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Reynolds v. Citadel Securities LLC — Entry #45: NOTICE of Supplemental Information by Aron Reynolds re 9 Defendant's MOTION to Remand /Transfer to the Southern District of New York

Case: Reynolds v. Citadel Securities LLC flsd · 1:26-cv-24485

filed June 29, 2026

What this document is

Docket entry #45 · filed September 15, 2026

NOTICE of Supplemental Information by Aron Reynolds re 9 Defendant's MOTION to Remand /Transfer to the Southern District of New York (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit A - Lovato, ECF No. 23) (Freedman, Devin) (Entered: 09/15/2026)

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Case 1:26-cv-24485-RKA Document 45-1 Entered on FLSD Docket 09/15/2026 Page 1 of 26


                          EXHIBIT A


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     1   Ryan J. Works (NSBN 9224)
         Jimmy F. Dahu (NSBN 17061)
     2   MCDONALD CARANO LLP
         2300 West Sahara Avenue, Suite 1200
     3   Las Vegas, Nevada 89102
         Tel: (702) 873-4100
         [email protected]
     4   [email protected]
     5   Attorneys for Citadel Securities LLC
     6   Michael R. Hogue (NSBN 12400)
         GREENBERG TRAURIG LLP
     7   10845 Griffith Peak Drive, Suite 600
         Las Vegas, Nevada 89135
     8   Tel: (702) 938-6909
         [email protected]
     9   Attorneys for Anson Funds Management LP and Anson Advisors, Inc.
    10   Jarrod L. Rickard (NSBN 10203)
         SEMENZA RICKARD LAW
    11   10161 Park Run Drive, Suite 150
         Las Vegas, Nevada 89145
    12   Tel: (702) 835-6803
         [email protected]
    13
         Attorneys for Virtu Americas LLC
    14
                                  UNITED STATES BANKRUPTCY COURT
    15                                   DISTRICT OF NEVADA

    16   In re                                             Case No.: 24-50792-gs
    17
         META MATERIALS INC.,                              Chapter 7
    18
                                       Debtor.
    19
         CHRISTINA W. LOVATO, in her capacity as           Adv. Case No.: 26-05036-gs
    20   Chapter 7 Trustee of the Bankruptcy Estate of
    21   Meta Materials Inc., META MATERIALS               DEFENDANTS’ MOTION TO WITHDRAW
         INC.; AND DOUG COLLINS, individually              REFERENCE OF ADVERSARY
    22   and on behalf of all others similarly situated,   PROCEEDING PURSUANT TO 28 U.S.C. §
                                                           157(d) AND FED. R. BANKR. P. 5011
    23                                 Plaintiff,
                 vs.
    24                                                     RELIEF IS SOUGHT FROM A UNITED
    25   CITADEL SECURITIES LLC, VIRTU                     STATES DISTRICT JUDGE
         AMERICAS LLC, ANSON FUNDS
    26   MANAGEMENT LP, and ANSON
         ADVISORS, INC.,
    27
                                       Defendants.
    28


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     1          PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that Defendants Citadel Securities LLC, Virtu Americas LLC,
     2   Anson Funds Management LP, and Anson Advisors, Inc. (“Defendants”), by and through their
     3
         counsel, and pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 157(d), Fed. R. Bankr. P. 5011(a), and Local Rule 5011 hereby
     4
         move to withdraw the district court’s reference of the above captioned Adversary Proceeding. This
     5
         motion is based on the following memorandum of points and authorities, all court records in this
     6

     7   matter for which judicial notice is respectfully requested under Fed. R. Evid. 201, and any argument

     8   and evidence that may be presented at the hearing for this motion.

     9

    10

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     1                                                       TABLE OF CONTENTS
     2                                                                                                                                               Page
     3   PRELIMINARY STATEMENT...................................................................................................... 1
     4
         BACKGROUND ............................................................................................................................. 3
     5
                   A.         Meta Materials Dilutes Its Own Shares and Defrauds Its Own
     6                        Investors .................................................................................................................. 3

     7             B.         Trustee and Non-Debtor Plaintiff ........................................................................... 4
     8             C.         Rule 2004 Discovery ............................................................................................... 5
     9             D.         The Complaint......................................................................................................... 6
    10                        1.         Putative Federal Securities Class Action .................................................... 6
    11                        2.         Causes of Action Under Federal Securities Law ........................................ 7
                              3.         Demand of Jury Trial .................................................................................. 8
    12
         ARGUMENT ................................................................................................................................... 8
    13
          I.       MANDATORY WITHDRAWAL OF THE REFERENCE IS
    14             WARRANTED .................................................................................................................... 8
    15             A.         Plaintiffs’ Market Manipulation Allegations Require Consideration
    16                        of Complex and Significant Federal Securities Law Issues .................................... 9

    17             B.         This Putative Class Action Requires the Court to Analyze Complex
                              PSLRA Lead-Plaintiff Issues from the Outset ...................................................... 12
    18
          II.      PERMISSIVE WITHDRAWAL OF THE REFERENCE IS ALSO
    19             APPROPRIATE ................................................................................................................. 13
    20             A.         The Efficient Use of Judicial Resources Strongly Favors
                              Withdrawal ............................................................................................................ 14
    21
                              1.         The Complaint’s Exchange Act Claims Are Non-Core ............................ 14
    22
                              2.         The Bankruptcy Court Likely Lacks Jurisdiction Over Class Claims ...... 15
    23
                   B.         Putative Class Action Status and Demand of Jury Trial Favor
    24                        Withdrawal ............................................................................................................ 16

    25             C.         No Factor Weighs Against Withdrawal ................................................................ 17

    26   CONCLUSION .............................................................................................................................. 18
    27

    28
                                                                                 i


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     1                                                  TABLE OF AUTHORITIES
     2                                                                                                                                 Page(s)
         Cases
     3
         ATSI Commc’ns, Inc. v. Shaar Fund, Ltd.,
     4
           493 F.3d 87 (2d Cir. 2007) ......................................................................................................... 11
     5
         Dunmore v. United States,
     6     358 F.3d 1107 (9th Cir. 2004).................................................................................................... 14

     7   Genius Grp. Ltd. v. Citadel Sec. LLC,
           2026 WL 1760342 (S.D.N.Y. June 18, 2026).................................................................. 2, 12, 13
     8
         Gens v. Colonial Sav., F.A.,
     9     2012 WL 993713 (N.D. Cal. Mar. 23, 2012) ............................................................................. 16
    10
         Haigler v. Dozier (In re Dozier Fin., Inc.),
    11     2018 WL 4599860 (D.S.C. Sept. 6, 2018) ................................................................................. 14

