Related Party Transactions | 16. Related Party Transactions Transactions Involving Former Directors, Executive Officers or Their Affiliated Entities The Company’s former Chief Executive Officer, Andy Williams, maintains an ownership interest in MedPharm Holdings LLC (“MedPharm”). Effective February 25, 2020 he was no longer an officer of the Company and therefore no longer a related party. During the year ended December 31, 2019, the Company made loans to MedPharm totaling $767,695 evidenced by promissory notes with original maturity dates ranging from September 21, 2019 through January 19, 2020 and all bearing interest at 8% per annum. On August 1, 2020, the Company entered into a Settlement Agreement and Mutual Release (the “Settlement Agreement”) with MedPharm pursuant to which (i) the parties agreed that the outstanding amount owed by MedPharm to the Company was $767,695 of principal and $47,161 in accrued and unpaid interest, (ii) MedPharm paid the Company $100,000 in cash, and (iii) Andrew Williams returned 175,000 shares of Common Stock to the Company, as partial repayment of the outstanding balance at a value of $1.90 per share. These shares are held in treasury. The remaining outstanding principal and interest of $181,911 due and payable by MedPharm under the Settlement Agreement was to be paid out in bi-weekly installments of product by scheduled deliveries through June 30, 2021. This amount was paid off on April 19, 2021. During the year ended December 31, 2020, the Company recorded sales to Baseball 18, LLC (“Baseball”) totaling $14,605, to Farm Boy, LLC (“Farm Boy”) totaling $16,125, to Emerald Fields LLC (“Emerald Fields”) totaling $16,605, and to Los Sueños Farms (“Los Sueños”) totaling $52,244. As of December 31, 2020 the Company had net accounts payable balances with Baseball of $31,250, and with Farm Boy of $93,944. One of the Company’s former Chief Operating Officers and directors, Robert DeGabrielle, owns the Colorado retail marijuana cultivation licenses for Farm Boy, Baseball, Emerald Fields, and Los Sueños. Effective June 19, 2020 he was no longer an officer of the Company and therefore no longer a related party. As such, he is not included as a related party with respect to sales and accounts receivable from Baseball, Farm Boy, Emerald Fields, or Los Sueños during the period ended December 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021. Transactions with Justin Dye and Entities Affiliated with Mr. Dye The Company has participated in several transaction involving Dye Capital, Dye Capital Cann Holdings, LLC (“Dye Cann I”) and Dye Cann II. Justin Dye, the Company’s Chief Executive Officer, one of its directors, and the largest beneficial owner of Common Stock and Preferred Stock, controls Dye Capital and Dye Capital controls Dye Cann I and Dye Cann II. Dye Cann I is the largest holder of the Company’s outstanding common stock. Dye Cann II is a significant holder of our Preferred Stock. Mr. Dye has sole voting and dispositive power over the securities held by Dye Capital, Dye Cann I, and Dye Cann II. The Company entered into a Securities Purchase Agreement with Dye Cann I on June 5, 2019, (as amended, the “Dye Cann I SPA”) pursuant to which the Company agreed to sell to Dye Cann I up to between 8,187,500 and 10,687,500 shares of Common Stock in several tranches at $2.00 per share and warrants to purchase 100% of the number of shares of common stock sold at a purchase price of $3.50 per share. At the initial closing on June 5, 2019, the Company sold to Dye Cann I 1,500,000 shares of common stock and warrants to purchase 1,500,000 shares of common stock for gross proceeds of $3,000,000, and the Company has consummated subsequent closings for an aggregate of 9,287,500 shares of common stock and warrants to purchase 9,287,500 shares of common stock for aggregate gross proceeds of $18,575,000 to the Company. The Company and Dye Cann I entered into a first amendment to the Dye Cann I SPA on July 15, 2019, a second amendment to the Dye Cann I SPA on May 20, 2020, and a Consent, Waiver and Amendment on December 16, 2020. At the time of the initial closing under the Dye Cann I SPA, Justin Dye became a director and the Company’s Chief Executive Officer. The Company granted Dye Cann I certain demand and piggyback registration rights