DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ Sam Bankman-Fried’s Public Defense Shuns Traditional Legal Strategies
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-22 | by ( James Fanelli | Corinne Ramey | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

When facing criminal charges, most defendants all but glue their mouths shut before trial at the insistence of their lawyers. Sam Bankman-Fried has chosen the opposite approach. The FTX founder, whose reign as a star of the crypto world collapsed along with his exchange in November, has maintained a prominent public presence since his extradition from the Bahamas in December. The 30-year-old has launched a Substack newsletter, been active on Twitter and continued to give media interviews, in an effort to defend himself against federal charges that he stole billions of dollars from FTX customers and defrauded investors and lenders.

☆ Sam Bankman-Fried's lawyers agreed to pay for an expert to explain VPNs and disappearing messages to the judge in his case
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-22 | by ( Pete Syme | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Sam Bankman-Fried has been banned from using VPNs and auto-deleting messaging apps while on bail. Judge Lewis Kaplan then warned about sending the FTX cofounder back to jail over his use of electronics. And now Bankman-Fried's lawyers have agreed to pay for a technology expert to advise the 78-year-old judge. The letter, signed by Bankman-Fried's attorney Christian Everdell and viewed by Insider, said lawyers agreed to the appointment of "an independent technical expert, paid for by the defense, to advise the Court on technical issues concerning Mr. Bankman-Fried's bail conditions." The 78-year-old judge then proposed that the defense pay for an expert to advise him on VPNs and other technical matters related to Bankman-Fried's bail conditions, per CNN.

Travel insurance weekly rates at a glance:Average premium: $316.57Average trip cost: $6,747.16Average trip length: 15 daysWhat is travel insurance? See Insider's picks for the best travel insurance »Some credit cards offer a limited amount of travel insurance annually. Insider's Featured Travel Insurance Companies World Nomads Travel InsuranceAllianz Travel InsuranceTravelex travel insurance Chevron icon It indicates an expandable section or menu, or sometimes previous / next navigation options. Policy type Average days between purchase to trip Average trip length (days) Average trip cost Average cost of travel insurance Cancellation 53 13 $6,747.16 $396.32 Non-cancellation 16 19 N/A $91.01Source: SquareMouthWhen is the best time to travel? When calculating your travel insurance premium, travel insurance providers consider the likelihood of a medical emergency.

☆ The most expensive home in the Caribbean just listed for $200 million – take a look inside
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-19 | by ( Ray Parisi | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

It's located on the small private island of Mustique, which lies in the southern Caribbean nation of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Last year, Mustique's largest transaction was recorded at about $35 million, according to de Mallet Morgan. Here's a closer look at the most expensive home to ever hit the market in the Caribbean. The Bali Cottages house four more guest bedrooms and surround the estate's third swimming pool. De Mallet Morgan said the estate is currently operated by 18 staff.

☆ Binance secretly moved $400 million from its US partner to a trading firm managed by the crypto giant's boss CZ, report says
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-17 | by ( George Glover | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Binance secretly moved $400 million from its US partner to a trading firm owned by boss Changpeng Zhao, according to Reuters. Merit Peak is a market-maker trading firm owned by Binance CEO Zhao, who's often referred to by his initials CZ. Binance claims that Merit Peak and Binance's US partner Binance.US operate independently from the global exchange, which CZ co-founded in 2017. The Securities and Exchange Commission has previously probed ties between Binance.US, Merit Peak, and another CZ-owned trading firm called Sigma Chain AG, according to a Wall Street Journal report published in February 2022. It's not clear why the money was sent from Binance.US to Merit Peak or if any of the funds belonged to US customers.

NEW YORK, Feb 16 (Reuters) - A U.S. judge on Thursday is set to weigh tighter restrictions on Sam Bankman-Fried's internet use, after prosecutors said the indicted FTX cryptocurrency exchange founder may be trying to hide some of his online activity. On Tuesday, Kaplan banned Bankman-Fried from using VPNs which can disguise an internet user's physical location. Bankman-Fried's lawyers said his attempts to contact FTX's current chief executive and general counsel were efforts to help, not interfere. They proposed letting him communicate by phone, email, SMS text messaging and Twitter direct messaging, while disabling iMessage from his phone. Reporting by Luc Cohen in New York Editing by Matthew LewisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Manchester United, INEOS, Tesla and Musk did not reply to requests for comment. "For potential buyers, football clubs like Manchester United are considered trophy assets driven by the perception of exclusivity. The size of that bid has fuelled speculation Manchester United will attract significantly more. Manchester United is the fourth richest soccer club in the world, according to analysis by Deloitte. A small portion of Manchester United shares is listed on the New York Stock Exchange.

