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The Federal Trade Commission has filed its long-anticipated antitrust lawsuit against Amazon . In a sweeping complaint unveiled Tuesday, the FTC and attorneys general from 17 states accused Amazon of wielding its "monopoly power" to inflate prices, degrade quality for shoppers and unlawfully exclude rivals, thereby undermining competition. David Zapolsky, Amazon's general counsel and senior vice president of global public policy, said in a statement that the FTC's complaint is "wrong on the facts and the law." The lawsuit is a major milestone for FTC Chair Lina Khan, who rose to prominence for her 2017 Yale Law Journal note, "Amazon's Antitrust Paradox." Through her work at the FTC, Khan has sought to reset that framework and push the boundaries of antitrust law through risky legal battles.

Persons: Andy Jassy, David Zapolsky, Amazon's, Zapolsky, Lina Khan, Khan Organizations: New York Times DealBook, Jazz At Lincoln Center, Federal Trade Commission, Amazon, FTC, Yale Locations: New York City

☆ Facebook is getting rid of the News tab in Europe
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-05 | by ( Jonathan Vanian | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Facebook users in the U.K., France and Germany will no longer see a dedicated section for news articles starting in December. The company added that it plans to spend more time and money on short-form video, as best exemplified by its TikTok-like Reels product. News represents less than 3% of what people see in their Facebook feeds, Meta said. Meta debuted Facebook News in 2019, saying at the time that the product "was built to bring people closer to the stories that affect their lives." The decision to deprecate Facebook News is part of a broader move away from the news business.

Persons: Andrew Ross Sorkin, Mark Zuckerberg, Meta Organizations: Meta, New York Times DealBook, Jazz At Lincoln Center, Facebook Locations: New York City, France, Germany, Canada

☆ BlackRock has a 'responsibility to democratize investing,' including in crypto, Larry Fink says
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-14 | by ( Jesse Pound | In Jesse-Pound | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Andrew Ross Sorkin speaks with BlackRock CEO Larry Fink during the New York Times DealBook Summit in the Appel Room at the Jazz At Lincoln Center on November 30, 2022 in New York City. BlackRock 's move into crypto fits into the asset management giant's broader mission of creating products that are easy to use and cheap for investors, CEO Larry Fink said Friday. Fink had previously been critical of crypto, saying in 2017 that the popularity of digital currencies was do in large part to money laundering. However, interest from clients and the high cost of transactions motivated BlackRock to take a closer look at entering the space, Fink said. BlackRock reported its second-quarter results on Friday, earning $9.28 in adjusted earnings per share on $4.46 billion in revenue.

Persons: Andrew Ross Sorkin, Larry Fink, We've, Fink, BlackRock Organizations: BlackRock, New York Times DealBook, Jazz At Lincoln Center, Securities, Exchange Commission, SEC Locations: New York City, cryptocurrencies

☆ Larry Fink doesn't see a big recession this year, but expects inflation to stay higher for longer
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-14 | by ( Yun Li | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Larry Fink, chairman and CEO of BlackRock , believes the U.S. could skirt a major economic downturn this year, but inflation is going to be around for a while. "No I don't see a big recession," Fink said on CNBC's "Squawk on the Street" Friday. "I'm not sure we're going to have a recession in 2023, we may have it in early 24." The head of the world's largest asset manager said the chance of a recession is dependent on the Federal Reserve's battle against inflation. "It all depends on what is the pathway of inflation of the short run and pathway to the Fed," Fink said.

☆ TikTok and its CEO are fighting to save the app in the US
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-22 | by ( Catherine Thorbecke | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

In his talk, Chew, the CEO of TikTok, said the social network would not provide US user data to the Chinese government and has never been asked to do so. Chew stressed the steps TikTok has taken to protect US user data. The Harvard event is just one of several media appearances Chew has made in recent weeks amid mounting scrutiny of TikTok and of himself. “It’s life or death for TikTok, from their perspective,” said Justin Sherman, the CEO of Global Cyber Strategies, D.C.-based research and advisory firm, who was among the researchers TikTok invited to be briefed on “Project Texas,” the company’s $1.5 billion initiative to address lawmakers’ security concerns. But for some lawmakers with security concerns, the latest push “may be too little too late.”In his TikTok video on Tuesday, Chew appealed directly to users of the app.

