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☆ NY uses obscure civil-practice law to demand a closer look at Trump's $175M appeal bond — and at its underwriter, Knight Specialty
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-04 | by ( Laura Italiano | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The LA company that underwrote Trump's $175M appeal bond needs major vetting, NY says. Judge Arthur Engoron, who presided over Trump's civil fraud trial, gets final say over the bond. AdvertisementThe New York Attorney General's Office wants a closer look at Donald Trump's $175 million appeal bond. In a two-page court filing Thursday, state officials are giving Trump or his underwriters — the Knight Specialty Insurance Company — ten days to "justify," or prove the sufficiency of, the bond. Justifying was not necessary, for example, when Trump used insurance giant Chubb to post a $92 million bond last month for his E. Jean Carroll defamation appeal.

Persons: Arthur Engoron, —, General's, Donald Trump's, Letitia James, Knight, Don Hankey, Forbes, Trump, Chubb, Jean Carroll Organizations: Service, New York, Trump, Knight Specialty Insurance, New York's Department of Financial Services, GOP, Trump Organization, Associated Press, Knight Locations: Los Angeles, New York, New, Angeles, Manhattan

☆ Meet the billionaire 'king of subprime car loans' whose company underwrote Trump's $175 million civil fraud bond
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-02 | by ( Ana Altchek | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Billionaire Don Hankey's company underwrote a $175 million appeal bond for Donald Trump. The 80-year-old oversees Hankey Group, which employs over 3,400 people and whose assets are worth around $22.5 billion, per Forbes. Axos Bank CEO Greg Garrabrants has previously donated around $50,000 to Republican campaigns since 2012, with $9,600 in support of Trump, according to Federal elections records. Related storiesHankey's net worth is estimated at $7.4 billion, according to Forbes — and it's nearly doubled within the last three years. The mansion ended up auctioning for less than half of its expected $500 million worth.

Persons: Don Hankey's, Donald Trump, Hankey, —, Don Hankey swooped, It's, that's, Trump, refinanced, Greg Garrabrants, Forbes —, Ford, Westlake, Niami, David Sucsy, Niami's, Allen J, Schaben, Getty Hankey, Debbie Hankey Organizations: Bel, Service, Hankey Group, Forbes, Hankey's, Specialty Insurance, Bloomberg, Axos Bank, Axos, Trump, Westlake Financial Services, Hankey Investment, Bel Air, Los Angeles Business Journal, University of Southern Locations: Southern California, Bel Air Los, Bel, University of Southern California, Malibu

☆ Trump stares down first derailment of his campaign-to-courthouse strategy
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-23 | by ( Phil Mattingly | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

Yet even if the higher-end estimate is accurate, as Trump’s lawyers have made clear in sober, detailed filings, it wouldn’t be enough. And at least some of the money Trump does have is tied up in loan agreements that include terms requiring him to have tens of millions of dollars in cash on hand. One insurer, Chubb, underwrote a $91.63 million bond just two weeks ago in another Trump legal loss – E. Jean Carroll’s defamation case. In the past week, the insurer informed Trump’s team it could not accept property as collateral. In total, 30 insurers contacted by Trump’s team declined to pursue the effort to secure a bond.

Persons: Donald Trump’s, Letitia James, Trump, It’s, ”, –, James ’, “, Trump’s, Joe Biden’s, Biden, haven’t, SSRS, “ He’s, mused, Chubb, underwrote, Jean Carroll’s, ” Trump, Charlie Rose, “ You’re, I’m, ” Biden, ‘ Mr, ‘ Donald, ’ Organizations: CNN, New, White, New York, Trump, Republican, House, GOP, Senate, Capitol, Biden, Trump’s, Trump Media, Technology Group, Truth Locations: New York, York, Westchester County, Manhattan, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Dallas

☆ What's up with Trump and Chubb? Insurance giant balks at underwriting fraud-case bond days after blowback from E. Jean Carroll bond
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-18 | by ( Laura Italiano | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Ten days ago, Chubb underwrote Trump's $92 million bond for his E. Jean Carroll defamation appeal. But Chubb declined to handle the far higher appeal bond Trump now needs in his NY civil fraud case. The insurance giant had faced blowback after agreeing to the Carroll bond. Chubb's "no, thanks" comes just five days after the company's CEO, Evan Greenberg, sent a letter to brokers, clients, and investors addressing widespread criticism over the Carroll bond. The Carroll bond was underwritten by Chubb subsidiary Federal Insurance Company.

