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Commitments and Contingencies | 3 Months Ended
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Mar. 31, 2025
Commitments and Contingencies [Abstract] |
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES | NOTE 8 - COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES Commitments Board Member Compensation On October 31, 2024, the Company’s Board of Directors approved the director’s compensation program, as follows:
Element |  | Amount |
Annual equity award |  | $ | 160,000 |
Annual board cash retainer |  | $ | 60,000 |
Annual Audit Committee Member Retainer |  | $ | 10,000 |
Annual Compensation Committee Member retainer |  | $ | 7,500 |
Annual Nominating/Governance Committee Member Retainer |  | $ | 7,500 |
Annual Board Chair Additional retainer |  | $ | 40,000 |
Annual Audit Chair Additional retainer |  | $ | 20,000 |
Annual Compensation Chair Additional retainer |  | $ | 15,000 |
Annual Nominating/Governance Chair Additional retainer |  | $ | 15,000 |
The cash retainers will be paid monthly in arrears. The annual equity award will be in the form of restricted stock units (“RSUs”). The number of RSUs to be granted shall be determined by dividing the dollar amounts stated above by the volume-weighted average price (“VWAP”) of the Company’s common stock over the forty-five (45) trading days immediately preceding (but not including) the Grant Date, rounded to the nearest whole RSU. Subject to each grantee’s continued service with the Company through the applicable vesting date, the awards made hereunder shall vest as to one-fourth (1/4) of the RSUs subject to each award (rounded down to the nearest whole share) upon the first four (4) quarterly anniversaries dates. Employment Agreements CEO Agreements On September 30, 2024, the grant date, the Company’s board of directors approved the issuance of the RSUs, pursuant to the CEO Agreement. The Company relied on guidance set by FASB Accounting Standards Update No. 2021-07 (issued and updated on October 2021) related to Compensation - Stock Compensation (“Topic 718”) to determine the impact on the Company. The grant date fair value for the 1,114,454 Time-based RSUs was estimated to be approximately $735,000 based on the Company’s closing price of $0.66 as of the grant date. The Company will recognize expense on a straight-line basis over the service period starting October 1, 2024. The remaining 557,228 Market-based RSUs were considered to have a market-based vesting as the milestones are based on the Company’s remediation of certain stock exchange listing qualifications, which are based on the market price and market capitalization of the Company’s common stock. As further required by Topic 718, a market-based award’s fair value is required to be expensed over the derived service period whether the milestone is met or not. The Company hired a third-party valuation firm to calculate the fair value of the Market-based Awards. The fair value of approximately $312,000 was determined by the use of a Monte-Carlo simulation model (i) over the period from September 30, 2024 through August 31, 2025 (the estimated date to achieve the remediation of the Nasdaq deficiencies over the period set forth in the CEO Agreement), (ii) a risk-free rate of 4.0%, (iii) volatility of 152.0%, (iv) a starting price of $0.68, (v) a price hurdle $1.00 and (vi) a time hurdle of 10 days, for a derived fair value of $0.56 per share and a derived service period of approximately 0.33 years. The CEO Agreement also provides Mr. Gutterman with the opportunity to earn an incentive bonus (the “Incentive Bonus”), with will become payable, if ever, in tranches following the Company’s attainment of certain stock price and market capitalization goals. The specific goals are as follows:
|  | Company Stock Price Goal |  | Company Market Capitalization Goal |  | Amount oflncentive Bonus Payable for Achievement of Tranche Goals
Tranche 1 |  | $2.50 based on 30-day VWAP |  | $150 Million |  | 100% of Base Salary
Tranche 2 |  | $2.50 based on 30-day VWAP |  | $250 Million |  | 200% of Base Salary
Tranche 3 |  | $5.00 based on 30-day VWAP |  | $500 Million |  | 300% of Base Salary
Tranche 4 |  | $10.00 based on 30-day VWAP |  | $1 Billion |  | 500% of Base Salary
No Incentive Bonus tranche will become payable unless both the stock price goal and the market capitalization goal (“Goals’) for the applicable tranche are satisfied, and the market capitalization goal is attained simultaneously with the stock price goal. Additionally, the Incentive Bonus may be earned in a change in control if the consideration paid per share of Company common stock exceeds an Incentive Bonus tranche stock price goal and the total value received in the transaction exceeds an Incentive Bonus tranche market capitalization goal. Under no circumstances may the performance goals for an Incentive Bonus tranche be achieved more than one time. The Incentive Bonus, to the extent any tranche becomes payable, will be paid within thirty days of the attainment of the applicable goals, subject to Mr. Gutterman remaining in continuous employment with the Company through each payment date. The Company will continue to evaluate the probability of the CEO’s achievement of the Goals. As of Marh 31, 2025, the Company has not accrued for the Incentive Bonus. All bonuses payable under the CEO Agreement, except the stock bonus, may be paid in cash, Bitcoin, Company equity, or a mix of any of the foregoing. Under the CEO Agreement, Mr. Gutterman will be entitled to receive the following severance payments and benefits upon a termination of his employment by the Company without “cause”, by Mr. Gutterman for “good reason” (each, as defined in the CEO Agreement and collectively, a “Qualifying Termination”), that does not occur in connection with a change in control:
| (1) | the Accrued Obligations (as defined in the CEO Agreement),
| (2) | Mr. Gutterman’s annual base salary, and
| (3) | the product of (x) 12 and (y) Mr. Gutterman’s monthly cost for health and welfare benefits pursuant to his elections under the Company’s health and welfare benefit plans, as in effect on the termination date (collectively, the “Non-CIC Severance”)
The Non-CIC Severance will be paid in a lump sum as soon as practicable following the effective date of a release but no later than 74 days following Mr. Gutterman’s termination. If Mr. Gutterman incurs a Qualifying Termination within thirty (30) days prior to or twelve (12) months following a change in control, then in addition to the Non-CIC Severance, Mr. Gutterman will be entitled to the following:
| (4) | An amount equal to 0.5 times Mr. Gutterman’s target bonus and
| (5) | acceleration and vesting on a prorated basis (performance goals will be assumed to have been achieved at target) of each outstanding equity award held by Mr. Gutterman as of the termination date (but excluding the Incentive Bonus) (collectively, the “CIC Severance”).
