More than a century since they first opened their doors, Kodak announced the launch of their blockchain platform, KodakOne. However, it seems as if the platform has not been paying the contractors tasked with building it.
As a company founded in the 1800s, 2018 saw Kodak excitedly step into the disruptive future and announce its plans to launch its own virtual currency, the KodakCoin. It would also introduce KodakOne, a blockchain-based platform that would facilitate the storage of photographers’ images in a secure and safe environment. Like many platforms of this nature, users would also be able to track ownership details.
The ICO was scheduled to be launched in January this year but, alas, it was not meant to be. According to The Next Web, the team is still promoting the platform even though the development thereof seems to have stopped. Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that their contractors have allegedly not been paid.
Contractors out of the Picture
These contractors allege that the platform did not pay them at the agreed upon time and have claimed that they are owed over $125,000. They are being represented by a UK-based law firm, a representative of which that has stated:
Unfortunately apologies and unfulfilled promises of a payment proposal are not enabling my client to pay the people that did the work for [KodakOne]. Time is short and in the absence of any meaningful payment proposal, court proceedings will be commencing in [seven] days.
The contractors were recruited for KodakOne by iFindTech. However, two other contractors also have payment gripes with one alleging that the platform owes them more than $19,000. Another contractor, Armel Nene, says that KodakOne owes him over $36,000. In addition, Nene believes that the whole KodakOne situation is a scam. He explained in a LinkedIn post, saying:
I go straight to the point, this article details how Ryde, Wenn Digital and [KodakOne] are using the blockchain hype to scam investors and employees of hundreds of thousands of euros.
KodakOne Denies Claims
KodakOne responded by denying the accusations and claims that the reason Nene hasn’t been paid is that his work was below par. A spokesperson for the platform explained:
It is unfortunate that Mr. Armel Nene, a contractor contracted through a third party, has decided to post his issues across social media and that somebody who has delivered unsatisfactory work, is taking these measures. This is a legal dispute and all invoices are in dispute. We are contesting his work and subsequent invoices.
The spokesperson added that the platform will be taking legal steps against Nene to prevent him from making these statements in the future.
Kodak has not, however, commented on the validity of the other contractors’ claims of unpaid invoices. A spokesperson simply said that “all claims are in dispute and these legal matters will only be solved in front of the courts.”
Do you think that KodakOne is a legitimate platform? Let us know in the comments below!
Images courtesy of Pixabay and Shutterstock.