LOCKUP AGREEMENT
EXHIBIT
10.53
This
AGREEMENT (the “Agreement”) is made as of the 27th day of February, 2008, by
Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx and Xxxxx Xxxxxxxxx (“Holders”), in connection with their
ownership of shares of Sulphco, Inc., a
Nevada
corporation
(the “Company”).
NOW,
THEREFORE, for good and valuable consideration, the sufficiency and receipt
of
which consideration are hereby acknowledged, and intending to be legally bound,
the parties agree as follows:
1. Background.
a.
Holders
are the beneficial owners of the amount of shares of the Common Stock, $.001
par
value, of the Company (“Common Stock”) designated on the signature page
hereto.
b. Holders
acknowledge that as of the date hereof, Holders granted an option to Iroquois
Master Fund Ltd., and Xxxxx Capital LLC (“Optionees”) to purchase up to
2,000,000 shares of Common Stock pursuant to an “Option Agreement”) of even date
herewith, and agree to sell up to 2,000,000 additional shares of Common Stock
to
Optionees pursuant to a “Stock Purchase Agreement.” As a condition to such other
agreements and inducement to Optionees to enter into such other agreements,
Holders have agreed to refrain from the purchase or sale of any securities
of
the Company from the date of such other agreements until September 30, 2008
(“Restriction Period”), except as described below.
2. Sale
Restriction.
a. Holder
hereby agrees that during the Restriction Period, except in connection with
the
Option Agreement, Stock Purchase Agreement and an agreement for the sale of
up
to 1,625,000 shares of Common stock pursuant to two Option Agreements entered
into on April 24, 2007 with the Optionees and certain other parties, the Holders
shall not buy or sell or otherwise dispose of any shares of Common Stock or
any
options, warrants or other rights to purchase shares of Common Stock or any
other security of the Company which Holders own or have a right to acquire
as of
the date hereof, other than in connection with an offer made to all stockholders
of the Company in connection with merger, consolidation or similar transaction
involving the Company. Holders further agree that the Company is authorized
to
and the Company agrees to place “stop orders” on its books to prevent any
transfer of shares of Common Stock or other securities of the Company held
by
Holders in violation of this Agreement. The Company agrees to use commercially
reasonable efforts not to allow any transaction inconsistent with this
Agreement.
b. Any
subsequent issuance to and/or acquisition by Holders of Common Stock or options
or instruments convertible into Common Stock will be subject to the provisions
of this Agreement.
c. Notwithstanding
the foregoing restrictions on transfer, the Holders may, at any time and from
time to time during the Restriction Period, transfer Common Stock (i) as bona
fide gifts or transfers by will or intestacy, (ii) to any trust for the
direct or indirect benefit of the undersigned or the immediate family of the
Holder, provided that any such transfer shall not involve a disposition for
value, (iii) to a partnership which is the general partner of a partnership
of
which a Holder is a general partner, provided, that, in the case of any gift
or
transfer described in clauses (i), (ii) or (iii), each donee or transferee
agrees in writing to be bound by the terms and conditions contained herein
in
the same manner as such terms and conditions apply to the undersigned, (iv)
a
bona fide sale for cash at not less than $7.00 per share of Common Stock, or
(v)
that at no time may the Holders beneficially own less than the amount of Common
Stock (subject to adjustment for stock dividend, split-up, merger,
recapitalization, combination, exchange of shares or similar transactions)
necessary for Holders to comply with their obligations under the agreements
described in Section 2a above. For purposes hereof, “immediate family” means any
relationship by blood, marriage or adoption, not more remote than first cousin.
Holders agree to immediately cancel and not replace during the Restriction
Period any plan under Rule 10b5-1 under the Securities and Exchange Act of
1934.
3. Miscellaneous.
a. At
any
time, and from time to time, after the signing of this Agreement, Holder will
execute such additional instruments and take such action as may be reasonably
requested by the Optionees to carry out the intent and purposes of this
Agreement.
b. This
Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of
the
State of New York without regard to principles of conflicts of laws. Any action
brought by either party against the other concerning the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement shall be brought only in the state courts of
New
York or in the federal courts located in the state of New York. The parties
to
this Agreement hereby irrevocably waive any objection to jurisdiction and venue
of any action instituted hereunder and shall not assert any defense based on
lack of jurisdiction or venue or based upon forum
non conveniens.
The
parties executing this Agreement and other agreements referred to herein or
delivered in connection herewith agree to submit to the in personam jurisdiction
of such courts and hereby irrevocably waive trial by jury.
The
prevailing party shall be entitled to recover from the other party its
reasonable attorney’s fees and costs. In the event that any provision of this
Agreement or any other agreement delivered in connection herewith is invalid
or
unenforceable under any applicable statute or rule of law, then such provision
shall be deemed inoperative to the extent that it may conflict therewith and
shall be deemed modified to conform with such statute or rule of law. Any such
provision which may prove invalid or unenforceable under any law shall not
affect the validity or enforceability of any other provision of any
agreement.
c. The
restrictions on transfer described in this Agreement are in addition to and
cumulative with any other restrictions on transfer otherwise agreed to by the
Holders or to which the Holders are subject to by applicable law.
d. This
Agreement shall be binding upon Holders, their legal representatives, successors
and assigns.
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e. This
Agreement may be signed and delivered by facsimile and such facsimile signed
and
delivered shall be enforceable.
f. The
Company agrees not to take any action or allow any act to be taken which would
be inconsistent with this Agreement.
g. The
Holders acknowledge that the Optionees are the intended beneficiaries of this
Agreement. Furthermore, the Holders agree that the obligations of Holders under
this Agreement may only be waived with the express consent of the
Optionees.
IN
WITNESS WHEREOF, and intending to be legally bound hereby, Holders have executed
this Lockup Agreement as of the day and year first above written.
___________________________________________
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Ruldolf
Gunnerman
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___________________________________________
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Xxxxx
Xxxxxxxxx
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___________________________________________
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Number of Shares of Common Stock Beneficially | |
Owned and as more fully described below if not | |
in the form of shares of Common Stock | |
ACKNOWLEDGED:
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COMPANY:
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SULPHCO,
INC.
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By:
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___________________________________________
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Name:
Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
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Title:
Vice President and
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Chief
Financial Officer
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