To the extent payable in cash, the CIC Severance will be paid in a lump sum as soon as practicable following the effective date of a release, but no later than 74 days after Mr. Gutterman ’s termination date. The severance payments and benefits described above are subject to Mr. Gutterman ’s execution and non-revocation of a general release of claims in favor of the Company and continued compliance with his restrictive covenant obligations. The CEO Agreement includes certain restrictive covenants, which include non-solicitation and non-competition covenants during the term of the CEO Agreement and for the twelve (12) months following. Further, the CEO Agreement includes a “best pay” provision under Section 280G of the Internal Revenue Code, pursuant to which any “parachute payments” that become payable to Mr. Gutterman will either be paid in full or reduced so that such payments are not subject to the excise tax under Section 4999 of the Internal Revenue Code, whichever results in the better after-tax treatment to Mr. Gutterman. Blockfusion Co-location Mining Services Agreement On December 1, 2024, the Company entered into an agreement with Blockfusion USA, Inc. (“Blockfusion”) to provide hosting services for 3,780 of the Company’s bitcoin miners not to exceed 12MW of allocated power (“Blockfusion MSA”) for a period of twelve months (November 30, 2025), automatically renewing for one month extensions until terminated by either party, (“Term”). The Company is required to pay to Blockfusion a monthly facility fee of $13,000 per MW, for an aggregate of $156,000 (“Facility Fee”) for standard levels of maintenance of the Company’s Mining Equipment, including fault diagnosis and software upgrades, and racking and unracking of faulty machines. The Company’s monthly power usage will charge to the Company without a Blockfusion markup charge. At the signing of the Blockfusion MSA, the Company was required to pay (i) an initial monthly Facility Fee of $156,000 to be applied to the December 2024 Facility fee, (ii) a deposit in the aggregate of $600,000, as follows $200,000 on December 6, 2024, $200,000 on January 1, 2025 and $200,000 on February 1, 2025 (“Cash Deposit”) and (iii) the Company is required, prior to January 27. 2025, and thereafter at all times during the Term, maintain an irrevocable letter of credit, or prior to January 31, 2025 maintain a cash deposit and thereafter at all times during the Term, in the amount of $1,200,000 (“LOC Deposit”). As of the release date of these unaudited condensed consolidated Financial Statements, the Cash Deposit has been paid and is not outstanding while the LOC Deposit remains outstanding. The Company determined that the agreement with Blockfusion does not meet the definition of a lease in accordance with ASC 842, Leases. Mawson Agreement On January 3, 2025, Gryphon entered into a Master Co-Location Agreement (the “Mawson Agreement”) with Mawson Hosting LLC (“Mawson”) with a right to host up to 5,880 miners in Mawson’s facility in Midland, Pennsylvania. Pursuant to the Mawson Agreement, the Company is entitled to 20 MW of power at a cost of approximately $23.50 per MW/hour paid monthly with a minimum fee of approximately $165,521 per month, as well as certain other fees set forth in the agreement. The Mawson Agreement has an initial term of one year and may be terminated on sixty days’ notice. As of March 31, 2025, the Company has delivered 6,719 bitcoin miners to Mawson. The Company determined that the agreement with Mawson does not meet the definition of a lease in accordance with ASC 842, Leases. Sphere 3D MSA On August 19, 2021, Gryphon entered into a Master Services Agreement (the “Sphere MSA”) with Sphere 3D. The Sphere 3D MSA has a term of three years, beginning on August 19, 2021, and terminating on August 18, 2024, with one-year automatic renewal terms thereafter. Under the Sphere MSA, Gryphon is Sphere 3D’s exclusive provider of management services for all blockchain and cryptocurrency-related operations, including but not limited to services relating to all mining equipment owned, purchased, leased, operated, or otherwise controlled by Sphere 3D and/or its subsidiaries and/or its affiliates at any location, with Gryphon receiving a percentage of the net operating profit of all of Sphere 3D’s blockchain and cryptocurrency-related operations. On December 29, 2021, the Company and Sphere 3D entered into Amendment No. 1 to the Sphere 3D MSA, to provide greater certainty as to the term of the Sphere 3D MSA. Sphere 3D and Gryphon agreed to extend the initial term of the Sphere 3D MSA from three to four years, or to five years in the event Sphere 3D does not receive delivery of a specified minimum number of Bitcoin mining machines during 2022. On April 7, 2023, Sphere 3D filed a suit against Gryphon in the Southern District of New York. The lawsuit concerns the Sphere MSA between the parties where the Company agreed to act as Sphere 3D’s “exclusive provider of any and all management