DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

Trump, a Republican, has accused James, a Democrat, of suing him because she dislikes him and his politics. The Trump Organization is now on trial in another Manhattan courtroom on criminal tax fraud charges. Trump also faces a criminal investigation in Georgia into whether he interfered with the 2020 election results in that state. "Who stands to gain from this highly-politicized farse [sic], aside from the politically-compromised Attorney General of the State of New York?" Both testified as prosecution witnesses in the Manhattan criminal trial in which prosecutors accused the company of engaging in tax fraud spanning 15 years.

REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst/File PhotoNov 22 (Reuters) - The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday cleared the release of Donald Trump's tax returns to a congressional committee, handing a defeat to the Republican former president who had called the Democratic-led panel's request politically motivated. The panel in its request invoked a federal law that empowers its chairman to request any person's tax returns from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). House Democrats have said they need to see Trump's tax returns to assess whether the IRS is properly auditing presidential returns and to gauge whether new legislation is needed. Trump's lawyers have said the committee's real aim is to publicly expose his tax returns and unearth politically damaging information about Trump. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit in August also ruled against Trump and in October refused a rehearing.

The company, which has pleaded not guilty, could face up to $1.6 million in fines for the three tax fraud counts and six other counts it faces, if convicted. The first witness called by the defense was Donald Bender, an accountant with the firm Mazars who handled the Trump Organization's taxes. Bender was granted immunity from prosecution for testifying before the grand jury that indicted the company and Weisselberg. Bender said he prepared tax returns for Weisselberg and his family members free of charge as an "accommodation." Mazars in February dropped the company as a client and said it could no longer stand behind a decade of Trump's financial statements.

Phoenix-based VIP's toy mimics the design of the Jack Daniel's bottle with comical dog-themed text alterations, like replacing "Old No. After Jack Daniel's sent a cease-and-desist notice, VIP asked an Arizona federal court in 2014 to rule that its toy did not infringe the whiskey company's trademark rights. Circuit Court of Appeals in 2020 overturned a judge's ruling in favor of Jack Daniel's, finding that VIP's toy was a creative work with a "humorous message" that was entitled to First Amendment protections. The Supreme Court last year rejected a request by Jack Daniel's to reconsider that ruling. Jack Daniel's told the high court that the decision made it "virtually impossible to stop misleading or tarnishing use of a mark whenever a copycat deploys 'humor.'"

Companies Honeywell International Inc FollowNov 18 (Reuters) - Honeywell International Inc (HON.O) will pay $1.3 billion to end asbestos-related claims stemming from its former unit, the industrial giant said on Friday, helping it reduce its environmental liabilities. Honeywell said the one-time, lump sum payment will have 'limited obligations' to the trust following the completion of the deal. The company's former unit, North American Refractories Company (NARCO), had filed for bankruptcy in 2002 after facing lawsuits over asbestos-related illnesses. Following the bankruptcy, Honeywell set up the compensation trust to resolve billions of dollars worth of asbestos claims. Additionally, the North Carolina-based company reaffirmed its previously announced full-year and fourth-quarter outlook.

Companies Ledgerx LLC FollowNov 21 (Reuters) - The Golden State Warriors were sued on Monday by an FTX customer who accused the reigning National Basketball Association champions of fraudulently promoting the now-bankrupt cryptocurrency exchange. The Warriors last December had named FTX its official cryptocurrency platform, in what it called a first-of-its-kind cryptocurrency partnership in professional sports. The lawsuit seeks damages under California consumer laws for customers outside the United States with FTX yield-bearing accounts. Another NBA team, the Miami Heat, on Nov. 11 said it would drop the FTX name from its arena and seek a new naming sponsor. The Heat is not a defendant in the Miami lawsuit.

