Exhibit 10.17

 

ESCROW AGREEMENT

 

THIS ESCROW AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”) is entered into as of January 8, 2020, by and among MTBC, Inc. a Delaware corporation (“Purchaser”), Runway Growth Credit Fund Inc (the SellersRepresentative) and TD Bank, NA (the “Escrow Agent”). Purchaser, Sellers’ Representative and Escrow Agent are each referred to herein as a “Party” and collectively, as the “Parties”.

 

WHEREAS, Purchaser and Sellers’ Representative, among others, have entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger dated as of January 8, 2020 (the “Merger Agreement”);

 

WHEREAS, except as otherwise provided herein, capitalized terms used in this Escrow Agreement have the meanings assigned to them in the Merger Agreement; and

 

WHEREAS, pursuant to the Merger Agreement, the Parties have agreed that a portion of the Merger Consideration consisting of 260,000 shares of MTBC 11% Series A Cumulative Redeemable Perpetual Preferred Stock (the “Escrow Shares”) be deposited with the Escrow Agent subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein.

 

NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing and of the mutual covenants hereinafter set forth, the Parties hereto agree as follows:

 

1. Appointment. The Parties hereby appoint Escrow Agent as their escrow agent for the purposes set forth herein, and Escrow Agent hereby accepts such appointment under the terms and conditions set forth herein.

 

2. Disposition. The Escrow Agent shall disburse the Escrow Shares in accordance with any written direction executed by both the Purchaser and Sellers’ Representative.

 

3. Escrow Shares.

 

(a) Transferability. Except in accordance with Section 3, none of the Escrow Shares shall be transferred, assigned or pledged by the Escrow Agent or any other Party.

 

(b) Voting. No Party will have any voting rights with respect to the Escrow Shares.

 

(c) Dividends, Etc. No cash dividends or other distributions paid on the Escrow Shares shall be paid to any Party until such shares have been released from escrow. If and when Escrow Shares are released to Sellers’ Representative (the “Released Escrow Shares”), Purchaser will pay to Escrow Agent, for distribution to Sellers’ Representative, all dividends and distributions that were declared on such Released Escrow Shares while they were held in escrow. Escrow Agent has no duty to solicit any dividends, redemption or other distributions hereunder.

 

(d) Fractional Shares. No fractional shares of MTBC Preferred Stock or other securities shall be retained in or released from the escrow account pursuant to this Agreement. In connection with any release of Escrow Shares from the escrow account, Purchaser shall be permitted to round to the nearest whole number or to follow such other rounding procedures as Purchaser reasonably determines to be appropriate in order to avoid retaining any fractional shares in the escrow account and in order to avoid releasing any fractional shares from the escrow account.

 

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4. Communications with Escrow Agent. Any instructions setting forth, claiming, containing, objecting to, or in any way related to the transfer or distribution of the Escrow Shares must be in writing or set forth in a Portable Document Format (“PDF”), executed by the appropriate Party or Parties as evidenced by the signatures of the person or persons signing this Agreement or one of their designated persons as set forth in Schedule 1 (each an “Authorized Representative”), and delivered to Escrow Agent only by confirmed facsimile or attached to an email on a Business Day only at the fax number or email address set forth in Section 10 below. No instruction for or related to the transfer or distribution of Escrow Shares shall be deemed delivered and effective unless Escrow Agent actually shall have received it on a Business Day by facsimile or as a PDF attached to an email only at the fax number or email address set forth in Section 10 and as evidenced by a confirmed transmittal to the Party’s or Parties’ transmitting fax number or email address and Escrow Agent has been able to satisfy any applicable security procedures as may be required hereunder. Escrow Agent shall not be liable to any Party or other person for refraining from acting upon any instruction for or related to the transfer or distribution of the Escrow Shares if delivered to any other fax number or email address, including but not limited to a valid email address of any employee of Escrow Agent. As used in this Section 5, “Business Day” shall mean any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or any other day on which Escrow Agent located at the notice address set forth below is authorized or required by law or executive order to remain closed. The Parties acknowledge that the security procedures set forth in this Section 5 are commercially reasonable. Upon delivery of the Escrow Shares by Escrow Agent, this Agreement shall terminate, subject to the provisions of Section 9.