with respect to the shares of common stock sold under the Dye Cann I SPA and issuable upon exercise of the warrants sold under the Dye Cann I SPA. The Company also granted Dye Cann I the right to designate one or more individuals for election or appointment to the Company’s board of directors (the “Board”) and Board observer rights. Further, under the Dye Cann I SPA, until June 5, 2022, if the Company desires to pursue debt or equity financing, the Company must first give Dye Cann I an opportunity to provide a proposal to the Company with the terms upon which Dye Cann I would be willing to provide or secure such financing. If the Company does not accept Dye Cann I’s proposal, the Company may pursue such debt or equity financing from other sources but Dye Cann I has a right to participate in such financing to the extent required to enable Dye Cann I to maintain the percentage of Common Stock (on a fully-diluted basis) that it then owns, in the case of equity securities, or, in the case of debt, a pro rata portion of such debt based on the percentage of Common Stock (on a fully-diluted basis) that it then owns. The Company entered into a Securities Purchase Agreement (as amended, the “Dye Cann II SPA”) with Dye Cann II on November 16, 2020 pursuant to which the Company agreed to sell to Dye Cann II shares of Preferred Stock in one or more tranches at a price of $1,000 per share. The terms of the Dye Cann II SPA are disclosed in the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed on December 23, 2020. The Company and Dye Cann II entered into an amendment to the Dye Cann II SPA on December 16, 2020, a second amendment to the Dye Cann II SPA on February 3, 2021, and a third amendment to the Dye Cann II SPA on March 30, 2021. The Company issued and sold to Dye Cann II 7,700 shares of Preferred Stock on December 16, 2020, 1,450 shares of Preferred Stock on December 18, 2020, 1,300 shares of Series Preferred Stock on December 22, 2020, 3,100 shares of Preferred Stock on February 3, 2021, 3,800 shares of Preferred Stock on March 2, 2021 and 4,000 shares of Preferred Stock on March 30, 2021. As a result, the Company issued and sold an aggregate of 21,350 shares of Preferred Stock to Dye Cann II for aggregate gross proceeds of $21,350,000. The Company granted Dye Cann II certain demand and piggyback registration rights with respect to the shares of common stock issuable upon conversion of the Preferred Stock under the Dye Cann II SPA. Further, the Company granted Dye Can II the right to designate one or more individuals for election or appointment to the Board and Board observer rights. On December 16, 2020, the Company entered into a Secured Convertible Note Purchase Agreement with Dye Capital and issued and sold to Dye Capital a Convertible Note and Security Agreement in the principal amount of $5,000,000. On February 26, 2021, Dye Capital elected to convert the $5,000,000 principal amount and the $60,250 of accrued but unpaid interest under the Convertible Promissory Note and Security Agreement under its terms and Dye Capital and the Company entered into a Conversion Notice and Agreement pursuant to which the Company issued 5,060 shares of Preferred Stock to Dye Capital and also paid Dye Capital $230.97 in cash in lieu of issuing any fractional shares of Preferred Stock upon conversion. For the year ended December 31, 2021, the Company recorded expenses of $214,908 owed to Tella Digital. As of December 31, 2022, the Company recorded expenses of $382,622 owed to Tella. Tella Digital provides on-premise digital experience solutions for our retail dispensary locations. Mr. Dye is an indirect part owner and serves as Chairman of Tella Digital. Transactions with Entities Affiliated with Nirup Krishnamurthy For the year ended December 31, 2021, the Company recorded expenses of $214,908 owed to Tella Digital. As of December 31, 2022, the Company recorded expenses of $382,622 owed to Tella. Tella Digital provides on-premise digital experience solutions for our retail dispensary locations. Mr. Krishnamurthy, the Company’s President and one of its directors, is an indirect partial owner of Tella Digital. Transactions with Jeffrey Cozad and Entities Affiliated with Mr. Cozad On February 26, 2021, the Company entered into a Securities Purchase Agreement (the “CRW