☆ The most dangerous cruise routes, ports, and destinations are in parts of the world where conditions are unpredictable — and help is nowhere nearby, travel analysts say
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-16 | by ( Erin Snodgrass | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

But some cruise destinations and routes are prone to dangerous conditions and risky activity. These are some of the most dangerous cruise locations around the world. AntarcticaThe world's southernmost continent is among the most beautiful — and dangerous — cruise destinations, according to Chiron and Klein. Cruise passengers during a lifeboat drill in the Northwest Passage near Nunavut, Canada. National Park Service via APCruise lines avoid dangerous portsWhile rough seas and high winds can make ocean travel dangerous, uncertainties on land pose their own risks for visitors.

☆ Canada's Trudeau to deploy Navy vessels to Haiti for surveillance, presence
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

NASSAU/PORT-AU-PRINCE, Feb 16 (Reuters) - Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Thursday said he would deploy Royal Canadian Navy vessels in the coming weeks to conduct surveillance, gather intelligence and maintain a maritime presence off the coast of Haiti. Canada, which this month deployed surveillance aircraft to Haiti, has also sent armored vehicles and security gear to support anti-gang efforts and said it would make an additional delivery of vehicles in the coming days. Trudeau also announced fresh sanctions on another two Haitian individuals determined to be supporting gangs, without disclosing their names, bringing Canada's total sanctioned people to 17. U.N. envoy to Haiti Helen La Lime has said she is "still hopeful" the force could be created, stressing the need for urgency. On Tuesday, more than 40 civil society representatives signed an open letter rejecting any draft resolution backing Prime Minister Ariel Henry's administration and demanding reparations to the families of those killed in a U.N.-linked cholera outbreak a decade ago.

☆ Judge orders Samuel Bankman-Fried to stop using a VPN after his lawyers claim he only used one to watch the Super Bowl
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-14 | by ( Charles R. Davis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A judge on Tuesday ordered Bankman-Fried to stop using a VPN. To allay any concerns, however, the attorneys said Bankman-Fried would immediately stop using the VPN. On Tuesday afternoon, Judge Kaplan made that a condition of his bail, adding the use of a VPN to a list of other prohibited internet activities, Reuters reported. Use of a VPN, Kaplan ruled, "presents many of the same challenges." Prosecutors allege that Bankman-Fried used deposits in the cryptocurrency exchange to finance investments placed through Alameda Research, another company he founded.

☆ Sam Bankman Fried used a VPN, raising 'potential concerns' he may have accessed crypto exchanges or the dark web. His lawyers say he was just streaming the Super Bowl.
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-14 | by ( Pete Syme | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

On Monday, federal prosecutors raised concerns over Sam Bankman-Fried's use of a VPN on two occasions. They told the judge how VPNs could let him access international crypto exchanges or the dark web. Prosecutors also worried that VPNs would let him access international crypto exchanges or the dark web. Bankman-Fried's FTX was one of four crypto companies to have ads during last year's Super Bowl, but this year there were none. "The defense is prepared to adopt a reasonable bail condition that allays any concerns," Bankman-Fried's lawyers told the judge, adding that he won't use a VPN "in the interim."

☆ Judge orders Sam Bankman-Fried back to court after learning how he accessed the internet remotely
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-14 | by ( Kara Scannell | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

New York CNN —A federal judge ordered Sam Bankman-Fried back to court this week after learning that the founder of crypto trading platform FTX accessed the internet in a way the government can’t track. Bankman-Fried is currently under house arrest at his parents’ home in Palo Alto, Calif. Overnight Prosecutors alerted the judge to Bankman-Fried’s use of a VPN in late January and early February. Prosecutors and Bankman-Fried’s lawyers asked the judge for more time to work out new bail terms, but the judge rejected that, calling them back to court for the second time in a week. The judge previously expressed concern over Bankman-Fried’s use of encryption and whether the government could track what he was doing while out on bail.

Travel insurance weekly rates at a glance:Average premium: $333.10Average trip cost: $6,608.57Average trip length: 15 daysWhat is travel insurance? See Insider's picks for the best travel insurance »Some credit cards offer a limited amount of travel insurance annually. Insider's Featured Travel Insurance Companies World Nomads Travel InsuranceAllianz Travel InsuranceTravelex travel insurance Chevron icon It indicates an expandable section or menu, or sometimes previous / next navigation options. When calculating your travel insurance premium, travel insurance providers consider the likelihood of a medical emergency. Travel Insurance Rates FAQsHow much does travel insurance cost?

☆ Meet Sam Bankman-Fried's psychiatrist, the Silicon Valley doctor who became FTX's in-house coach and helped staffers with their dating lives in the Bahamas
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-11 | by ( Morgan Chittum | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Sam Bankman-Fried's psychiatrist was also employed as FTX's in-house performance coach, according to the Journal. Dr. George Lerner didn't just focus on careers, but the dating lives of FTX employees as well. "They were amazing people — driven, brilliant, wanting to make a positive impact on the world," Lerner told the Journal. Lerner didn't just focus on careers, but the dating lives of FTX employees as well. His relationship with FTX staff also may have extended to an unhealthy side.