    12   In re PG&E Corp.,
            2024 WL 4230403 (Bankr. N.D. Cal. Sept. 18, 2024)............................................................... 13
    13
         Lara v. Casimiro (In re Casimiro),
    14     2006 WL 1581897 (E.D. Cal. June 6, 2006)........................................................................ 16, 17
    15
         Maitland v. Mitchell (In re Harris Pine Mills),
    16    44 F.3d 1431 (9th Cir. 1995)...................................................................................................... 14

    17   Malone v. Norwest Fin. Cal., Inc.,
          245 B.R. 389 (E.D. Cal. 2000) ................................................................................................... 17
    18
         Meghji v. Compound Labs, Inc. (In re Celsius Network LLC),
    19    670 B.R. 379 (S.D.N.Y. 2025) ............................................................................................ passim
    20   Mishkin v. Ageloff,
    21     220 B.R. 784 (S.D.N.Y. 1998) ................................................................................................... 11

    22   Morschauser v. Cont’l Cap. LLC (In re Devore Stop)
           2024 WL 654914 (9th Cir. Feb. 16, 2024)................................................................................ 15
    23
         Ohio Sec. Ins. v. Affinitylifestyles.com, Inc. (In re Affinitylifestyles.com, Inc.),
    24     2023 WL 4761634 (D. Nev. July 25, 2023)............................................................................... 15
    25   Orion Pictures Corp. v. Showtime Networks, Inc. (In re Orion Pictures Corp.),
           4 F.3d 1095 (2d Cir. 1993) ......................................................................................................... 14
    26

    27   Porter v. NationsCredit Consumer Disc. Co. (In re Porter),
           295 B.R. 529 (Bankr. E.D. Pa. 2003)................................................................................... 15, 16
    28
                                                                            ii


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     1   Quantum BioPharma Ltd. v. CIBC World Mkts, Inc.,
           2026 WL 861678 (S.D.N.Y. Mar. 30, 2026) ............................................................................. 10
     2
         Rannd Res., Inc. v. Von Harten (In re Rannd Res., Inc.),
     3
           175 B.R. 393 (D. Nev. 1994) ....................................................................................................... 9
     4
         SEC v. ARVCO Cap. Rsch., LLC,
     5     2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 167899 (D. Nev. Nov. 26, 2012) ........................................................... 9

     6   Sec. Farms v. Int’l Bhd. of Teamsters,
           124 F.3d 999 (9th Cir. 1997)............................................................................................ 9, 13, 14
     7
         Shurkin v. Golden State Vintners Inc.,
     8     |471 F. Supp. 2d 998 (N.D. Cal. 2006) ...................................................................................... 10
     9
         Taxel v. Elec. Sports Rsch. (In re Cinematronics, Inc.),
    10     916 F.2d 1444 (9th Cir. 1990).................................................................................................... 17

    11   Vestavia Hills, Ltd. v. U.S. Small Bus. Admin. (In re Vestavia Hills, Ltd.),
           630 B.R. 816 (S.D. Cal. 2021) ..................................................................................................... 9
    12
         Walleye Opp. Master Fund Ltd. v. Silver Lake Grp., LLC (In re Silver Lake Grp.,
    13    LLC Sec. Litig.),
    14    108 F.4th 1178 (9th Cir. 2024) .................................................................................................. 10

    15   Statutes

    16   15 U.S.C. § 78u-4............................................................................................................... 1, 2, 7, 12

    17   28 U.S.C. § 157(b)(2)(A) ............................................................................................................... 14

    18   28 U.S.C. § 157(b)(2)(O) ............................................................................................................... 14
    19   28 U.S.C. § 157(d) .................................................................................................................. passim
    20   Other Authorities
    21
         Bankr. D. Nev. L.R. 7012 ................................................................................................................ 8
    22
         Fed. R. Bankr. P. 7012(b) ................................................................................................................ 8
    23

    24

    25

    26

    27

    28
                                                                             iii


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     1                                    PRELIMINARY STATEMENT
     2           This Adversary Proceeding does not belong in the Bankruptcy Court. It is a putative federal
     3
         securities class action brought pursuant to the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act (“PSLRA”)
     4
         alleging market manipulation by Defendants in violation of Sections 9(a)(2), 9(e), 10(b), and 20A
     5
         of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”).              The Complaint asserts no
     6

     7   Bankruptcy Code claims. Nor are the allegations related to any conduct in bankruptcy. Resolving

     8   this non-core proceeding will require consideration of complex federal securities law issues, which

     9   Congress intended for Article III courts, not bankruptcy courts, to decide. Because the Trustee (on
    10
         behalf of the Debtor’s estate) and the non-debtor Plaintiff Doug Collins inappropriately filed this
    11
         putative securities class action in the Bankruptcy Court, Defendants now move to withdraw the
    12
         reference.
    13
                 Mandatory withdrawal is warranted under 28 U.S.C. § 157(d) for several reasons. The
    14

    15   Complaint’s core allegations are that two Defendants engaged in “spoofing”—placing and rapidly

    16   cancelling orders—that artificially depressed the stock price of Debtor Meta Materials, Inc. (“Meta
    17   Materials” or the “Debtor”) while its stock was listed and that two Defendants purportedly engaged
    18
         in allegedly improper short-selling around Meta Materials’ securities offering. Applying federal
    19
         securities law to such allegations presents significant securities law issues, including the heightened
    20
         pleading standard, the purported manipulative acts, alleged scienter, loss causation, reliance, and
    21

    22   inquiry notice relating to the statute of limitations. Only a limited number of courts have ever dealt

    23   head-on with private securities litigation predicated on similar allegations, and all such cases have

    24   been litigated in Article III district courts, not bankruptcy courts.
    25           The PSLRA’s lead-plaintiff process, which raises significant legal issues better addressed
    26
         in Article III district courts, further underscores why this action should not proceed in the
    27
         Bankruptcy Court. The Court must determine whether the proposed lead plaintiff’s claims are
    28
                                                            1


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     1   typical of the class, whether the lead plaintiff can fairly and adequately protect the interests of the
     2   class, and whether its selection of class counsel should be approved. See 15 U.S.C. § 78u-4. That
     3
         process will also involve significant federal procedural questions, including whether the Trustee
     4
         (acting for the Debtor) and non-debtor Plaintiff Collins may serve as lead plaintiffs and whether
     5
         their shared special counsel may serve as lead counsel. It is highly unusual for an issuer like the
     6

     7   Debtor here to seek appointment as lead plaintiff for its own shareholders—all the more so where

     8   the Debtor and its insiders have themselves been charged with market manipulation surrounding

