DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ Trump to be deposed in dispute with media company co-founders
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-04 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump is scheduled to be deposed later this month by lawyers for co-founders of his social media company as part of a dispute over ownership in Trump Media & Technology Group which went public last week. They said in 2021 they were pledged 8.6% of pre-merger Trump Media stock for helping to launch the company. Trump Media sued Litinsky and Moss in Florida on March 24, and is seeking to strip them of their stock, which it said they failed to earn due to mismanagement. Trump owned 90% of the social media company prior to its merger last month with a blank check firm that took the company public. In midday trade on Thursday, Trump Media was down 4.2% at $46.70, valuing the company at more than $6 billion.

Persons: Donald Trump, Christopher Clark, Andy Litinsky, Wes Moss, Litinsky, Sam Glasscock, Trump Organizations: Trump Media & Technology Group, Delaware's, Chancery, Trump Media, Trump, United Atlantic Ventures Locations: New York, Moss, Florida, Delaware, Washington, Georgia

☆ Trump Media sued by co-founders ahead of DWAC merger, potential setback for lucrative deal
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-29 | by ( Dan Mangan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Donald Trump (R) and producer Andy Litinsky (L) attend the Comedy Central Roast Of Donald Trump at the Hammerstein Ballroom on March 9, 2011 in New York City. The partnership, United Atlantic Ventures alleges that Trump Media & Technology Group engaged in "wrongful 11th hour ... maneuvering" to dilute UAV''s minority stake in the media company, a court filing says. Donald Trump attends the 'Celebrity Apprentice' Red Carpet Event at Trump Tower on January 5, 2015, in New York City. "They actually went out and did the work, they created Truth Social, and now the beneficiary of that, Donald Trump, doesn't want to pay." CNBC has requested comment from spokesmen for Trump, TMTG and DWAC about the lawsuit, which was first reported by The Washington Post.

Persons: Donald Trump, Andy Litinsky, Moss, Wes Moss, Trump, Jean Carroll, Christopher Clark, Clark, Donald J, TMTG, UAV's, TMTG's Organizations: Trump Media, Twitter, Facebook, United Atlantic Ventures, Trump Media & Technology Group, Trump Tower, Trump, Republican, TMTG, CNBC, The Washington Post, Securities and Exchange Commission, Department of Justice, SEC Locations: New York City, TMTG, Delaware, New York, partnership's Delaware

☆ Hunter Biden says special counsel used Alexander Smirnov’s discredited bribery claims to derail his plea deal
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-20 | by ( Hannah Rabinowitz | Holmes Lybrand | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Hunter Biden’s lawyers accused special counsel David Weiss on Tuesday of using a since-discredited bribery allegation from an FBI informant to blow up his plea deal last year. House Republicans have championed Smirnov’s uncorroborated bribery claims against the Bidens and used his tips to fuel their impeachment inquiry into the president. Prosecutors were asked directly if the Justice Department could still bring charges against Hunter Biden under the Foreign Agents Registration Act despite the deal. Hunter Biden’s attorney, Christopher Clark, said he disagreed with the prosecutor’s assertion. Tuesday’s filing from Hunter Biden’s attorney also accused prosecutors of failing to abide by their obligation to turn over discovery in the Delaware case, including over allegations that Hunter Biden’s alleged gun bag had cocaine on it.

Persons: CNN — Hunter, David Weiss, Weiss, Alexander Smirnov, Smirnov, Weiss ’, Joe Biden, Prosecutors, Smirnov’s, ” Hunter, ”, ” Weiss, Hunter Biden, “, Leo Wise, Hunter Biden’s, Christopher Clark, ” Wise Organizations: CNN, FBI, Republicans, Prosecutors, Justice Department, Foreign Locations: Nevada, Ukrainian, ”, Delaware

Industry practice suggests that a large share of hedge funds trading in repo markets put up zero collateral, meaning they are fuelling activity using enormous amounts of cheap debt. A looming rule by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission would expand the use of central clearing in the cash Treasury and repo market. SEC chair Gary Gensler recently promoted the benefits of central clearing and pointed to data showing high levels of repo trades transacted at zero haircuts. James Tabacchi, CEO of South Street Securities, called zero haircuts a "race to the bottom" and not healthy for markets. However, some market participants have voiced concerns that some of the proposed reforms could be a hurdle for some investors, potentially undermining the goal to improve liquidity and resilience in the Treasury market.

