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Churchill Capital Corp. IV
Churchill Capital Corp. IV was a $2.07B SPAC led by Michael Klein and Jay Lichtman that liquidated in 2023 without a merger.
Churchill Capital Corp. IV
Churchill Capital Corp. IV was incorporated in 2020 as a blank-check company sponsored by an affiliate of Michael Klein, the former Citigroup investment banker who created the first-ever SPAC in 2015. The vehicle raised $2.07 billion in its January 2021 IPO, pricing 207 million units at $10 each, making it the fourth Churchill-branded SPAC and one of the largest ever at issuance (per SEC filing, January 2021). The SPAC stated a target to acquire a business in the technology, media, or telecom industries, with a particular emphasis on companies led by experienced management teams. Klein's track record included mergers that brought MultiPlan and Skillsoft public via earlier Churchill SPACs. Churchill IV did not announce a definitive merger agreement prior to its search period expiring. As of mid-2023, Churchill Capital Corp. IV had failed to find a merger partner and entered liquidation, returning capital to shareholders. The trust account held approximately $2.14 billion, which was distributed to public stockholders at $10.10 per share (per SEC filing, July 2023). Klein and Lichtman each forfeited their founder shares, receiving no compensation from the failed SPAC. What distinguishes Churchill IV from typical failed SPACs is the sponsor's willingness to absorb losses rather than force a value-destructive deal. Klein surrendered $258 million in founder shares — the largest such forfeiture by a SPAC sponsor — demonstrating alignment with public investors even when the vehicle failed to execute.
General information
Firm type
Family Office
Year founded
2020
AUM
Undisclosed
Location
Region
North America
Country
United States
City
New York
Corporate office
New York, NY, United States
Principals
Jay Lichtman
Chief Executive Officer
Michael Klein
Chairman
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
Who led Churchill Capital Corp. IV?
Michael Klein served as Chairman and Jay Lichtman as CEO. Klein is a former Citigroup investment banker who created the first modern SPAC in 2015. Lichtman had previously served as CFO of Churchill Capital Corp (per SEC filings).
Why did Churchill IV liquidate without a merger?
The SPAC failed to identify a suitable acquisition target within its search period. Rather than pursue a sub-optimal combination, the sponsor chose to liquidate and return all capital to shareholders in July 2023 (per SEC filing, July 2023).
What happened to the sponsor shares when the SPAC liquidated?
Michael Klein forfeited all 25.8 million founder shares, valued at approximately $258 million. This forfeiture represented the largest voluntary surrender of SPAC sponsor equity at the time (per Reuters, July 2023).
How did Churchill IV differ from earlier Churchill SPACs that succeeded?
Earlier Churchill SPACs completed mergers with MultiPlan, Skillsoft, and Lucid Motors. Churchill IV, despite being the largest in the series, could not find a suitable partner willing to go public via a SPAC during a period of rising interest rates and regulatory scrutiny of blank-check companies.
Did Churchill IV have a specific industry target?
The SPAC stated it would pursue a business in the technology, media, or telecom sectors. However, it did not identify a specific target company during its search (per SEC filings).
Profile maintained by Altss using OSINT (open-source intelligence), regulatory filings, licensed data partners, and verified direct submissions. Read the methodology. Last updated: . Continuous refresh with full update cycles at least every 30 days.
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