SPA”) with CRW Cann Holdings, LLC (“CRW”) pursuant to which the Company issued and sold 25,350 shares of Preferred Stock to CRW at a price of $1,000 per share for aggregate gross proceeds of $25,350,000. The transaction made CRW a beneficial owner of more than 5% of Common Stock. The Company granted CRW certain demand and piggyback registration rights with respect to the shares of Common Stock issuable upon conversion of the Preferred Stock under the CRW SPA. On the same date, the Company entered into a letter agreement with CRW, granting CRW the right to designate one individual for election or appointment to the Board and Board observer rights. Under the letter agreement, for as long as CRW has the right to designate a Board member, if the Company, directly or indirectly, plans to issue, sell or grant any securities or options to purchase any of its securities, CRW has a right to purchase its pro rata portion of such securities, based on the number of shares of Preferred Stock beneficially held by CRW on the applicable date on an as-converted to Common Stock basis divided by the total number of shares of Common Stock outstanding on such date on an as-converted, fully- diluted basis (taking into account all outstanding securities of the Company regardless of whether the holders of such securities have the right to convert or exercise such securities for Common Stock at the time of determination). Further, under the letter agreement, the Company paid CRW Capital, LLC, the sole manager of CRW and a holder of a carried interest in CRW, a monitoring fee equal to $150,000 in monthly installments of $12,500. The Company paid CRW a monitoring fee of $125,000 during 2021 and $25,000 in monitoring fees during 2022. On March 14, 2021, the Board appointed Jeffrey A. Cozad as a director to fill a vacancy on the Board. Mr. Cozad is a manager and owns 50% of CRW Capital, LLC, and he shares voting and disposition power over the shares of Preferred Stock held by CRW. Mr. Cozad and his family members indirectly own membership interests in CRW. On December 7, 2021, the Company entered into a Securities Purchase Agreement with Cozad Investments, L.P. pursuant to which the Company issued an Investor Note in the aggregate principal amount of $250,000 to Cozad Investments, L.P. for $245,000 in cash. The Investor Note bears interest at 13% per year payable quarterly commencing March 31, 2022 in cash for an amount equal to the amount payable on such date as if the Investor Note was subject to an annual interest rate of 9% with the remainder of the accrued interest payable as an increase to the principal amount of the Note. Mr. Cozad is a manager of CRW, majority owner of Cozad Investments, L.P., and a member of the Board. On May 4, 2022, and June 14, 2022, the Company issued 40,463 shares of Common Stock and 22,728 shares of Common Stock, respectively, to Mr. Cozad as compensation for service on the Board. These shares were valued at $70,001 and $35,001 for May and June 2022, respectively. Transactions with Marc Rubin and Entities Affiliated with Mr. Rubin On February 26, 2021, the Company entered into the CRW SPA with CRW, of which Marc Rubin is a beneficial owner. Pursuant to the CRW SPA, the Company issued and sold 25,350 shares of Series A Preferred Stock to CRW at a price of $1,000 per share for aggregate gross proceeds of $25,350,000. The transaction made CRW a beneficial owner of more than 5% of the Company’s common stock. The Company granted CRW certain demand and piggyback registration rights with respect to the shares of common stock issuable upon conversion of the Series A Preferred Stock under the CRW SPA. Effective February 4, 2022, the Company registered the resale of the shares of common stock issuable upon conversion of the Series A Preferred Stock on a Form S-3. Also on February 26, 2021, the Company entered into a letter agreement with CRW, granting CRW the right to designate one individual for election or appointment to the Board and Board observer rights. Under the letter agreement, for as long as CRW has the right to designate a Board member, if the Company, directly or indirectly, plans to issue, sell or grant any securities or options to purchase any of its securities, CRW has a right to purchase its pro rata portion of such securities, based on the number of