 

5. Escrow Agent. Escrow Agent shall have only those duties as are specifically and expressly provided herein, which shall be deemed purely ministerial in nature, and no other duties, including but not limited to any fiduciary duty, shall be implied. Escrow Agent has no knowledge of, nor any obligation to comply with, the terms and conditions of any other agreement between the Parties, nor shall Escrow Agent be required to determine if any Party has complied with any other agreement. Notwithstanding the terms of any other agreement between the Parties, the terms and conditions of this Agreement shall control the actions of Escrow Agent. Escrow Agent may conclusively rely upon any written notice, document, instruction or request delivered by the Parties believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed by an Authorized Representative(s), as applicable, without inquiry and without requiring substantiating evidence of any kind and Escrow Agent shall be under no duty to inquire into or investigate the validity, accuracy or content of any such document, notice, instruction or request. Escrow Agent shall not be liable for any action taken, suffered or omitted to be taken by it in good faith except to the extent that Escrow Agent’s gross negligence or willful misconduct was the cause of any direct loss to either Party. Escrow Agent may execute any of its powers and perform any of its duties hereunder directly or through affiliates or agents. In the event Escrow Agent shall be uncertain, or believes there is some ambiguity, as to its duties or rights hereunder or receives instructions, claims or demands from any Party hereto which in Escrow Agent’s judgment conflict with the provisions of this Agreement, or if Escrow Agent receives conflicting instructions from the Parties, Escrow Agent shall be entitled either to: (a) refrain from taking any action until it shall be given (i) a joint written direction executed by Authorized Representatives of the Parties which eliminates such conflict or (ii) a court order issued by a court of competent jurisdiction (it being understood that the Escrow Agent shall be entitled conclusively to rely and act upon any such court order and shall have no obligation to determine whether any such court order is final); or (b) file an action in interpleader. Escrow Agent shall have no duty to solicit any payments which may be due it, including, without limitation, the Escrow Shares nor shall the Escrow Agent have any duty or obligation to confirm or verify the accuracy or correctness of any amounts deposited with it hereunder. Anything in this Agreement to the contrary notwithstanding, in no event shall Escrow Agent be liable for special, incidental, punitive, indirect or consequential loss or damage of any kind whatsoever (including but not limited to lost profits), even if Escrow Agent has been advised of the likelihood of such loss or damage and regardless of the form of action.

 

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6. Resignation; Succession. Escrow Agent may resign and be discharged from its duties or obligations hereunder by giving thirty (30) days advance notice in writing of such resignation to the Parties. Escrow Agent’s sole responsibility after such thirty (30) day notice period expires shall be to hold the Escrow Shares and to deliver the same to a designated substitute escrow agent, if any, appointed by the Parties, or such other person designated by the Parties, or in accordance with the directions of a final court order, at which time of delivery, Escrow Agent’s obligations hereunder shall cease and terminate. If prior to the effective resignation date, the Parties have failed to appoint a successor escrow agent, or to instruct the Escrow Agent to deliver the Escrow Shares to another person as provided above, at any time on or after the effective resignation date, Escrow Agent either (a) may interplead the Escrow Shares with a court located in the State of New York and the costs, expenses and reasonable attorney’s fees which are incurred in connection with such proceeding may be charged against and withdrawn from the Escrow Shares; or (b) appoint a successor escrow agent of its own choice. Any appointment of a successor escrow agent shall be binding upon the Parties and no appointed successor escrow agent shall be deemed to be an agent of Escrow Agent. Escrow Agent shall deliver the Escrow Shares to any appointed successor escrow agent, at which time Escrow Agent’s obligations under this Agreement shall cease and terminate. Any entity into which Escrow Agent may be merged or converted or with which it may be consolidated, or any entity to which all or substantially all the escrow business may be transferred, shall be the Escrow Agent under this Agreement without further act.

 

7. Compensation. The Parties agree severally and not jointly to pay Escrow Agent upon execution of this Agreement and from time to time thereafter reasonable compensation for the services to be rendered hereunder, which unless otherwise agreed in writing, shall be as described in Schedule 2. Each of the Parties further agrees to the disclosures set forth in Schedule 2.