     9   the Debtor’s stock. Indeed, one federal district court recently recognized the unique posture of a
    10
         similar request and denied the issuer’s motion as well as appointment of its proposed lead counsel—
    11
         the same three firms representing the Trustee and Collins here. See Genius Grp. Ltd. v. Citadel
    12
         Sec. LLC, 2026 WL 1760342, at *7 (S.D.N.Y. June 18, 2026).
    13
                The firms’ dual representation of the Trustee and Collins, a non-debtor plaintiff, raises
    14

    15   additional concerns: the firms and Trustee obtained confidential trading data from Defendants

    16   through Rule 2004 discovery—data that is “preclud[ed] [from] dissemination . . . beyond the trustee
    17   and her professionals for use in this bankruptcy,” ECF No. 2821 at 5—and each represented that it
    18
         had “no connections with [Meta Materials’] shareholders or other parties-in-interest.” See ECF
    19
         Nos. 98-100, 2933-35. Nevertheless, the firms now represent Collins, who is not entitled to the
    20
         Rule 2004 discovery. Material consideration of the PSLRA and these threshold appointment issues
    21

    22   will drive this litigation from its outset. Mandatory withdrawal is warranted.

    23          Permissive withdrawal is independently warranted. A district court may withdraw the

    24   reference “for cause shown.” 28 U.S.C. § 157(d). First, withdrawal promotes judicial efficiency
    25   because the Complaint asserts only federal securities law claims, which are plainly non-core issues
    26
         that do not depend on the Bankruptcy Code and could have been brought in district court. Any
    27
         determination by the Bankruptcy Court in this case would thus be subject to unnecessarily
    28
                                                           2


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     1   duplicative de novo review by this Court. Second, the Bankruptcy Court likely lacks subject-matter
     2   jurisdiction over the claims of Collins and absent class members.           Leaving this Adversary
     3
         Proceeding in bankruptcy court would thus risk parallel proceedings, with the Trustee’s individual
     4
         action continuing in the Bankruptcy Court (and any ruling subject to de novo review by the Court)
     5
         and a separate class action filed elsewhere. Third, both the class nature of the proceeding and the
     6

     7   Complaint’s demand for a jury trial further support permissive withdrawal. No factor weighs

     8   against permissive withdrawal.

     9          The Court should withdraw the reference.
    10
                                                  BACKGROUND1
    11
                A.      Meta Materials Dilutes Its Own Shares and Defrauds Its Own Investors
    12
                Meta Materials was a Canada-headquartered corporation that went public through a reverse
    13
         merger and was listed on NASDAQ on June 28, 2021. During the Class Period, the Debtor
    14

    15   conducted a series of transactions that progressively diluted the value of existing shares. Those

    16   transactions included registered direct offerings paired with an equal number of warrants, Compl.
    17   ¶¶ 32, 36; ongoing sales of newly issued shares through an at-the-market program, id. ¶ 33; and a
    18
         “confidentially marketed public offering” of stock and warrants containing an anti-dilution
    19
         provision that automatically reduced the warrants’ exercise price to match any subsequent lower-
    20
         priced issuance of the same class of securities, id. ¶ 34.
    21

    22          The Debtor publicly attributed the decline in its stock price to manipulation by third parties.

    23   In June 2023, the Debtor announced it had retained Christian Attar (formerly known as Christian

    24   Smith & Jewell LLP), one of the firms now representing the Trustee and Non-Debtor Plaintiff in
    25   this action, to investigate “instances of illegal trading, particularly by naked short sellers.” Ex. 1
    26

    27   1
           All references to ECF Nos. in this Memorandum refer to the Meta Materials’ bankruptcy
    28   proceeding, Case No. 24-50792-gs, and all references to “Compl.” below refer to ECF No. 1.
                                                            3


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      1   (June 27, 2023 Press Release) at 2. In May 2024, the Debtor announced that its legal team had
      2   “concluded that [Meta Materials] has meritorious claims for market manipulation against several
      3
          parties.” Ex. 2 (May 20, 2024 Press Release) at 1.
      4
                  In June 2024, however, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) charged the
      5
          Debtor and two of its former CEOs with conducting a “sophisticated, yet brazen” manipulative
      6

      7   scheme of Debtor’s stock in June 2021. Ex. 3 (June 25, 2024 SEC Press Release) at 2. According

      8   to the SEC, the Debtor engaged “in a scheme to inflate the price of its stock and defraud investors

      9   through numerous material misstatements and omissions about the potential value of a stock
     10
          dividend to be issued as part of the [reverse] merger,” cashing in $137.5 million. Ex. 4 (SEC Cease-
     11
          and-Desist Order) at 2. In early 2024, Meta Materials also settled a federal securities class action
     12
          brought by its own investors alleging the Company made material misrepresentations in connection
     13
          with the same reverse merger. See In re Meta Materials Inc. Sec. Litig., No. 1:21-cv-07203
     14

     15   (E.D.N.Y. final judgment and order of dismissal entered, and case terminated, on May 22, 2024).

     16           Later that year, on August 9, 2024, Meta Materials filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in the
     17   United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Nevada and ceased operations. ECF No. 1. On
     18
          August 21, 2024, Meta Materials was delisted from NASDAQ. Ex. 5 (August 14, 2024 Form 8-K)
     19
          at 2.
     20
                  B.     Trustee and Non-Debtor Plaintiff
     21

     22           Christina Lovato was appointed Trustee on August 15, 2024 following Meta Materials’

     23   bankruptcy filing. ECF No. 14. In October 2024, the Trustee retained Christian Attar and Kasowitz

     24   Benson Torres LLP as “special counsel” specifically to pursue litigation for alleged stock
     25   manipulation through practices such as “naked short selling” and “spoofing.” ECF No. 98-1 at 2.
     26
          The Trustee included Grant & Eisenhofer as additional “special counsel” (and sought the court’s
     27
          approval for the same) for the first time on the same day the instant action was filed. ECF No.
     28
                                                           4


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      1   2933. In their declarations in support of the Trustee’s ex parte application to employ the law firms
      2   on a contingency basis, all three firms represented that they had “no connections with” the Trustee,
      3
          “the Estate’s creditors, shareholders or other parties-in-interest.” ECF Nos. 98-100, 2933-35.
      4
                 Plaintiff Doug Collins (“Non-Debtor Plaintiff,” together with the Trustee, “Plaintiffs”) in
      5
          this Adversary Action is an individual residing in Tennessee. Compl. ¶ 15. Collins was allegedly
      6

      7   a shareholder of Meta Materials during the Alleged Class Period. 2 Id. Collins filed three proofs of

      8   interest on December 13, 2024 and January 6, 2026 in the bankruptcy case, referring to himself as

