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15. COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES | 12 Months Ended
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Sep. 30, 2022
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract] |
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES | 15. COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES Purchase of bitcoin mining equipment The Company has cancellable purchase commitments totaling approximately $27 million related to purchase of miners and approximately $1.5 million related to purchase of mining operations related equipment and construction projects as of September 30, 2022, and the Company has paid approximately $3 million towards these commitments as of the end of this period. As of September 30, 2022, the remaining commitment for future payments was approximately $28.5 million. Future hosting agreements On March 29, 2022, the Company entered into a Hosting Agreement (the "Lancium Agreement") with Lancium LLC (“Lancium”). Pursuant to the Lancium Agreement, Lancium has agreed to host, power and provide maintenance and other related services to the Company’s mining equipment to be placed at Lancium facilities. Pursuant to the Agreement, Lancium will provide 200 megawatts in support of Company’s mining equipment. In addition, for a period of two and a half years following the operations commencement date under the Agreement, the Company will have an option to increase the power capacity supplied to the Company up to 500 MW or 40% of the aggregate capacity of all facilities owned and operated by Lancium, whichever is lesser. As consideration for the Services, the Company shall pay Lancium a power charge fee based on kilowatt hours consumed by the Company’s equipment and a hosting fee based on power consumed, subject to service level adjustments and credits, if any. The Agreement further provides that through December 31, 2023, Lancium, subject to certain limited exceptions, will not enter into any all-in fixed price agreements with other customers with the same or less power draw as the Company that contains more favorable terms for the fixed all-in price than those in the Lancium Agreement, unless the Company is provided with the same lower fixed price under the Lancium Agreement. The Agreement has an initial term of five years from the operations commencement date (unless terminated earlier in accordance with the terms of the Agreement), after which it will renew automatically for two-year periods unless either party provides notice of non-renewal at least ninety days prior to the expiration of the term or renewal term, as applicable. As of September 30, 2022, the Company did not have any contractual future payment obligations under the terms of the Agreement. Contractual future payments The following table sets forth certain information concerning our obligations to make contractual future payments towards our agreements as of September 30, 2022:
|  | 2023 |  |  | 2024 |  |  | 2025 |  |  | 2026 |  |  | 2027 |  |  | Total |
Recorded contractual obligations: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Operating lease obligations |  | $ | 135,368 |  |  | $ | 139,429 |  |  | $ | 143,612 |  |  | $ | 147,920 |  |  | $ | 50,659 |  |  | $ | 616,988 |
Finance Lease obligations |  |  | 274,651 |  |  |  | 161,766 |  |  |  | 21,607 |  |  |  | 1,853 |  |  |  | - |  |  |  | 459,877 |
Mining equipment |  |  | 27,000,000 |  |  |  | - |  |  |  | - |  |  |  | - |  |  |  | - |  |  |  | 27,000,000 |
Mining operations related equipment |  |  | 1,504,093 |  |  |  | - |  |  |  | - |  |  |  | - |  |  |  | - |  |  |  | 1,504,093 |
Total |  | $ | 28,914,112 |  |  | $ | 301,195 |  |  | $ | 165,219 |  |  | $ | 149,773 |  |  | $ | 50,659 |  |  | $ | 29,580,958 |
Contingent Consideration GridFabric, LLC On August 31, 2020, the Company acquired GridFabric, LLC. Pursuant to the terms of the purchase agreement, additional shares of the Company’s common stock valued at up to $750,000 were issuable if GridFabric, LLC achieves certain revenue and product release milestones. On September 30, 2021, the contingent consideration was re-measured to $500,000. On November 23, 2021, the Company settled all contingent consideration due to GridFabric, LLC resulting in a payment of 8,404 shares of common stock valued at $150,000. Solar Watt Solutions, Inc. On February 24, 2021, the Company acquired Solar Watt Solutions, Inc. Pursuant to the terms of the purchase agreement, additional cash consideration of up to $2,500,000 (fair valued at $155,000 at acquisition date) in cash held back by the Company and only payable pro rata to Sellers upon meeting certain future milestones and subject to satisfaction of any amounts owing from SWS to the Company resulting from damages required to be indemnified under the SWS Merger Agreement. The contingent cash consideration was re-measured to $615,249 at December 31, 2021. On January 31, 2022, the Company settled all contingent consideration due to the SWS sellers, resulting in a payment of $625,000, 77,500 shares of common stock released out of escrow to the SWS sellers, and SWS sellers releasing 232,518 shares of common stock back the Company. Legal contingencies From time to time we may be subject to litigation arising in the ordinary course of business. The Company accrues a liability when a loss is considered probable and the amount can be reasonably estimated. When a material loss contingency is reasonably possible but not probable, the Company does not record a liability, but instead