 

8. Indemnification and Reimbursement. The Parties agree jointly and severally to indemnify, defend, hold harmless, pay or reimburse Escrow Agent and its affiliates and their respective successors, assigns, directors, agents and employees (the “Indemnitees”) from and against any and all losses, damages, claims, liabilities, penalties, judgments, settlements, litigation, investigations, costs or expenses (including, without limitation, the fees and expenses of outside counsel and experts and their staffs and all expense of document location, duplication and shipment) (collectively “Losses”), arising out of or in connection with (a) Escrow Agent’s performance of this Agreement, except to the extent that such Losses are determined by a court of competent jurisdiction to have been caused by the gross negligence, willful misconduct, or bad faith of such Indemnitee; and (b) Escrow Agent’s following any instructions or directions, whether joint or singular, from the Parties received in accordance with this Agreement. The Parties hereby grant Escrow Agent a lien on, right of set-off against and security interest in the Escrow Shares for the payment of any claim for indemnification, fees, expenses and amounts due to Escrow Agent or an Indemnitee. In furtherance of the foregoing, Escrow Agent is expressly authorized and directed, but shall not be obligated, to charge against and withdraw from the Escrow Shares for its own account or for the account of an Indemnitee any amounts due to Escrow Agent or to an Indemnitee under Section 8 or 9. The obligations set forth in this Section 9 shall survive the resignation, replacement or removal of Escrow Agent or the termination of this Agreement.

 

 9. Notices. All communications hereunder shall be in writing or set forth in a PDF attached to an email, and all instructions from a Party or the Parties to the Escrow Agent shall be executed by an Authorized Representative, and shall be delivered in accordance with the terms of this Agreement by facsimile, email or overnight courier only to the appropriate fax number, email address, or notice address set forth for each party as follows:

 

If to Purchaser: MTBC, Inc.
   
  7 Clyde Road
  Somerset, NJ 08873
  Attn: General Counsel
  Facsimile: (732) 227-8575
  Email: legal@mtbc.com

 

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If to Seller’s Representative: Runway Growth Credit Fund Inc.
   
  205 North Michigan Avenue, Suite 4200
  Chicago, Illinois 60601
  Attention: Tom Raterman, CFO
  Facsimile:
  Email:
   
If to Escrow Agent: TD Bank, N.A.
   
  2059 Springdale Road
  Cherry Hill, NJ 08003
  Attention: David Leondi
  Fax No.: 856-685-5267
  Email Address: david.leondi@td.com

 

10. Compliance with Court Orders. In the event that a legal garnishment, attachment, levy, restraining notice or court order is served with respect to any of the Escrow Shares, or the delivery thereof shall be stayed or enjoined by an order of a court, Escrow Agent is hereby expressly authorized, in its sole discretion, to obey and comply with all such orders so entered or issued, which it is advised by legal counsel of its own choosing is binding upon it, whether with or without jurisdiction, and in the event that Escrow Agent obeys or complies with any such order it shall not be liable to any of the Parties hereto or to any other person by reason of such compliance notwithstanding such order be subsequently reversed, modified, annulled, set aside or vacated.

 