Persons: Chubb, Trump's, Jean Carroll, Trump, Carroll, —, Donald Trump's E, Evan Greenberg, Greenberg, Nick Newton, Newton, Neil Pederson, Pedersen, it's, Letitia James, James, Alan Garten Organizations: Service, GOP, Trump, Insurance, Business, Chubb, Insurance Company, National Association, Bond, Sons, New York, Trump Organization Locations: New York, York, AssuredPartners, Manhattan

☆ Out of options, Trump will pay $500M cash bond to appeal his NY fraud case, experts predict. Not paying will hurt even more.
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-09 | by ( Laura Italiano | Jacob Shamsian | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

Trump must stow $500M cash in a bank to cover the appeal bond for his NY fraud case, experts say. His next appeal bond will cost him far more. By posting another appeal bond. Similar to the more familiar jail bond, an appeal bond is a promise of payment that's backed by collateral, meaning cash or property. The premium on a half-billion-dollar appeal bond could run anywhere from $250,000 to north of one million dollars, just to purchase the bond, experts guestimated.

Persons: Trump, —, Donald Trump, Jean Carroll, Letitia James —, Sheriff, Eric Snyder, Snyder, Arthur Engoron, Wilk Auslander, He's, Julie Alleyne, Carroll, Chubb, Evan G, Greenberg, Neil Pedersen, Pedersen, Alleyne, Cash, Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk, Christopher Kise, — Chubb, Letitia James, James, Roy Rochlin, Justin Sullivan Organizations: stow, Service, Trump, New York, New, NRA, Fox, Wilk, Fidelity Association of America, Federal Insurance Company, Chubb Group, Sons, Forbes, Bloomberg, ABC, Midtown, Financial, Getty Locations: NY, Manhattan, New York, New York City, Americas, Midtown Manhattan, New Yorkers

☆ Trump posts nearly $92 million bond in E. Jean Carroll defamation case
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-08 | by ( Kara Scannell | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Former President Donald Trump has posted a $91.63 million bond as he appeals the judgment against him in the E. Jean Carroll defamation case. The notice of Trump’s bond and appeal was made with the federal court in New York on Friday. Insurance company Chubb underwrote the bond for Trump, which the former president signed on Tuesday. Under the terms of the bond, Chubb will only secure the appeal of the $83.3 million judgment, not any future appeals. In a statement, a Chubb spokesperson declined to comment on the specifics of Trump’s bond.

Persons: Donald Trump, Jean Carroll, Carroll, Chubb, ” Trump, Trump Organizations: CNN, Carroll, Insurance, Trump, Chubb, New Locations: New York, American

☆ Malaysia cuts prison sentence of disgraced former Prime Minister Najib Razak
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-02 | by ( Heather Chen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Malaysia has cut former Prime Minister Najib Razak’s 12-year prison sentence for corruption in half, according to authorities in the Southeast Asian country. Najib, who served as prime minister from 2009 to 2018, was found guilty of money laundering, abuse of power and other charges in 2020 related to the 1MDB scandal, which saw billions of dollars of taxpayers’ money embezzled out of Malaysia. In a statement Friday, the country’s Federal Territories Pardon Board said the former leader’s application to shorten his prison sentence to six years had been approved. The 1MDB fund was created soon after Najib took office in 2009. Goldman Sachs, which underwrote much of the 1MDB fund and was facing a host of criminal and regulatory proceedings in Malaysia, agreed to a $3.9 billion settlement with the country’s government in 2020.

Persons: Najib Razak’s, Najib, 1MDB, Goldman Sachs Organizations: CNN, United Locations: Malaysia, Territories, United States

☆ Ivanka Trump to testify Friday in the NY civil fraud trial – here's how she can hurt her father and brothers
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-28 | by ( Laura Italiano | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

On Friday, Trump's NY fraud-trial judge ruled Ivanka Trump must testify next week. Lawyers for the New York attorney general's office, who plan to call Ivanka Trump to the witness stand on Friday at their ongoing, $250 million Trump fraud trial, agree it was quite the deal. Her testimony at the non-jury trial could prove highly damaging to her father and two eldest brothers, Donald Trump, Jr., and Eric Trump – Trump Organization vice presidents who, like their father, are defendants in James' lawsuit. "Ivanka Trump tried to negotiate the number down to 2 billion," Wallace said in openings, "before agreeing to 2.5 billion." But during the same period, Donald Trump's net worth statements valued the exact same unit at $20.8 million.

