Related Party Transactions

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2024

Related Party Transactions [Abstract]

Related Party Transactions

8. Related Party Transactions

Related Party Notes Payable

The Company receives funding via notes payable from various parties, including related parties. These related parties include employees as well as affiliates of employees, affiliates, and other companies controlled or previously controlled by the Company’s founder and Chief Product and User Ecosystem Officer.

Related party notes payable consists of the following as of June 30, 2024:

(in thousands)	Contractual Maturity Date	Contractual Interest Rates	Net Carrying Value
Related party notes – China	December 2023	18.0%	$	7,577
Related party notes – Unsecured Convertible	April 8, 2024	4.27%	1,951
Related party notes – China various other	Due on Demand	—%	3,805
Related party notes – Convertible FFGP	May 2024	4.27%	250
Related party notes – FFGP	Various 2024	4.27% - 5.27%	1,576
			15,159
Less: Related party notes payable, current			(15,159)
Total: Related party notes payable, less current			$	—

Related party notes payable consists of the following as of December 31, 2023:

(in thousands)	Contractual Maturity Date	Contractual Interest Rates	Net Carrying Value
Related party notes – China	December 31, 2023	18.0%	$	5,103
Related party notes – Unsecured SPA	August 2029	10% - 15%	542
Related party notes – China various other	Due on Demand	—%	3,789
Related party notes – FFGP	Varies	4.27% - 5.27%	$	326
			9,760
Less: Related party notes payable, current			(9,760)
Total: Related party notes payable, less current			$	—

Unsecured SPA

MHL is the anchor investor in the Unsecured SPA and has committed $80.0 million of such funding. MHL is a related party of the Company as MHL’s investors include a subsidiary of FF Global Partners LLC (“FF Global”), a stockholder of the Company. FF Global has control over the Company’s management, business and operations. See Note 7, Notes Payable, for details on the Unsecured SPA.

The Company elected the fair value option afforded by ASC 825, Financial Instruments, with respect to the Unsecured SPA Notes because the notes include features, such as a contingently exercisable put option, that meet the definition of an embedded derivative. The Company expensed the transaction costs to Changes in fair value of related party notes payable and warrant liabilities in the Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Loss.

Subsequent to the issuance of the Unsecured SPA, MHL funded, net of original issue discounts, $20.7 million in exchange for the issuance of the Unsecured SPA Notes and related warrants. MHL did not fund the Unsecured SPA during the six months ended June 30, 2024. In connection with the Unsecured SPA, the Company issued to MHL SPA Warrants to purchase 35,405 shares of the Class A Common Stock. The SPA Warrants are subject to anti-dilution ratchet price protection and are exercisable for seven years from the date of issuance (see Note 11, Stockholders' Equity and Note 7, Notes Payable). During the six months ended June 30, 2024, MHL converted its remaining outstanding gross principal balance, $0.7 million, in exchange for 1,324,292 shares of the Class A Common Stock. In connection with the conversion of Unsecured SPA Notes, there was no Loss on settlement of related party notes during the three months ended June 30, 2024 and the Company recognized $0.2 million Loss on settlement of related party notes payable during the six months ended June 30, 2024, for the difference between the fair value of the shares issued and the fair value of the debt instrument.

As of June 30, 2024, there were no Related party notes payable issued pursuant to the Unsecured SPA.

Related Party Notes - Unsecured Convertible

In January 2024, the Company issued an unsecured convertible note to MHL in a principal amount of $1.5 million. The note was due three months from the date of issuance, April 2024, accrues interest at a rate of 4.27% per annum, and is convertible into either Class A Common Stock or into an SPA Note at the option of the holder. If conversion into Class A Common Stock is elected, the conversion price is the latest closing price of the Company’s Class A Common Stock on the conversion date. The debt is due on demand upon the occurrence of an event of default as defined in the note.

The Company elected the fair value option afforded by ASC 825, Financial Instruments, with respect to this note because the Company believes the note will be exchanged into an SPA Note pursuant to the conversion right included within the note. The SPA Notes include features, such as a contingently exercisable put option, that meet the definition of an embedded derivative.

This debt was in default as of the balance sheet date due to non-payment by the maturity date.

The Company recorded a loss in Change in fair value of related party notes payable and warrant liabilities in the Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Loss for the three and six months ended June 30, 2024 in the amount of $0.3 million and $0.5 million for the related party convertible notes.

