Core Viewpoint - A mysterious investor from London, Charles Garson, is contesting the sale of EV startup Canoo's assets to its CEO, claiming the process was flawed and that his offer of $20 million is significantly better than the CEO's bid of $4 million in cash [1][2]. Group 1: Investor's Offer - Charles Garson offered $20 million for Canoo's assets, which he claims is a "far superior offer" compared to CEO Anthony Aquila's bid of $4 million in cash [2]. - Aquila's bid also includes the cancellation of approximately $11 million in loans owed to his financial firm [2]. - Garson was informed by the bankruptcy trustee that his offer would be considered, and he had until the end of April to finalize details [2][6]. Group 2: Legal Proceedings - Garson's lawyer filed a motion to vacate the sale, asserting that the trustee moved forward with the sale to Aquila without properly considering Garson's offer [2][7]. - Harbinger Motors, an EV trucking startup formed by former Canoo employees, also objected to the sale, but the bankruptcy judge overruled their objection, leading to an appeal [3]. Group 3: Background on Investor - Very little information is available about Garson, who is based in London and involved in real estate investments, serving as a director of Garland Holdings Limited [4]. - The motion to vacate does not clarify Garson's interest in Canoo or whether other investors are involved [5]. Group 4: Sale Process Concerns - The bankruptcy trustee reportedly did not respond to requests for comment regarding the sale process [2]. - Up to eight parties evaluated Canoo's assets prior to the sale, with some concerns raised about foreign ownership related to one of the bidders [8].
Mysterious financier asks judge to stop Canoo asset sale