DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

Madonna sang the praises of nonfungible tokens, or NFTs, depicting cartoon portraits of bored apes. Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady appeared in commercials endorsing crypto exchange FTX, which collapsed suddenly in November. And Kim Kardashian gushed about EMAX tokens on Instagram. Now they and other celebrities are facing civil lawsuits from investors who suffered losses on virtual assets, as well as scrutiny by regulators for allegedly duping the investing public. The legal actions, which have prompted some agents to caution their clients against financial endorsements, could clarify the ground rules for crypto promotions, as well as the hurdles investors must clear to hold promoters liable when investments go south.

☆ Tyre Nichols Footage Could Be Key to Prosecution, but Video Evidence Presents Challenges in Court
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-30 | by ( Corinne Ramey | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

The body-camera footage capturing the police encounter that led to the death of Tyre Nichols is likely to be central in any future murder trial of the officers involved, but lawyers cautioned that even vivid videos can present challenges for prosecutors in court. The footage, released by the city of Memphis, Tenn., on Friday evening, depicts what took place after 29-year-old Mr. Nichols, who is Black, was stopped by police earlier this month. The videos showed several Memphis police officers kicking and striking Mr. Nichols repeatedly, including while he appears defenseless.

☆ Tyre Nichols Footage Could Be Key to Prosecution, but Video Evidence Presents Challenges in Police Cases
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-29 | by ( Corinne Ramey | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

A screen grab of body-cam footage released last week of the encounter with Memphis police that led to the death of Tyre Nichols. The body-camera footage capturing the police encounter that led to the death of Tyre Nichols is likely to be central in any future murder trial of the officers involved, but lawyers cautioned that even vivid videos can present challenges for prosecutors in court. The footage, released by the city of Memphis, Tenn., on Friday evening, depicts what took place after 29-year-old Mr. Nichols, who is Black, was stopped by police earlier this month. The videos showed several Memphis police officers kicking and striking Mr. Nichols repeatedly, including while he appears defenseless.

☆ Sue Thy Neighbor: Homeowner Spats Over Fences, Trees and Additions Get Nastier
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-22 | by ( Corinne Ramey | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Daniel Belzil , an attorney who represents plaintiffs in insurance disputes, has been in plenty of legal battles. None prepared him for the acrimony that ensued when his neighbor erected a chain-link fence across what he viewed as a legally shared unpaved driveway. “This was a bare-knuckle boxing match,” he said.

☆ Federal Judge Dismisses Charges Against NYPD Officer Accused of Acting as Chinese Agent
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-19 | by ( Corinne Ramey | James Fanelli | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

NYPD officer Baimadajie Angwang held a news briefing outside Brooklyn’s Federal court after a judge dismissed the spy charges against him on Thursday. A federal judge on Thursday dismissed an indictment against a New York Police Department officer accused of spying for the Chinese government, after prosecutors made an uncommon request to drop the 2020 charges against him. Federal prosecutors in Brooklyn sought the dismissal last week in the case of Baimadajie Angwang, who faced charges including acting as an illegal agent of a foreign country, wire fraud and making false statements on a security clearance application as an Army reservist.

☆ Trump Organization Ordered to Pay $1.6 Million in Criminal Fines for Tax Fraud
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-13 | by ( Corinne Ramey | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Donald Trump’s family business was sentenced to pay $1.6 million in criminal fines following its tax-fraud conviction for using an off-the-books compensation scheme to pay some employees in perks, such as cars, rent-free apartments and cash. A New York jury in December found two Trump Organization entities guilty of a total of 17 criminal counts, including tax fraud, conspiracy and falsifying business records. State Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan, who presided over the trial, imposed the penalty at a hearing Friday.

