Matti Rihko, CEO of Raisio plc, Charged with Fraud in $25 Million Lawsuit Filed in United States District Court, Announces Oat Solutions
LOS ANGELES–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Matti Rihko, the CEO of the publicly-traded Finnish food corporation
Raisio plc, was charged with fraud in a $25 million civil complaint
filed by Oat Solutions in United States District Court in Los Angeles,
California.
In 2010, Rihko partnered with Oat Solutions to launch and market
Raisio-manufactured natural food brand in the United States called
“Simpli” (LiveSimpli.com). Although the Simpli brand was an immediate
success, with widespread critical acclaim in the billion-dollar U.S.
beverage market, Rihko abruptly terminated the relationship just 18
months after the launch.
According to Oat Solutions, court documents characterize Rihko’s fraud
as a “pump-and-dump” scheme to “exploit Oat Solutions’ success to drive
up Raisio’s share price in the short-term” for his own personal gain.
Oat Solutions alleges that, because of a lucrative share-based incentive
scheme Rihko designed for himself and other Raisio executives, they
“were personally incentivized to act in ways to inflate the short-term
price of Raisio shares regardless of whether the actions they took were
aligned with the goals of all Raisio shareholders in the long-term.”
In its initial response to the complaint, Rihko claimed that he could
not be subject to suit in the U.S. because he did not participate in the
launch of the Simpli brand. However, Oat Solutions has submitted several
videos depicting Rihko in California working side-by-side with Oat
Solutions to ensure its successful launch:
Helena Lumme and Mika Manninen, the owners of Oat Solutions, describe
Rihko’s actions as “cowardly.” “We had the kind of instant success that
all startup companies dream about,” said Manninen. “Our success in the
American marketplace meant that Raisio was successful in the American
marketplace. But in the end, Rihko’s greed ruined everything for us as
well as for Raisio’s shareholders,” Manninen added.
For more information, please contact Oat Solutions’ attorneys: Terrence
Jones, Ballard Spahr LLP, (424) 204-4386, JonesTM@ballardspahr.com.
Contacts
For Oat Solutions
Ballard Spahr LLP
Terrence Jones,
424-204-4386
JonesTM@ballardspahr.com