      9   having an “investor”-based equity interest in the Debtor. See ECF Nos. 724, 2511, 2512. Collins
     10
          is represented by the same three firms—Christian Attar, Kasowitz Benson Torres LLP, and Grant
     11
          & Eisenhofer—who are also representing the Trustee in this case. See Compl. at 1.
     12
                 C.      Rule 2004 Discovery
     13
                 In March 2025, the Trustee served Rule 2004 examination subpoenas to seek discovery in
     14

     15   the bankruptcy proceeding of voluminous trading data from Defendants. ECF Nos. 1614-17, 1630-

     16   33.   Defendants objected and raised concerns that the subpoenas were being employed to
     17   improperly pursue discovery in support of claims not on behalf of the Debtor or for the benefit of
     18
          the Debtor’s estate. See ECF No. 2425 at 6-8. Defendants also pointed to several ongoing similar
     19
          federal manipulation claims against Citadel Securities LLC (“Citadel Securities”) and Virtu
     20
          Americas LLC (“Virtu”) filed by the same special counsel to the Trustee, noting the risk that any
     21

     22   evidence obtained from the Rule 2004 examinations would be used to circumvent the procedural

     23   safeguards of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and the PSLRA and confer an unfair advantage

     24   to non-debtor litigants against the same Defendants. See ECF No. 2632 at 13-14.
     25

     26

     27   2
           The Alleged Class Period, as set forth in the Complaint, is June 28, 2021 to August 20, 2024.
     28   Compl. at 1.
                                                           5


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      1          On February 20, 2026, after multiple rounds of briefing and two hearings, the Bankruptcy
      2   Court issued an order requiring Defendants to produce certain material and data because the Trustee
      3
          “is entitled under Rule 2004 ‘to determine the scope of viable claims that may exist . . . against
      4
          potential third parties that may be culpable for causing such harm to the’ debtor.” ECF No. 2821
      5
          at 4. But because of the “concerns regarding special counsel’s disinterestedness [] suggest[ing] that
      6

      7   these Rule 2004 examinations may not be sought solely for the benefit of the debtor’s estate,” the

      8   court found it appropriate to enter a protective order “precluding the dissemination of the produced

      9   information beyond the trustee and her professionals for use in this bankruptcy.” Id. at 5. That
     10
          protective order was subsequently entered, requiring that any production made thereunder be solely
     11
          for the Trustee and her court-appointed counsel. See ECF No. 2887 at 4, ¶ 5.
     12
                 D.      The Complaint
     13
                         1.      Putative Federal Securities Class Action
     14

     15          On August 7, 2026, the Trustee and the Non-Debtor Plaintiff Doug Collins filed this

     16   Adversary Proceeding. Plaintiffs purport to “bring this action as a class action pursuant to Federal
     17   Rule of Civil Procedure 23(a) and (b)(3) individually and on behalf of a Class consisting of all
     18
          persons and entities that transacted in the publicly traded securities of Meta Materials” during the
     19
          Alleged Class Period. Compl. ¶ 166.
     20
                 The Complaint asserts claims against Defendants Citadel Securities and Virtu (together, the
     21

     22   “Broker-Dealer Defendants”), which are broker-dealers registered with the SEC. Id. ¶¶ 16-17, 40.

     23   As market makers, Citadel Securities and Virtu help keep financial markets operating by being

     24   ready to buy and sell securities at any time, helping to ensure quick execution and price stability.
     25   The Complaint also asserts claims against Anson Funds Management LP, a Texas-based registered
     26
          investment advisor with the SEC, and Anson Advisors, Inc., a corporation organized under the laws
     27
          of Ontario and with a principal place of business in Ontario, registered with the Ontario Securities
     28
                                                           6


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      1   Commission, and registered as an exempt reporting advisor with the SEC (together, the “Anson
      2   Funds Defendants”). Id. ¶¶ 18-19.
      3
                 Although Plaintiffs filed the Complaint in the Bankruptcy Court, they proceeded to issue a
      4
          lead plaintiff notice pursuant to the requirement under the PSLRA. 15 U.S.C. § 78u-4(a)(1). In its
      5
          public notice, Plaintiffs’ counsel informed investors that they may be able to seek appointment as
      6

      7   lead plaintiff by “complying with the relevant provisions of the [PSLRA]” and move the court by

      8   October 12, 2026. Ex. 6 (August 12, 2026 Business Wire Notice) at 3.

      9                  2.      Causes of Action Under Federal Securities Law
     10
                 The Complaint alleges four causes of action, all of which arise exclusively under the federal
     11
          securities laws. Compl. ¶ 24. No claims under the Bankruptcy Code are asserted.
     12
                 Counts I and II, brought against all Defendants, allege violations of Section 10(b), Sections
     13
          9(a)(2) and 9(e) of the Exchange Act on the grounds that Defendants allegedly engaged in
     14

     15   manipulative trading schemes during the Alleged Class Period.           Compl. ¶¶ 173-189.      The

     16   Complaint alleges that the Broker-Dealer Defendants engaged in pervasive “spoofing”—whereby
     17   they allegedly placed massive volumes of buy-side or sell-side Baiting Orders with no intention to
     18
          execute and then rapidly cancelled the orders within seconds. Id. ¶¶ 62-66. Such “Baiting Orders”
     19
          allegedly misled other market participants into believing there was excess supply, in the case of
     20
          sell-side orders, or excess demand, in the case of buy-side orders. Id. Spoofers could allegedly
     21

     22   flash sell-side “Baiting Orders” to drive the price down and benefit from the downward price

     23   movement through pre-existing short positions or by placing buy orders to acquire the stock at the

     24   lower “spoofed” price. Id. ¶¶ 3-4. According to the Complaint, the continuous placement and
     25   cancellation of thousands of Baiting Orders artificially depressed the price of Meta Materials stock
     26
          over time. Id. ¶ 64.
     27

     28
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      1          In addition to alleging a spoofing scheme, the Complaint alleges that Virtu engaged in
      2   “naked short selling,” which refers to selling short without having borrowed or arranged to borrow
      3
          securities to deliver to the buyer within the standard settlement period. Id. ¶ 5. It also alleges that
      4
          the Anson Funds Defendants purportedly engaged in manipulative conduct known as “shorting and
      5
          distorting” and that the Anson Funds Defendants also purportedly sold short on material nonpublic
      6

      7   information. Id. ¶ 111-13.

      8          Count III asserts a separate Section 10(b) claim under the Exchange Act against the Anson

      9   Funds Defendants under the misappropriation theory of insider trading, alleging that they
     10
          purportedly traded on material nonpublic information. Id. ¶¶ 190-192.
     11
                 Count IV asserts a claim under Section 20A of the Exchange Act against the Anson Funds
     12
          Defendants, alleging that other investors transacted in Meta Materials securities at the same time
     13
          the Anson Funds Defendants were allegedly trading on nonpublic information. Id. ¶¶ 190-192,
     14

     15   200.