☆ U.S. judge extends FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried's bail restrictions
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-09 | 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: +4 min

REUTERS/Shannon StapletonCompanies Ledgerx LLC FollowNEW YORK, Feb 9 (Reuters) - A U.S. judge on Thursday extended a ban on FTX cryptocurrency exchange founder Sam Bankman-Fried's ability to contact employees of companies he once controlled and use encrypted messaging technology while out on bail awaiting trial on fraud charges. As a condition of his release on $250 million bond, the judge also prevented Bankman-Fried from using messaging apps such as Signal that let users auto-delete messages. A prosecutor, Danielle Sassoon, told the judge that the people were connected with FTX but not central to the government case and not expected to testify. Bankman-Fried had also agreed to withdraw his objection to a bail condition preventing him from accessing FTX, Alameda or cryptocurrency assets. Bankman-Fried was extradited from the Bahamas, where he had lived and where the exchange was based, to face the criminal charges.

[1/5] Former FTX Chief Executive Sam Bankman-Fried, who faces fraud charges over the collapse of the bankrupt cryptocurrency exchange, arrives for his court hearing at a federal court in New York City, U.S., February 9, 2023. Kaplan rejected that proposed agreement on Tuesday and proceeded with the hearing on Bankman-Fried's bail conditions on Thursday, without explaining why he denied the deal. As part of the agreement with prosecutors, Bankman-Fried would have also withdrawn his objection to a bail condition preventing him from accessing FTX, Alameda or cryptocurrency assets. FTX collapsed in November after a wave of withdrawals and declared bankruptcy, wiping out Bankman-Fried's fortune. Reporting by Luc Cohen in New York; Editing by Lisa Shumaker and Will DunhamOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ The FTX meltdown was so chaotic that Caroline Ellison was reportedly 'relieved' to step away from Alameda
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-09 | by ( Sindhu Sundar | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The end of FTX followed a destabilizing exodus of customers and employees, Financial Times reports. As last-ditch efforts failed, Caroline Ellison reportedly felt "relieved" at an end to the chaos. In the meantime, there are still questions about how the parallel criminal cases could affect FTX customers trying to recover funds through the bankruptcy. Lawyers representing FTX and its creditors had previously told a Delaware bankruptcy court that they were trying to get information about transactions including FTX from insiders including Bankman-Fried and Ellison, but hadn't gotten answers. Read more in the full Financial Times feature on FTX's collapse.

How to earn Southwest pointsCompare Southwest credit cards Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit CardSouthwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit CardSouthwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit CardSouthwest® Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit CardSouthwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card Chevron icon It indicates an expandable section or menu, or sometimes previous / next navigation options. Transfer points from Diners Club or hotel loyalty programsDiners Club members can also transfer Club Rewards points to Southwest — 1,500 Club Rewards points, for instance, would convert to 1,200 Southwest points. It's also possible to redeem points earned through participating hotel loyalty programs if you'd rather put them toward flights than hotel stays, though redemption rates are pretty low:5,000 Best Western Rewards points = 1,200 Southwest points6,000 Choice Privileges points = 1,800 Southwest points2,000 Radisson Rewards America points = 200 Southwest points50,000 Radisson Rewards America points = 5,000 Southwest points100,000 Radisson Rewards America points = 10,000 Southwest points9,000 Marriott Bonvoy points = 3,000 Southwest points30,000 Marriott Bonvoy points = 10,000 Southwest points60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points = 20,000 Southwest points90,000 Marriott Bonvoy points = 30,000 Southwest points120,000 Marriott Bonvoy points = 40,000 Southwest points5,000 World of Hyatt points = 2,400 Southwest points50,000 World of Hyatt points = 24,000 Southwest pointsNote that World of Hyatt throws in an additional 6,000 Southwest points as long as you're a member, while Marriott Bonvoy adds 5,000 Southwest points for every 60,000 Marriott points transferred. For instance, a $220 Business Select fare would yield 2,640 Southwest points, while a $200 Anytime ticket would yield 2,000 Southwest points, and a $100 Wanna Get Away ticket would yield 600 Southwest points. Earn Southwest points by taking online surveysYou can earn points by taking online surveys through E-Rewards — $15 worth of E-Rewards yields 300 Southwest points, $25 worth of E-Rewards yields 600 Southwest points, $50 worth of E-Rewards yields 1,200 Southwest points, and $100 worth of E-Rewards yields 2,400 Southwest points.