☆ Amazon stock hit hardest after tech earnings bonanza, despite misses by Apple and Alphabet
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-03 | by ( Annie Palmer | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Its stock was hit harder than peers Apple and Alphabet , which also reported on Thursday evening. Shares of Apple were trading up about 4% on Friday morning while Alphabet was down about 1%. Amazon said it expects revenue of between $121 billion and $126 billion in the current quarter. Similarly, despite Alphabet's misses, analysts are bullish on its prospects for artificial intelligence and highlighted its strong core business. WATCH: Arete Research's Richard Kramer on the outlook for Apple, Amazon and Alphabet

☆ Here are the companies that have laid off employees this year
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-21 | by ( Ramishah Maruf | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Tech firms went on a hiring spree. “Over the past two years we’ve seen periods of dramatic growth,” CEO Sundar Pichai said in an email to employees. The crypto brokerage announced in early January that it’s cutting 950 people – almost one in five employees in its workforce. Departments from human resources to the company’s Amazon (AMZN) Stores will be affected. They’re not in heavy people expansion mode every year,” CEO Andy Jassy said in a memo to employees.

☆ Who is Shou Zi Chew? Mounting scrutiny on TikTok could put new spotlight on its CEO
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-20 | by ( Catherine Thorbecke | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Months later, when TikTok was grilled by Congress over privacy and security concerns, Pappas was the TikTok executive in the hot seat fielding questions. But Chew, who took over as TikTok CEO in April 2021, has largely stayed out of the spotlight at a time when the app he leads can’t seem to avoid it. He eventually went on to become the CFO of Chinese tech giant Xiaomi, which he helped take public in 2018. While Chew is not a Chinese national, Quint noted Chinese tech companies and leaders that have drawn too much attention to themselves have faced tough government crackdowns. Ultimately, Quint said, “I don’t think the CEO of TikTok has much relevance at all” for US lawmakers scrutinizing its ties to China.

☆ Inside Amazon, there's chatter, and jokes, about Jeff Bezos coming back as CEO in the midst of massive layoffs and a plummeting stock price
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-06 | by ( Eugene Kim | Claire Atkinson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Some Amazon employees are calling for Jeff Bezos to return as CEO. Some Amazon employees are calling for the return of founder Jeff Bezos as CEO in the midst of massive layoffs and a plunging stock price. "Apparently not even Andy is safe," one employee wrote, referring to Jassy who took over from Bezos as CEO in July 2021. "He should come…he is the best," another employee wrote, referring to Bezos. In the turkey-themed email, viewed by Insider, the CEO acknowledged challenges, thanked Amazon employees, and called for resilience and optimism.

☆ 12 media executives anonymously predict 2023's biggest deals, trends and changes
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-18 | by ( Alex Sherman | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Candle Media has acquired intellectual property assets including Reese Witherspoon's Hello Sunshine production company and Moonbug, which owns the animated kids series "CoComelon." Executive 3: Iger extends his contract There's been lots of speculation over who Iger will choose as his successor. History suggests he has a hard time leaving the role of Disney CEO. Christine M. McCarthy, Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer The Walt Disney Company. "I love Shari [Redstone], but ViacomCBS is not long for this world as it stands today," said a media executive last year.

☆ Meet Sam Bankman-Fried's family: His parents are Stanford law professors, his aunt is a dean at Columbia, and his brother is the founder of a nonprofit
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-14 | by ( Huileng Tan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Sam Bankman-Fried was raised in an academic family based in Silicon Valley. Sam Bankman-Fried cofounded FTX in 2019 and was its CEO. FTXFTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried was arrested in the Bahamas on Monday, in a spectacular fall from grace after his crypto exchange collapsed last month. In November, Reuters reported that a $16.4 million house in the Bahamas listed Bankman-Fried's parents, Joseph Bankman and Barbara Fried, as signatories. Here are some of the prominent members of Bankman-Fried's family.

☆ Disgraced FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried 'orchestrated yearslong fraud' on investors and customers, SEC and criminal charges say
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-13 | by ( Marlene Lenthang | Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +8 min

Sam Bankman-Fried, the former CEO of cryptocurrency giant FTX, defrauded investors by funneling money into his private hedge fund and conspired to commit wire fraud against customers and lenders, federal authorities said Tuesday. The Manhattan panel indicted Bankman-Fried on eight counts: conspiracy to commit wire fraud on customers, wire fraud on customers, conspiracy to commit wire fraud on lenders, wire fraud on lenders, conspiracy to commit commodities fraud, conspiracy to commit securities fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering and conspiracy to defraud the United States and violate the campaign finance laws. $8 billion loss to customersThe wire fraud on lenders and customers started in or about 2019 and lasted through November, according to the filing. Separately, in a filing Tuesday also in the Southern District of New York, the SEC charged him with defrauding investors and enriching Alameda. FTX CEO pledges continued cooperationAlso Tuesday, the company’s new CEO, John J. Ray III, testified at a congressional hearing on FTX’s collapse and missteps.