11. Miscellaneous. The provisions of this Agreement may be waived, altered, amended or supplemented only by a writing signed by the Escrow Agent and the Parties. Neither this Agreement nor any right or interest hereunder may be assigned by any Party without the prior consent of Escrow Agent and the other Party. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed under the laws of the State of New Jersey. Each Party and Escrow Agent irrevocably waives any objection on the grounds of venue, forum non-conveniens or any similar grounds and irrevocably consents to service of process by mail or in any other manner permitted by applicable law and consents to the jurisdiction of the courts located in the State of New Jersey. To the extent that in any jurisdiction either Party may now or hereafter be entitled to claim for itself or its assets, immunity from suit, execution, attachment (before or after judgment) or other legal process, such Party shall not claim, and hereby irrevocably waives, such immunity. Escrow Agent and the Parties further hereby waive any right to a trial by jury with respect to any lawsuit or judicial proceeding arising or relating to this Agreement. No party to this Agreement is liable to any other party for losses due to, or if it is unable to perform its obligations under the terms of this Agreement because of, acts of God, fire, war, terrorism, floods, strikes, electrical outages, equipment or transmission failure, or other causes reasonably beyond its control. This Agreement and any joint instructions from the Parties may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument or instruction, as applicable. All signatures of the parties to this Agreement may be transmitted by facsimile or as a PDF attached to an email, and such facsimile or PDF will, for all purposes, be deemed to be the original signature of such party whose signature it reproduces, and will be binding upon such party. If any provision of this Agreement is determined to be prohibited or unenforceable by reason of any applicable law of a jurisdiction, then such provision shall, as to such jurisdiction, be ineffective to the extent of such prohibition or unenforceability without invalidating the remaining provisions thereof, and any such prohibition or unenforceability in such jurisdiction shall not invalidate or render unenforceable such provisions in any other jurisdiction. The Parties represent, warrant and covenant that each document, notice, instruction or request provided by such Party to Escrow Agent shall comply with applicable laws and regulations. Except as expressly provided in Section 9 above, nothing in this Agreement, whether express or implied, shall be construed to give to any person or entity other than Escrow Agent and the Parties any legal or equitable right, remedy, interest or claim under or in respect of the Account or this Agreement.

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement as of the date set forth above.

 

MTBC, Inc.   Runway Growth Credit Fund Inc.
         
By: /s/ Shruti Patel   By: /s/ David Spreng
Name: Shruti Patel   Name: David Spreng
Title: General Counsel   Title: CEO
         
TD Bank, N.A.      
         
By: /s/ David C. Leondi      
Name: David C. Leondi      
Title: Vice President      

 

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Schedule 1

 

Telephone Numbers and Authorized Signatures for

Person(s) Designated to Give Instructions and Confirm Funds Transfer Instructions

 

For Purchaser:

 

  Name   Telephone Number   Signature
           
1. Shruti Patel, General Counsel   732-873-5133 x146    
           
2.          
           
3.        

 

For Sellers’ Representative:

 

  Name   Telephone Number   Signature
           
1.          
           
2.          
           
3.          

 

All instructions, including but not limited to funds transfer instructions, whether transmitted by facsimile or set forth in a PDF attached to an email, must include the signature of the Authorized Representative authorizing said funds transfer on behalf of such Party.

 

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Schedule 2

 

TD Bank

 

 

Schedule of Fees for Escrow Agent Services

 

Based upon our current understanding of your proposed transaction, our fee proposal is as follows:

 

Account Acceptance Fee .                                                                   $0

 

Encompassing review, negotiation and execution of governing documentation, opening of the account, and completion of all due diligence documentation. Payable upon closing.

 

Annual Administration Fee                                                                  $6,000

 

The Administration Fee covers our usual and customary ministerial duties, including record keeping, distributions, document compliance and such other duties and responsibilities expressly set forth in the governing documents for each transaction. Payable upon closing and annually in advance thereafter, without pro-ration for partial years.

 

Extraordinary Services and Out-of Pocket Expenses

 

Any additional services beyond our standard services as specified above, and all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses including attorney’s or accountant’s fees and expenses will be considered extraordinary services for which related costs, transaction charges, and additional fees will be billed at the Escrow Agent’s then standard rate. Disbursements, receipts, investments or tax reporting exceeding 25 items per year may be treated as extraordinary services thereby incurring additional charges. The Escrow Agent may impose, charge, pass-through and modify fees and/or charges for any account established and services provided by the Escrow Agent, including but not limited to, transaction, maintenance, balance-deficiency, and service fees, agency or trade execution fees, and other charges, including those levied by any governmental authority.

 

Fee Disclosure & Assumptions: Please note that the fees quoted are based on a review of the transaction documents provided and an internal due diligence review. The Escrow Agent reserves the right to revise, modify, change and supplement the fees quoted herein if the assumptions underlying the activity in the account, level of balances, market volatility or conditions or other factors change from those used to set our fees. Payment of the invoice is due upon receipt

 

The escrow deposit shall be continuously invested in a TD Bank, NA money market deposit account (“MMDA”). MMDA have rates of interest or compensation that may vary from time to time as determined by the Escrow Agent.