Persons: Rick Wilking, Christopher Clarke, Gary Gensler, James Tabacchi, Richard Chambers, Goldman Sachs, Davide Barbuscia, Megan Davies, Paritosh Bansal, Sonali Paul Organizations: REUTERS, U.S, Industry, repo, North America Sovereign Financing, Morgan Securities, Treasury, Federal Reserve Bank of New, U.S . Securities, Exchange, Corporation, SEC, . Federal Reserve, South Street Securities, Goldman, Thomson Locations: Westminster , Colorado, Treasuries, Federal Reserve Bank of New York, Carolina

The indictment comes weeks after the collapse of a plea deal that would have averted a criminal trial and distracting headlines for President Joe Biden. Trump's include federal indictments over the handling of classified documents and efforts to overturn his 2020 election loss to Joe Biden. Trump also pointed to the lack of connection to Joe Biden in the gun charge plea agreement. Federal prosecutors investigating Hunter Biden have not indicated Joe Biden is connected over the course of their yearslong probe. Two FBI agents who worked on the Hunter Biden case testified separately behind closed doors this week to lawmakers about allegations of political interference in the case.

Persons: — Hunter Biden, Biden, Joe Biden, doesn't, Hunter, He's, Donald Trump’s, Hunter Biden, James Comer, Trump, David Weiss, ”, Weiss, Abbe Lowell, “, Republicans ’, Lowell, Hunter Biden's, Christopher Clark, Adam Winkler, Thomas Sobocinski, Farnoush Amiri Organizations: WASHINGTON, Democratic, Republicans, ”, Republican, Delaware U.S, Prosecutors, ., University of California, Los Angeles School of Law, Supreme, Circuit, Congressional Republicans, FBI, Baltimore Field Office, Justice Department, Associated Press Locations: Delaware, Washington, California, Wilmington , Delaware

Hunter Biden, son of U.S. President Joe Biden, departs federal court after a plea hearing on two misdemeanor charges of willfully failing to pay income taxes in Wilmington, Delaware, U.S. July 26, 2023. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst/File PhotoAug 15 (Reuters) - Christopher Clark, the senior lawyer representing Hunter Biden, is seeking to withdraw from the case involving the U.S. president's son on the grounds he might be called to testify, according to a court filing on Tuesday. The case is being heard in the U.S. state of Delaware, where Biden is represented by the Berger Harris law firm. "It is inadvisable for Mr. Clark to continue as counsel in this case," continued the joint filing from Berger Harris and Clark Smith Villazor, Clark's firm. In the filing, the two said Clark's withdrawal would not cause Biden substantial hardship since other firms involved in the case would continue to represent him.

Persons: Hunter Biden, Joe Biden, Jonathan Ernst, Christopher Clark, president's, Biden, David Weiss, Weiss, Berger Harris, Clark, Clark Smith Villazor, David Ljunggren, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: REUTERS, U.S, Thomson Locations: Wilmington , Delaware, U.S, U.S ., Delaware

☆ Hunter Biden Says Prosecutors Reneged on Major Part of Plea Deal
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-14 | by ( Michael S. Schmidt | More About Michael S. Schmidt | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Hunter Biden told a federal judge late Sunday that the Justice Department was trying to renege on a major part of his deal with the government — his agreement to enroll in a diversion program for gun offenders — that he signed and granted him broad immunity from future federal prosecutions. The move, included in a court filing by Mr. Biden’s lawyer, Christopher Clark, is the latest salvo in the back and forth between Mr. Biden and David C. Weiss, a Trump appointee who is leading the long-running investigation into the president’s son’s conduct. Shortly after Attorney General Merrick B. Garland elevated Mr. Weiss to special counsel, government lawyers said in court papers on Friday that they and Mr. Biden were at an impasse over plea negotiations and that no agreement had been reached. Under the deal, Mr. Biden would plead guilty to two tax misdemeanors and enroll in the diversion program, which would have allowed him to avert prosecution on a gun charge. But in the filing late Sunday, Mr. Biden rebutted prosecutors’ claim, saying that he had signed the agreement in court last month and that he planned to abide by it.