Persons: Trump's, Ivanka Trump, —, Donald Trump's, Kevin Wallace, James, Letitia James, Donald Trump , Jr, Eric Trump, Trump, She'll, Wallace, Donald J, Jared Kushner, Donald Trump Organizations: Deutsche Bank, NY, Service, New, Trump, Eric Trump – Trump Organization, Trump White House, Trump Organization, Deutsche, Post, General Services Administration Locations: Miami, New York, Florida, Washington ,, Chicago, Washington, Manhattan

The British company gets most of its revenue from the smartphone market, in which it has a 99% share across Google's Android and Apple's iOS devices. Arm shares last closed at $54.08, compared with the IPO price of $51. Such growth would benefit SoftBank, which told investors ahead of the Arm IPO that it plans to remain the majority owner in the company it considers its crown jewel. But some brokerages, including HSBC, urged caution, saying Arm's shares could remain range-bound as uncertainty over a smartphone market recovery pressures earnings. At least 17 brokerages started covering Arm, with an average rating of "buy" and a median price target of $63.50.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Goldman Sachs, TD Cowen, Roshan Abraham, Savio D'Souza, Anil D'Silva, Shounak Organizations: REUTERS, Holdings, Wall Street, SoftBank, J.P.Morgan, British, Citi, Deutsche Bank, Rosenblatt Securities, Philadelphia Semiconductors, HSBC, Thomson Locations: brokerages, Philadelphia, Bengaluru

Arm shares last closed at $54.08, about two dollars below their IPO price. TD Cowen said Arm faces some challenges from the weak smartphone market, but its current revenue represented an "under-monetization of its importance to the industry". Such growth would benefit SoftBank, which told investors ahead of the Arm IPO that it plans to remain the majority owner in the company it considers its crown jewel. But some brokerages, including HSBC, urged caution, saying Arm's shares could remain range-bound as uncertainty over a smartphone market recovery pressures earnings. But by 8 am ET on Monday, at least 15 brokerages started covering Arm with a mean rating of "buy" and a $60 median price target.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Morgan, Goldman Sachs, TD Cowen, Roshan Abraham, Savio D'Souza, Anil D'Silva Organizations: REUTERS, Arm Holdings, SoftBank, Citi, Deutsche Bank, Mizuho, HSBC, Thomson Locations: brokerages, British, J.P, Morgan, Bengaluru

☆ Stocks making the biggest moves midday: Sphere Entertainment, Riot, Instacart, Insulet and more
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-02 | by ( Alex Harring | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Check out the companies making headlines in midday trading. Sphere Entertainment — Shares of the media and entertainment company climbed 11.1% in midday trading after a U2 show debuted its Las Vegas Sphere venue Friday night. Bitcoin stocks — Stocks tied to digital currency trading advanced in lockstep with a rally in crypto prices. Instacart — Maplebear, the food delivery company doing business as Instacart, fell 9.2% in midday trading. The Wall Street bank said investors should buy the dip after the stock's underperformance in the first half of 2023.

Persons: — Stocks, MicroStrategy, —, — Maplebear, Gordon Haskett, Insulet, Jefferies, Goldman Sachs, Goldman, Truist, Yun Li, Lisa Kailai Han, Pia Singh, Michelle Fox, Sarah Min, Scott Schnipper Organizations: Madison Square Garden, —, Riot, Marathon, Discover Financial, U.S . Securities, Exchange, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Coeur Mining, Hecla Mining, Harmony, Mining, Gold Resource, Barclays, Norfolk Southern, Bank of America, Nvidia —, Nvidia, Apple, JPMorgan, UBS Locations: Las Vegas, lockstep, Coeur, Wall

In front of the cameras and on his social media site, Trump attacked New York Attorney General Letitia James for bringing the case against him. Last week, Engoron ruled that Trump and his co-defendants were liable for “persistent and repeated” fraud. Trump attorney Christopher Kise argued there was no intent to defraud and “no victims” in the case. “That is not fraud, that is real estate.”Judge spars with Trump attorneysAfter Habba finished her opening statement – which attacked James for campaigning that she would “get Trump” – Engoron pushed back against the Trump attorney. The firm resigned and said Trump’s financial statements should no longer be relied upon.

