UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
SCHEDULE 13D
(Rule 13d-101)
INFORMATION TO BE INCLUDED IN STATEMENTS FILED PURSUANT
TO § 240.13d-1(a) AND AMENDMENTS THERETO FILED PURSUANT TO
§ 240.13d-2(a)
(Amendment No. 1)1
Tortoise Energy Independence Fund, Inc.
(Name of Issuer)
Common Stock, par value $0.001 per share
(Title of Class of Securities)
89148K200
(CUSIP Number)
Aristides Capital LLC
25 S. Huron St., Suite 2A
Toledo, Ohio 43604
Attention: Christopher M. Brown
(419) 708-9773
With copies to
Adam Finerman, Esq.
Olshan Frome Wolosky LLP
1325 Avenue of the Americas
New York, New York 10019
(212) 451-2300
(Name, Address and Telephone Number of Person
Authorized to Receive Notices and Communications)
March 19, 2021
(Date of Event Which Requires Filing of This Statement)
If the filing person has previously filed a statement on Schedule 13G to report the acquisition that is the subject of this Schedule 13D, and is filing this schedule because of §§ 240.13d-1(e), 240.13d-1(f) or 240.13d-1(g), check the following box ☒.
Note: Schedules filed in paper format shall include a signed original and five copies of the schedule, including all exhibits. See § 240.13d-7 for other parties to whom copies are to be sent.
1 The remainder of this cover page shall be filled out for a reporting person’s initial filing on this form with respect to the subject class of securities, and for any subsequent amendment containing information which would alter disclosures provided in a prior cover page.
The information required on the remainder of this cover page shall not be deemed to be “filed” for the purpose of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (“Act”) or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section of the Act but shall be subject to all other provisions of the Act (however, see the Notes).
CUSIP No. 89148K200
| 1 | NAME OF REPORTING PERSON | ||||||||||||||||||
| ARISTIDES CAPITAL LLC | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2 | CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP | (a) ☐ | |||||||||||||||||
| (b) ☒ | |||||||||||||||||||
| 3 | SEC USE ONLY | ||||||||||||||||||
| 4 | SOURCE OF FUNDS | ||||||||||||||||||
| AF | |||||||||||||||||||
| 5 | CHECK BOX IF DISCLOSURE OF LEGAL PROCEEDINGS IS REQUIRED PURSUANT TO ITEM 2(d) OR 2(e) | ☐ | |||||||||||||||||
| 6 | CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION | ||||||||||||||||||
| DELAWARE, USA | |||||||||||||||||||
| NUMBER OF | 7 | SOLE VOTING POWER | |||||||||||||||||
| SHARES | |||||||||||||||||||
| BENEFICIALLY | 304,131 | ||||||||||||||||||
| OWNED BY | 8 | SHARED VOTING POWER | |||||||||||||||||
| EACH | |||||||||||||||||||
| REPORTING | - 0 - | ||||||||||||||||||
| PERSON WITH | 9 | SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER | |||||||||||||||||
| 304,131 | |||||||||||||||||||
| 10 | SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER | ||||||||||||||||||
| - 0 - | |||||||||||||||||||
| 11 | AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON | ||||||||||||||||||
| 304,131 | |||||||||||||||||||
| 12 | CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (11) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES | ☐ | |||||||||||||||||
| 13 | PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (11) | ||||||||||||||||||
| 16.5% | |||||||||||||||||||
| 14 | TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON | ||||||||||||||||||
| OO | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2 |
CUSIP No. 89148K200
| 1 | NAME OF REPORTING PERSON | ||||||||||||||||||
| CHRISTOPHER M. BROWN | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2 | CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP | (a) ☐ | |||||||||||||||||
| (b) ☒ | |||||||||||||||||||
| 3 | SEC USE ONLY | ||||||||||||||||||
| 4 | SOURCE OF FUNDS | ||||||||||||||||||
| AF | |||||||||||||||||||
| 5 | CHECK BOX IF DISCLOSURE OF LEGAL PROCEEDINGS IS REQUIRED PURSUANT TO ITEM 2(d) OR 2(e) | ☐ | |||||||||||||||||
| 6 | CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION | ||||||||||||||||||
| USA | |||||||||||||||||||
| NUMBER OF | 7 | SOLE VOTING POWER | |||||||||||||||||
| SHARES | |||||||||||||||||||
| BENEFICIALLY | 304,131 | ||||||||||||||||||
| OWNED BY | 8 | SHARED VOTING POWER | |||||||||||||||||
| EACH | |||||||||||||||||||
| REPORTING | - 0 - | ||||||||||||||||||
| PERSON WITH | 9 | SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER | |||||||||||||||||
| 304,131 | |||||||||||||||||||
| 10 | SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER | ||||||||||||||||||
| - 0 - | |||||||||||||||||||
| 11 | AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON | ||||||||||||||||||
| 304,131 | |||||||||||||||||||
| 12 | CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (11) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES | ☐ | |||||||||||||||||