Persons: Hunter Biden, Biden’s, Christopher Clark, Biden, David C, Weiss, General Merrick B, Garland Organizations: Justice Department, Trump

“The appointment of Mr. Weiss reinforces for the American people the department’s commitment to both independence and accountability in particularly sensitive matters,” Mr. Garland said. Mr. Clark and the Justice Department prosecutors overseeing the case had distinctly different understandings of the immunity Hunter Biden would receive from the deal. House Republicans quickly signaled the special counsel appointment would not alleviate their criticism of the investigation into Hunter Biden. agents was that Mr. Weiss had sought to bring charges against Hunter Biden in Washington and California but was rebuffed after prosecutors in those jurisdictions declined to partner with him. House Republicans have also issued subpoenas to six banks, detailing millions that were paid to Hunter Biden and his business partners from overseas companies.

Persons: General Merrick B, Garland, Biden’s, Hunter, Justice Department’s, David C, Weiss, Hunter Biden, Biden, —, Garland scoffed, Weiss —, “, Mr, Jack Smith, Donald J, Trump, Robert K, Hur, Trump’s, Hunter Biden’s, Christopher Clark, ” Mr, Clark, ”, Russell Dye, Jim Jordan, “ Weiss, Kevin McCarthy, Biden’s D.O.J, couldn’t, Devon Archer, Archer, Chris Cameron Organizations: Justice, Internal Revenue Service, Mr, Republican, Republicans, Justice Department, House Republicans, Biden, Congress, Department, Trump Locations: Washington, U.S, Delaware, Delaware , Washington, Wilmington, Del, Ohio, Washington and California

Mr. Biden paid the overdue tax bill in 2021. Mr. Weiss’s office has also charged Mr. Biden in connection with the purchase of a handgun in 2018, when Mr. Biden falsely said on a government form that he was not using drugs. But as part of the deal, the Justice Department, under what is known as a pretrial diversion agreement, said it would not prosecute Mr. Biden on the charge as long as Mr. Biden no longer owns a weapon and remains drug free for two years. As president, Mr. Trump, realizing that Mr. Biden was the candidate with the best chance to beat him in 2020, tried to weaponize Hunter Biden’s business dealings against his father. At the height of the 2020 election, Mr. Giuliani and other Trump confidants believed they had an October surprise that would catapult Mr. Trump to re-election when they obtained a cache of files from Hunter Biden’s laptop.

Persons: Hunter Biden, Biden’s, Biden, David C, Weiss, Harris, —, Justice Department meddled, General Merrick B, Garland, Maryellen Noreika, Donald J, Trump, Hunter, Trump’s, Christopher Clark, Mr, Beau, Clark, Obama, Rudolph W, Giuliani Organizations: U.S, Trump, Biden Justice Department, Court, Biden, Republicans, Justice Department, Republican, Obama Locations: Delaware, Wilmington —, Ukraine, Ukrainian

☆ Fox News regular who accused Hunter Biden of having nefarious ties to China is now being charged with having nefarious ties to China
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-11 | by ( Katherine Tangalakis-Lippert | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Gal Luft claims he has proof of Hunter Biden profiting off his family name in deals with China. Luft himself has been charged by the DOJ with false statements and being a foreign agent of China. After months of secrecy surrounding the charges against Luft, the indictment has been unsealed. Prosecutors allege Luft created a written "dialogue" between Woolsey and an associate at CEFC China Energy, a state-run energy company, which was then published in a Chinese newspaper online. Christopher Clark, a lawyer for Hunter Biden, did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.