Persons: Donald Trump, Arthur Engoron, Trump, general’s, Letitia James, Jack, ” Trump, “ They’re, ”, Kevin Wallace, Wallace, ” Wallace, James, Engoron, Christopher Kise, “, Alina Habba, Habba, Mona Lisa, James ’, ” Engoron, ” Habba, Kise, haven’t, ” Kise, Eric Trump, Donald Trump Jr, Donald Bender, Bender Organizations: New, New York CNN, Trump, AG, Forbes, Trump Organization, White House, Deutsche Bank, Palm Locations: New York, Manhattan, ”, Palm Beach, Habba

☆ Justice Thomas Reports Private Trips With Harlan Crow
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-31 | by ( Abbie Vansickle | More About Abbie Vansickle | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

But Justices Thomas and Samuel A. Alito Jr. requested 90-day extensions, according to the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, which collects and publishes the forms. Mr. Crow treated the justice on a series of lavish trips, including flights on his private jet, island-hopping on his superyacht and vacationing at his estate in the Adirondacks. Mr. Crow also bought the justice’s mother’s home in Savannah, Ga., and covered a portion of private school tuition for the justice’s great-nephew, whom he was raising. Other wealthy friends have hosted Justice Thomas, including David L. Sokol, the former heir apparent to Berkshire Hathaway. In the years that followed, Mr. Singer repeatedly had business before the court.

Persons: Thomas, Samuel A, Alito Jr, Thomas’s, Harlan Crow, ProPublica, Crow, David L, Berkshire Hathaway, Anthony Welters, underwrote, Prevost, ” Justice Alito, Paul Singer, Singer Organizations: Administrative, U.S . Courts, Sokol, ” Locations: Texas, Savannah , Ga, Berkshire, Washington, Alaska

Companies Norfolk Southern Corp FollowNEW YORK, May 16 (Reuters) - Norfolk Southern Corp (NSC.N) was sued on Tuesday by bondholders who said they lost hundreds of millions of dollars because the railroad concealed safety risks prior to the February derailment in Ohio of a train carrying hazardous chemicals. A Norfolk Southern spokesman declined to comment, saying the Atlanta-based company does not discuss pending litigation. Norfolk Southern faced many lawsuits over the derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, including cases brought by Ohio's attorney general, local residents and shareholders. There are nearly 30 defendants, including Norfolk Southern executives and directors and 12 financial services companies that underwrote the bonds. The case is Ohio Carpenters Pension Fund et al v Norfolk Southern Corp et al, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York, No.

☆ Johnson & Johnson's consumer health unit Kenvue started trading. What it means for J&J shareholders like us
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-05 | by ( Kevin Stankiewicz | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +9 min

For now, it's not exactly clear how J & J will go about the second step of this divestiture. In this scenario, we would have the option to relinquish some, all or none of our J & J shares. In fact, our optimism around the breakup was a big reason we bought into J & J nearly a year ago . J & J continues to argue against claims that its baby powder and other talc products caused cancer lack merit. "Look at it as a whole company today, knowing that [roughly] 10% doesn't belong to J & J," explained Cantor Fitzgerald analyst Louise Chen, who has a buy rating and maintains a $215 price target on J & J.

☆ UK economy flat in February as strikes and inflation bite — and the IMF delivers reality check
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-13 | by ( Elliot Smith | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

LONDON — The U.K. economy flatlined in February as widespread industrial action and persistently high inflation stymied activity. Large-scale strike action has been carried out in recent months by teachers, doctors, civil servants and rail workers, among others — members of the sectors that were the largest contributors to the fall in February services output. The independent Office for Budget Responsibility no longer expects the U.K. economy to enter a technical recession in 2023 — defined as two consecutive quarters of contractions. "Industrial strike action was the primary root cause of stagnating growth in the U.K. over the month. Much of the population also remains mired in a cost-of-living crisis, as inflation continues to vastly outpace wage growth, exacerbating the threat of further industrial action.

CNN —Dueling decisions in two federal district courts last week are likely to set up a showdown at the Supreme Court over the fate of the abortion pill mifepristone. When the Supreme Court upheld the federal Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act in 2007, dubious scientific arguments became even more central to anti-abortion advocacy. In Gonzales v. Carhart, the court held that in circumstances of scientific uncertainty, legislators would have more latitude to regulate abortion. Implausible scientific claims are now visible on social media, in lawsuits and in congressional hearings. (By taking this position, abortion opponents can still defend bans with no or few exceptions by claiming that abortion is never necessary.)