Related Party Notes - China

Previously, the Company had outstanding debt payable to Chongquing Leshi Small Loan Co., Ltd. (“Chongquing”), a related party. In 2022, Chongquing agreed to modify its debt agreement with the Company agreed to make a payment of 10% of the outstanding principal. Under this modified agreement, the Company received the rights to all interest accrued, a discount in principal balance, and agreed to make payments during 2023 to completely pay the discounted principal by December 31, 2023. The Company did not pay the outstanding principal and interest amount in full by the maturity date of December 31, 2023, and as a result, the Company incurred substantial interest and penalties. Per the terms of the modified agreement, all outstanding interest and penalties since the inception of the original agreement reverted to Chongquing and the discounted principal balance returned to the full unpaid amount. As a result, the Company recognized no and $14.1 million loss on related party notes payable and related party warrants for the three and six months ended June 30, 2024, respectively, in the Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Loss. As of June 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023, the outstanding principal balance related to this related party note was $7.6 million and $5.1 million, respectively, and the outstanding accrued related party interest was $18.5 million and $0.8 million, respectively.

Related Party Notes - Convertible FFGP

In February 2024 the Company and FFGP Investment Holding I, LLC (“FFGP”), a related party, entered into an unsecured convertible note in the amount of $0.3 million. The note has a maturity date of May 2024, accrued interest at a rate of 4.27% per annum, and is convertible into Class A Common Stock at the option of the holder. The conversion price is the latest closing price of the Company’s Class A Common Stock on the conversion date. The debt is due on demand upon the occurrence of an event of default as defined in the agreement.

This debt was in default as of the balance sheet date due to non-payment by their respective maturity dates.

Related Party Notes - FFGP

In November 2023 and January 2024, the Company issued unsecured promissory notes to FFGP, a related party, in an aggregate principal amount of $1.6 million. These notes were due three months from their respective date of issuance and accrued interest at either 4.27% or 5.27%. The debt is due on demand upon the occurrence of an event of default as defined in the note.

This debt was in default as of the balance sheet date due to non-payment by their respective maturity dates.

Fair Value of Related Party Notes Payable Not Carried at Fair Value

The estimated fair value of the Company’s related party notes payable not carried at fair value approximated their carrying value as of June 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023, respectively.

X-Butler previously known as Warm Time Inc. (“Warm Time”) and Ocean View Drive Inc. (“Ocean View”) Transactions

The Company leased two real properties, located in Rancho Palos Verdes, California (the “Rancho Palos Verdes Properties”), from X-Butler from January 1, 2018 through March 31, 2022. X-Butler in turn leased the Rancho Palos Verdes Properties from Yueting Jia, the Company’s founder and Chief Product and User Ecosystem Officer. The Rancho Palos Verdes Properties were used by the Company to provide long-term or temporary housing to employees of the Company (including a former Global CEO). According to the agreement between the parties, the Company paid X-Butler for rent and certain services, including catering, room services and organization of meetings, external gatherings and events, for the Rancho Palos Verdes Properties. For the three months ended June 30, 2024 and June 30, 2023, the Company paid to X-Butler zero and $0.1 million, respectively, for rent and business development services rendered to the Company and its executives. The Company has recorded approximately $0.2 million and $0.1 million in Accounts Payable as of June 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023, respectively.

On February 9, 2023, the Company made a payment of approximately $0.2 million on behalf of Ocean View, an indemnified co-defendant, in connection with a seizure of funds related to the outstanding judgment in ongoing litigation, also involving Han’s San Jose Hospitality, LLC. Ocean View fulfilled its payment obligation under the settlement arrangement of such litigation, but the Company did not make its payment on the outstanding judgment which caused such seizure of funds of Ocean View. See Note 10, Commitments and Contingencies, for more information. Following such seizure, the Company paid the outstanding judgment and all accrued interest. The Company received the return of such indemnification payment in April 2023.

FF Global Expense Reimbursements and Consulting Fees

On July 30, 2022, the Company entered into a preliminary term sheet (the “Preliminary Term Sheet”) with FF Top Holding LLC (“FF Top”), a subsidiary of FF Global, setting out a summary of the preliminary terms and conditions for FF Top’s assistance in arranging a proposed convertible term loan facility to the Company. In connection with the Preliminary Term Sheet, the Company agreed to reimburse FF Top for its reasonable and documented out-of-pocket legal and diligence fees and expenses incurred in connection with such financing efforts up to a $0.3 million cap (the “Original Cap”), irrespective of whether or not closing occurred, with $0.2 million to be payable as a deposit upon execution of the Preliminary Term Sheet. Pursuant to the Preliminary Term Sheet, the Company paid FF Top $0.4 million in 2022.