Persons: Gal Luft, Hunter Biden, Luft, Hunter, —, Trump, James Woolsey, Donald Trump's, Woolsey, LUFT, Biden, Biden's, Joe Biden's, Joe Biden, Christopher Clark, I'm Organizations: Service, DOJ, US, Monday, Foreign, Office, of, Luft Prosecutors, Global Security, New York Post, Central Intelligence Agency, Prosecutors, CEFC China Energy, United Arab, NY, China Energy, FBI, Biden, Washington Post, NY Post Locations: China, Wall, Silicon, Chinese, Cyprus, FARA, Southern, of New York, Libya, United Arab Emirates, Brussels, Belgium, —

☆ Hunter Biden set to enter guilty plea at late July court hearing
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-21 | by ( Kevin Breuninger | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Hunter Biden, son of U.S. President Joe Biden, arrives with wife Melissa Cohen Biden prior to President Biden awarding Presidential Medals of Freedom during a ceremony in the East Room at the White House in Washington, July 7, 2022. President Joe Biden's son Hunter is scheduled to appear next month in federal court, where he is expected to plead guilty to misdemeanor tax charges, according to a court filing Wednesday. The initial appearance in U.S. District Court in Wilmington, Delaware, is set for 10 a.m. Biden's attorney and federal prosecutors had both asked to consolidate both the tax and gun matters into one court appearance. In an MSNBC appearance Tuesday, Clark said he expects Hunter Biden to be released without conditions after the court proceeding.

Persons: Hunter Biden, Joe Biden, Melissa Cohen Biden, Biden, Joe Biden's, Hunter, Maryellen Noreika, Delaware David Weiss, Christopher Clark, Clark, Noreika, Donald Trump Organizations: White, NBC News, Attorney, MSNBC Locations: Washington, U.S, Wilmington , Delaware, Delaware

CNN —Hunter Biden, the son of President Joe Biden, will plead guilty to two tax misdemeanors and struck a deal with federal prosecutors to resolve a felony gun charge, the Justice Department said Tuesday in court filings. Trump criticized the Hunter Biden plea deal on Truth Social. Hunter Biden’s legal team sought a meeting with the Justice Department in April, which Weiss attended, and where Hunter Biden’s lawyers gave a presentation detailing why they believe Hunter Biden shouldn’t be charged. Part of their argument included that Hunter Biden paid back taxes owed, including penalties. Correction: This story has been updated to reflect that Hunter Biden is pleading guilty to two tax charges and struck a deal to resolve the gun charge.

Persons: CNN — Hunter Biden, Joe Biden, Hunter Biden, Biden, Donald Trump, Trump, David Weiss, Hunter, Christopher Clark, Department’s, “ Hunter, ” Clark, ” “, ”, Ian Sams, Hunter Biden’s, Weiss, Hunter Biden shouldn’t, Prosecutors, Clark, “, Garland, Justice Department wouldn’t, Christopher Wray, he’s, Beau . Hunter Biden, Melissa Cohen, Jake Tapper, –, He’s, ” Joe Biden, Department’s prosecutorial, “ I’m, I’m, Tapper, “ That’s, it’s, General Merrick Garland, Justice Department’s, CEFC, Obama Organizations: CNN, Justice Department, Internal, Service, Trump, Government, House, Truth, Biden DOJ, Republican, Democratic, IRS, FBI, Department, people’s Justice Department, Hunter, Justice, CEFC China Energy, White, Yorker, State Department Locations: Delaware, Wilmington, China, Ukraine, United States

The president's son has worked as a lobbyist, lawyer, investment banker and artist, and has publicly detailed his struggles with substance abuse. Hunter Biden disclosed in December 2020 that Weiss's office was investigating his tax affairs. President Biden has long expressed support and pride in his son for overcoming his addiction. The corrupt Biden DOJ just cleared up hundreds of years of criminal liability by giving Hunter Biden a mere 'traffic ticket.' President Biden has two surviving children, Hunter Biden and daughter Ashley Biden.