☆ Some Goldman Sachs partners want to tell the board about their concerns over CEO David Solomon
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-08 | by ( Dakin Campbell | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +15 min

A decline in morale at the Wall Street firm concerns some Goldman partners. Here are their concerns about CEO David Solomon, who addressed the partners in Miami. CEO David Solomon addressed Goldman Sachs' partners today at the firm's annual partners meeting in Miami. There's little history for Goldman partners taking their concerns directly to the board. Since then, according to someone who has spoken to investors, more shareholders have questioned how long Solomon can last as Goldman's CEO.

☆ Prosecutors Charge Russian Who Managed Oligarch Viktor Vekselberg’s U.S. Properties
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-07 | by ( Dylan Tokar | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +2 min

A U.S. permanent resident who managed Russian billionaire Viktor Vekselberg ‘s properties in Florida and New York has been charged with money laundering and sanctions evasion after fleeing the U.S., federal prosecutors said. Mr. Voronchenko, who was also charged with participating in an effort to sell two of Mr. Vekselberg’s properties, fled the U.S. in May after receiving a grand jury subpoena, prosecutors said. Mr. Vekselberg was sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury Department in 2018. After Mr. Vekselberg was sanctioned, the source of the funds used to maintain the properties changed, prosecutors said. Mr. Voronchenko was served with a subpoena to testify before a grand jury in May while on Fisher Island, prosecutors said.

Travel insurance weekly rates at a glance:Average premium: $323.24Average trip cost: $6,795.88Average trip length: 15 daysWhat is travel insurance? See Insider's picks for the best travel insurance »Some credit cards offer a limited amount of travel insurance annually. Insider's Featured Travel Insurance Companies World Nomads Travel InsuranceAllianz Travel InsuranceTravelex travel insurance Chevron icon It indicates an expandable section or menu, or sometimes previous / next navigation options. When calculating your travel insurance premium, travel insurance providers consider the likelihood of a medical emergency. Insider's Featured Travel Insurance Companies World Nomads Travel InsuranceAllianz Travel InsuranceTravelex travel insurance Chevron icon It indicates an expandable section or menu, or sometimes previous / next navigation options.

☆ UK digital pound: 'Britcoin' could arrive in the second half of the decade
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-07 | by ( Julia Horowitz | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Central banks around the world are considering whether to issue digital currencies as more parts of the economy move online. In the United Kingdom, £10 of a digital pound would be worth £10 in cash. Central bank digital currencies could make online spending more convenient, ease cross-border transactions and boost competition among providers of digital financial assets. Another fear is privacy, since digital currencies would give governments new insights into how people are spending their money. Eleven countries, including The Bahamas and Jamaica, have already launched central bank digital currencies.

☆ FTX has chased politicians like Nancy Pelosi to return donations given before the crypto giant's collapse. They now have a deadline of February 28 to pay.
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-06 | by ( Pete Syme | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

In total, FTX employees donated $90 million to politicians, per The New York Times, and the debtors are trying to claim that back to reimburse customers. After Bankman-Fried, the former CEO of FTX's Bahamas company, Ryan Salame, donated $23 million – making him the 15th top donor in the US, per OpenSecrets. The lawyers handling FTX's bankruptcy first requested the donations be returned in December. But in January, CoinDesk reported that just five of the 196 politicians who received money from FTX said they had successfully returned it. CoinDesk reports that Vance donated the money to a non-profit, but FTX has warned that this "does not prevent the FTX debtors from seeking recovery."

☆ Sam Bankman-Fried's psychiatrist was hired at FTX to 'coach' and counsel employees, report says
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-05 | by ( Aidan Pollard | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

SBF's personal psychiatrist was on staff at FTX, according to the Wall Street Journal. Dr. George Lerner was hired to engage with employees as a "coach," not a medical professional, the Journal reported. In an email, Lerner told the Wall Street Journal he focused on creating a sustainable work environment while at the company. "They were amazing people — driven, brilliant, wanting to make a positive impact on the world," Lerner told the Journal. Following the collapse of FTX and amid charges of fraud against Bankman-Fried, Lerner told the Journal he's now focusing on rebuilding his private practice.

☆ Pro poker player rants at airline over lost luggage during live broadcast — and says he still can see it pinging at the airport
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-05 | by ( Aidan Pollard | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Steve O'Dwyer griped on Twitter and during a live broadcast that Lufthansa airlines lost his luggage. He told CNN he tracked the bags with an AirTag, which indicated they were at Heathrow, but he still hasn't gotten them back. The pro player took to Twitter to share other airline customers' accounts of mishandled luggage. Following the tournament, O'Dwyer recounted to CNN his journey from Ireland to the Bahamas with a connecting flight at Heathrow Airport. After O'Dwyer bashed Lufthansa during the tournament broadcast, he continued to tweet at the airline and some of its employees.

Search resuls for: "Bahamas"

25 mentions found