☆ FTX's Sam Bankman-Fried is 'one of the greatest fraudsters in history' and a 'master manipulator,' Binance CEO says
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-07 | by ( Morgan Chittum | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Binance's CEO says FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried is "one of the greatest fraudsters in history." "FTX killed themselves (and their users) because they stole billions of dollars of user funds," the CEO said. Bankman-Fried chalks up FTX's collapse to accounting errors and denied allegations of the misuse of customer funds. "SBF is one of the greatest fraudsters in history, he is also a master manipulator when it comes to media and key opinion leaders." Bankman-Fried chalks up FTX's collapse to accounting errors and maintains he never intentionally misused funds or defrauded anyone.

Three people close to FTX and Bankman-Fried told CNBC that the former CEO lobbied aggressively for a partnership with 11-time Grammy Award winner Taylor Swift. Bankman-Fried's commitment to getting the Swift deal done despite the deteriorating business environment fit a pattern of ignoring his lieutenants and going it alone, a half-dozen former company insiders and business partners said. The Financial Times reported earlier that FTX held talks with Swift about a potential sponsorship. Part of the Swift deal would have included the production by the singer of a collection of non-fungible tokens (NFTs), or digital items that can rise and fall in value. Beyond that, there was a lack of clarity over what Swift would be doing for the company, sources said.

☆ Sam Bankman-Fried Chucks the Crisis Communications Playbook
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-02 | by ( Nat Ives | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +5 min

The interviews could be a case study in what not to do in a crisis, some communications executives said. “He’s basically breaking every rule that somebody in the crisis communications field would advise,” said Andrew Gilman, president and chief executive at CommCore Consulting Group, a public relations and communications firm. Asked at the DealBook conference whether his lawyers thought it was wise for him to be speaking, Mr. Bankman-Fried said no. If Mr. Bankman-Fried is determined to say something now, Mr. Gilman said he would have advised putting a statement online and declining to take questions yet. But Mr. Sitrick said he couldn’t fully gauge the results of the mini-media tour because he didn’t know Mr. Bankman-Fried’s goals.

☆ FTX customers could get their money back in Japan, where the local unit is working on unfreezing withdrawals
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-02 | by ( Zahra Tayeb | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

FTX users could get their money back in Japan, where the local unit is working on unfreezing withdrawals. The now-bankrupt crypto exchange faces questions about use of the funds, with $2 billion reportedly missing. FTX Japan said Thursday a plan to restart withdrawals has been approved by its new trading management team, but with added safeguards. "Development work for this plan has already started, and our engineering teams are working to allow FTX Japan users to withdraw their fund," it said in an announcement online. FTX users have been trying to withdraw their funds from the crypto exchange ever since it filed for bankruptcy on November 11.

☆ The US Justice Department wants the fraud allegations against FTX to be investigated
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-02 | by ( Jennifer Sor | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

US Justice Department is pushing for an independent examiner to look into allegations of fraud against FTX. Authorities were already investigating FTX, and are now seeking a probe of alleged wrongdoing that led to its crash. But ex-CEO Sam Bankman-Fried has tried to deflect those accusations, stating he "didn't ever try to commit fraud on anyone." The Justice Department and US regulators were already probing Sam Bankman-Fried's crypto empire before FTX filed for bankruptcy November 11. But Bankman-Fried has tried to deflect allegations of fraud, saying he wasn't aware of what was going on at his companies.

☆ Sam Bankman-Fried ‘Wasn’t Even Trying’ to Manage Risk at FTX, He Says
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-01 | by ( Richard Vanderford | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +5 min

“I wasn’t even trying, like, I wasn’t spending any time or effort trying to manage risk on FTX,” Mr. Bankman-Fried said in an interview with George Stephanopoulos of ABC News that was broadcast Thursday on “Good Morning America.”“I don’t know what to say,” he said. A lawyer for Mr. Bankman-Fried didn’t respond to a request for comment. Risk issues weren’t seen as a “core business driver” at FTX, Mr. Bankman-Fried said in Thursday’s interview, adding that he did a “pretty incomplete job” at oversight. Mr. Stephanopoulos questioned Mr. Bankman-Fried about speculation that he might ultimately spend time in prison in connection with the problems at FTX and Alameda. Mr. Bankman-Fried said that a lot of things worry him right now, but that he would let regulatory and legal processes play out.

