The former US President announced his intention to create a new social media platform after he was banned from Facebook and Twitter last year. WASHINGTON — Three Florida men were charged Thursday in criminal and civil complaints with insider trading of a shell company's stock before it announced plans to merge with a social media firm launched by former President Donald Trump. The men, Michael Shvartsman, Gerald Shvartsman, and Bruce Garelick, allegedly netted more than $22 million in illicit profits from trading in shares of Digital World Acquisition Corp . The DOJ announced the charges related to the Trump Media proposed merger as part of a string of allegations of illegal trading. is a special purpose acquisition company, or SPAC, that announced plans to merge with Trump Media & Technology Group in October 2021.

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Persons: Donald Trump, Michael Shvartsman, Gerald Shvartsman, Bruce Garelick, Garelick, Trump, TMTG Organizations: Facebook, Twitter, WASHINGTON —, Justice Department, The Securities, Exchange Commission, Rocket, DOJ, Trump Media, Pfizer, Trump Media & Technology Group Locations: WASHINGTON — Three Florida