☆ Prosecutors rest case in Trump Organization's criminal tax fraud trial
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-21 | by ( Luc Cohen | Thomson Reuters | Reports On The New York Federal Courts. Previously Worked As A Correspondent In Venezuela | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The Trump Organization, which operates hotels, golf courses and other real estate around the world, could face up to $1.6 million in fines for the three tax fraud counts and six other counts it faces, if convicted. Trump, a Republican who last week launched another bid for the presidency in 2024, has called the charges politically motivated. The district attorney's office charged the Trump Organization and Weisselberg, who pleaded guilty to charges including grand larceny and tax fraud in an August deal with prosecutors calling for a jail sentence of five months if he testified truthfully in the trial. Weisselberg, who has worked for the company for nearly half a century, is on paid leave from the Trump Organization. U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland on Friday named a special counsel to oversee the Justice Department's investigations related to Trump including his handling of sensitive government documents after leaving office and efforts to overturn the 2020 election.

The justices declined to review a ruling by a three-judge federal district court panel denying an injunction against the reconfigured state Senate district sought by the challengers. The dispute centers on a state Senate district that includes part of the city of Fort Worth in north-central Texas. loadingBlack and Hispanic plaintiffs sued after the Texas legislature approved new electoral maps in 2021. They argued that they had been "splintered" into other Senate districts where they will be "overpowered" by white voters. In their appeal to the Supreme Court, the plaintiffs said resolution was needed prior to the 2024 election.

WASHINGTON, Nov 21 (Reuters) - Two Estonian citizens were arrested in Tallinn, Estonia, on an 18-count indictment for their alleged involvement in a $575 million cryptocurrency fraud and money laundering conspiracy, the U.S. Justice Department said on Monday. They also made victims invest in a virtual currency bank called Polybius Bank, which in reality was not a bank and never paid out the promised dividends, the Justice Department said. "The size and scope of the alleged scheme is truly astounding," said Assistant Attorney General Kenneth Polite Jr of the Justice Department's criminal division. "U.S. and Estonian authorities are working to seize and restrain these assets and take the profit out of these crimes." The money laundering conspiracy allegedly involved at least 75 real properties, six luxury vehicles, cryptocurrency wallets, and thousands of cryptocurrency mining machines, according to the department, which said the case was probed by the FBI.

The justices rebuffed Glenhaven Healthcare's appeal of a lower court's ruling allowing the family of deceased resident Ricardo Saldana to proceed with the lawsuit in a California state court. Under then-President Donald Trump in January 2021, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, prodded by nursing homes, declared that cases filed in state court involving interpretation of the PREP Act should be moved to federal court. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in the Saldana case that some state law claims can remain in state court. Glenhaven has argued that personal injury lawsuits against entities that provide COVID-19 countermeasures belong in federal court. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the American Hospital Association and the American Health Care Association, a nursing home industry group, weighed in to support its petition to the Supreme Court.

The SEC's whistleblower program was created as part of the 2010 Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, a law passed in response to the 2008 financial crisis. Under the law, eligible whistleblowers can receive a cash award of between 10% and 30% of any monetary sanctions collected above $1 million. Hong provided further documentary evidence, helping FHFA and the U.S. Justice Department secure settlements with RBS for $5.5 billion and $4.9 billion, respectively. Hong sought an award under the SEC's whistleblower program but the commission declared him ineligible because the action against RBS was not taken by the commission itself. Hong's lawyers appealed to the Supreme Court, contending that the SEC is undermining the aim of Congress to incentivize and award whistleblowers by "coordinating enforcement efforts with other agencies and then refusing to pay an award."

Nov 21 (Reuters) - The Golden State Warriors were sued on Monday by an FTX account holder who accused the reigning National Basketball Association champions of fraudulently promoting the now-bankrupt cryptocurrency exchange. Elliott Lam, a Canadian citizen and Hong Kong resident who said he lost $750,000 in his FTX yield-bearing account, filed his proposed class-action lawsuit in San Francisco federal court. Other defendants include Sam Bankman-Fried, who founded FTX, and Caroline Ellison, who led Bankman-Fried's trading firm Alameda Research. The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages for people outside the United States with FTX yield-bearing accounts. The team had last December named FTX its official cryptocurrency platform, in what it called a first-of-its-kind cryptocurrency partnership in professional sports.