     16                  3.      Demand of Jury Trial
     17          The Complaint demands a jury trial on all counts. See id. at 1. Defendants have not
     18
          consented to a jury trial in the Bankruptcy Court. Pursuant to Fed. R. Bankr. P. 7012(b) and Local
     19
          Rule 7012, Defendants also have not consented to the entry of final orders or judgments by the
     20
          bankruptcy judge if it is determined that the bankruptcy judge, absent consent of the parties, cannot
     21

     22   enter final orders or judgments consistent with Article III of the United States Constitution.

     23                                              ARGUMENT

     24   I.      MANDATORY WITHDRAWAL OF THE REFERENCE IS WARRANTED
     25          A district court must withdraw the reference of an adversary proceeding “if the court
     26
          determines that resolution of the proceeding requires consideration of both Title 11 and other laws
     27
          of the United States regulating organizations or activities affecting interstate commerce.” 28
     28
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      1   U.S.C. § 157(d). The Ninth Circuit has held that Section 157 “mandates withdrawal in cases
      2   requiring material consideration of non-bankruptcy federal law.” Sec. Farms v. Int’l Bhd. of
      3
          Teamsters, 124 F.3d 999, 1008 (9th Cir. 1997). Mandatory withdrawal turns on “whether the issue
      4
          to be decided involve[s] significant and material questions of non-bankruptcy federal law.”
      5
          Vestavia Hills, Ltd. v. U.S. Small Bus. Admin. (In re Vestavia Hills, Ltd.), 630 B.R. 816, 852-53
      6

      7   (S.D. Cal. 2021) (quotation and citation omitted). Withdrawal is warranted if the case requires

      8   “significant interpretation of federal laws that Congress would have intended to have decided by a

      9   district judge rather than a bankruptcy judge.” Id. at 850 (quotation and citation omitted).
     10
                 Resolving the Complaint’s market-manipulation claims will require substantial and material
     11
          consideration of complex federal securities law—the hallmark of mandatory withdrawal under 28
     12
          U.S.C. § 157(d). This Court has previously viewed such consideration of federal securities law to
     13
          warrant mandatory withdrawal. See, e.g., Rannd Res., Inc. v. Von Harten (In re Rannd Res., Inc.),
     14

     15   175 B.R. 393, 396 (D. Nev. 1994) (mandatory withdrawal of adversary proceeding where the

     16   claims involved “§ 12(2) of the Securities Act of 1933, § 10 of the Securities Exchange Act of
     17   1934, and Rule 10b–5”); see also SEC v. ARVCO Cap. Rsch., LLC, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 167899,
     18
          at *4-5 (D. Nev. Nov. 26, 2012) (applying § 157(d) to deny motion to refer to bankruptcy court
     19
          where “the complaint allege[d] violations of Section 17(a)(1) of the Securities Act and Section
     20
          10(b) and Rules 10b-5(a) and 10b-5(c) of the Exchange Act”). There is no reason to depart from
     21

     22   that precedent here.

     23          A.      Plaintiffs’ Market Manipulation Allegations Require Consideration of
                         Complex and Significant Federal Securities Law Issues
     24
                 Here, Plaintiffs allege that Defendants engaged in “spoofing” and other manipulative
     25
          conduct that gives rise to claims arising exclusively under the federal securities fraud statutes, i.e.,
     26

     27   Sections 9(a)(2), 9(e), 10(b) and 20A of the Exchange Act and Rule 10b-5. On the face of the

     28   Complaint, the only material issues the Court must consider to resolve this case arise under the
                                                             9


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      1   substantive federal securities laws. And these are not run-of-the-mill securities fraud allegations:
      2   from the Broker-Dealer Defendants’ review, approximately ten district courts have ever addressed
      3
          the application of federal securities law to “spoofing” allegations in a private lawsuit head on.
      4
                 The Complaint alleges that the two Broker-Dealer Defendants engaged in market
      5
          manipulation through “spoofing” that artificially depressed Meta Materials’ stock price, which in
      6

      7   turn caused losses to the Debtor and investors that transacted in Meta Materials’ shares. Compl. ¶¶

      8   62-66. To assess such a manipulation claim based on spoofing, the Court must apply not only Rule

      9   9(b)’s heightened pleading standard but also the exacting pleading requirements of the PSLRA to
     10
          determine significant federal securities law issues, including: (1) whether spoofing as a
     11
          “manipulative act” is sufficiently pleaded; (2) which “indicia differentiat[e] market manipulation
     12
          from legitimate trading for purposes of scienter”; (3) how spoofing, which by definition lasts only
     13
          seconds, may support loss causation under either “the theory of temporal proximity” or “a theory
     14

     15   of long-term impact”; (4) whether there was “reliance on an assumption of an efficient market free

     16   of manipulation”; and (5) “whether and when” an issuer or an investor “should have been aware
     17   of, or was on inquiry notice of Defendants’ alleged spoofing schemes.” See Quantum BioPharma
     18
          Ltd. v. CIBC World Mkts., Inc., 2026 WL 861678, at *15, 18-21 (S.D.N.Y. Mar. 30, 2026).
     19
                 The same is true to resolve the purported “short selling” allegations, including those asserted
     20
          against the Anson Defendants. Alleged “[i]nsider trading actions must [also] meet the higher,
     21

     22   exacting pleading standards of Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 9(b) and the . . . PSLRA.” Walleye

     23   Opp. Master Fund Ltd. v. Silver Lake Grp., LLC (In re Silver Lake Grp., LLC Sec. Litig.), 108 F.4th

     24   1178, 1191 (9th Cir. 2024) (citation and quotation omitted). And similar key elements, including
     25   scienter, will apply in the alleged insider trading and purported misappropriation context, and courts
     26
          must assess whether a plaintiff has made the mandatory “show[ing] that a defendant purchased or
     27
          sold securities while [actually] possessing material, non-public information.” Id.; see also Shurkin
     28
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      1   v. Golden State Vintners Inc., 471 F. Supp. 2d 998, 1025-26 (N.D. Cal. 2006), aff’d, 303 F. App’x
      2   431 (9th Cir. 2008) (“blanket assertions” were not sufficient); ATSI Commc’ns, Inc. v. Shaar Fund,
      3
          Ltd., 493 F.3d 87, 101-02 (2d Cir. 2007) (because “short selling . . . is not, by itself, manipulative,”
      4
          the PSLRA’s heightened “pleading requirement is particularly important in manipulation claims
      5
          because in some cases scienter is the only factor that distinguishes legitimate trading from improper
      6

      7   manipulation”).

