Ms. Orit Deutsch, commenced legal actions in Israel against our former primary Israeli subsidiary, Cognyte Technologies Ltd. (formerly known as Verint Systems Limited or “VSL”) (Case Number 4186/09) and against our former affiliate CTI (Case Number 1335/09). Also, in March 2009, a former employee of Comverse Limited (CTI’s primary Israeli subsidiary at the time), Ms. Roni Katriel, commenced similar legal actions in Israel against Comverse Limited (Case Number 3444/09). In these actions, the plaintiffs generally sought to certify class action suits against the defendants on behalf of current and former employees of VSL and Comverse Limited who had been granted stock options in Verint and/or CTI and who were allegedly damaged as a result of a suspension on option exercises during an extended filing delay period that is discussed in our and CTI’s historical public filings. On June 7, 2012, the Tel Aviv District Court, where the cases had been filed or transferred, allowed the plaintiffs to consolidate and amend their complaints against the three defendants: VSL, CTI, and Comverse Limited. On October 31, 2012, CTI distributed all of the outstanding shares of common stock of Comverse, Inc., its principal operating subsidiary and parent company of Comverse Limited, to CTI’s shareholders (the “Comverse Share Distribution”). In the period leading up to the Comverse Share Distribution, CTI either sold or transferred substantially all of its business operations and assets (other than its equity ownership interests in Verint and in its then-subsidiary, Comverse, Inc.) to Comverse, Inc. or to unaffiliated third parties. As the result of these transactions, Comverse, Inc. became an independent company and ceased to be affiliated with CTI, and CTI ceased to have any material assets other than its equity interests in Verint. Prior to the completion of the Comverse Share Distribution, the plaintiffs sought to compel CTI to set aside up to $150.0 million in assets to secure any future judgment, but the District Court did not rule on this motion. In February 2017, Mavenir Inc. became successor-in-interest to Comverse, Inc. On February 4, 2013, Verint acquired the remaining CTI shell company in a merger transaction (the “CTI Merger”). As a result of the CTI Merger, Verint assumed certain rights and liabilities of CTI, including any liability of CTI arising out of the foregoing legal actions. However, under the terms of a Distribution Agreement entered into in connection with the Comverse Share Distribution, we, as successor to CTI, are entitled to indemnification from Comverse, Inc. (now Mavenir) for any losses we may suffer in our capacity as successor to CTI related to the foregoing legal actions. Following an unsuccessful mediation process, on August 28, 2016, the District Court (i) denied the plaintiffs’ motion to certify the suit as a class action with respect to all claims relating to Verint stock options, (ii) dismissed the motion to certify the suit against VSL and Comverse Limited, and (iii) approved the plaintiffs’ motion to certify the suit as a class action against CTI with respect to claims of current or former employees of Comverse Limited (now part of Mavenir) or of VSL who held unexercised CTI stock options at the time CTI suspended option exercises. The court also ruled that the merits of the case would be evaluated under New York law. As a result of this ruling (which excluded claims related to Verint stock options from the case), one of the original plaintiffs in the case, Ms. Deutsch, was replaced by a new representative plaintiff, Mr. David Vaaknin. CTI appealed portions of the District Court’s ruling to the Israeli Supreme Court. On August 8, 2017, the Israeli Supreme Court partially allowed CTI’s appeal and ordered the case to be returned to the District Court to determine whether a cause of action exists under New York law based on the parties’ expert opinions. Following two unsuccessful rounds of mediation in mid to late 2018 and in mid-2019, the proceedings resumed. On April 16, 2020, the District Court accepted the plaintiffs’ application to amend the motion to certify a class action and set deadlines for filing amended pleadings by the parties. CTI submitted a motion to appeal the District Court’s decision to the Israeli Supreme Court, as well as a motion to stay the proceedings in the District Court pending the resolution of the appeal. On July 6, 2020, the Israeli Supreme Court granted the motion for a stay. On July 27, 2020, the plaintiffs filed their response on the merits of the motion for leave to appeal. On December 15, 2021, the Israeli Supreme Court rejected CTI’s motion to appeal and the proceedings in the District Court resumed. At the recommendation of the District Court, in June 2022, the parties conducted another round of mediation in New York. On July 10, 2022, the parties reached an agreement to settle the matter on terms set forth in a settlement agreement that was executed by all parties and submitted a motion for approval of the settlement agreement to the District Court. Under the terms of the settlement agreement, subject to full and final waiver, Mavenir Inc. and/or Comverse, Inc. and/or Mavenir Ltd. agreed to pay a total of $16.0 million (such amount to be paid in three phases as set forth in the settlement agreement) as compensation to the plaintiffs and members of the class. The compensation amount is comprehensive, final and absolute and includes within it all the amounts and expenses to be paid in connection with the settlement agreement. Under the terms of an associated guaranty agreement, Verint has guaranteed the payment of the compensation amount in the event it is not paid by the primary obligors. On February 7, 2023, the District Court approved the settlement without material changes. As of July 31, 2023, the first installment of the compensation amount had been paid by Mavenir, leaving two installments of approximately $4.7 million each, one of which was paid in September 2023 with the final installment to be paid in April 2024. Under the terms of the Separation and Distribution Agreement entered into between Verint and Cognyte, Cognyte has agreed to indemnify Verint for Cognyte’s