Bandar Algaloud/Courtesy of Saudi Royal Court/Handout via REUTERSWASHINGTON, Nov 18 (Reuters) - The Biden administration ruled on Thursday that Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has immunity from a lawsuit over the murder of Jamal Khashoggi, drawing immediate condemnation from the slain journalist's former fiancee. In late September, Saudi King Salman named Prince Mohammed prime minister in a royal decree which a Saudi official said was in line with responsibilities that the crown prince was already exercising. FIST-BUMPBiden was criticized for fist-bumping the crown prince on a visit to Saudi Arabia in July to discuss energy and security issues. The White House said Biden had told Prince Mohammed that he considered him responsible for Khashoggi's killing. In a highly charged global atmosphere, the United States is keen to prevent its long-time ally from further distancing itself.

Deutsche Bank's scapegoating ruined the reputation and career of Connolly, a married father of two, and caused the "destruction of his life," the complaint said. Investigations worldwide into Libor manipulation resulted in about $9 billion of fines for banks, including $2.5 billion for Deutsche Bank in 2015. Connolly sued Deutsche Bank four weeks after a New York judge tossed a Libor-rigging indictment against former UBS (UBSG.S) and Citigroup (C.N) trader Tom Hayes and another trader. Hayes had already served more than five years in prison in Britain for rigging Libor. The case is Connolly v. Deutsche Bank AG, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York, No.

Weisselberg testified that during the cleanup, Trump's sons knew the company paid executives' personal expenses that were not reported as income, and gave them bonuses as if they were independent contractors. Weisselberg said the company also did not fire or otherwise discipline two other executives who had engaged in similar practices. He said he had little interaction with Trump about the company after Trump became president. But he said Trump was aware the company had paid rent on Weisselberg's luxury Manhattan apartment for years, and signed the lease in 2005. Weisselberg told Hoffinger he did not recall whether Futerfas seemed unhappy with his testimony.

WASHINGTON, Nov 18 (Reuters) - A federal prosecutor on Friday urged a Washington jury to convict far-right Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes and four of his associates for plotting to use force on Jan. 6, 2021, to block Congress from certifying President Joe Biden's election. The government asserts the Oath Keepers conspired to use force to keep Republican former President Donald Trump in power by stopping Congress from certifying Biden's election victory, with defendants Meggs, Watkins and Harrelson entering the building clad in tactical gear. Prosecutors also allege the Oath Keepers staged a "quick reaction force" in a nearby Virginia hotel, a plan which entailed stockpiling firearms that could be ferried across the river into the capital if needed. More than 900 people have been charged in the Capitol attack, which led members of Congress to run for cover as thousands of Trump's supporters stormed the building. Reporting by Sarah N. Lynch; Editing by Howard GollerOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

[1/2] Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman is pictured during his meeting with South Korea's President Yoon Suk-yeol in Seoul, South Korea, November 17, 2022. Bandar Algaloud/Courtesy of Saudi Royal Court/Handout via REUTERSNov 17 (Reuters) - The Biden administration has determined that Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has legal immunity from a lawsuit filed against him over the 2018 killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, the U.S. Department of Justice said in a court filing on Thursday. The prince has denied ordering Khashoggi's killing but acknowledged later that it took place "under my watch." Biden, who fist-bumped the crown prince on a visit to Saudi Arabia in July to discuss energy and security issues, had told Prince Mohammed that he considered him responsible for Khashoggi's killing. He had traveled to the Saudi consulate in Istanbul to obtain papers he needed to marry Hatice Cengiz, a Turkish citizen.

But Weisselberg said Trump did not conspire with him on the tax fraud scheme for which the Trump Organization is on trial. Weisselberg pleaded guilty in August and agreed to testify as part of a plea deal. But under cross-examination by Trump Organization lawyer Alan Futerfas, Weisselberg said he conspired with McConney, but not with any member of the Trump family. McConney is immune from prosecution for the tax fraud because he testified before the grand jury that indicted both Weisselberg and the Trump Organization. The questionable practices eventually came to an end in 2017 when Trump became president, Weisselberg said.

"It is more complicated than your plain vanilla crypto exchange story," she said. FTX filed for bankruptcy on Nov. 11 and is facing scrutiny from U.S. authorities. The lawsuit filed on Tuesday did not name FTX as a defendant but instead targeted individuals. New lawsuits may also target celebrity promoters of FTX crypto products. Future investor lawsuits over the FTX meltdown are likely to allege claims beyond securities registration and consumer protection violations, plaintiffs' attorneys said.

