# EDGAR Filing Document

**Accession Number:** 0000798528
**File Stem:** 0000950170-23-011366
**Filing Date:** 2023-3
**Character Count:** 9932
**Document Hash:** e15113e74aea76adb67d9c21e2772984
**Contains OCR:** False
**Source Format:** 

## Filing Content

## Filing Summary
**0000950170-23-011366.hdr.sgml**: 20230331

**ACCESSION NUMBER**: 0000950170-23-011366

**CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE**: 8-K

**PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT**: 15

**CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT**: 20230331

**ITEM INFORMATION**: Changes in Registrant's Certifying Accountant

**ITEM INFORMATION**: Financial Statements and Exhibits

**FILED AS OF DATE**: 20230331

**DATE AS OF CHANGE**: 20230331

**FILER**: 

**COMPANY DATA:**
- **COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:** ODYSSEY MARINE EXPLORATION INC
- **CENTRAL INDEX KEY:** 0000798528
- **STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:** WATER TRANSPORTATION [4400]
- **IRS NUMBER:** 841018684
- **STATE OF INCORPORATION:** NV
- **FISCAL YEAR END:** 1231

**FILING VALUES:**
- **FORM TYPE:** 8-K
- **SEC ACT:** 1934 Act
- **SEC FILE NUMBER:** 001-31895
- **FILM NUMBER:** 23787531

**BUSINESS ADDRESS:**
- **STREET 1:** 205 S. HOOVER BLVD.
- **STREET 2:** SUITE 210
- **CITY:** TAMPA
- **STATE:** FL
- **ZIP:** 33609
- **BUSINESS PHONE:** (813) 876-1776

**MAIL ADDRESS:**
- **STREET 1:** 205 S. HOOVER BLVD.
- **STREET 2:** SUITE 210
- **CITY:** TAMPA
- **STATE:** FL
- **ZIP:** 33609

**FORMER COMPANY:**
- **FORMER CONFORMED NAME:** UNIVERSAL CAPITAL CORP
- **DATE OF NAME CHANGE:** 19920703

?xml version="1.0" encoding="ASCII"? 8-K

**UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549**

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**FORM** 8-K

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**CURRENT REPORT**

**Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934**

**Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported):** March 31, 2023<br>

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ODYSSEY MARINE EXPLORATION INC

**(Exact name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)**

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| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| Nevada | 001-31895 | 84-1018684 |
| **(State or Other Jurisdiction<br>of Incorporation)** | **(Commission File Number)** | **(IRS Employer<br>Identification No.)** |
| 205 S. Hoover Blvd.<br>Suite 210 |  |  |
| Tampa**,** Florida |  | 33609 |
| **(Address of Principal Executive Offices)** |  | **(Zip Code)** |

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**Registrant's Telephone Number, Including Area Code:** (813) 876-1776<br>

Not Applicable

**(Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)**

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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:**

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| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **<br>Title of each class** | **Trading<br>Symbol(s)** | **<br>Name of each exchange on which registered** |
| Common Stock, par value $0.0001 per share | OMEX | The Nasdaq Global Market |

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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. ☐

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**Item 4.01 Changes in Registrant's Certifying Accountant.**

On March 30, 2023, Warren Averett, LLP ("Warren Averett") notified Odyssey Marine Exploration, Inc. ("Odyssey" or "us") that it would decline to stand for re-appointment as our independent auditor for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2023 and beyond. Warren Averett advised Odyssey that its decision not to stand for re-appointment was due to Warren Averett's transition away from conducting audits of public companies.

Warren Averett's audit reports on the financial statements for the two years ended December 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, did not contain, and its audit report on the financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2022 is not expected to contain, an adverse opinion or disclaimer of opinion, and they were not (or are not expected to be) qualified or modified as to audit scope or accounting principles. Warren Averett's audit report for the two years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020, contained, and its audit report for the year ended December 31, 2022, is expected to contain, an explanatory uncertainty paragraph regarding our ability to continue as a going concern.

During the two years ended December 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021, (i) there were no disagreements with Warren Averett 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 Warren Averett, would have caused it to make reference to the subject matter of the disagreements in connection with its reports on our financial statements for such years; and (ii) there were no "reportable events" of the kind described in Item 304(a)(1)(v) of Regulation S-K.

We requested that Warren Averett furnish us with a letter addressed to the Securities Exchange Commission stating whether Warren Averett agrees with the statements contained above. A copy of the letter from Warren Averett to the Securities Exchange Commission is filed as an exhibit hereto.

In view of Warren Averett's decision not to stand for re-appointment as our independent auditor, the Audit Committee of our Board of Directors completed a competitive process to review the appointment of our independent registered public accounting firm for the year ending December 31, 2023. As a result of this process and following careful deliberation, on or about March 30, 2023, we engaged Grant Thornton LLP as our independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2023. The decision to select Grant Thornton LLP was approved by our Audit Committee on March 30, 2023.

During the two years ended December 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021, and during the interim period through the date of our engagement of Grant Thornton LLP, we did not consult with Grant Thornton LLP on items that: (i) concerned the application of accounting principles to a specified transaction, either completed or proposed, or the type of audit opinion that might be rendered on our financial statements, and no written report or oral advice was provided to us that Grant Thornton LLP concluded was an important factor considered by us in reaching a decision as to any accounting, auditing or financial reporting issue; or (ii) concerned the subject of a disagreement (as defined in paragraph (a)(1)(iv) of Item 304 of Regulation S-K) or reportable events (as described in paragraph (a)(1)(iv) of said Item 304). The selection of Grant Thornton LLP does not reflect any disagreements with or dissatisfaction by us, our Audit Committee, or our Board of Directors with the performance of our prior independent auditors Warren Averett for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021.

**Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits.**

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(a) Financial Statements of Businesses Acquired.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Not applicable.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(b) Pro Forma Financial Information.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Not applicable.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(c) Shell Company Transactions.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Not applicable.

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&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(d) Exhibits.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>16.1 Letter from Warren Averett to the Securities Exchange Commission dated as of March 30, 2023</u>](omex-ex16_1.htm)

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**SIGNATURES**

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.

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| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  |  |  | **ODYSSEY MARINE EXPLORATION, INC.** |
| Date: | March 31, 2023 | By:  | /s/ Christopher E. Jones |
|  |  |  | Christopher E. Jones<br>Chief Financial Officer |

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## Ex-16

**EXHIBIT 16.1**

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| ![img56200441_0.jpg](img56200441_0.jpg)  | ![img56200441_1.jpg](img56200441_1.jpg)  |

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U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission

100 F Street, NE

Washington, D.C. 20549

Dear sir(s),

We have read the statements made by Odyssey Marine Exploration, Inc. (the "Company"), which were provided to us and which we understand will be filed with the Commission pursuant to Item 4.01 of the Company's Form 8-K, regarding our departure as the Company's independent registered public accounting firm. We agree with the statements concerning our firm in such Current Report on Form 8-K. We have no basis to agree or disagree with other statements made under Item 4.01.

We hereby consent to the filing of this letter as an exhibit to the foregoing report on Form 8-K.

Very truly yours,

/s/ Warren Averett, LLC

Tampa, Florida

March 30, 2023

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