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Note 19 - Stock Based Compensation

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2021

Share-based Payment Arrangement [Text Block]

NOTE 19 – STOCK BASED COMPENSATION

Adoption of Equity Compensation Plan

On November 29, 2017, the Board adopted the 2017 Equity Compensation Plan (the “Plan”) providing for the granting of options to purchase shares of common stock, restricted stock awards and other stock-based awards to directors, officers, employees, advisors and consultants. The Company reserved 20,000,000 shares of common stock for issuance under the Plan. The Plan is intended to provide equity incentives to persons retained by our Company.

On April 2, 2021, the Board of Directors of the Company adopted the 2021 Equity Compensation Plan (the “2021 Plan”) providing for the granting of options to purchase shares of common stock, restricted stock awards and other stock-based awards to directors, officers, employees, advisors and consultants of the Company and reserved an additional 20,000,000 shares of the Company’s common stock for issuance under the 2021 Plan.

Equity Compensation Grants

On November 30, 2017, the Company granted a one-time equity award (“Equity Award”) of restricted shares of the Company’s common stock pursuant to a Restricted Stock Agreement to certain executives and directors of the company. Donald Strilchuck, Director, received 1,000,000 restricted shares of the Company's common stock for security consulting services, of which 550,000 vested immediately and the remaining vesting ratably each month over the next 36 months until November 2020. Other individuals received a total of 1,870,000 restricted shares of the Company's common stock for consulting services performed, of which 1,330,000 vested immediately and the remaining vesting ratably each month over the next 36 months until November 2020. The expense related to the restricted stock awarded to non-employees for services rendered was recognized on the grant date.

On April 17, 2020, the Company entered into agreements with three individuals for the payment of business consulting services under which the Company issued 225,000 shares of its common stock. These awards vested immediately. The expense related to the restricted stock awarded to non-employees for services rendered of $162,000 was recognized on the grant date.

On August 27, 2020 and September 25, 2020, the Company entered into agreements with two individuals for the payment of business consulting services under which the Company issued an aggregate of 162,500 shares of its common stock. These awards vested immediately. The expense related to the restricted stock awarded to non-employees for services rendered of $117,000 was recognized on the grant date.

On April 2, 2021, a consulting agreement with CONFIEN SAS for business coaching was entered into for a period of 12 months. As payment for these services, 650,000 restricted shares, subject to applicable securities laws and regulations as set forth in the Restricted Stack Agreement, of the Company’s common stock were granted. Such shares vested immediately. The expense related to the restricted stock awarded to non-employees for services previously rendered of $897,000 was recognized on the grant date.

On July 13, 2021, the Company entered into agreements with two individuals for the payment of security and legal consulting services under which the Company issued an aggregate of 500,000 shares of its common stock. These awards vested immediately. The expense related to the restricted stock awarded to non-employees for services rendered of $275,000 was recognized on the grant date.

Employment Agreements

On November 30, 2017, employment agreements were entered into with four key members of management:

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Under the Employment Agreement with Bahige (Bill) Chaaban, President of the Company, Mr. Chaaban will receive compensation in the form of a base annual salary of $31,200 and a grant of 8,750,000 shares of restricted stock of the Company, of which 7,400,000 vested immediately and the remaining vested ratably each month over the next 36 months until November 2020.

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Under the Employment Agreement with Joseph Byrne, Chief Executive Officer of the Company, Mr. Byrne will receive compensation in the form of a base annual salary of $31,200 and a grant of 1,250,000 shares of restricted stock of the Company, of which 325,000 vested immediately and the remaining vesting ratably each month over the next 36 months until November 2020. Effective November 13, 2019, Mr. Byrne resigned and left the Company, at which point additional vesting and salary accruals ceased. As of April 2, 2020, the accrued salaries owed to Joe Byrne, which amounted to $58,500, were settled by allowing Joe Byrne to vest in the remaining 337,500 restricted shares that had not vested.

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Under the Employment Agreement with Richard Boswell, Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of the Company, Mr. Boswell will receive compensation in the form of a base annual salary of $31,200 and a grant of 4,500,000 shares of restricted stock of the Company, of which 4,140,000 vested immediately and the remaining vested ratably each month over the next 36 months until November 2020.

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Under the Employment Agreement with Brian Payne, Vice President of the Company, Mr. Payne will receive compensation in the form of a base annual salary of $31,200 and a grant of 750,000 shares of restricted stock of the Company, of which 300,000 vested immediately and the remaining vested ratably each month over the next 36 months until November 2020.

On May 16, 2019, an employment agreement, under similar terms, was entered into with Mr. Tarrabain. Under the Employment Agreement with Alex Tarrabain, Chief Financial Officer and as one of the Vice Presidents of the Company, Mr. Tarrabain will receive compensation in the form of a base annual salary of $31,200 and a grant of 1,250,000 shares of restricted stock of the Company, of which 350,000 vested immediately and the remaining vesting ratably each month over the next 36 months until May 2022.

On December 6, 2021, the Board of Directors appointed Rick Purdy as its Senior Vice President of Deals and Acquisitions. On this date, an employment agreement, under similar terms, was entered into with Mr. Purdy. Under the Employment Agreement, Mr. Purdy will receive compensation in the form of a base annual salary of $31,200 and a grant of 2,500,000 shares of restricted stock of the Company, of which 700,000 vested immediately and the remaining vesting ratably each month over the next 36 months until December 2024. The expense related to the restricted stock awarded to employees for services previously rendered of $238,000 was recognized on the grant date. Remaining expenses will be recognized ratably monthly as the restricted stock award vests.