share of any losses that Verint may suffer related to the foregoing legal actions either in its capacity as successor to CTI, to the extent not indemnified by Mavenir, or due to its former ownership of Cognyte and VSL. As of July 31, 2023, we had a remaining liability of $9.5 million, which is included within accrued expenses and other current liabilities, and an offsetting indemnification receivable of $9.5 million, which is included in prepaid expenses and other current assets. There was no impact to our condensed consolidated statement of operations. Unfair Competition Litigation and Related Investigation As previously disclosed, Verint Americas Inc., as successor to ForeSee Results, Inc. (“ForeSee”), was the defendant in two Eastern District of Michigan cases captioned ACSI LLC v. ForeSee Results, Inc., and CFI Group USA LLC v. Verint Americas Inc. The former case was filed on October 24, 2018 against ForeSee Results, Inc. by American Customer Satisfaction Index, LLC (“ACSI LLC”) (Case No. 2:18-cv-13319) and alleged infringement of two federally registered trademarks and common law unfair competition under federal and state law. The latter case was filed on September 5, 2019 against Verint Americas Inc. (as successor in interest to ForeSee) by CFI Group USA LLC (“CFI”) (Case No. 2:19-cv-12602) and alleged unfair competition and false advertising under federal and state law, as well as tortious interference with contract. We believe that the claims asserted by the plaintiffs in these matters were without merit. Following the filing of the Eastern District of Michigan litigation, ForeSee filed affirmative litigation in the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware (Case No. 1:21-cv-00674, Complaint filed on May 7, 2021) against ACSI LLC, CFI, Claes Fornell, and CFI Software LLC (the “Fornell Group”) asserting fraud and other claims against ACSI LLC, CFI, Fornell, and CFI Software for, among other things, their breach of a “Joinder and Waiver Agreement” entered into in connection with the December 2013 sale of ForeSee to its previous owner and misrepresentations in the associated deal documents. Verint acquired ForeSee in December 2018. In April 2023, the parties reached an agreement in principle to settle these actions, and on June 1, 2023, the parties signed a definitive settlement agreement. Under the terms of the settlement agreement, Verint paid $9.0 million to the Fornell Group in July 2023 and the parties have agreed to certain restrictive covenants with respect to the future business activities of both ForeSee and the Fornell Group. The agreement provides that the settlement does not constitute a ruling on the merits, an admission as to any issue of fact or principle of law, or an admission of liability or wrongdoing by either ForeSee or Verint. Following the execution of the settlement agreement, the two cases in Michigan against us have been dismissed, and the case in Delaware filed by us has been dismissed. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan’s Civil Division (“USAO”) also conducted a False Claims Act investigation concerning allegations ForeSee and/or Verint failed to provide the federal government the services described in certain government contracts related to ForeSee’s products inherited by Verint in the ForeSee acquisition. Verint received a Civil Investigation Demand (“CID”) in connection with this investigation and provided responses. The False Claims Act contains provisions that allow for private persons (“relators”) to initiate actions by filing claims under seal. We believed and subsequently confirmed that this investigation was initiated by ACSI LLC and CFI in coordination with the Eastern District of Michigan litigation discussed above. In March 2023, Verint and the Assistant U.S. Attorney overseeing the USAO investigation reached an agreement in principle to resolve the USAO matter. The definitive settlement agreement, which provides that it is not an admission of liability by us, was signed in July 2023 including by the USAO and the relators. Under the settlement agreement, Verint paid $7.0 million to the government in August 2023 (a portion of which is payable by the government to the relators) in exchange for a release of the asserted claims, and an associated civil action brought by the relators has been dismissed. As of January 31, 2023, we recognized a $7.0 million legal settlement liability in respect of the USAO matter and a $3.5 million legal settlement liability in respect of the ACSI and CFI matters within accrued expenses and other current liabilities, and a corresponding insurance recovery receivable in prepaid expenses and other current assets on our consolidated balance sheets. These loss accruals and insurance recoveries were offset within selling, general and administrative expenses in our consolidated statements of operations for the year ended January 31, 2023, resulting in no impact on our consolidated statements of operations. As of July 31, 2023, we had accrued a $7.0 million legal settlement liability in respect of the USAO matter within accrued expenses and other current liabilities, which was paid in August 2023. The incremental settlement costs of $5.5 million related to the ACSI and CFI matters as a result of the settlement described above is included within selling, general and administrative expenses in our condensed consolidated statement of operations for the six months ended July 31, 2023. We reached a final settlement with one of our insurance carriers for a total cumulative insurance recovery of $14.5 million for the losses we incurred related to these actions, which offset settlement and legal expenses during the year ended January 31, 2023. We collected $2.0 million during the year ended January 31, 2023 and $12.5 million was collected in April 2023. We are a party to various other litigation matters and claims that arise from time to time in the ordinary course of our business. While we believe that the ultimate outcome of any such current matters will not have a material adverse effect on us, their outcomes are not determinable and negative outcomes may adversely affect our financial position, liquidity, or results of operations. |