      8           Article III courts should be—and have been—the fora to decide these federal securities law

      9   issues. By way of example, private Exchange Act claims predicated on allegations of spoofing are
     10
          a recent phenomenon, and none have been brought in bankruptcy court. Indeed, the vast majority
     11
          were filed in the Southern District of New York. 3 The most relevant case authority will come from
     12
          decisions by the district courts that have considered the application of federal securities law to
     13
          spoofing. Mishkin v. Ageloff, 220 B.R. 784, 799 (S.D.N.Y. 1998) (mandatory withdrawal where
     14

     15   the court was “struck by the fact that the overwhelming majority of cases cited [] were decided by

     16   Article III courts”).
     17           Withdrawal of the reference is particularly appropriate because cases involving claims that
     18
          third parties “spoofed” a company’s stock price are relatively new. Celsius Network is directly on
     19
          point. Meghji v. Compound Labs, Inc. (In re Celsius Network LLC), 670 B.R. 379, 389 (S.D.N.Y.
     20
          2025). There, as here, a representative of a bankruptcy estate commenced an adversary proceeding
     21

     22
          3
     23     See, e.g., CP Stone Fort Holdings, LLC v. Does, No. 1:16-cv-4991 (N.D. Ill.); Chopper Trading
          LLC v. Allston Trading LLC, No. 1:19-cv-1674 (N.D. Ill.); Kessev Tov, LLC v. Doe(s), No. 1:20-
     24   cv-4947 (N.D. Ill.); Harrington Glob. Opp. Fund, Ltd. v. CIBC World Mkts. Inc., No. 1:21-cv-761
          (S.D.N.Y.); Nw. Biotherapeutics, Inc. v. Canaccord Genuity LLC, No. 1:22-cv-10185 (S.D.N.Y.);
     25   Phunware, Inc. v. UBS Securities LLC, No. 1:23-cv-6426 (S.D.N.Y.); Mullen Auto., Inc. v. IMC
          Fin. Mkts., No. 1:23-cv-10637 (S.D.N.Y.); Quantum Biopharma Ltd. v. CIBC World Mkts., Inc.,
     26   No. 1:24-cv-7972 (S.D.N.Y.); Durkacz v. CIBC World Mkts, Inc., No. 1:25-cv-10565 (S.D.N.Y.);
     27   Xdood LLC v. Interactive Brokers Grp., No. 1:25-cv-8536 (S.D.N.Y.); Genius Grp. Ltd., No. 1:25-
          cv-9546 (S.D.N.Y.); Asia Broadband, Inc. v. Virtu Fin. Inc., No. 2:26-cv-175 (C.D. Cal.); Reynolds
     28   v. Citadel Sec. LLC, No. 1:26-cv-24485 (S.D. Fla.).
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      1   asserting a federal securities-fraud claim arising from trading losses unrelated to any substantive
      2   right under the Bankruptcy Code. The district court held that withdrawal of the reference of federal
      3
          securities claims involving cryptocurrencies was mandatory because adjudication was “not simply
      4
          a matter of applying well-established federal law to the specific facts of a case,” but rather of
      5
          “applying [precedent] to a novel set of circumstances.” Id. at 389. So too here. There is no direct
      6

      7   guidance from the Supreme Court or Ninth Circuit, and while a number of district courts have

      8   rendered decisions on spoofing, they are “of recent vintage and were issued without the benefit of

      9   any guidance from [higher courts].” Id. at 388. “Because this case necessitates significant
     10
          interpretation of [federal securities law] and involves more than the routine application of federal
     11
          laws outside the Bankruptcy Code,” the Court must withdraw the reference of this Adversary
     12
          Proceeding. Id. at 390 (quotation and citation omitted).
     13
                 B.      This Putative Class Action Requires the Court to Analyze Complex PSLRA
     14
                         Lead-Plaintiff Issues from the Outset
     15
                 Before assessing the Complaint’s allegations on a motion to dismiss, the Court will also be
     16
          required to address several significant legal issues that arise under the PSLRA. Plaintiffs’ counsel
     17
          issued a lead plaintiff notice as required by the PSLRA. 15 U.S.C. § 78u-4(a)(3)(A)(i). According
     18

     19   to the public notice, the deadline for Meta Materials investors to move for lead plaintiff is October

     20   12, 2026. Ex. 6. Following that deadline, the Court will be required to apply the PSLRA and

     21   assess, among other things, the highly unusual question of whether the Trustee, acting on behalf of
     22
          the Debtor’s estate, could serve as lead plaintiff in this putative class action. To Defendants’
     23
          knowledge, only one court has decided whether an issuer can serve as lead plaintiff in a securities
     24
          class action and held that it cannot. See Genius Grp. Ltd., 2026 WL 1760342, at *3-5 (recognizing
     25
          the unique posture of the case and holding that the issuer failed the typicality and adequacy
     26

     27   requirements of Rule 23). That Court also held that the same three law firms that are special counsel

     28
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      1   to the Trustee and represent the Non-Debtor Plaintiff here could not serve as lead counsel for the
      2   proposed class. Id. at *5.
      3
                 The PSLRA’s lead plaintiff process may raise other complex issues as well, including
      4
          whether Plaintiffs’ counsel can serve as lead counsel while representing both the Trustee and the
      5
          Non-Debtor Plaintiff, the latter of whom is precluded from reviewing or utilizing the confidential
      6

      7   trading data obtained from Defendants through Rule 2004 discovery.

      8          The PSLRA imposes on district courts an independent obligation to approve lead counsel

      9   to prevent potential abuses in federal securities class actions. Id. at *7 (denying lead plaintiff and
     10
          lead counsel application where it “smack[ed] of the sort of lawyer-driven litigation that the PSLRA
     11
          aims to avoid”). This case, like other similar actions Plaintiffs’ counsel already filed against the
     12
          Broker-Dealer Defendants, requires careful consideration of the PSLRA in the lead counsel
     13
          approval process.
     14

     15          Ultimately, as another bankruptcy court in this circuit recently explained, “the PSLRA is

     16   unfamiliar territory for bankruptcy courts to navigate” and bankruptcy courts typically “will not
     17   venture there.” In re PG&E Corp., 2024 WL 4230403, at *4 (Bankr. N.D. Cal. Sept. 18, 2024)
     18
          (noting “very few reported cases of bankruptcy courts dealing head-on with the PSLRA”).
     19
                 This Adversary Proceeding does not belong in the Bankruptcy Court.                 Mandatory
     20
          withdrawal of the reference is proper.
     21