☆ Sam Bankman-Fried just explained what happened at FTX: Everything to know
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-01 | by ( Phil Rosen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

While the world's most powerful finance official took the lunchtime billing, it was Sam Bankman-Fried who held the primetime slot. Sam Bankman-Fried, FTX CEO, at a digital assets hearing in 2021. Within minutes of starting, Sorkin asked Bankman-Fried directly if there was a commingling of funds between the two now-bankrupt companies he founded, FTX and Alameda Research. When Sorkin asked whether Bankman-Fried feels he has any criminal liability, Bankman-Fried said that's not what he's focused on right now. Earnings on deck: Toronto-Dominion Bank, Bank of Montreal, and Dollar General Corporation, all reporting.

☆ Sam Bankman-Fried didn't mention Alameda ex-CEO Caroline Ellison in his first video interview since FTX collapse
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-01 | by ( Aaron Mok | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Sam Bankman-Fried didn't mention Caroline Ellison by name during an interview with The New York Times. Ellison was formerly CEO of Bankman-Fried's hedge fund, Alameda Research. The former FTX CEO denied allegations that he knowingly committed fraud with Alameda Research. "I didn't knowingly conmingle funds," Bankman-Fried said during the interview. During an interview with New York Magazine, Bankman-Fried said he didn't know what was happening at Alameda over the last year.

☆ Sam Bankman-Fried says he doesn't know who took $515 million from FTX's accounts after its bankruptcy filing
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-01 | by ( Pete Syme | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Sam Bankman-Fried says he doesn't know who accessed FTX's systems without permission during its collapse. He admitted there was "unauthorized access," but said he had no idea who was behind it. John J. Ray III, the CEO appointed to oversee the company's bankruptcy, then confirmed that "unauthorized access to certain assets has occurred." But now, two weeks after the "suspicious" transfer of $515 million was first reported, Bankman-Fried says he doesn't know who was behind it. At the DealBook Summit, Bankman-Fried also said he doesn't think he's criminally liable for FTX's implosion, and his lawyers didn't want him to talk publicly.

☆ Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen says FTX crash marked the Lehman moment for crypto as substantial harm hit investors
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-01 | by ( Phil Rosen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen likened the collapse of FTX to that of Lehman Brothers in 2008. Substantial harm fell upon investors, especially those who weren't well informed about the risks, she said at the DealBook Summit. Still, Yellen maintained that while FTX's crash has been dramatic, it hasn't spilled over into the traditional banking sector. Two weeks ago, Yellen said that the collapse of FTX strengthened her view that the cryptocurrency market requires "very careful regulation." "I have been skeptical, and I remain quite skeptical," she said Wednesday.

☆ Sam Bankman-Fried took plenty of blame for FTX's downfall, but denied fraudulent behavior
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-01 | by ( Dan Defrancesco | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

And while I've got you here, it's time to start thinking about gifts with the holidays season in full swing. Do you know what's an informative, funny gift that has a long shelf life and, most important of all, is free? FTX Cryptocurrency exchange CEO Sam Bankman-Fried at a hearing on Capitol Hill on May 12, 2022. But the main attraction at The New York Times DealBook Summit on Wednesday was Sam Bankman-Fried. And frankly conflict of interest risk," SBF said.

☆ Sam Bankman-Fried apologized to an FTX customer who said he lost his life savings of $2 million, and accused the former CEO of stealing it
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-01 | by ( Pete Syme | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

An FTX user wrote to the host interviewing Sam Bankman-Fried at a New York Times summit. He said he lost $2 million and accused SBF of stealing it. Andrew Ross Sorkin – the journalist hosting the summit – shared the email "from a gentleman who said he lost his life savings." It had the subject line: "Sam Bankman-Fried stole $2 million from me." The user wrote: "Andrew, can you please ask SBF why he decided to steal my life savings and the $10 billion more from customers to give to his hedge fund, Alameda?"

☆ Sam Bankman-Fried urges crypto investors to put their money in exchanges that don't do business like FTX
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-01 | by ( George Glover | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Sam Bankman-Fried said that crypto investors should look for "all the things I wish FTX had been able to supply" when depositing their funds. He called on exchanges to provide proof of reserves and regulatory reporting of assets and liabilities. Sign up for our newsletter to get the inside scoop on what traders are talking about — delivered daily to your inbox. "If I were a customer here, which is look for the things that I wish FTX had been able to supply." Read more: Sam Bankman-Fried said he doesn't think he's criminally liable for FTX's implosion, but that his lawyers don't want him speaking publicly

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