shares of Series A Preferred Stock beneficially held by CRW on the applicable date on an as-converted-to-common-stock basis divided by the total number of shares of common stock outstanding on such date on an as-converted, fully-diluted basis (taking into account all outstanding securities of the Company regardless of whether the holders of such securities have the right to convert or exercise such securities for common stock at the time of determination). Further, under the letter agreement, the Company paid CRW Capital, LLC, the sole manager of CRW and a holder of a carried interest in CRW, a monitoring fee equal to $125,000 in 2021 and total monitoring fees of $25,000 in 2022. Mr. Rubin is a manager and 50% owner of CRW Capital, LLC, and he shares voting and disposition power over the shares of Series A Preferred Stock held by CRW. In October 2022, the Board appointed Mr. Rubin as a director to fill a vacancy on the Board. On December 7, 2021, the Company entered into a Securities Purchase Agreement with The Rubin Revocable Trust U/A/D 05/09/2011 (the “Rubin Revocable Trust”) pursuant to which the Company issued an Investor Note in the aggregate principal amount of $100,000 to the Rubin Revocable Trust for $98,000 in cash. The Investor Note bears interest at 13% per year payable quarterly commencing March 31, 2022 in cash for the amount equal to the amount payable on such date as if the Investor Note was subject to an annual interest rate of 9% with the remainder of the accrued interest payable as an increase to the principal amount of the Note. Mr. Rubin is the majority owner of the Rubin Revocable Trust. Transactions with Jeffrey Garwood On December 7, 2021, the Company entered into a Securities Purchase Agreement with Jeff Garwood pursuant to which the Company issued an Investor Note in the aggregate principal amount of $300,000 to Mr. Garwood for $294,000 in cash. The Investor Note bears interest at 13% per year paid quarterly commencing March 31, 2022 in cash for an amount equal to the amount payable on such date as if the Note was subject to an annual interest rate of 9% with the remainder of the accrued interest payable as an increase to the principal amount of the Note. Mr. Garwood is a member of the Board. On May 4, 2022, and June 14, 2022, the Company issued 40,463 shares of Common Stock and 22,728 shares of Common Stock, respectively, to Mr. Garwood as compensation for service on the Board. These shares were valued at $70,001 and $35,001 for May and June 2022, respectively. Transactions with Pratap Mukharji On December 7, 2021, the Company entered into a Securities Purchase Agreement with Pratap Mukharji pursuant to which the Company issued an Investor Note in the aggregate principal amount of $200,000 to Mr. Mukharji for $196,000 in cash. The Investor Note bears interest at 13% per year paid quarterly commencing March 31, 2022 in cash for an amount equal to the amount payable on such date as if the Note was subject to an annual interest rate of 9% with the remainder of the accrued interest payable as an increase to the principal amount of the Note. Mr. Mukharji is a member of the Board. On May 4, 2022, and June 14, 2022, the Company issued 40,463 shares of Common Stock and 22,728 shares of Common Stock, respectively, to Mr. Mukharji as compensation for service on the Board. These shares were valued at $70,001 and $35,001 for May and June 2022, respectively. Transactions with Paul Montalbano On May 4, 2022, and June 14, 2022, the Company issued 40,463 shares of Common Stock and 22,728 shares of Common Stock, respectively, to Mr. Montalbano as compensation for service on the Board. These shares were valued at $70,001 and $35,001 for May and June 2022, respectively. Transactions with Jonathan Berger On May 4, 2022, and June 14, 2022, the Company issued 40,463 shares of Common Stock and 22,728 shares of Common Stock, respectively, to Mr. Berger as compensation for service on the Board. These shares were valued at $70,001 and $35,001 for May and June 2022, respectively. On June 24, 2022, the Company issued 19,085 shares of Common Stock to Mr. Berger as compensation for service as the Chair of the Audit Committee, Compensation Committee, and Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee of the Board. These shares were valued at $25,001 