☆ Car financing fintech Carmoola just raised $125 million in a mix of debt and equity. Check out the 12-slide pitch deck it used to raise the fresh funds.
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-22 | by ( Callum Burroughs | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Car financing fintech Carmoola has raised $125 million in a mix of debt and equity. The London-based startup offers credit for used car purchases and incentivizes EVs. Car financing fintech Carmoola has raised $10.3 million in a Series A round led by QED Investors and a further $115 million in debt. The London-based startup, founded in 2022, employs a buy now, pay later approach to car financing by offering loans for used car purchases in the UK. A frustrating and expensive personal journey led to the former CEO of home rental company MoveBubble, moving into the car financing sector.

☆ Euro-banks have done their time in valuation jail
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-26 | by ( Liam Proud | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +7 min

Major euro zone and UK banks are trading at a 40% discount to the region’s wider benchmark index, using price to forward earnings multiples tracked by Refinitiv. The subsequent euro zone crisis in 2012 prompted a wave of bad debt that weighed down earnings. More recently, though, euro zone lenders have been facing up to their past sins, and offloading non-performing loans. There’s no evidence of a bank lending splurge, despite years of rock-bottom interest rates. Between November 2012 and November 2022, euro zone banks’ total lending to households and companies grew at an annual clip of under 2%, a fraction of its pre-2008 pace.

☆ Black homeowners pushed out of one Baltimore block show how Wall Street banks failed to lend money they had promised, a Bloomberg investigation shows
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-26 | by ( Alcynna Lloyd | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Banks promised to invest in Black communities after they were hit by the 2008-2009 financial crisis. The block stands as a glaring reminder of the broken promises made by some of Wall Street's biggest banks to support America's Black homeowners, a recent Bloomberg investigation shows. As of October 2021, according to the US Census Bureau, 45% of Black Americans owned homes, which is nearly 30 points below the rate of white Americans: 74.6%. On Walbrook Avenue, the absence of large lenders has left many locals without a lifeline. After the 2008-2009 financial crisis, several financial institutions made pledges to invest billions of dollars to support Black homeownership.

☆ Backstage, stars shine at Cuba's National Ballet
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/5] Ballet dancers react backstage as they perform "Giselle" during the 27th Alicia Alonso International Ballet Festival of Havana, at the National Theatre, in Havana, Cuba, October 30, 2022. REUTERS/Alexandre MeneghiniHAVANA, Nov 18 (Reuters) - Cuba's National Ballet, founded in 1948 in Havana, became a pet project of Fidel Castro's 1959 revolution. Castro gave aspiring dancers free training, underwrote the companies' infrastructure, and cemented the national ballet's reputation for beauty and talent. Communist-led Cuba is struggling through economic crisis but its talented dancers continue to practice and perform. Reporting by Alexandre Meneghini, Writing by Dave Sherwood, Editing by Rosalba O'BrienOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Meet 5 of Goldman Sachs' newest partners, including a top fintech dealmaker and a structured trader from Honduras whose 3 brothers also work on Wall Street
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-09 | by ( Dakin Campbell | Alex Morrell | Emmalyse Brownstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

It also includes a star fintech banker and leading voice on the Black experience on Wall Street. Here are 5 top names who will help shape the Wall Street of tomorrow. In the 12 years that he's been at Goldman, Watkins has helped Goldman advise on some of the technology industry's biggest transactions. He has also been a leading voice in discussing the Black experience on Wall Street. After graduating in 2010, he went to work for the Global Electronic Trading Co., known on Wall Street as GETCO.

☆ Goldman Sachs' bankers get their marching orders as Wall Street starts to purge under-performers
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-26 | by ( Aaron Weinman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

The cuts come after Goldman's investment bank logged a 41% dip in year-over-year revenues in July. Goldman Sachs has started wielding the axe at its investment bank. The job cuts are likely to echo across Wall Street, particularly within investment-banking divisions like capital markets and M&A advisory, bankers told me. US lawmakers pressed bank chief executives on reports of fraud on the Zelle payments network. Wall Street is completely delusional about the pain that is coming for the stock market.

☆ Banks close painful Citrix debt chapter with $700 mln loss -source
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-21 | by ( Abigail Summerville | Matt Tracy | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Citrix Systems logo is seen on smartphone placed on U.S. While the syndication was completed successfully, it was done at a steep discount to the levels that the banks underwrote the debt. It was also buoyed by one of Citrix's acquirers, hedge fund Elliott Management, helping out by buying $1 billion in bonds, a second source said. They also sold a $4 billion three-year Citrix bond for 83.6 cents on the dollar, resulting in a higher than expected yield of 10%, the sources added. More debt syndication pain for the banks is on the way.

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