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☆ Sam Altman returns to OpenAI’s board of directors, fully reversing the ChatGPT company’s wild shakeup
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-08 | by ( David Goldman | Poppy Harlow | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Altman’s return comes after an independent investigation found the board did not need to fire him in the first place. Altman in November was fired as CEO and director by the OpenAI board in a shocking dismissal of an executive who had become the face of AI in Silicon Valley. “I am excited to welcome Sue, Nicole, and Fidji to the OpenAI Board of Directors,” Taylor said in a statement. But Altman, Brockman and Sutskever in 2019 formed OpenAI LP, a for-profit entity that exists within the larger company’s structure. Altman, in the press conference, praised the company’s employees for their determination to do good work throughout its turmoil.

Persons: Sam Altman, Altman’s, Altman, OpenAI, – Altman, Larry Summers, Obama, Bret Taylor, Adam D’Angelo, Sue Desmond, Hellman, Nicole Seligman, Fidji Simo, “, Sue, Nicole, ” Taylor, WilmerHale, –, Mira Murati, Ilya Sutskever, Murati, “ Mira …, ”, ” Murati, Greg Brockman, Sam, Greg, Taylor, Brockman, Elon Musk, shakeup, …, ” Altman Organizations: New, New York CNN, Microsoft, Clinton, Gates, Sony, OpenAI, New York Times Locations: New York, Silicon Valley, Sutskever

“I lost 14 years of my life for a crime that I didn’t commit,” Steven Ruffin told a Brooklyn judge after sighing with emotion. Ruffin told the detectives they could retrieve the gun from his sister's boyfriend, and they did, prosecutors' report said. Prosecutors didn't release the boyfriend's name Thursday, and the names of lawyers who have represented him weren't immediately available. He told prosecutors during their recent reinvestigation that he had nothing to do with the shooting and didn't give detectives the gun. Asked Thursday about the boyfriend, Ruffin's lawyers noted that the prospect of any prosecution now is uncertain.

Persons: “, ” Steven Ruffin, Ruffin, don’t, ” Ruffin, I’ve, James Deligny, Eric Gonzalez, wouldn't, ”, Gonzalez, Louis Scarcella, Prosecutors, Scarcella, Deligny, Tipsters, Scarcella wasn't, —, he'd, weren't, Garrett Ordower, he's Organizations: Prosecutors, Brooklyn Locations: Brooklyn, Georgia, Atlanta

☆ China's BYD says will keep reward system for smear campaign tipsters
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Issei Kato/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSHANGHAI, Dec 4 (Reuters) - China's electric vehicle giant BYD (002594.SZ) said on Sunday it would make permanent its system offering tipsters who report smear campaigns against the company up to 5 million yuan ($700,918). The company in June 2022 increased the maximum amount providers of such information could receive from 1 million yuan to 5 million yuan, saying that policy was valid for a year. "Such information should be legally effective and BYD will give the provider a generous reward once it verifies it to be true." In September, the company hit back against online discussions that said BYD had leaked commercial secrets, saying those posts were pure rumours. Warren Buffett-backed BYD is China's largest seller of electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles, and Tesla's (TSLA.O) closest rival in the global electric vehicle sales race.

Persons: Issei Kato, BYD, Warren Buffett, Brenda Goh, Gerry Doyle Organizations: Japan, REUTERS, Rights, Thomson Locations: Tokyo, Japan, Weibo

☆ Gadfly Lawyer for Gilgo Beach Families Courts Cameras and Tipsters
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-10 | by ( Corey Kilgannon | More About Corey Kilgannon | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

It seemed like a classic John Ray news conference last month, with the flamboyant Long Island lawyer stepping up to news cameras, bedecked in a polka dot tie and matching fedora. Now Mr. Ray had something new: the police at his side. Mr. Heuermann, a Long Island architect and suburban father, was arrested in July and charged with killing three of the 11 people whose remains were found at or near Gilgo Beach on the South Shore a dozen years ago. As Mr. Ray detailed the claims, the Gilgo Beach Task Force, the team investigating the case, watched the broadcast and seethed. They had become used to Mr. Ray as a gadfly delivering barbs and brickbats with a flourish from his pewter-handled cane.

