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COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2024
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]  
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
9. COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
Commitments
In October 2023, the Company entered into a purchase agreement to acquire S21 miners with a combined exahash of 2.52 or approximately 12,900 miners from Bitmain for approximately $50.4 million, of which $28.2 million was paid as of March 31, 2024, $15.1 million was satisfied with the use of coupons, and $7.1 million was included in Accrued expenses and other current liabilities on the Company's Consolidated Balance Sheets. As of March 31, 2024, the Company had received approximately 4,790 miners. The remaining miners were received in April 2024.
Legal Proceedings—The Company is subject to legal proceedings arising in the ordinary course of business. The Company accrues losses for a legal proceeding when it is probable that a loss has been incurred and the amount of the loss can be reasonably estimated. However, the uncertainties inherent in legal proceedings make it difficult to reasonably estimate the costs and effects of resolving these matters. Accordingly, actual costs incurred may differ materially from amounts accrued and could materially adversely affect the Company’s business, cash flows, results of operations, financial condition and prospects. Unless otherwise indicated, the Company is unable to estimate reasonably possible losses in excess of any amounts accrued.
Purported Shareholder Class Action (“Pang”)
On November 14, 2022, Plaintiff Mei Pang filed a purported class-action complaint against Core Scientific, Inc., its former chief executive officer, Michael Levitt, and others in the United States District Court, Western District (Austin) of Texas asserting that the Company violated the Securities and Exchange Act by allegedly failing to disclose to investors that – among other things – the Company was vulnerable to litigation given its decision to pass power costs to its customers, that certain clients had breached their contracts, and that this impacted the Company’s profitability and ability to continue as a going concern. The complaint seeks monetary damages. Core filed a notice of suggestion of bankruptcy stating that its petition for bankruptcy—filed on December 21, 2022—operates as a stay to the continuation of this matter. Plaintiff subsequently withdrew its claims against Core.
On April 14, 2023, the Court appointed lead plaintiff for the purported class in Pang, individually and on behalf of a class of claimants, filed proofs of claim against the Company in its Chapter 11 Cases in the United States Bankruptcy Court, Southern District (Houston) of Texas based upon the allegations set forth in Pang and Core filed an objection to the proofs of claim.
On December 7, 2023, the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas in Houston, sustained the Company’s objection to the filed class proof of claim without prejudice to re-file a proof of claim on an individual basis by December 20, 2023; and denied plaintiff’s Motion for Class Treatment under Fed. R. Bankr. P. 7023. No individual proof of claim was filed by any of the class representatives of the purported class action by December 20, 2023, and a separately filed objection to confirmation of Debtors’ Fourth Amended Chapter 11 Plan and Disclosure Statement was overruled by the Bankruptcy Court on January 16, 2024. On January 29, 2024, plaintiff filed a notice of appeal of the order confirming the Company’s Plan of Reorganization.
Following Core’s motion to dismiss in the District Court case, the Court dismissed without prejudice the 10(b) claim in its entirety for failure to plead scienter and loss causation and all but a single statement under Section 11 and Section 14 of the Exchange Act. The Court also held that none of the Defendants other than Michael Levitt were control persons under Section 15 (even though Mr. Levitt was not even named as a Defendant under Section 15). Core filed a motion for reconsideration of the Court’s failure to dismiss the remaining Section 11 claim and filed an answer to the Plaintiff’s remaining claim.
On April 22, 2024, the Court granted the Company’s motion for reconsideration and dismissed without prejudice all remaining claims contained in the plaintiff’s complaint.
Purported Shareholder Class Action (“Ihle”)
On July 24, 2023, Plaintiff Brad Ihle filed a purported class action complaint against certain officers and directors of Power & Digital Infrastructure Acquisition Corp. (the former name of the current corporate entity operating our business, or “XPDI”) and XMS Sponsor LLC et al, in the Court of Chancery State of Delaware. The complaint alleges breach of fiduciary duties arising out of the merger of XPDI and the entity that conducted our business operations prior to the merger (“Legacy Core”) and the marketing and solicitation of shareholders pursuant to that merger agreement dated July 20, 2021. Certain of the defendants have notified the Company of their intention to seek defense and indemnification in this matter pursuant to Delaware law and the Company’s bylaws.
Employment Claim
On September 30, 2022, Harlin Dean, a former executive of Blockcap, Inc. (n/k/a Core Scientific Acquired Mining, LLC) sent a demand letter to the Company, seeking approximately $9.8 million. Along with the demand letter, Mr. Dean enclosed a complaint that had been filed in the 419th Judicial District Court, Travis County, Texas, which asserted the following causes of action: (1) breach of employment agreement; (2) quantum meruit; (3) promissory estoppel; (4) conversion; (5) declaratory relief; (6) equitable relief/specific performance; (7) imposition of constructive trust; (8) accounting; and (9) attorneys’ fees and costs. According to Mr. Dean, the Company failed to honor the terms of his employment agreement upon his resignation.
Following the Company’s filing of the Chapter 11 Cases, Mr. Dean filed proofs of claim in the Chapter 11 Cases alleging the Company breached Mr. Dean’s employment agreement and various equity award agreements. Mr. Dean seeks a total recovery of approximately $8 million. The Debtors filed an objection to Mr. Dean’s proofs of claim on September 19, 2023. Mr. Dean filed a reply in support of his claim and moved for summary judgment on October 19. Adjudication of the validity and value of Mr. Dean’s proof of claim is pending. As a general unsecured creditor under the Plan of Reorganization, any amount determined to be owed to plaintiff will be paid in common shares of the Company as provided in the Plan of Reorganization.
Contract Claims
GEM Mining 1, LLC, GEM Mining 2, LLC, GEM Mining 2B, LLC, and GEM Mining 4, LLC (together “GEM”) have filed proofs of claim in the Chapter 11 Cases alleging the Company breached its hosting agreements with GEM and are seeking to recover approximately $4.1 million. The Debtors filed an initial objection to GEM’s proofs of claim on May 4, 2023, and filed a supplemental objection on May 6, 2023. GEM filed a response in opposition to Debtors’ objections on September 6, 2023. Additionally, GEM 1 and GEM 4 filed proofs of claim in the Chapter 11 Case asserting approximately $8 million in rejection damages. The Debtors are currently preparing an objection to these claims along with a reply to GEM’s response to the Debtors’ earlier filed objections. As a general unsecured creditor under the Plan of Reorganization, any amount determined to be owed to plaintiff will be paid in common shares of the Company as provided in the Plan of Reorganization.
In November 2022, McCarthy Building Companies, Inc. filed a complaint against the Company in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, alleging breach of contract for failing to pay when due certain payments allegedly owing under a contract for construction entered into between the parties. The case has been stayed as a result of the Company’s filing of a petition for relief under chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code. On January 18, 2024, the Bankruptcy Court entered the McCarthy Order approving the parties’ agreement to settle all claims and release all liens of McCarthy against the Company.
As of March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, there were no other material loss contingency accruals for legal matters.
Leases—See Note 5 — Leases for additional information.