Persons: Joe Biden's, Hunter Biden, David Weiss, Donald Trump, Trump, Christopher Clark, Hunter, Clark, " Hunter Biden, Biden, Ian Sams, Weiss, James Comer, Comer, Ashley Biden, Beau Biden, Naomi Biden, Aaron Crawford, Crawford, George H.W, Bush's, Neil, Richard Nixon's, Don, Howard Hughes, Sarah N, Lynch, Jeff Mason, Trevor Hunnicutt, Susan Heavey, Tom Hals, Moira Warburton, Doina Chiacu, Heather Timmons, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: Democratic, Republican, U.S . Navy Reserve, Reuters, . Treasury, Republicans, Biden DOJ, University of Tennessee, Thomson Locations: U.S, Delaware, Ukraine, China, Washington, Wilmington , Delaware

The deal would be contingent on Mr. Biden remaining drug free for 24 months and agreeing never to own a firearm again. Mr. Biden is expected to appear in federal court in Delaware in the coming days to be arraigned on the misdemeanor tax charges and plead guilty. As president, Mr. Trump had long sought to tie Hunter Biden’s business deals and personal troubles to his father. Image The Justice Department investigation into Hunter Biden continued after his father became president. Allegations promoted by Republicans that the elder Mr. Biden’s Justice Department went easy on his son are unlikely to fade away.

Persons: Hunter Biden, Biden’s, Hunter Biden’s, Biden, Mr, Hunter, Christopher Clark, Ian Sams, Donald J, Trump, Trump’s, David C, Weiss, General Merrick B, Garland, Clark, “ Hunter, ” Mr, Burisma, Haiyun Jiang, Obama, Beau, I.R.S, Seamus Hughes Organizations: Department, The, United States Attorney’s Office, District of, Republicans, Justice Department, House Republicans, Trump, Credit, New York Times, Prosecutors, United, Mr, Yale, Obama, Biden’s Justice Department, Congressional Republicans Locations: Delaware, District of Delaware, Ukrainian, China, United States, Ukraine

The deal would be contingent on Mr. Biden remaining drug free for 24 months and agreeing never to own a firearm again. Mr. Biden is expected to appear in federal court in Delaware in the coming days to be arraigned on the misdemeanor tax charges and plead guilty. Image The Justice Department investigation into Hunter Biden continued after his father became president. Allegations promoted by Republicans that the elder Mr. Biden’s Justice Department went easy on his son are unlikely to fade away. supervisor who had been overseeing the investigation into Hunter Biden hired a lawyer and went to Congress, alleging political favoritism in how the investigation had been handled.

☆ Hunter Biden’s Lawyers Cite Landmark Gun Ruling in Bid to Stave Off Charges
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-31 | by ( Glenn Thrush | Michael S. Schmidt | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

Mr. Biden is under investigation for several potential offenses, including whether he had lied on a federal firearms application in 2018 when asked if he was addicted to drugs. It is unclear if Mr. Weiss is receptive to that suggestion. A spokeswoman for Mr. Weiss did not immediately respond to a request for comment. At the time, Mr. Biden was struggling to remain sober. But such federal prosecutions are relatively rare, and seldom pursued as stand-alone charges.

Persons: Biden, Christopher Clark, Weiss, Hunter Biden, Bryan David Range, Hunter Biden’s Organizations: U.S ., Appeals, Third Circuit, Department, Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, Explosives Locations: U.S, Delaware, Pennsylvania

☆ Senate Republicans seek special counsel authority for prosecutor in Hunter Biden criminal probe
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-19 | by ( Dan Mangan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Hunter Biden looks on during the annual Easter Egg Roll on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, April 18, 2022. More than 30 Senate Republicans asked Attorney General Merrick Garland on Monday to give the federal prosecutor who has been investigating Hunter Biden for several years "special counsel protections and authorities." Giving U.S. Attorney for Delaware David Weiss special counsel authority would also "provide additional assurances to the American people that the Hunter Biden investigation is free from political influence," the letter argued. Hunter Biden disclosed the existence of the criminal probe in late 2020, shortly after his father was elected president. Hunter Biden has not been charged with any of those crimes, and it is not clear if he will ever be charged.

Search resuls for: "Christopher Clark"

17 mentions found