Persons: John Ray, Long, Ray, Rodney Harrison, Rex Heuermann, Heuermann Organizations: Suffolk County, Shore, Task Force Locations: Suffolk, Gilgo Beach

☆ Exclusive: Tech billionaire Peter Thiel was an FBI informant
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-19 | by ( Mattathias Schwartz | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +12 min

Another source close to Thiel told Insider that while they could not confirm that Thiel was a CHS, Thiel did speak to Buma occasionally. "[They] will be either an 'FBI source' or a 'former FBI source' and, in turn, his or her conduct or misconduct will reflect upon the FBI." Drew Angerer/Getty ImagesAs a CHS, Thiel was assigned a code name and an internal serial number to track his reporting. Thiel, Johnson said, was directed by the FBI not to report on his interactions with Donald Trump or other US political figures. Johnson told Insider that he brokered an introduction between Thiel and the FBI special agent who would become his handler.

Persons: Peter Thiel, Trump, Thiel, Johnathan Buma, Charles Johnson, Johnson, MAGA, Donald Trump, Drew Angerer, Scott Horton, Buma, Sen, J.D, Vance of, Blake Masters, —, Vance, Joe Biden's, Vance of Ohio, Anna Moneymaker, Masters, Mithril's, Matt Gaetz, Gaetz's, Ginger Gaetz, Bill Barr, Rudy Giuliani, Alex Wong, Jeffrey Epstein, Enrique Tarrio, Tarrio, Mattathias Schwartz Organizations: FBI, Buma, CHS, Trump, Trump Tower, Republican National Convention, Joe Biden's Department, Getty Masters, Mar, Masters, Pentagon, CIA, National Security Agency, US Army, NSO Group, Forbes, Mithril, Clearview's, Committee, Capitol, Founders Fund, Boys Locations: Los Angeles, Germany, United States, New Zealand, Malta, Silicon, Vance of Ohio, Arizona, Palantir, American, Russian, Atlantic City, schwartz79@protonmail.com

☆ Tesla whistleblowers filed a complaint to the SEC in 2021, but the agency never interviewed them. Here's what the complaint said
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-12 | by ( Lora Kolodny | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +22 min

With a "goodwill" repair, Tesla essentially foots the bill for labor, parts or accessories given to keep a customer happy. "Were Tesla to accurately categorize its 'goodwill' repairs as warranty repairs, it would likely need to restate earnings for every quarter since at least 2017," the tipsters wrote in their submission. In one example, the tipsters said screenshots showed other Tesla employees changed the status of material used in manufacturing from "scrap" to "work in progress." In another example, the complaint said screenshots showed Tesla employees had manually changed the status of "used" cars to "new" in a program that tracked vehicle deliveries data. In correspondence to the agency expanding on their complaint, the whistleblowers alleged this raises questions about the firm's independence and objectivity in judging Tesla's financials.

Persons: Brandon Bell, Elon, Tesla's, Tesla, Musk, Ann Lipton, Lipton, Karen Nelson, Nelson, Nicholas Parks, it's, Oxley, restate financials Organizations: Getty, U.S . Securities, Exchange Commission, SEC, PricewaterhouseCoopers, CNBC . Agency staff, CNBC, Twitter, Tulane Law School, University of Chicago Law School, Securities, Sarbanes, Oxley, Texas Christian University, Public Company, Tesla, Parks, Nelson, Business, Exchange, Board, SpaceX, The Boring, California Alternative Energy, Transportation Financing Authority Locations: Austin , Texas, Tesla, California, U.S, Delaware

☆ Stolen Van Gogh Painting Is Returned in Ikea Bag
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-12 | by ( Claire Moses | More About Claire Moses | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The people believed to be involved in the theft have already been arrested and convicted, after the police intercepted their encrypted communications — meaning that they could not have been the ones to physically return the painting, Brand said. Over the last few years, he had already received tips relating to the painting, including photographs of the artwork. Brand did not reveal the identity of the tipster. In 2019, for example, he found a stolen Picasso. Brand said he had worked together with the Dutch police to find the work.