discloses the nature and the amount of the claim, and an estimate of the loss or range of loss, if such an estimate can be made. Legal fees are expensed as incurred. Based on the opinion of legal counsel and other factors, management believes that the final disposition of these existing matters will not have a material adverse effect on the business, results of operations, financial condition, or cash flows of the Company. The Company has identified certain claims as a result of which a loss may be incurred, but in the aggregate the loss is expected to be insignificant. This assessment is based on our current understanding of relevant facts and circumstances. As such, our view of these matters is subject to inherent uncertainties and may change in the future. Significant judgment is required in both the determination of probability and the determination as to whether an exposure is reasonably estimable. Actual outcomes of these legal and regulatory proceedings may materially differ from our current estimates. For other claims regarding proceedings that are in an initial phase, the Company is unable to estimate the range of possible loss, if any, but at this time believes that any loss related to such claims will not be material. Risks associated with legal liability are difficult to assess and quantify, and their existence and magnitude can remain unknown for significant periods of time. We maintain liability insurance to reduce such risk exposure to the Company. Despite the measures taken, such policies may not cover future litigation, or the damages claimed may exceed our coverage which could result in contingent liabilities.. Bishins v. CleanSpark, Inc. et al. On January 20, 2021, Scott Bishins (“Bishins”), individually, and on behalf of all others similarly situated (together, the “Class”), filed a class action complaint (the “Class Complaint”) in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York against the Company, its Chief Executive Officer, Zachary Bradford (“Bradford”), and its Chief Financial Officer, Lori Love (“Love”) (such action, the “Class Action”). The Class Complaint alleged that, between December 31, 2020 and January 14, 2021, the Company, Bradford, and Love “failed to disclose to investors: (1) that the Company had overstated its customer and contract figures; (2) that several of the Company’s recent acquisitions involved undisclosed related party transactions; and (3) that, as a result of the foregoing, Defendants’ positive statements about the Company’s business, operations, and prospects were materially misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis.” The Class Complaint sought: (a) certification of the Class, (b) an award of compensatory damages to the Class, and (c) an award of reasonable costs and expenses incurred by the Class in the litigation. On December 2, 2021, the Court appointed Darshan Hasthantra as lead Plaintiff (together, with Bishins, the “Plaintiffs”), and Glancy, Prongay and Murray LLP as class counsel. Hasthantra filed an Amended Complaint on February 28, 2022 (the “Amended Class Complaint”). In the Amended Class Complaint, Love is no longer a defendant and S. Matthew Schultz (“Schultz”) has been added as a defendant (the Company, Bradford and Schultz, collectively, the “Defendants”). The Amended Class Complaint alleges that, between December 10, 2020 and August 16, 2021 (the “Class Period”), Defendants made material misstatements and omissions regarding the Company’s acquisition of ATL Data Centers, Inc. (“ATL”) and its anticipated expansion of bitcoin mining operations. In particular, Plaintiffs allege that Defendants: (1) were misleading in their various public announcements related to the timeline for expanding ATL’s mining capacity; and (2) failed to disclose other material conditions purportedly related to the Company’s acquisition of ATL, including that an ATL predecessor had filed for bankruptcy about six months prior to the acquisition, that another bitcoin miner had declined to acquire ATL, and that a related party had performed an audit of ATL for the Company. The Amended Class Complaint seeks: (a) certification of the Class, (b) an award of compensatory damages to the Class, and (c) an award of reasonable costs and expenses incurred by the Class in the litigation. To date, no class has been certified in the Class Action. The Company filed its Motion to Dismiss on April 28, 2022. The Motion to Dismiss seeks dismissal of all claims asserted in the Amended Class Complaint with prejudice and without leave to amend on the grounds that Plaintiffs fail to state a claim upon which relief can be granted under Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and SEC Rule 10b-5 promulgated thereunder. Plaintiffs filed their opposition on June 27, 2022. Defendants’ reply in further support of their Motion to Dismiss was filed on August 11, 2022. The parties are awaiting a decision or oral argument on the Motion to Dismiss. Although the ultimate outcome of the Class Action cannot be determined with certainty, the Company stands behind all of its prior statements and disclosures and believes that the claims raised in the Amended Class Complaint and the Class Complaint are entirely without merit. The Company intends to both defend itself vigorously against these claims and to vigorously prosecute any counterclaims. Notwithstanding Plaintiffs’ allegations’ lack of merit, however, the Class Action may distract the Company and cost the Company’s management time, effort and expense to defend against the claims made in the