services for all blockchain and cryptocurrency-related operations.” Sphere 3D alleges that the Company has fallen short in its obligations under the Sphere MSA, and is suing for alleged breach of contract, breach of the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing, and breach of fiduciary duty (such matter, the “Sphere 3D Litigation”). On October 6, 2023, Sphere 3D delivered a termination notice to the Company with respect to the Sphere MSA, largely on the basis of the allegations made by Sphere 3D in the Sphere 3D Litigation (the “Sphere 3D MSA Termination”). On October 11, 2023, the Company filed an answer to Sphere 3D’s second amended complaint, in which, among other things, the Company alleged that Sphere 3D’s attempted termination of the Sphere MSA was wrongful and ineffective, because it violated the terms of the Sphere MSA, and thus that Sphere 3D continues to owe the Company all amounts to which it would otherwise be entitled under the Sphere MSA through that contract’s term ending in August 2026. On March 7, 2025, The Company and Sphere 3D entered into a settlement and release agreement on mutually acceptable terms. The Settlement Agreement fully resolved all pending litigation between the Company and Sphere, and each party fully released the other party from any known or unknown and unsuspected claims. As of March 7, 2025, the Company had a liability of due to Sphere 3D of approximately $449,000, which was written off and recorded as a gain on settlement of accounts payable in the accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated statement of operations. Contingencies The Company is subject at times to various claims, lawsuits, and governmental proceedings relating to the Company’s business and transactions arising in the ordinary course of business. The Company cannot predict the final outcome of such proceedings. Where appropriate, the Company vigorously defends such claims, lawsuits, and proceedings. Some of these claims, lawsuits and proceedings seek damages, including, consequential, exemplary, or punitive damages, in amounts that could, if awarded, be significant. Certain of the claims, lawsuits, and proceedings arising in the ordinary course of business are covered by the Company’s insurance program. The Company maintains the property and various types of liability insurance in an effort to protect the Company from such claims. In terms of any matters where there is no insurance coverage available to the Company, or where coverage is available and the Company maintains a retention or deductible associated with such insurance, the Company may establish an accrual for such loss, retention, or deductible based on currently available information. In accordance with accounting guidance, if it is probable that an asset has been impaired or a liability has been incurred as of the date of the financial statements, and the amount of loss is reasonably estimable, then an accrual for the cost to resolve or settle these claims is recorded by the Company in the accompanying balance sheets. If it is reasonably possible that an asset may be impaired as of the date of the financial statement, then the Company discloses the range of possible loss. Expenses related to the defense of such claims are recorded by the Company as incurred and included in the accompanying statements of operations. Management, with the assistance of outside counsel, may, from time to time adjust such accruals according to new developments in the matter, court rulings, or changes in the strategy affecting the Company’s defense of such matters. On the basis of current information, the Company does not believe there is a reasonable possibility that other than with regard to the Class Action described below, any material loss, if any, will result from any claims, lawsuits, and proceedings to which the Company is subject to either individually, or in the aggregate. On September 5, 2024 and September 13, 2024, the Company received deficiency notices from Nasdaq, who have certain stock exchange listing qualification requirements, such as the Company to maintain a stock price of at least $1.00 and maintain MVLS of at least $35,000,000 (the “Deficiencies”). The Company had a period of 180 calendar days, or until March 4, 2025 to regain compliance with the minimum bid price requirement. Also, the Company had a period of 180 calendar days, or until March 12, 2025, to regain compliance with the $35,000,000 MVLS Requirement. As of the issuance of these financial statements, the Company had not remedied the Deficiencies and received a delisting notice for each the two Deficiencies. As part of the Nasdaq’s delisting policy, the Company has the right to petition for a hearing with the Nasdaq’s board. The Company has submitted petitions for each of the Deficiencies and will present a compliance plan to a Nasdaq Hearing Panel on April 15, 2025. See Note 11 – Subsequent Events - Nasdaq Compliance.

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