Persons: Brand, ” Brand, Indiana Jones, ”, ” Tipsters, Picasso Organizations: Dutch, NOS, Brand

☆ Other Tipsters Appeal After SEC Awarded One Whistleblower $279 Million in Ericsson Case
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-02 | by ( Mengqi Sun | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

This copy is for your personal, non-commercial use only. Distribution and use of this material are governed by our Subscriber Agreement and by copyright law. For non-personal use or to order multiple copies, please contact Dow Jones Reprints at 1-800-843-0008 or visit www.djreprints.com. https://www.wsj.com/articles/other-tipsters-appeal-after-sec-awarded-one-whistleblower-279-million-in-ericsson-case-c00a9984

Persons: Dow Jones Organizations: ericsson

☆ The SEC just paid out nearly $279 million to a tipster in its largest-ever award. Here's an inside look at the crazy world of whistleblower lawsuits.
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-08 | by ( Samantha Stokes | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

The regulator announced a nearly $279 million award to a whistleblower on May 5, more than double the previous record of $114 million awarded in October 2020. When whistleblower information leads to settlements, tipsters can earn between 10 and 30 percent of the financial penalties paid by wrongdoers. When whistleblower information leads to settlements, the tipsters can earn a percentage of the financial penalties paid by wrongdoers. The tipster's law firm, Kirby McInerney, worked with state authorities on the investigation after "Tooley's" lawsuit was filed. This means tax-fraud whistleblowers will increasingly look for ways to bring their tips to New York law enforcement to be more involved in the investigation process.

☆ U.S. securities regulator awards whistleblowers more than $28 million
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-24 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

NEW YORK, Jan 24 (Reuters) - The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on Tuesday said it has awarded a whistleblower payout of more than $28 million to joint tipsters who shared "critical information" for one of the agency's enforcement actions. The whistleblowers, who were not identified, provided information that prompted the opening of an SEC investigation and ultimately to a successful action, the agency said. The SEC did not disclose which enforcement action was involved. The SEC has paid more than $1.3 billion in over 300 awards to individuals for their information through fiscal 2022, the agency said in November. Its largest-ever payout of $114 million went to a single tipster in October 2020.

☆ Remote Workers Are Blowing the Whistle, Employees Exposing Companies
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-20 | by ( Britta Lokting | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +12 min

The Securities and Exchange Commission — which implemented a whistleblower program in 2011 and where Haugen and others have sent documents — has received a historic jump in complaints over the past few years. How remote work sparked a flood of whistleblowersAs the pandemic spread and workers retreated to their makeshift home offices, employees began to reconsider their relationship with work. MacGann, the Uber whistleblower, told Politico that it wasn't until the pandemic that he "had time on his hands" to really ponder his decision to come forward about the ride-hailing company's treatment of workers. Remote work, she explained, helps to remove some of those barriers to whistleblowing. In addition to the record-breaking number of tips, the SEC whistleblowing program awarded $229 million in 103 cases this year.

☆ Prison deaths mount in El Salvador's gang crackdown
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-24 | by ( Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +14 min

For more than two months, Jesús carried a clipping of that photo to every prison in El Salvador, and then to every hospital. When police and soldiers fanned out across El Salvador to make their arrests, Bukele tweeted the daily number of “terrorists” detained and talked tough about making their lives miserable. A soldier frisks a motorcyclist at a checkpoint outside Comasagua, El Salvador, on Oct. 6. They should be kept behind bars for as long as possible, said Gallegos, who is also a proponent of the death penalty in El Salvador. After forming in Salvadoran immigrant communities in Los Angeles in the 1970s and 1980s, gang members brought their criminal networks back to El Salvador.

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