On April 2, 2021, the Board of Directors appointed Ameen Ferris and Harold Aubrey De Lavenu to serve as Vice Presidents of the Company. Under the associated Executive Employment Agreements, they will each receive compensation in the form of a base annual salary of $31,200. In addition, Ameen Ferris was granted 1,000,000 and Harold Aubrey De Lavenu was granted 1,041,250 restricted shares, subject to applicable securities laws and regulations, as set forth in the Restricted Stock Agreement, of the Company’s common stock. Such shares vested immediately. The expense related to the restricted stock awarded to employees for services previously rendered of $2,816,925 was recognized on the grant date.

On April 2, 2021, the Company entered into an RSA (the “Boswell RSA”) with Richard Boswell. Pursuant to the Boswell RSA, the Company granted Mr. Boswell 2,185,679 restricted shares of the Company’s common stock under the 2021 Plan to vest immediately on the grant date. The shares issued are restricted shares that are subject to applicable securities laws and regulations. The expense related to the restricted stock awarded to employees for services previously rendered of $3,016,237 was recognized on the grant date.

On April 2, 2021, the Company entered into an RSA (the “Chaaban RSA”) with Bahige Chaaban. Pursuant to the Chaaban RSA, the Company granted Mr. Chaaban 3,106,122 restricted shares of the Company’s common stock under the 2021 Plan to vest immediately on the grant date. The shares issued are restricted shares that are subject to applicable securities laws and regulations. The expense related to the restricted stock awarded to employees for services previously rendered of $4,286,435 was recognized on the grant date.

On April 2, 2021, the Company entered into an RSA (the “Payne RSA”) with Brian Payne. Pursuant to the Payne RSA, the Company granted Mr. Payne 1,435,000 restricted shares of the Company’s common stock under the 2021 Plan to vest immediately on the grant date. The shares issued are restricted shares that are subject to applicable securities laws and regulations. The expense related to the restricted stock awarded to employees for services previously rendered of $1,980,300 was recognized on the grant date.

On April 2, 2021, the Company entered into an RSA (the “Saadikh RSA”) with Usamakh Saadikh. Pursuant to the Saadikh RSA, the Company granted Mr. Saadikh 1,000,000 restricted shares of the Company’s common stock under the 2021 Plan to vest immediately on the grant date. The shares issued are restricted shares that are subject to applicable securities laws and regulations. The expense related to the restricted stock awarded to employees for services previously rendered of $1,380,000 was recognized on the grant date.

On April 2, 2021, the Company entered into an RSA (the “Strilchuck RSA”) with Donald Strilchuck. Pursuant to the Strilchuck RSA, the Company granted Mr. Strilchuck 341,250 restricted shares of the Company’s common stock under the 2021 Plan to vest immediately on the grant date. The shares issued are restricted shares that are subject to applicable securities laws and regulations. The expense related to the restricted stock awarded to employees for services previously rendered of $470,925 was recognized on the grant date.

On April 2, 2021 and June 25, 2021, the Company entered into an RSA (the “Tarrabain RSA”) with Alex Tarrabain. Pursuant to the Tarrabain RSA, the Company granted Mr. Tarrabain 300,000 and 1,000,000, respectively, restricted shares of the Company’s common stock under the 2021 Plan to vest immediately on the grant date. The shares issued are restricted shares that are subject to applicable securities laws and regulations. The expense related to the restricted stock awarded to employees for services previously rendered of $899,000 was recognized on the grant date.

Restricted Stock Awards

Restricted stock awards relate to common shares that are subject to applicable securities laws and regulations as set forth in the RSAs and other equity compensation grants.

The total grant-date fair value of the restricted shares granted through employment agreements and equity compensation grants was $29,885,063 and $13,013,241 as of December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively. During 2021 and 2020, 15,059,291 restricted shares with a grant date fair value of $16,871,822 and 387,500 restricted shares with a grant date fair value of $279,000, respectively, were awarded. Prior to the start of trading on April 5, 2021 via the OTC Link alternative trading system (operated by OTC Markets Group Inc.), the grant-date fair value was calculated utilizing an enterprise valuation model as of the date the awards are granted. Beginning April 5, 2021, the grant-date fair value is calculated utilizing the daily closing price as published via the OTC Link.

With the exception of immediately vesting portions of awards, shares typically vest pro-rata over the requisite service period, which is generally three years from the grant-date. Non-vested restricted stock awards participate in dividends and recipients are entitled to vote these restricted shares during the vesting period.

During 2021 and 2020, 13,559,291 and 1,987,500 of these shares vested, respectively. The fair value of the restricted stock which vested amounted to $16,562,822 and $1,237,250 for 2021 and 2020, respectively.

Compensation expense, broken out by allocation, recognized in connection with the restricted stock awards was as follows for the years ended December 31:

	2021		2020

Stock Based Compensation	$	15,390,822	$	746,300
Professional fees		1,172,000		279,000

Total	$	16,562,822	$	1,025,300

Non-vested restricted stock award activity for the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020 are as follows:

	Number of Shares			Weighted- Average Grant Date Fair Value per Share		Weighted- Average Remaining Contractual Term (Years)
Non-vested at January 1, 2020		2,025,000		$	0.76		1.54
Granted		387,500			0.72		-
Vested		(1,987,500	)		0.70		-
Forfeited		-			-		-
Non-vested at December 31, 2020		425,000		$	1.01		1.50
Granted		15,059,291			1.12		-
Vested		(13,559,291	)		1.22		-
Forfeited		-			-		-
Non-vested at December 31, 2021		1,925,000		$	0.38		2.84

The fair value of the restricted stock grants was based on the valuation of a third-party specialist prior to April 5, 2021. Beginning April 5, 2021, the fair value of the restricted stock grants is based upon the daily closing price per the OTC Link. As of December 31, 2021, unrecognized compensation expense totaled $738,250, which will be recognized on a straight-line basis over the vesting period or requisite service period through December 2024.