| 13 | PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (11) | ||||||||||||||||||
| 16.5% | |||||||||||||||||||
| 14 | TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON | ||||||||||||||||||
| IN | |||||||||||||||||||
| 3 |
CUSIP No. 89148K200
| 1 | NAME OF REPORTING PERSON | ||||||||||||||||||
| ARISTIDES FUND LP | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2 | CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP | (a) ☐ | |||||||||||||||||
| (b) ☒ | |||||||||||||||||||
| 3 | SEC USE ONLY | ||||||||||||||||||
| 4 | SOURCE OF FUNDS | ||||||||||||||||||
| WC | |||||||||||||||||||
| 5 | CHECK BOX IF DISCLOSURE OF LEGAL PROCEEDINGS IS REQUIRED PURSUANT TO ITEM 2(d) OR 2(e) | ☐ | |||||||||||||||||
| 6 | CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION | ||||||||||||||||||
| DELAWARE, USA | |||||||||||||||||||
| NUMBER OF | 7 | SOLE VOTING POWER | |||||||||||||||||
| SHARES | |||||||||||||||||||
| BENEFICIALLY | 184,000 | ||||||||||||||||||
| OWNED BY | 8 | SHARED VOTING POWER | |||||||||||||||||
| EACH | |||||||||||||||||||
| REPORTING | - 0 - | ||||||||||||||||||
| PERSON WITH | 9 | SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER | |||||||||||||||||
| 184,000 | |||||||||||||||||||
| 10 | SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER | ||||||||||||||||||
| - 0 - | |||||||||||||||||||
| 11 | AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON | ||||||||||||||||||
| 184,000 | |||||||||||||||||||
| 12 | CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (11) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES | ☐ | |||||||||||||||||
| 13 | PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (11) | ||||||||||||||||||
| 10.0% | |||||||||||||||||||
| 14 | TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON | ||||||||||||||||||
| PN | |||||||||||||||||||
| 4 |
CUSIP No. 89148K200
| 1 | NAME OF REPORTING PERSON | ||||||||||||||||||
| ARISTIDES FUND QP, LP | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2 | CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP | (a) ☐ | |||||||||||||||||
| (b) ☒ | |||||||||||||||||||
| 3 | SEC USE ONLY | ||||||||||||||||||
| 4 | SOURCE OF FUNDS | ||||||||||||||||||
| WC | |||||||||||||||||||
| 5 | CHECK BOX IF DISCLOSURE OF LEGAL PROCEEDINGS IS REQUIRED PURSUANT TO ITEM 2(d) OR 2(e) | ☐ | |||||||||||||||||
| 6 | CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION | ||||||||||||||||||
| DELAWARE, USA | |||||||||||||||||||
| NUMBER OF | 7 | SOLE VOTING POWER | |||||||||||||||||
| SHARES | |||||||||||||||||||
| BENEFICIALLY | 120,131 | ||||||||||||||||||
| OWNED BY | 8 | SHARED VOTING POWER | |||||||||||||||||
| EACH | |||||||||||||||||||
| REPORTING | - 0 - | ||||||||||||||||||
| PERSON WITH | 9 | SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER | |||||||||||||||||
| 120,131 | |||||||||||||||||||
| 10 | SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER | ||||||||||||||||||
| - 0 - | |||||||||||||||||||
| 11 | AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON | ||||||||||||||||||
| 120,131 | |||||||||||||||||||
| 12 | CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (11) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES | ☐ | |||||||||||||||||
| 13 | PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (11) | ||||||||||||||||||
| 6.5% | |||||||||||||||||||
| 14 | TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON | ||||||||||||||||||
| PN | |||||||||||||||||||
| 5 |
CUSIP No. 89148K200
The following constitutes Amendment No. 1 to the Schedule 13D by the undersigned (“Amendment No. 1”). This Amendment No. 1 amends the Schedule 13D as specifically set forth herein.
| Item 4. | Purpose of Transaction. |
Item 4 is hereby amended to add the following:
On March 19, 2021, the Reporting Persons issued a Press Release (the “Press Release”) stating that they do not support the proposed merger between the Issuer and Tortoise Pipeline & Energy Fund, Inc. The foregoing description of the Press Release is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Press Release, a copy of which is filed herewith as Exhibit 99.1 and is incorporated by reference herein.
| Item 7. | Material to be Filed as Exhibits. |
Item 7 is hereby amended to add the following exhibit.
| 99.1 | Press Release. |
| 6 |
CUSIP No. 89148K200
SIGNATURE
After reasonable inquiry and to the best of his knowledge and belief, each of the undersigned certifies that the information set forth in this statement is true, complete and correct.
Dated: March 22, 2021
| Christopher M. Brown | |
| Aristides Capital LLC | |
| Aristides Fund LP | |
| Aristides Fund QP, LP | |
/s/ Christopher M. Brown | |
| Christopher M. Brown, for himself and as the Managing Member of the General Partner (for itself and on behalf of each of the Funds) |
| 7 |