A draft of the lawsuit was included in a Thursday filing by her lawyer Roberta Kaplan in Manhattan federal court, where Carroll is also suing Trump for defamation over an earlier statement about the incident. The proposed lawsuit seeks unspecified compensatory and punitive damages, and a retraction of Trump's statement. Carroll's earlier lawsuit stemmed from Trump's June 2019 statement denying that he raped her, and saying she concocted their alleged encounter to sell her forthcoming book. Trump's lawyers have proposed a May 8 trial that does not address the second lawsuit, court papers show. The case is Carroll v. Trump, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York, No.

[1/2] A sign is seen during Gabby Petito's memorial service in Holbrook, New York, U.S., September 26, 2021. "The Petito family lost their daughter, and they were also denied the opportunity to confront her killer," Patrick Reilly, a lawyer for Petito's parents, said in a statement. "No amount of money is sufficient to compensate the Petito family for the loss of their daughter, Gabby, at the hands of Brian Laundrie." Any money recovered will go to the Gabby Petito Foundation, a nonprofit formed after her death that helps organizations that support locating missing persons and aids victims of domestic violence, Reilly said. A separate lawsuit that Petito's parents filed against Laundrie's parents, alleging their son told them of Petito's slaying before her body was discovered, remains pending.

Nov 17 (Reuters) - A U.S. judge on Thursday blocked key provisions of a Florida state law that curbs professors from endorsing particular viewpoints in public university classrooms, calling the measure "positively dystopian" in the latest blow to the Republican-enacted measure. Chief U.S. District Judge Mark Walker in Tallahassee said in a 139-page ruling that Florida's Individual Freedom Act, also known as the Stop WOKE Act, would have unlawfully required public university professors to self-censor. His ruling came in consolidated lawsuits filed by professors and students challenging the Individual Freedom Act, which Republican Florida Governor Ron DeSantis championed and signed into law in April. A spokesperson for DeSantis did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment, nor did the Florida attorney general's office, which defended the law in court. Attorneys for Florida had argued that the state had full power to restrict what public university professors, as state employees, could say in their classrooms.

Companies Us Justice Department FollowNov 17 (Reuters) - The U.S. Justice Department on Thursday launched a probe into whether Oklahoma, Oklahoma City and the city's police department discriminate against people who have mental health disabilities in the provision of behavioral care services. The ADA requires state and local governments to provide people with disabilities equal access to programs and services. In addition, the department will look into how Oklahoma City responds to emergency calls that involve a mental health crisis and if city police follow ADA standards on the scene of such calls. "We will evaluate whether the state of Oklahoma’s failure to provide community-based services for people with behavioral health disabilities in Oklahoma County results in unnecessary institutionalization and unnecessary police contact," Clarke said. The investigation came after a discrimination complaint was filed with the agency, according to a senior Justice Department official.

Jennifer Schulp, a director at the libertarian think tank Cato Institute, said the Republicans' unexpectedly tight margin of control in the House will not prompt them to tone down their rhetoric. 'REGULATORY EXUBERANCE'Patrick McHenry, a North Carolina Republican in line to lead the House Financial Services Committee in the new Congress, said in an emailed statement to Reuters before the election that Biden's administration "is pushing its agenda through financial regulators because they don’t have the votes to pass it in Congress." "Committee Republicans will work together to conduct appropriate oversight of activist regulators and market participants who have an outsized impact," McHenry said. "The appropriations process in the House will be a messaging exercise, and it's less worrisome since the Democrats will have the Senate," McGannon said. While those Senators will not be in the majority, House Republicans have also criticized companies on ESG-related matters.

☆ Nike employees had a gender pay gap of $11,000, newly unsealed court documents allege. The company says the number is erroneous and it's achieved pay parity.
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-17 | by ( Matthew Kish | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The claim was made in a sweeping gender discrimination lawsuit filed in 2018. The alleged pay gap had been sealed in court records. The alleged pay gap was unsealed on Wednesday after a successful court challenge by Insider, the Oregonian, and the Portland Business Journal. Nike did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the alleged pay gap. In an April 2022 court filing, an expert witness for Nike criticized the methodology plaintiffs used to determine the alleged pay gap.

Search resuls for: "Corporate Law"

25 mentions found