On January 31, 2023, the Company entered into a supplemental agreement to the Preliminary Term Sheet (the “Term Sheet” and with such supplemental agreement, the “Supplemental Agreement”) with FF Global, pursuant to which the parties agreed, due to the high amount of FF Global’s out-of-pocket legal fees and expenses incurred in connection with its financing efforts, to amend the Preliminary Term Sheet to increase the Original Cap from $0.3 million to $0.7 million. The Company agreed to pay the remaining $0.4 million of the fees owed to FF Global as follows: (i) $0.2 million within one business day of execution of the Supplemental Agreement, and (ii) $0.2 million within one business day of consummation of new financing by the Company in an amount not less than $5.0 million or an earlier date approved by the Board. Pursuant to the Preliminary Term Sheet, as amended by the Supplemental Agreement, the Company paid FF Global $0.2 million on each of February 1, 2023 and February 6, 2023.

On April 8, 2023, the Company reimbursed FF Global for $0.2 million related to legal expenses incurred by FF Global in connection with the Sixth Secured SPA Amendment. In addition, on April 10, 2023 and May 31, 2023, the Company reimbursed FF Global for $0.1 million and $0.3 million related to legal expenses incurred by FF Global in connection with certain unsecured financings.

In February 2023, FF Global requested from the Company legal expense reimbursement of $6.5 million for costs incurred related to the governance changes at the Company, which was not approved by the Board as of the date these Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements were issued. FF Global may in the future continue to request additional expense reimbursements and indemnification from the Company.

On March 6, 2023, the Company entered into a consulting service agreement with an effective date of February 1, 2023 with FF Global (the “Consulting Services Agreement”), according to which the Company agreed to pay a monthly consulting fee of $0.2 million to FF Global for the following services:

•Assistance in developing its funding strategy.

•Assistance in developing its value return and management strategy.

•Consultation on and integration of stockholder relations and stockholder resources.

•Supporting communications regarding stockholders meetings.

•Developing existing stockholder financing strategy, including with respect to retail investors and others.

•Assistance in risk management strategy.

•Assistance in capability build up and operation strategy.

The Consulting Services Agreement has an initial term of 12 months and automatically renews for successive 12 months periods unless earlier terminated in accordance with the terms thereof. Effective March 6, 2024, the Consulting Agreement renewed automatically. Either party may terminate the Consulting Services Agreement upon one month prior written notice to the other party. Upon any termination of the Consulting Services Agreement, the Company shall promptly pay FF Global any accrued but unpaid fees hereunder and shall reimburse FF Global for any unreimbursed expenses that are reimbursable thereunder. In addition, FF Global is entitled to reimbursement for all reasonable and documented out-of-pocket travel, legal, and other out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection with their services, which expenses shall not exceed $0.1 million without the prior written consent of the Company. The Company paid $0.3 and $0.5 to FF Global during the three and six months ended June 30, 2024 and $0.6 million and $0.8 million for the three and six months ended June 30, 2023, pursuant to the Consulting Services Agreement. The Company has $1.5 million and $0.6 million of amounts payable to FF Global recorded in Accounts Payable and Accrued Liabilities in the Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets at June 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023, respectively.

Common Units of FF Global

During 2022, certain executives and employees of the Company were granted the opportunity to subscribe to 24,000,000 common units of FF Global. The subscription price of $0.50 per common unit, payable by the executives and employees of the Company, was financed through non-recourse loans issued by FF Global payable in equal annual installments over ten years. The common units to be purchased with a non-recourse loan are required to be treated for accounting purposes as stock options granted by FF Global to executives and employees of the Legacy FF. The awards were valued using the Black-Scholes option pricing model. The grant date fair value of the units purchased through non-recourse loans was immaterial for the three and six months ended June 30, 2024 and 2023.

Advertising Services Payable to Leshi Information Technology Co., Ltd. (“LeTV”)

The Company has recorded a payable to LeTV within Accrued expenses and other current liabilities on the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets in the amount of $7.5 million and $7.5 million as of June 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023, respectively, in connection with advertising services provided to the Company in prior years. LeTV is a Shanghai Stock Exchange-listed public company founded and controlled by Mr. Yueting Jia, the Company’s founder and Chief Product and User Ecosystem Officer.

Other Related Party Transactions

The Company pays for a vehicle lease totaling less than $0.1 million annually on behalf of Mr. Jia.

The Company owes a total of $0.5 million and $0.2 million to various related parties as of June 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023, respectively, which is included in Accounts payable within the Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets.