v3.25.1
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2024
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]  
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

NOTE 18- COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES 

 

Registration Rights

 

The holders of Founder Shares, Private Placement Units, and units that may be issued upon conversion of Working Capital Loans, if any, are entitled to registration rights pursuant to a registration rights agreement that was signed on the date of the IPO. These holders will be entitled to certain demand and “piggyback” registration rights. However, the registration rights agreement provides that the Company will not permit any registration statement filed under the Securities Act to become effective until the termination of the applicable lock-up period for the securities to be registered. The Company will bear the expenses incurred in connection with the filing of any such registration statements.

 

 

Business Combination Marketing Agreement

 

The Company entered into a business combination marketing agreement on January 11, 2022 with A.G.P. (the “Business Combination Marketing Agreement”) whereby A.G.P. is to act as an advisor in connection with a Business Combination to assist the Company in holding meetings with its stockholders to discuss the potential Business Combination and the target business’ attributes, introduce the Company to potential investors that are interested in purchasing the Company’s securities in connection with a Business Combination, assist the Company in obtaining stockholders’ approval for a Business Combination, and assist the Company with its press releases and public filings in connection with a Business Combination. The Company was to pay A.G.P. a fee for such marketing services upon the consummation of a Business Combination in an amount equal to 4.5% of the gross proceeds of the IPO, or $5,175,000 in the aggregate (exclusive of any applicable finders’ fees that might become payable). The Business Combination Marketing Agreement will be terminated upon entry into the Advisory Agreement (described below).

 

Service Provider Agreements

 

The Company plans to enter into advisory agreements with certain of its service providers to fund its obligations in shares of common stock instead of cash.

 

Advisory Agreement with A.G.P. The Company plans to enter into an advisory agreement with A.G.P. (the “Advisory Agreement”), pursuant to which the Company shall pay A.G.P. a total transaction fee equal to $2,500,000 (the “Transaction Fee”) upon the closing of the Business Combination. The Transaction Fee will be payable in the form of preferred shares of the Combined Company that are convertible into 500,000 shares of the Combined Company’s common stock (such preferred shares or the common into which they convert, the “Transaction Fee Shares”), for a price per share of common stock equal to $5.00. A portion of the Transaction Fee Shares shall be subject to forfeiture back to the Company once A.G.P. converts and sells Transaction Fee Shares generating sales proceeds (excluding commissions) of $2,500,000.

 

The Transaction Fee Shares shall be subject to a lock-up ending on the earlier of (i) the date on which 75% of the outstanding Series B Preferred Stock is converted into shares of the Combined Company’s common stock and (ii) three months from the Closing date (the “Lock-Up Termination Date”). After the Lock-Up Termination Date, A.G.P. may convert the Transaction Fee Shares and sell them subject to a leak-out provision that limits A.G.P.’s sales of Transaction Fee Shares on any given date to 10% of the cumulative trading volume of the common stock for such date (including pre-market, market and post-market trading) as reported by Bloomberg, LP. This restriction shall remain in effect beginning on the Lock-Up Termination Date and ending on the date on which 100% of the Series B Preferred Stock outstanding as of the closing is converted into shares of the Combined Company’s common stock.

 

Upon the execution of the Advisory Agreement, that certain Business Combination Marketing Agreement, dated January 11, 2022, between the Company and A.G.P. in which the Company and Cycurion shall cause the Combined Company to issue to A.G.P. 250,000 shares of common stock of the Combined Company in full satisfaction of the fees, shall be terminated and such shares of common stock extinguished in their entirety.

 

 

Other Service Providers. In addition, the Company entered into revised arrangements with certain of its service providers, under which the Company agrees to pay approximately $1.25 million of its obligations in shares of the Combined Company’s common stock, which will be issued at a price per share equal to $5.00, or total of 250,000 shares of the Combined Company; provided that once a given service provide has completed sales of its shares that generate sales proceeds (excluding commissions) equal to the amount owing to that service provider, its remaining shares shall be returned to the Combined Company.

 

Non-Redemption Agreement

 

On August 6, 2024, the Company, Western Acquisition Ventures Sponsor, LLC (the “Sponsor”) and RiverNorth SPAC Arbitrage Fund, LP (the “Investor”) entered into a non-redemption agreement (the “Non-Redemption Agreement”) whereby the Sponsor plans to transfer to the Investor 5,000 shares each month over the next three months for agreeing not to redeem the 99,800 that it currently holds prior to the business combination.

 

On October 9, 2024, the Company, the Sponsor and RiverNorth entered into extended non-redemption agreement whereby the Sponsor plans to transfer to RiverNorth 5,000 shares each month over the next three months for agreeing not to redeem the 99,800 that it currently holds prior to the business combination.

 

Employment Agreements

 

On December 27, 2023, we entered into an employment agreement with James P. McCormick whereby the Company agreed to pay a total of $125,000 of total compensation annually, including $40,000 in cash and $85,000 in stock payment. On October 30, 2024, we entered into an amendment to the employment agreement with James P. McCormick whereby the Company agreed to pay total compensation of $200,000, including $40,000 in cash at the closing of the Business Combination and the remaining $160,000 in cash from the proceeds that the Company receives from any capital raising transaction following the closing of the Business Combination, including the proceeds from an ELOC to be entered into by and among the Company, Cycurion and the investors named therein; provided that the Company shall only be obligated to apply up to 15% of the proceeds from each capital raise until Mr. McCormick’s compensation of $200,000 has been paid in full.

 

Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (the “IR Act”)

 

On August 16, 2022, the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (the “IR Act”) was signed into federal law. The IR Act provides for, among other things, a new U.S. federal 1% excise tax on certain repurchases of stock by publicly traded U.S. domestic corporations and certain U.S. domestic subsidiaries of publicly traded foreign corporations occurring on or after January 1, 2023. The excise tax is imposed on the repurchasing corporation itself, not its shareholders from which shares are repurchased. The amount of the excise tax is generally 1% of the fair market value of the shares repurchased at the time of the repurchase. However, for purposes of calculating the excise tax, repurchasing corporations are permitted to net the fair market value of certain new stock issuances against the fair market value of stock repurchases during the same taxable year. In addition, certain exceptions apply to the excise tax. The U.S. Department of the Treasury (the “Treasury”) has been given authority to provide regulations and other guidance to carry out and prevent the abuse or avoidance of the excise tax.

 

Any redemption or other repurchase that occurs after December 31, 2022, in connection with a business combination, extension vote or otherwise, may be subject to the excise tax. Whether and to what extent the Company would be subject to the excise tax in connection with a business combination, extension vote or otherwise would depend on a number of factors, including (i) the fair market value of the redemptions and repurchases in connection with the business combination, extension or otherwise, (ii) the structure of a business combination, (iii) the nature and amount of any “PIPE” or other equity issuances in connection with a business combination (or otherwise issued not in connection with a business combination but issued within the same taxable year of a business combination) and (iv) the content of regulations and other guidance from the Treasury. In addition, because the excise tax would be payable by the Company and not by the redeeming holder, the mechanics of any required payment of the excise tax have not been determined. The foregoing could cause a reduction in the cash available on hand to complete a business combination and in the Company’s ability to complete a business combination.

 

As of December 31, 2024 and 2023, the Company’s stockholders have redeemed a total of 11,253,528 and 11,194,590 shares of Common Stock resulting in $1,157,161 and $1,143,296 of excise tax liability, calculated as 1% of the value of the shares redeemed, respectively.