Thread regarding Digital River Inc. layoffs

Thank you for everything you have done for Digital River.

Dear Team,

As you know, we have been navigating a challenging period in our business for some time now. While we’ve worked diligently to consolidate our operations and strengthen our focus on our Digital and Subscription businesses, unforeseen factors have intensified the strain on our financial resources. The rapid contraction of key customers, combined with the headwinds presented by new deals with shorter payment terms and U.S. trade policies that impacted one of our largest customers, have exacerbated the pressure on our available capital. These challenges, coupled with rising operational costs and tax obligations, have impacted our ability to sustain operations.

In response to our constrained financial position, we began exploring strategic pathways. As of January 2, 2025, Digital River became unable to tap into advanced funding of our revolving credit facility. In response, we engaged in discussions with our lenders and largest customers to source additional funding or determine an alternate solution to sustain our operations.

Despite our best efforts, we have been unable to identify a path forward that would allow Digital River to continue operating. It is with a heavy heart that we have made the incredibly difficult decision to initiate the wind down of the business, which will occur pursuant to each foreign jurisdiction’s requirements. This process began with the suspension of services to the majority of our global customers. As part of the global wind down process, today, Digital River filed an application to initiate insolvency proceedings for our German entities at the Cologne Insolvency Court. As such, a Court-appointed Preliminary Insolvency Administrator will assess the operational viability of German operations.

Globally, we expect a substantial reduction in our workforce as part of the wind down process, which will also impact our independent contractors. While some employees may remain to assist with the transition, no specific decisions have been made at this time. You will receive further information regarding the wind down process specific to your individual jurisdiction in the coming days, including details about your employment status and any other region-specific considerations. Please be assured that we do not anticipate any interruptions to current wages or benefits during this time.

Please note that we have already communicated with our customers to inform them of the wind down process. We are in ongoing conversations with certain customers to facilitate a smooth transition, which may drive variability in the duration of the wind down process for certain of our teams. We ask that you continue to escalate all inquiries from customers to your ELT lead, and refrain from commenting on the wind down or insolvency processes.

We know this news may be difficult to process. Please know that this decision was not made lightly, and it in no way reflects the immense dedication, talent, and effort each of you has contributed to Digital River. You have been the driving force behind everything we’ve achieved, and for that, we are deeply grateful.

In the days ahead, we ask for your continued professionalism and focus as we navigate this transition. We will be holding a global town hall meeting later today to provide further information and address your questions. In the meantime, if you have immediate concerns or questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to your ELT lead directly.

Thank you for everything you have done for Digital River.

Sincerely,

Barry Kasoff

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| 17478 views | | 18 replies (last 7 hours ago)
Post ID: @OP+1jjm7pm01

18 replies (most recent on top)

BK hat gut aufgepasst und gelernt von DJT & EM bzw. VO

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Post ID: @7st+1jjm7pm01

I would like to know more about the mentioned as--ult. Who what when where why didn’t the cops get involved?

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Post ID: @ge+1jjm7pm01

If needed their legal firm for Europe is GQ Littler (they represent some of the worst) Niall Pelly is the contract in GQ Littler

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Post ID: @f5+1jjm7pm01

Anyone who has bought software through Digital River MyCommerce since July 1, 2024 should report the transaction as fraudulent and claim the payment back from their credit card or PayPal. It was fraud because DR was trading while insolvent since July and never remitted the payment (less the DR commission) to the software vendor.

When you receive your refund you should then re-visit the software vendor's website and purchase again. The vendor will now be using an honest payment gateway so they will get the payment for your new license as intended.

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Post ID: @ey+1jjm7pm01

"Why no announcement on DR website?"

Because they don't care to, they've laid off anyone who would do it, and frankly they are such a small player these days that nobody cares.

In MN they are paying employees through 3/31 to comply with the states WARN notice system.

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Post ID: @e8+1jjm7pm01

There’s no way in the world this wasn’t the original intention when the new buyer took over (I refuse to say he was the CEO - this would be a disgrace to everyone who actually cared about the company and worked their tails off through the years).

If the intention was to shift concentration on retention and digital subscriptions; why would you 1.) alienate the existing customer base with ridiculous new terms and non-payment and 2.) let go of any and all customer-facing positions to facilitate growth.

There was only ever one objective - keep the ship floating long enough to maximize (personal) profit at the expense of amazing employees and companies who placed their trust in Digital River.

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Post ID: @dr+1jjm7pm01

As Digital River was not a licensed payments company (PI in EMEA or Money Transmitter in US) the money the money they kept behind (stole) is hard to recoup. Sorry to say but disadvantage (risk) of the MoR model.

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Post ID: @dd+1jjm7pm01

Why no announcement on DR website?

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Post ID: @cj+1jjm7pm01

https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1014111/000101411115000032/imn09302015ex108.htm

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Post ID: @b8+1jjm7pm01

A remarkably sad ending to a great company. I have always been very proud of the work done while I was with Digital River when we grew it 5x. It was a great, well run and innovative pioneer in ecommerce.

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Post ID: @b0+1jjm7pm01

I'm interested in a class action against these people if others are. We're owed a fair bit.

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Post ID: @az+1jjm7pm01

Digital River took the money our customers paid them for our products and just kept it. Or shuffled it away to the managers and the CEO (,more likely).

Here in Germany, this is called robbery and a criminal act.
Before the US company Digital River bought the reliable and always correct German company share-it, things were just working fine. Then things went just downhill.

If Digital River breaks because of one major customer leaving (Kaspersky), their business model is sh--e. What do they do? They take the money our customers pay them, take their cut, and then send it to use the next month (or, recently, never). They don't create anything, they are just a middleman between customers and credit card companies.

They own me 3 months worth of money. And they have send out license keys to many people who now have legal license for our software. Ad we will never see the money, while the managers in the US go away with millions of dollars in their pocket.

May the all rot in he-l.

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Post ID: @ax+1jjm7pm01

Thanks for posting this email. B.K. planned this for months. It’s his M.O.

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Post ID: @aq+1jjm7pm01

Barry Kasoff = Bernie Madoff

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Post ID: @am+1jjm7pm01

Kasoff - you planned this from day one on. Whilstleblowers have reported it here, including the exact date of the planned insolvency.

Instead of communicating you chased away the merchants which were your income source, lied to them, robbed them.

We will bring you to court in Germany since what you've done is planned insolvency by deception. You pretended to your business customers that everything is fine during all this time. No warning. Based on German law THIS IS A CRIMINAL ACT and all limited liability of a GmbH falls away then. You should know this as as lawyer.

So we'll bring you to court Kasoff

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Post ID: @ah+1jjm7pm01

Confirmed. Search LinkedIn

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Post ID: @ab+1jjm7pm01

fake

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Post ID: @a9+1jjm7pm01

He stole everyone's money, lied to the entire company, and he writes this dribble. Or, someone wrote it for him since he doesn't do any work himself.

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Post ID: @a1+1jjm7pm01

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