Item 8.01. Other Events.
National Health Investors, Inc. (NHI) has received notice that on December 30,
2008, Care Foundation of America, Inc. ("CFA"), an NHI borrower, filed for
Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the United States District Court for the Middle
District of Tennessee (Case No. 08-12367). On January 2, 2009, CFA filed an
adversary proceeding complaint against NHI in the bankruptcy case. NHI had
previously disclosed that CFA had threatened to file such a lawsuit.
As previously disclosed, NHI sold to CFA, a Tennessee not-for-profit
corporation, six Florida nursing homes on January 1, 2000. NHI had purchased the
homes from the Chapter 11 bankruptcy trustee for York Hannover Nursing Centers,
Inc., which had previously acquired the homes for $33.6 million. NHI financed
100% of CFA's $32.7 million purchase price with a note originally due July 31,
2001. CFA and NHI have agreed to extend the maturity date of CFA's debt several
times over the years, with the most recent extension making the balance due
December 31, 2008. The current balance of the debt is approximately
$23.2 million.
The Florida homes have been leased to a third party that has operated the homes
over the nine years since CFA acquired them. CFA has successfully made its
monthly debt payments through 2008 and recently indicated that it believes the
homes are worth substantially more than the $32.7 million purchase price, and
far more than the balance of CFA's debt. CFA's bankruptcy filings indicate that
CFA has almost no debt, other than the loan from NHI, and that its assets are
estimated to be worth between $50 million and $100 million. NHI believes the six
Florida homes are CFAs only assets.
CFA's complaint alleges that NHI exercised total dominion and control over CFA's
board of directors from 1999 until sometime in 2008 and that NHI used that
control to cause CFA to buy and finance the six Florida homes on terms that were
not fair to CFA. CFA also alleges that these transactions constituted "excess
benefit transactions" as defined in Section 4958 of the Internal Revenue Code.
As part of its complaint, CFA seeks a declaratory judgment and asserts claims
for breach of fiduciary duty, fraud, conversion, and unjust enrichment. CFA
claims that it has sustained compensatory and punitive damages in excess of
$25 million.
NHI adamantly denies CFA's claims and intends to vigorously defend against CFA's
complaint.
NHI contends, among other things, that CFA has never been under the control and
dominion of NHI and that the terms on which CFA acquired and financed the homes
were both commercially reasonable and fair to CFA. NHI has consistently worked
with CFA over the years, as shown by the various extensions of CFA's note, and
was seeking to resolve its current dispute with CFA at the time CFA filed for
bankruptcy.
NHI has also been served with a Civil Investigative Demand by the Office of the
Tennessee Attorney General, which has indicated that it is investigating
transactions between NHI and three
not-for-profit corporations, including CFA. At this time, NHI does not know
whether the Tennessee Attorney General's office will commence any legal
proceedings or, if so, what relief would be sought.
An unfavorable outcome in the litigation with CFA or in any IRS proceeding that
could arise from CFA's claims could have a material adverse effect on NHI.