 

Disclosures and Agreements

 

Patriot Act Disclosure. Section 326 of the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001 (“USA PATRIOT Act”) requires Escrow Agent to implement reasonable procedures to verify the identity of any person that opens a new account with it. Accordingly, you acknowledge that Section 326 of the USA PATRIOT Act and Escrow Agent’s identity verification procedures require Escrow Agent to obtain information which may be used to confirm your identity including without limitation name, address and organizational documents (“identifying information”). You agree to provide Escrow Agent with and consent to Escrow Agent obtaining from third parties any such identifying information required as a condition of opening an account with or using any service provided by the Escrow Agent.

 

OFAC Disclosure. Escrow Agent is required to act in accordance with the laws and regulations of various jurisdictions relating to the prevention of money laundering and the implementation of sanctions, including but not limited to regulations issued by the U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control. Escrow Agent is not obligated to execute payment orders or effect any other transaction where the beneficiary or other payee is a person or entity with whom the Escrow Agent is prohibited from doing business by any law or regulation applicable to Escrow Agent, or in any case where compliance would, in Escrow Agent’s opinion, conflict with applicable law or banking practice or its own policies and procedures. Where Escrow Agent does not execute a payment order or effect a transaction for such reasons, Escrow Agent may take any action required by any law or regulation applicable to Escrow Agent including, without limitation, freezing or blocking funds.

 

Abandoned Property. Escrow Agent is required to act in accordance with the laws and regulations of various states relating to abandoned property and, accordingly, shall be entitled to remit dormant funds to any state as abandoned property in accordance with such laws and regulations.

 

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THE FOLLOWING DISCLOSURES ARE REQUIRED TO BE PROVIDED UNDER APPLICABLE U.S. REGULATIONS, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, FEDERAL RESERVE REGULATION D. WHERE SPECIFIC INVESTMENTS ARE NOTED BELOW, THE DISCLOSURES APPLY ONLY TO THOSE INVESTMENTS AND NOT TO ANY OTHER INVESTMENT.

 

Deposit Account Disclosure. Escrow Agent is authorized, for regulatory reporting and internal accounting purposes, to divide an escrow demand deposit account maintained in the U.S. in which the Fund is held into a non-interest bearing demand deposit internal account and a non-interest bearing savings internal account, and to transfer funds on a daily basis between these internal accounts on Escrow Agent’s general ledger in accordance with U.S. law at no cost to the Parties. Escrow Agent will record the internal accounts and any transfers between them on Escrow Agent’s books and records only. The internal accounts and any transfers between them will not affect the Fund, any investment or disposition of the Fund, use of the escrow demand deposit account or any other activities under this Agreement, except as described herein. Escrow Agent will establish a target balance for the demand deposit internal account, which may change at any time. To the extent funds in the demand deposit internal account exceed the target balance, the excess will be transferred to the savings internal account, unless the maximum number of transfers from the savings internal account for that calendar month or statement cycle has already occurred. If withdrawals from the demand deposit internal account exceeds the available balance in the demand deposit internal account, funds from the savings internal account will be transferred to the demand deposit internal account up to the entire balance of available funds in the savings internal account to cover the shortfall and to replenish any target balance that Escrow Agent has established for the demand deposit internal account. If a sixth transfer is needed during a calendar month or statement cycle, it will be for the entire balance in the savings internal account, and such funds will remain in the demand deposit internal account for the remainder of the calendar month or statement cycle.

 

MMDA Disclosure and Agreement. If MMDA is the investment for the escrow deposit as set forth above or anytime in the future, you acknowledge and agree that U.S. law limits the number of pre-authorized or automatic transfers or withdrawals or telephonic/electronic instructions that can be made from an MMDA to a total of six (6) per calendar month or statement cycle or similar period. Escrow Agent is required by U.S. law to reserve the right to require at least seven (7) days’ notice prior to a withdrawal from a money market deposit account.

 

Unlawful Internet Gambling. The use of any account to conduct transactions (including, without limitation, the acceptance or receipt of funds through an electronic funds transfer, or by check, draft or similar instrument, or the proceeds of any of the foregoing) that are related, directly or indirectly, to unlawful Internet gambling is strictly prohibited.

 

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