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15. COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
6 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2024
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]  
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

15. COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

Purchase of bitcoin mining related equipment

The Company had $92,544 in open purchase commitments for miners or mining equipment as of March 31, 2024. These commitments pertain to the purchase transactions with Bitmain Technologies Delaware Limited ("Bitmain Technologies") signed in both October 2023 and January 2024 for the purchase of 22,050 and 60,000 Antminer S21 bitcoin mining machines with purchase prices of $61,740 and $193,200 (after coupons), respectively. As of March 31, 2024, the Company has made combined payments of $158,884 and has accrued $3,512 for payment included in accounts payable and accrued liabilities on the Consolidated Balance Sheets. In connection with the October 2023 miner transaction, the purchase agreement allowed for a portion of the purchase price to be paid one year after shipment of the miners.

Contractual future payments

The following table sets forth certain information concerning our obligations to make contractual future payments towards our agreements as of March 31, 2024:

 

 ($ in thousands)

 

Fiscal Year 2024

 

 

Fiscal Year 2025

 

 

Fiscal Year 2026

 

 

Fiscal Year 2027

 

 

Fiscal Year 2028

 

 

Thereafter

 

 

Total

 

Recorded contractual obligations:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Operating lease obligations

 

$

103

 

 

$

201

 

 

$

204

 

 

$

106

 

 

$

41

 

 

$

 

 

$

655

 

Finance lease obligations

 

 

44

 

 

 

9

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

53

 

Loans

 

 

4,466

 

 

 

8,541

 

 

 

898

 

 

 

303

 

 

 

104

 

 

 

38

 

 

 

14,350

 

Construction in progress

 

 

16,090

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

16,090

 

Miners and mining equipment contracts

 

 

83,720

 

 

 

8,824

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

92,544

 

Total

 

$

104,423

 

 

$

17,575

 

 

$

1,102

 

 

$

409

 

 

$

145

 

 

$

38

 

 

$

123,692

 

Legal contingencies

In addition to the legal matters disclosed below, the Company may from time to time be subject to various legal proceedings and claims that arise in the ordinary course of its business activities. The outcome of litigation is inherently uncertain. If one or more legal matters were resolved against the Company in a reporting period for amounts above management’s expectations, the Company’s financial condition and operating results for that reporting period could be materially adversely affected.

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 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 at the time, Lori Love (“Love”) (such action, the “Class Action”). Subsequent to the filing of the Class Action, Darshan Hasthantra, as lead Plaintiff (together with Bishins, the “Plaintiffs”), filed an amended complaint (the “Amended Class Complaint”), which named S. Matthew Schultz (“Schultz”) as a defendant (the Company, Bradford and Schultz, collectively, the “Defendants”) and no longer named Love as a defendant.

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 and its anticipated expansion of bitcoin mining operations and 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, and the case is moving forward in discovery.

The Company believes that the claims raised in the Amended Class Complaint are without merit. The Company intends to defend itself vigorously against these claims. At this time, the Company is unable to estimate potential losses, if any, related to the Amended Class Complaint.

Consolidated Ciceri Derivative Actions

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 certain of the Company’s officers and directors (collectively referred to as “Ciceri Derivative Defendants”) (Ciceri v. Bradford, Schultz, Love, Beynon, McNeill and Wood). 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 “Consolidated Ciceri Derivative Action”). The Consolidated Ciceri Derivative Action asserts claims of breach of fiduciary duties,

unjust enrichment, abuse of control, gross mismanagement, and waste of corporate assets and seeks declaratory relief, monetary damages, and the imposition of adequate corporate governance and internal controls.

In June 2023, the Company’s Board of Directors appointed a special litigation committee (the “SLC”), comprised of independent Directors and represented by independent counsel, to intervene in the case, investigate, evaluate and prosecute as appropriate any and all claims asserted in the Consolidated Ciceri Derivative Action as well as the Consolidated Smith Derivative Actions (defined below). On October 23, 2023, the Court stayed the case until July 23, 2024, pending the completion of the SLC’s investigation.

The Company believes that the claims raised in the Consolidated Ciceri Derivative Action are without merit. The Company intends to both defend itself vigorously against these claims and to vigorously prosecute any counterclaims. At this time, the Company is unable to estimate potential losses, if any, related to the Consolidated Ciceri Derivative Action.

Consolidated Smith Derivative Actions

On February 21, 2023, Brandon Smith (“Smith”), derivatively on behalf of CleanSpark, Inc., filed a verified shareholder derivative action in the Eighth Judicial District Court of the State of Nevada in and for Clark County against certain of the Company’s officers and directors (Smith v. Bradford, Love, Schultz, Beynon, McNeill and Wood).

On February 24, 2023, Plaintiff Nicholas Iraci (“Iraci”), derivatively on behalf of CleanSpark, Inc., filed a verified shareholder derivative action in the Eighth Judicial District Court of the State of Nevada in and for Clark County against certain of the Company’s officers and directors (Iraci v. Bradford, Love, Schultz, Beynon, McNeill and Wood).

On March 1, 2023, Plaintiff Eric Atanasoff (“Atanasoff”), derivatively on behalf of CleanSpark, Inc., filed a verified shareholder derivative action in the Eighth Judicial District Court of the State of Nevada in and for Clark County against certain of the Company’s Officers and Directors (Atanasoff v. Bradford, Schultz, Beynon, McNeill, and Wood).

On March 8, 2023, Plaintiff Travis France (“France”), derivatively on behalf of CleanSpark, Inc., filed a verified shareholder derivative action in the Eighth Judicial District Court of the State of Nevada in and for Clark County against certain of the Company’s officers and directors (France v. Bradford, Love, Tadayon, Schultz, Beynon, McNeill and Wood).

Ultimately, each of the aforementioned derivative actions were consolidated into the Smith Derivative Action in the Eighth Judicial District Court of Nevada (the “Consolidated Smith Derivative Actions”).

The operative Consolidated Smith Derivative Actions assert claims of breach of fiduciary duties, unjust enrichment and corporate waste and seek monetary damages, restitution, declaratory relief, litigation costs, and the imposition of adequate corporate governance and internal controls.

On November 6, 2023, the Court stayed the Consolidated Smith Derivative Actions for five months pending the completion of the SLC’s investigation. On March 26, 2024, the SLC moved for an extension of the stay, which was granted on April 23, 2024, through July 8, 2024.

The Company believes that the claims raised in Consolidated Smith Derivative Actions are without merit. The Company intends to both defend itself vigorously against these claims and to vigorously prosecute any counterclaims. At this time, the Company is unable to estimate potential losses, if any, related to the Consolidated Smith Derivative Actions.