What We’re Reading This Week [August 20, 2021]
The Wall Street Journal reports on Purdue Pharma’s continuing confirmation hearing covering the company’s proposed reorganization plan centered around a $4.5 billion settlement with its founders, the Sackler family. Currently, the Sackler family is named in civil litigation which alleges that the family knowingly fueled opioid addiction through the marketing of OxyContin, an opioid painkiller. A restructuring specialist who had joined the Purdue board before its chapter 11 filing testified on the first day of the confirmation hearing that the Sackler family required releases so as “to be able to put all of the litigation behind them.” The settlement, and related third-party releases of the Sackler family, are being challenged by state and federal authorities as well as some members of Congress. If the plan is approved, the Sacklers would make an immediate payment of $300 million as well as yearly installments until 2030. [WSJ; Aug. 12, 2021]
The Associated Press reports on an ongoing hearing in the Boy Scouts of America bankruptcy regarding a proposed settlement that would be the centerpiece of a proposed reorganization. The settlement would consist of an $850 million distribution to sex abuse victims, $250 million of which would be paid by Boy Scouts of America itself with remaining $600 million to be contributed by local councils. On the first day of the hearing, to Judge Silverstein’s surprise, the Boy Scouts noted that their national board had never adopted a resolution approving the settlement. However, the debtor claims the agreement is nonetheless a valid exercise of its business judgment and should be accepted as the cornerstone of its final bankruptcy plan. [AP; Aug. 12, 2021]
Forbes reports on a recent trend of major financial institutions (in this case Bank of America) losing their status as their millennial consumers “primary” account banks to digital banks. Top platforms, in this regard, include PayPal, Current, Dave, and Square Cash. Forbes chalks up the continuing shift to the more personalized nature of digital banks and the changing nature of what consumers consider to be their primary “checking account.” [Forbes; Aug. 16, 2021]
The Wall Street Journal reports that the creators of South Park have made a deal to purchase Casa Bonita, a Mexican restaurant and family entertainment center outside Denver which was featured on the pilot of the popular cartoon. The creators announced they would purchase the restaurant, which filed for bankruptcy earlier this year due to the Covid-19 pandemic, pending court approval. Casa Bonita is a Mexican resort-themed restaurant with 30 foot high waterfalls in which cliff divers famously jump to entertain guests. The deal comes after South Park was renewed for another six seasons with Viacom-CBS. The show is expected to earn the creators more than $900 million. [WSJ; Aug. 13, 2021]
