§ 71-808. Disclosure document.  


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  • A.  It shall be unlawful for any person to offer or sell any business opportunity required to be registered pursuant to the Oklahoma Business Opportunity Sales Act unless a written disclosure document as filed pursuant to Section 807 of this title is delivered to each purchaser at least ten (10) business days prior to the execution by a purchaser of any contract or agreement imposing a binding legal obligation on the purchaser or the payment by a purchaser of any consideration in connection with the offer or sale of the business opportunity.

    B.  The disclosure document shall have a cover sheet which is entitled, in at least ten-point bold type, "DISCLOSURE REQUIRED BY THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA".  Under the title shall appear the statement in at least ten-point type that "THE REGISTRATION OF THIS BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY DOES NOT CONSTITUTE APPROVAL, RECOMMENDATION OR ENDORSEMENT BY THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA.  THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS DISCLOSURE DOCUMENT HAS NOT BEEN VERIFIED BY THIS STATE.  IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS ABOUT THIS INVESTMENT, SEEK PROFESSIONAL ADVICE BEFORE YOU SIGN A CONTRACT OR MAKE ANY PAYMENT. YOU ARE TO BE PROVIDED TEN (10) BUSINESS DAYS TO REVIEW THIS DOCUMENT BEFORE SIGNING ANY CONTRACT OR AGREEMENT OR MAKING ANY PAYMENT TO THE SELLER OR THE SELLER'S REPRESENTATIVE".  The seller's name and principal business address, along with the date of the disclosure document shall also be provided on the cover sheet.  No other information shall appear on the cover sheet.  The disclosure document shall contain the following information unless the seller uses a disclosure document as provided in Section 807 of this title:

    1.  The names and residential addresses of those salespersons who will engage in the offer or sale of the business opportunity in this state;

    2.  The name of the seller; whether the seller is doing business as an individual, partnership, corporation, limited liability company, or any other form of business entity; the names under which the seller has done, is doing or intends to do business; and the name of any parent or affiliated company that will engage in business transactions with purchasers or which will take responsibility for statements made by the seller;

    3.  The names, addresses and titles of the seller's officers, directors, trustees, general managers, principal executives, agents and any other persons charged with responsibility for the seller's business activities relating to the sale of the business opportunity;

    4.  Prior business experience of the seller relating to business opportunities including:

    a.the name, address and a description of any business opportunity previously offered by the seller,

    b.the length of time the seller has offered each such business opportunity, and

    c.the length of time the seller has conducted the business opportunity currently being offered to the purchaser;

    5.  With respect to persons identified in paragraph 3 of subsection B of this section:

    a.a description of the persons' business experience for the ten-year period preceding filing date of the disclosure document.  The description of business experience shall list principal occupations and employers, and

    b.a listing of the persons' educational and professional backgrounds, including the names of schools attended and degrees received, and any other information that will demonstrate sufficient knowledge and experience to perform the services proposed;

    6.  Whether the seller or any person identified in paragraph 3 of subsection B of this section:

    a.has been convicted of any felony, has pleaded nolo contendere to a felony charge or has been the subject of any criminal, civil or administrative proceedings alleging:  The violation of any business opportunity law, securities law, commodities law, franchise law, fraud or deceit, embezzlement, fraudulent conversion, restraint of trade, unfair or deceptive practices, misappropriation of property or comparable allegations; or

    b.has filed in bankruptcy, been adjudged bankrupt, been reorganized due to insolvency, or was an owner, principal officer or general partner of any other person that has so filed or was so adjudged or reorganized during or within seven (7) years of the date of the disclosure document;

    7.  The name(s) of the person(s) identified in paragraph 6 of subsection B of this section, nature of and parties to the action or proceeding, court or other forum, date of the institution of the action, docket reference to the action, current status of the action or proceeding, terms and conditions or any order or decree, the penalties or damages assessed and terms of settlement;

    8.  The initial payment required, or when the exact amount cannot be determined, a detailed estimate of the amount of the initial payment to be made to the seller;

    9.  A detailed description of the actual services the seller agrees to perform for the purchaser;

    10.  A detailed description of any training the seller agrees to provide for the purchaser;

    11.  A detailed description of services the seller agrees to perform in connection with the placement of equipment, products or supplies at a location, as well as any agreement necessary in order to locate or operate equipment, products or supplies on a premises neither owned nor leased by the purchaser or seller;

    12.  A detailed description of any license(s) or permit(s) that will be necessary in order for the purchaser to engage in or operate the business opportunity;

    13.  Any representations made by the seller to the purchaser concerning sales or earnings that may be made from the business opportunity, including, but not limited to:

    a.the bases or assumptions for any actual, average, projected or forecasted sales, profits, income or earnings,

    b.the total number of purchasers who, within a period of three (3) years of the date of the disclosure document, purchased a business opportunity involving the product, equipment, supplies or services being offered to the purchaser, and

    c.the total number of purchasers who, within three (3) years of the date of the disclosure document, purchased a business opportunity involving the product, equipment, supplies or services being offered to the purchaser who, to the seller's knowledge, have actually received earnings in the amount or range specified;

    14.  A detailed description of the elements of a guarantee made by a seller to a purchaser.  Such description shall include, but shall not be limited to, the duration, terms, scope, conditions and limitations of the guarantee;

    15.  A statement describing any contractual restrictions, prohibitions or limitations on the purchaser's conduct.  The seller shall attach a copy of all business opportunity and other contracts or agreements proposed for use or in use in this state including, without limitation, all lease agreements, option agreements and purchase agreements;

    16.  The rights and obligations of the seller and the purchaser regarding termination of the business opportunity contract or agreement;

    17.  A statement accurately describing the grounds upon which the purchaser may initiate legal action to terminate the business opportunity contract or agreement;

    18.  A copy of the most recent audited financial statements of the seller.  If the seller's audited financial statements are dated more than four (4) months prior to the filing of the disclosure document, the seller shall submit unaudited financial statements for the interim period;

    19.  A list of the states in which the business opportunity is registered;

    20.  A list of the states in which the disclosure document is on file;

    21.  A list of the states which have denied, suspended or revoked the registration of the business opportunity;

    22.  A section entitled "Risk Factors" containing a series of short concise statements summarizing the principal factors which make the business opportunity a high risk or one of a speculative nature.  Each statement shall include a cross-reference to the page on which further information regarding that risk factor can be found in the disclosure document; and

    23.  Any additional information as the Administrator may require by rule or order.

Added by Laws 1985, c. 157, § 8, eff. Nov. 1, 1985.  Amended by Laws 1992, c. 169, § 3, eff. Sept. 1, 1992; Laws 1999, c. 109, § 16, eff. July 1, 1999.