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UNITED
STATES
SECURITIES
AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON,
D.C. 20549
FORM
8-K
CURRENT
REPORT
Pursuant
to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
Securities
Exchange Act of 1934
Date
of Report (Date of earliest event reported): August 22, 2025
22nd
Century Group, Inc.
(Exact
Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)
| Nevada |
|
001-36338 |
|
98-0468420 |
(State
or Other Jurisdiction
of
Incorporation) |
|
(Commission
File
Number) |
|
(I.R.S.
Employer
Identification No.) |
| 321
Farmington Road, Mocksville, North Carolina |
|
27028 |
| (Address
of Principal Executive Office) |
|
(Zip
Code) |
Registrant’s
telephone number, including area code: (336) 940-3769
Check
the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under
any of the following provisions:
| ☐ |
Written
communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425) |
| |
|
| ☐ |
Soliciting
material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12) |
| |
|
| ☐ |
Pre-commencement
communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b)) |
| |
|
| ☐ |
Pre-commencement
communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c)) |
Securities
registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
| Title
of each class |
|
Trading
symbol |
|
Name
of each exchange on which registered |
| Common
Stock, $0.00001 par value |
|
XXII |
|
NASDAQ
Capital Market |
Indicate
by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405
of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter). Emerging growth company ☐
If
an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying
with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐
Item 4.01 Changes in Registrant’s Certifying Accountant.
| |
(a) |
Replacement
of Previous Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm |
On
August 22, 2025, the Audit Committee (the “Committee”) of the Board of Directors (the “Board”) of 22nd
Century Group, Inc. (the “Company”) approved the replacement of Freed Maxick P.C. (“FM”) as the Company’s
independent registered public accounting firm, due to the acquisition of certain assets of FM by Withum Smith+Brown, PC (“Withum”),
effective immediately, and informed FM of such replacement on the date thereof (the “Replacement”).
The
reports of FM on the Company’s financial statements for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2023 and 2024 did not contain an adverse
opinion or a disclaimer of opinion and were not qualified or modified as to uncertainty, audit scope or accounting principles
During
the Company’s fiscal years ended December 31, 2023 and 2024, and the subsequent interim period through August 22, 2025, (i) there
were no “disagreements,” as defined in Item 304(a)(1)(iv) of Regulation S-K, with FM on any matter of accounting principles
or practices, financial statement disclosure, or auditing scope or procedure, which disagreements, if not resolved to the satisfaction
of FM, would have caused FM to make reference to the subject matter of the disagreements in connection with its reports on the Company’s
consolidated financial statements for such period, and (ii) there were no “reportable events,” as defined in Item 304(a)(1)(v)
of Regulation S-K.
The
Company provided FM with a copy of the disclosures in this Current Report on Form 8-K and requested that FM furnish the Company with
a letter addressed to the Securities and Exchange Commission stating whether or not it agrees with the Company’s statements herein.
A copy of such letter, which is dated August 22, 2025, is attached as Exhibit 16.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K.
| |
(b) |
Appointment
of New Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm |
In
connection with the Replacement, on August 22, 2025, the Committee approved the engagement of Withum as the Company’s independent
registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2025, effective immediately.
During
the fiscal years ended December 31, 2023 and 2024, and the subsequent interim period through August 22, 2025, neither the Company nor
anyone acting on its behalf consulted with Withum regarding (i) the application of accounting principles to any specified transaction,
either completed or proposed, or the type of audit opinion that might be rendered on the Company’s financial statements, and neither
a written report nor oral advice was provided to the Company that Withum concluded was an important factor considered by the Company
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, or a “reportable event,” as defined in
Item 304(a)(1)(v) of Regulation S-K.
Item 9.01(d): Financial Statements and Exhibits.
| Exhibit
16.1 |
|
Letter of WithumSmith+Brown, PC dated August 22, 2025 |
| Exhibit
104 |
|
Cover
Page Interactive Data File - The cover page XBRL tags are embedded within the inline XBRL document |
SIGNATURES
Pursuant
to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by
the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
| |
22nd
Century Group, Inc. |
| |
|
| |
/s/
Daniel A. Otto |
| Date:
August 25, 2025 |
Daniel
A. Otto |
| |
Chief
Financial Officer |
