shell companies can be used to transfer assets of one company into a new company without having the liabilities of the former company. for example, when sega sammy holdings purchased the bankrupt index corporation in june 2013, they formed a shell company in september 2013, called sega dream corporation, into which were transferred valuables assets of the old company, including the atlus brand and index corporation's intellectual properties. this meant that the liabilities of the old company were left in the old company, and sega dream had clean title to all the assets of the old company. the former index corporation was then dissolved. sega dream corporation was renamed as index corporation in november 2013.