Amended Class Complaint. Notwithstanding the Company’s belief that the Company and its management have complied with all of their obligations under applicable securities regulations, no assurance can be given as to the outcome of the Class Action, and in the event the Company does not prevail in such action, the Company, its business, financial condition and results of operations could be materially and adversely affected. Ciceri, derivatively on behalf of CleanSpark, Inc., v. Bradford, Love, Schultz, Beynon, McNeill, and Wood (consolidated with Perna, derivatively on behalf of CleanSpark, Inc., v. Bradford, Love, Schultz, Beynon, McNeill, and Wood) On May 26, 2021, Andrea Ciceri (“Ciceri”), derivatively on behalf of CleanSpark, Inc., filed a verified shareholder derivative action (the “Ciceri Derivative Action”) in the United States District Court in the District of Nevada against Chief Executive Officer, Zachary Bradford (“Bradford”), Chief Financial Officer, Lori Love (“Love”) and Directors Matthew Schultz, Roger Beynon, Larry McNeill and Tom Wood (Bradford, Love and Directors collectively referred to as “Ciceri Derivative Defendants.”) On June 22, 2021, Mark Perna (“Perna”) (Ciceri, Perna, and Ciceri Derivative Defendants collectively referred to as the “Parties”) filed a verified shareholder derivative action (the “Perna Derivative Action”) in the same Court against the same Ciceri Derivative Defendants, making substantially similar allegations. On June 29, 2021, the Court consolidated the Ciceri Derivative Action with the Perna Derivative Action in accordance with a stipulation among the parties (the consolidated case referred to as the “Derivative Action”). The Derivative Action alleges that Ciceri Derivative Defendants: (1) made materially false and misleading public statements about the Company’s business and prospects; (2) did not maintain adequate internal controls; and (3) did not disclose several related party transactions benefitting insiders, questionable uses of corporate assets, and excessive compensation. The claims asserted against all Ciceri Derivative Defendants include breach of fiduciary duties, unjust enrichment, abuse of control, gross mismanagement, and waste of corporate assets. A claim for contribution under Sections 10(b) and 21D of the Securities and Exchange Act is asserted against only Bradford and Love. The Derivative Action seeks declaratory relief, monetary damages, and imposition of adequate corporate governance and internal controls. Plaintiffs were given the opportunity to submit an Amended Complaint by November 25, 2021, but elected not to. In January 2022, the Parties agreed to stay the entirety of the case pending the outcome of the Motion to Dismiss in the Class Action. Any of the Parties may also terminate the stay on 20 days’ notice. Although the ultimate outcome of the Derivative Action cannot be determined with certainty, the Company stands behind all of its prior statements and disclosures, and believes that the claims raised in that case are entirely without merit. The Company intends to both defend itself vigorously against these claims and to vigorously prosecute any counterclaims. Notwithstanding the Derivative Action’s lack of merit, however, it may distract the Company and cost the Company’s management time, effort and expense to defend against the claims. Notwithstanding the Company’s belief that the Company and its management have complied with all of their obligations under applicable securities regulations, no assurance can be given as to the outcome of the Derivative Action, and in the event the Company does not prevail in such action, the Company, its business, financial condition and results of operations could be materially and adversely affected. Solar Watt Solutions, Inc., v. Pathion, Inc. On January 6, 2022, Solar Watt Solutions, Inc., (“SWS”) filed suit in the Superior Court of the State of California in the County of Santa Clara against Pathion, Inc., (“Pathion”) for breach of contract, conversion, unjust enrichment and negligent misrepresentation. Prior to its acquisition by the Company, SWS paid Pathion $418,606 for solar batteries and related equipment for delivery in August 2019, later amended to November 2019. Pathion never delivered any of the items purchased by SWS. Pathion’s breach resulted in SWS being unable to complete a separate contract and cost the end-user client over $15,000 per month in electricity costs. SWS is seeking an award of compensatory damages totaling over $500,000. Pathion filed an answer on or around February 16, 2022, generally denying the claims asserted by SWS. SWS served discovery on Pathion in May 2022; Pathion did not serve responses. Accordingly, SWS filed a Motion for Order Establishing Admissions and for Sanctions on July 25, 2022, and was awarded $1,750 in sanctions. The parties are currently engaged in discovery process. Darfon America Corp., etc. vs. CleanSpark, Inc., etc., et al. On August 18, 2022, Darfon America Corp filed a breach of contract suit in connection with a purchase contract for batteries. In short, Plaintiff contends that the Company ordered batteries and did not pay for them. Plaintiff is seeking $5.4 million in damages and additional co sts and fees. The Company contends, among other things, that the batteries did not meet the necessary specifications. This case is in a very early stage as discovery has only just commenced. The Company is confident in its legal position and does not anticipate a loss.

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