     22   II.    PERMISSIVE WITHDRAWAL OF THE REFERENCE IS ALSO APPROPRIATE

     23          In addition to mandatory withdrawal, a district court may withdraw the reference “for cause

     24   shown.” 28 U.S.C. § 157(d). “In determining whether cause exists, a district court should consider
     25   the efficient use of judicial resources, delay and costs to the parties, uniformity of bankruptcy
     26
          administration, the prevention of forum shopping, and other related factors.” Sec. Farms, 124 F.3d
     27
          at 1008. Here, every relevant factor overwhelmingly favors withdrawal, and no countervailing
     28
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      1   consideration weighs against it. Permissive withdrawal is appropriate.
      2          A.      The Efficient Use of Judicial Resources Strongly Favors Withdrawal
      3
                         1. The Complaint’s Exchange Act Claims Are Non-Core
      4
                 The first factor of judicial efficiency favors withdrawal where “non-core issues
      5
          predominate.” Id. at 1008-09 (“Inasmuch as a bankruptcy court’s determinations on non-core
      6

      7   matters are subject to de novo review by the district court, unnecessary costs could be avoided by

      8   a single proceeding in the district court.”); see also Celsius Network, 670 B.R. at 389 (“[T]he

      9   ‘threshold’ inquiry in evaluating a request for permissive withdrawal was whether the claim was
     10
          core or non-core.”) (quoting Orion Pictures Corp. v. Showtime Networks, Inc. (In re Orion Pictures
     11
          Corp.), 4 F.3d 1095, 1101 (2d Cir. 1993)).
     12
                 The Complaint’s claims, all arising under the Exchange Act, are non-core.             Federal
     13
          securities law claims are quintessentially non-core issues because they “do not depend on Title 11
     14

     15   for their existence” and “the trustee could have brought them in the district court.” Dunmore v.

     16   United States, 358 F.3d 1107, 1115 (9th Cir. 2004); see also Haigler v. Dozier (In re Dozier Fin.,
     17   Inc.), 2018 WL 4599860, at *4 (D.S.C. Sept. 6, 2018), report and recommendation adopted, 2019
     18
          WL 1075072 (D.S.C. Mar. 7, 2019) (holding “the Complaint’s causes of action [including
     19
          violations of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act] . . . have been routinely determined as non-
     20
          core proceedings by courts”) (collecting cases). Plaintiffs essentially concede as much by asserting
     21

     22   only “related to” jurisdiction of the bankruptcy court. Compl. ¶ 21. As the Ninth Circuit has

     23   explained, “claims that are related to Title 11 are ‘noncore’ proceedings” whereas claims that “arise

     24   under or in Title 11 are deemed to be ‘core’ proceedings.” Maitland v. Mitchell (In re Harris Pine
     25   Mills), 44 F.3d 1431, 1435 (9th Cir. 1995).
     26
                 The Complaint’s passing reference to 28 U.S.C. § 157(b)(2)(A) and (O) does not transform
     27
          this proceeding into a core matter. See Compl. ¶ 23. This Court has held that these two are “catch-
     28
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      1   all” provisions that must be “construed narrowly.” Ohio Sec. Ins. v. Affinitylifestyles.com, Inc. (In
      2   re Affinitylifestyles.com, Inc.), 2023 WL 4761634, at *2 (D. Nev. July 25, 2023) (“[A]s courts
      3
          recognize a broad definition of what is core may pose constitutional problems, the catch-all
      4
          provisions in § 157 are construed narrowly.”); see also Celsius Network, 670 B.R. at 392-93 (“That
      5
          [debtor’s] claims might have a conceivable effect on the estate . . . does not transform the Adversary
      6

      7   Proceeding—which otherwise involves [] federal securities claims arising from pre-petition

      8   conduct and unrelated to the Bankruptcy Code—into a core proceeding.”).

      9                  2.      The Bankruptcy Court Likely Lacks Jurisdiction Over Class Claims
     10
                 The efficiency factor also favors withdrawal because the Bankruptcy Court likely lacks
     11
          jurisdiction over a substantial portion of Plaintiffs’ claims. This Complaint is styled as a putative
     12
          class action in which Plaintiffs seek to recover from Defendants on behalf of all putative class
     13
          members, i.e., “all persons and entities that transacted in the publicly traded securities of Meta
     14

     15   Materials” during the Alleged Class Period. Compl. ¶ 166. But the Bankruptcy Court likely lacks

     16   subject matter jurisdiction over the claims of these absent class members and those of the Non-
     17   Debtor Plaintiff Collins because “[t]he disposition of such claims, regardless of their result, could
     18
          have no conceivable effect upon [the debtor’s] bankruptcy case.” Porter v. NationsCredit
     19
          Consumer Disc. Co. (In re Porter), 295 B.R. 529, 540-41 (Bankr. E.D. Pa. 2003) (concluding no
     20
          jurisdiction over class claims where the debtor “proposes to prosecute claims held by non-debtor
     21

     22   third parties against non-debtor defendants” and the putative class “[w]as not limited to debtors

     23   (either past or present)”); cf. Morschauser v. Cont’l Cap. LLC (In re Devore Stop), 2024 WL

     24   654914, at *1 (9th Cir. Feb. 16, 2024) (adversary proceeding not “related to the underlying
     25   bankruptcy case because . . . whether or not [plaintiff] succeeds in his state-law claims, the estate
     26
          will receive no assets”).
     27

     28
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      1          Just as in Porter, the putative class members in the Complaint and the Non-Debtor Plaintiff
      2   are non-debtor investors of Meta Materials and any recovery achieved for the absent class members
      3
          and the Non-Debtor Plaintiff “belong[s] to those class members,” not the Debtor’s estate. 295 B.R.
      4
          at 540-41. Their alleged class claims therefore cannot be “classified as ‘related to’ a bankruptcy
      5
          case simply because the [Debtor] filed [its] own bankruptcy case and purports to hold similar
      6

      7   claims.” Id.

      8          Because the Bankruptcy Court likely has no jurisdiction over the absent class members’ and

      9   the Non-Debtor Plaintiff’s claims, leaving this Adversary Proceeding in the Bankruptcy Court
     10
          would potentially result in parallel litigations, with the Trustee’s individual action proceeding in
     11
          the Bankruptcy Court and a separate class action filed elsewhere with identical allegations.
     12
          Defending both actions would impose significant, unnecessary costs on Defendants to say nothing
     13
          of the unnecessary consumption of judicial resources in resolving the threshold jurisdictional issue.
     14

     15   Withdrawing the reference of this Adversary Proceeding now will avoid both the subject matter

     16   jurisdiction complication and the potential “duplicative proceedings in both courts concerning the
     17   same underlying allegations” since the District Court’s jurisdiction extends beyond what is
     18
          provided in the Bankruptcy Code and the District Court can undoubtedly hear this putative class
     19
          action. Gens v. Colonial Sav., F.A., 2012 WL 993713, at *3 (N.D. Cal. Mar. 23, 2012).
     20
                 B.      Putative Class Action Status and Demand of Jury Trial Favor Withdrawal
     21

     22          Two additional factors—that this Adversary Proceeding is a putative class action and that

     23   the Complaint demands a jury trial—also favor withdrawal.

