Ex-Schering-Plough CEO Fred Hassan's ENHANCE-Era Federal Securities Fraud Class Settlement (Of $688 Million!) Crawls To A Close

Earlier this past fall, the eminently capable Judge Cavanaugh retired from his seat on the bench of the federal District Court in Newark, New Jersey, which caused this matter, Genesee, et al. v. Schering-Plough (Cause No. 08-2177) to be reassigned by lot to Judge Salas.

All that remains to be done, now that the lone remaining objector to the settlement has withdrawn his appeal, and his appeal bond has been refunded to him, is for Judge Salas to sign the October 14, 2014 order starting the claims submission process. So the lead lawyers wrote and asked her to do just that, yesterday:

. . . .Specifically, on October 1, 2013, this Court entered an order approving the settlement of the above-captioned class action for $215,000,000. This order is final, as all appeals of the settlement have been withdrawn. On September 12, 2014, Lead Plaintiffs filed a Motion For Approval Of Distribution Plan, seeking the Court’s approval of a plan of distribution pursuant to which the settlement fund could be distributed to the Class. There is, of course, no objection to the plan and the Class is anxious (particularly at this time of year) for the settlement fund to be disbursed.

The fund, however, cannot be disbursed without execution of the order approving the distribution plan. I have enclosed an additional copy of the order for Your Honor’s convenience with this letter. As no one has objected to the Distribution Plan, we respectfully request that Your Honor enter the Order at the Court’s earliest convenience so that Lead Plaintiffs can cause the settlement fund to be disbursed to the Class. . . .

I would expect that the order (beginning the disbursement process) would be entered next week. Merry Christmas, a little early (or, four years late, if you prefer!) -- to one and all. I had earlier hoped that checks would arrive by Christmas of this year, but the return of the last remaining appeal bond took a bit, as did the re-assignment process, for the above mentioned retirement. Oh, and. . . Thanks again, Fred.