Item 4.01 Changes in Registrant’s Certifying Accountant.
Based on information provided by the Registrant’s independent registered public accounting firm, Friedman LLP (“Friedman”), effective September 1, 2022, Friedman combined with Marcum LLP (“Marcum”) and continued to operate as an independent registered public accounting firm. On September 29, 2022, the Registrant’s Board of Directors (i) dismissed Friedman and (ii) engaged Marcum to serve as the independent registered public accounting firm of the Registrant and to provide to the Registrant the services previously provided to the Registrant by Friedman. On February 2, 2023, the Registrant’s Board of Directors (i) dismissed Marcum and (ii) engaged RBSM LLP (“RBSM”) to serve as the independent registered public accounting firm of the Registrant and to provide to the Registrant the services previously provided to the Registrant by Friedman.
Neither of Friedman’s reports on the financial statements of the Registrant for either of the past two fiscal years ended, respectively, December 31, 2020 and December 31, 2021, contained an adverse opinion or a disclaimer of opinion, or was qualified or modified as to uncertainty, audit scope, or accounting principles. The Company has recurring losses from operations which raises substantial doubt about its ability to continue as a going concern.
During the Registrant’s two most recent fiscal years ended, respectively, December 31, 2020 and December 31, 2021, and the subsequent interim period through September 29, 2022, there were no disagreements with Friedman on any matter of accounting principles or practices, financial statement disclosure, or auditing scope or procedure, which disagreement(s), if not resolved to the satisfaction of Friedman, would have caused it to make reference to the subject matter of the disagreement(s) in connection with its report. During the subsequent interim period through February 2, 2023, there were no disagreements with Marcum on any matter of accounting principles or practices, financial statement disclosure, or auditing scope or procedure, which disagreement(s), if not resolved to the satisfaction of Friedman, would have caused it to make reference to the subject matter of the disagreement(s) in connection with its report.
During the Registrant’s two most recent fiscal years ended, respectively, December 31, 2020 and December 31, 2021, and the subsequent interim period through September 29, 2022, there were no reportable events (as defined in Item 304(a)(1)(v) of Regulation S-K). During the subsequent interim period through February 2, 2023, there were no reportable events (as defined in Item 304(a)(1)(v) of Regulation S-K).
The Registrant has provided Marcum with a copy of the above disclosures prior to its filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”). A letter to the Commission dated September 29, 2022 from Friedman regarding its concurrence or disagreement with the statements made by the Registrant in this current report concerning the dismissal of Friedman as the Registrant’s independent registered public accounting firm was attached to the Registrant’s Form 8-K dated September 29, 2022. A letter to the Commission dated February 5, 2023 from Marcum regarding its concurrence or disagreement with the statements made by the Registrant in this current report concerning the dismissal of Marcum as the Registrant’s independent registered public accounting firm is attached as Exhibit 16 hereto.
During the Registrant’s two most recent fiscal years ended, respectively, December 31, 2020 and December 31, 2021, and the subsequent interim period through February 2, 2023, neither the Registrant nor anyone on its behalf has consulted with Marcum with respect to either (i) the application of accounting principles to a specified transaction, either completed or proposed, or the type of audit opinion that might be rendered on the Registrant’s consolidated financial statements, and neither a written report nor oral advice was provided to the Registrant that Marcum concluded was an important factor considered by the Registrant in reaching a decision as to any accounting, auditing or financial reporting issue; or (ii) any matter that was either the subject of a disagreement (as defined in Item 304(a)(1)(iv) of Regulation S-K and the related instructions to Item 304 of Regulation S-K) or a reportable event (as defined in Item 304(a)(1)(v) of Regulation S-K).