     24          First, to the extent that the Bankruptcy Court has jurisdiction over the class claims, “the fact
     25   that this case is a class action suit counsels against leaving it with the bankruptcy court.” Lara v.
     26
          Casimiro (In re Casimiro), 2006 WL 1581897, at *6 (E.D. Cal. June 6, 2006). Courts have
     27
          recognized that a case’s status as a class action is another factor supporting withdrawal. See, e.g.,
     28
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      1   Malone v. Norwest Fin. Cal., Inc., 245 B.R. 389, 400 (E.D. Cal. 2000) (“Although bankruptcy
      2   courts are empowered to oversee class actions, there is little reason to assume that they regularly
      3
          do so. On the other hand, the district court has long experience in the management of this complex
      4
          class of litigation.”); In re Casimiro, 2006 WL 1581897, at *6 (“Having the bankruptcy court
      5
          handle a class action suit would indeed impose a burden on that court and would not be an efficient
      6

      7   use of judicial resources.”) (quotation and citation omitted).

      8          Second, the Complaint demands a jury trial on all counts. While not dispositive at this stage,

      9   this is another factor in favor of withdrawal because “a bankruptcy court is empowered to conduct
     10
          jury trials only with the express consent of the parties.” Malone, 245 B.R. at 400-01 (finding jury
     11
          demand supported permissive withdrawal). Defendants do not consent to the bankruptcy court
     12
          presiding over a jury trial. See Taxel v. Elec. Sports Rsch. (In re Cinematronics, Inc.), 916 F.2d
     13
          1444, 1451 (9th Cir. 1990) (“[W]here a jury trial is required and the parties refuse to consent to
     14

     15   bankruptcy jurisdiction, withdrawal of the case to district court is appropriate.”).

     16          C.      No Factor Weighs Against Withdrawal
     17          The other factors—including “uniformity of bankruptcy administration, [and] the
     18
          prevention of forum shopping”—are not at issue here. There is no forum shopping concern as
     19
          Defendants filed this motion to withdraw the reference before any substantive motion or pleading
     20
          has been filed with the Bankruptcy Court, let alone any ruling from the court on the Adversary
     21

     22   Proceeding. See In re Casimiro, 2006 WL 1581897, at *5 (no forum shopping concerns where

     23   “Plaintiffs made a motion to withdraw before any motion for remand was made by Defendants

     24   [before the bankruptcy court]” and “there has been no substantive ruling from the bankruptcy
     25   court”). Withdrawal also has no effect on the uniformity of the bankruptcy administration since
     26
          the Complaint involves only non-core issues unrelated to the Bankruptcy Code. Celsius Network,
     27

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      1   670 B.R. at 394 (finding “this factor is neutral because the claims at issue are non-core claims that
      2   do not arise under bankruptcy law”) (quotation and citation omitted).
      3
                 Given that the factors overwhelmingly favor withdrawal, permissive withdrawal is also
      4
          warranted.
      5
                                                   CONCLUSION
      6

      7          For the foregoing reasons, Defendants respectfully request that the Court withdraw the

      8   reference of the above captioned Adversary Proceeding so that all matters are heard before the
      9   District Court and grant such other relief to which Defendants may be entitled.
     10
                 DATED: September 5, 2026
     11
                                                        MCDONALD CARANO LLP
     12
                                                         /s/ Ryan J. Works
     13                                                 Ryan J. Works (NSBN 9224)
                                                        Jimmy F. Dahu (NSBN 17061)
     14                                                 2300 West Sahara Avenue, Suite 1200
                                                        Las Vegas, NV 89102
     15                                                 Tel: (702) 873-4100
                                                        [email protected]
     16                                                 [email protected]

     17                                                 SIMPSON THACHER & BARTLETT LLP
     18                                                 Jonathan K. Youngwood (pro hac vice forthcoming)
     19                                                 Meredith Karp (pro hac vice forthcoming)
                                                        Shuhao Fan (pro hac vice forthcoming)
     20                                                 425 Lexington Avenue
                                                        New York, NY 10017
     21                                                 Tel: (212) 455-2000
                                                        [email protected]
     22                                                 [email protected]
     23                                                 [email protected]

     24                                                 Attorneys for Citadel Securities LLC

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      1                                       SEMENZA RICKARD LAW

      2                                        /s/ Jarrod L. Rickard
                                              Jarrod L. Rickard (NSBN 10203)
      3                                       10161 Park Run Drive, Suite 150
                                              Las Vegas, NV 89145
      4                                       Tel: (702) 835-6803
                                              [email protected]
      5
                                              PAUL, WEISS, RIFKIND, WHARTON &
      6                                       GARRISON LLP
      7
                                              Andrew G. Gordon (pro hac vice forthcoming)
      8                                       Audra J. Soloway (pro hac vice forthcoming)
                                              Alison R. Benedon (pro hac vice forthcoming)
      9                                       Daniel S. Sinnreich (pro hac vice forthcoming)
                                              1285 Avenue of the Americas
     10                                       New York, NY 10019
     11                                       Tel: (212) 373-3000
                                              [email protected]
     12                                       [email protected]
                                              [email protected]
     13                                       [email protected]
     14
                                              DAVIS WRIGHT TREMAINE LLP
     15
                                              Michael V. Rella (pro hac vice)
     16                                       James K. Goldfarb (pro hac vice forthcoming)
                                              Shanaye Carvajal (pro hac vice)
     17                                       1251 Avenue of the Americas
                                              42nd Floor
     18
                                              New York, NY 10020
     19                                       Tel: (212) 489-8230
                                              [email protected]
     20                                       [email protected]
                                              [email protected]
     21

     22                                       Attorneys for Virtu Americas LLC
     23

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      1                                       GREENBERG TRAURIG LLP
      2                                       /s/ Michael R. Hogue
                                              Michael R. Hogue (NSBN 12400)
      3                                       10845 Griffith Peak Drive, Suite 600
                                              Las Vegas, Nevada 89135
      4                                       Tel: (702) 938-6909
      5                                       [email protected]

      6                                       Sylvia E. Simson (pro hac vice forthcoming)
                                              Alan J. Brody (pro hac vice forthcoming)
      7                                       One Vanderbilt Avenue
                                              New York, NY 10017
      8                                       Tel: (212) 801-9200
                                              [email protected]
      9                                       [email protected]
     10                                       Attorneys for Anson Funds Management LP and
                                              Anson Advisors, Inc.
     11

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