for June 2022. On September 22, 2022, the Company issued 102,355 shares of Common Stock to Mr. Berger as compensation for service as Lead Independent Director of the Board. These shares were valued at $100,000 for September 2022. Transactions with Star Buds Parties The Company has participated in several transactions involving entities owned or affiliated with one or more of its directors or 5% or greater beneficial owners that are affiliated with Star Buds and/or the Star Buds Acquisitions. These individuals include: (i) Brian Ruden, a former director of the Company as of October 2022 and a beneficial owner of 10% or more of the Company’s voting stock, (ii) Salim Wahdan, a director of the Company as of December 31, 2022, and (iii) Naser Joudeh and Shadhaa Ramadan, jointly as the beneficial owner of 10% or more of the Company’s voting stock (the “Joudeh Owners” and together with Brian Ruden and Salim Wahdan, the “Star Buds Affiliates”). Each of Brian Ruden, Salim Wahdan, and the Joudeh Owners had an ownership stake in the Star Buds companies acquired by the Company between December 2021 and May 2022. Between December 17, 2020 and March 2, 2021, the Company’s wholly-owned subsidiary SBUD, LLC acquired the Star Buds assets. The aggregate purchase price for the Star Buds assets was $118,000,000, paid as follows: (i) $44,250,000 in cash at the applicable closings, (ii) $44,250,000 in deferred cash, also referred to in this report as “seller note(s),” (iii) 29,506 shares of Preferred Stock, of which 25,078 shares were issued at the applicable closings and 4,428 shares were held back by the Company as collateral for potential indemnification obligations pursuant to the applicable purchase agreements. In addition, the Company issued warrants to purchase an aggregate of 5,531,250 shares of Common Stock to the sellers. Each party’s interest in the seller notes is as follows: (i) Brian Ruden: 31%, (ii) Salim Wahdan: 3.5%, and (iii) the Joudeh Owners: 28%. The Company issued warrants to purchase an aggregate of (i) 1,715,936 shares of Common Stock to Mr. Ruden, (ii) 193,929 shares of Common Stock to Mr. Wahdan, and (iii) 1,522,457 shares of Common Stock to the Joudeh Owners. As of December 31, 2021, the Company (i) owed an aggregate principal amount of $44,250,000 under the seller notes, (ii) paid an aggregate of $4,780,887 in interest on the seller notes, and (iii) held 4,428 shares of Preferred Stock in escrow as collateral for potential indemnification obligations pursuant to the applicable purchase agreements. As of December 31, 2022, the Company (i) owed an aggregate principal amount of $44,250,000 under the seller notes, (ii) paid an aggregate of $5,310,000 in interest on the seller notes, and (iii) held 944 shares of Preferred Stock in escrow as collateral for potential indemnification obligations pursuant to the applicable purchase agreements. In connection with acquiring the Star Buds assets, the Company also assumed and acquired a number of leases for which one of more of the Star Buds Affiliates serve as landlord or maintain an ownership interest in the landlord entity. The Company has entered into a lease with each of 428 S. McCulloch LLC, Colorado Real Estate Holdings LLC, 5844 Ventures LLC, 5238 W 44 th th th On December 17, 2020, SBUD LLC entered into a Trademark License Agreement with Star Brands LLC under which Star Brands LLC licenses certain trademarks to SBUD LLC effective as of the closing of the acquisitions of all of the Star Buds assets. SBUD LLC has no payment obligation under this agreement. Mr. Ruden and Mr. Joudeh are a part-owners of Star Brands LLC. In connection with the Star Buds Acquisitions, the Company granted Mr. Ruden and Naser Joudeh the right to designate two or three individuals for election or appointment to the Board, depending on the size of the Board at a given time. On May 4, 2022, and June 14, 2022, the Company issued 20,232 shares of Common Stock and 22,728 shares of Common Stock, valued at $35,001 and $35,001 , respectively, to Mr. Ruden as compensation for service on the Board. On June 14, 2022 and June 24, 2022, the Company issued 14,584 shares of Common Stock and 15,586 shares of Common Stock, respectively, to Mr. Wahdan as compensation for service on the Board. These shares were valued at $42,887 for June 2022. |