☆ Trump Organization to Be Sentenced Friday in Tax-Fraud Case
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-13 | by ( Corinne Ramey | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Donald Trump‘s family business is set to be sentenced Friday following its criminal tax-fraud conviction for using an off-the-books compensation scheme to pay some employees in perks, such as cars, rent-free apartments and cash. A New York jury in December found two Trump Organization entities guilty of a total of 17 criminal counts, including tax fraud, conspiracy and falsifying business records. The two defendants face potential criminal fines in Friday’s sentencing that could total up to about $1.6 million. State Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan , who presided over the trial, will determine the penalty.

☆ Former Trump Organization CFO Allen Weisselberg Sentenced to 5 Months for Tax Crimes
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-10 | by ( Corinne Ramey | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Former Trump Organization finance chief Allen Weisselberg was sentenced Tuesday to five months in jail for tax crimes he committed at the company, after serving as the star witness in a tax-fraud trial that resulted in the conviction of his longtime employer. Mr. Weisselberg, 75 years old, pleaded guilty in August to 15 felonies for participating in a scheme to compensate certain Trump Organization employees, including himself, with off-the-books benefits to evade taxes. Mr. Weisselberg also admitted that from 2005 through 2021, he failed to report $1.76 million in benefits to tax authorities. This unreported compensation came in the form of a rent-free Manhattan apartment, multiple leased Mercedes-Benz cars, home furnishings and private-school tuition for his grandchildren, Manhattan prosecutors said.

☆ Former Trump Organization CFO Allen Weisselberg to Be Sentenced for Tax Crimes
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-10 | by ( Corinne Ramey | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +1 min

Allen Weisselberg is expected to receive a sentence of five months at New York City’s Rikers Island jail complex, followed by five years’ probation. Former Trump Organization finance chief Allen Weisselberg is set to be sentenced Tuesday for tax crimes he committed at the company, after serving as the star witness in a tax-fraud trial that resulted in the conviction of his longtime employer. Mr. Weisselberg, 75 years old, pleaded guilty in August to 15 felonies for participating in a scheme to compensate certain Trump Organization employees, including himself, with off-the-books benefits to evade taxes. Mr. Weisselberg also admitted that from 2005 through 2021, he failed to report $1.76 million in benefits to tax authorities. This unreported compensation came in the form of a rent-free Manhattan apartment, multiple leased Mercedes-Benz cars, home furnishings and private-school tuition for his grandchildren, Manhattan prosecutors said.

☆ Sam Bankman-Fried’s Lawyers Are Veterans of Ghislaine Maxwell and ‘El Chapo’ Cases
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-09 | by ( James Fanelli | Corinne Ramey | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

A pair of attorneys defending FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried against one of the biggest white-collar prosecutions in decades are veterans of high-profile cases, including ones involving drug lord “El Chapo” and disgraced socialite Ghislaine Maxwell. Mark Cohen and Christian Everdell , former federal prosecutors who are now partners in the New York-based boutique firm Cohen & Gresser, are known for an unflashy, roll-up-their-sleeves style to cases, with a meticulous and persistent approach to building a defense, lawyers who know the men say. The pair are up against hard-charging Justice Department lawyers who moved quickly to indict Mr. Bankman-Fried after FTX’s collapse and secured two of his former top lieutenants as cooperating witnesses.

☆ Sam Bankman-Fried’s Defense Team Led by Battle-Tested Lawyers
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-09 | by ( James Fanelli | Corinne Ramey | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

A pair of attorneys defending FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried against one of the biggest white-collar prosecutions in decades are veterans of high-profile cases, including ones involving drug lord El Chapo and disgraced socialite Ghislaine Maxwell. Mark Cohen and Christian Everdell , former federal prosecutors who are now partners in the New York-based boutique firm Cohen & Gresser, are known for an unflashy, roll-up-their-sleeves style to cases, with a meticulous and persistent approach to building a defense, lawyers who know the men say. The pair are up against hard-charging Justice Department lawyers who moved quickly to indict Mr. Bankman-Fried after FTX’s collapse and secured two of his former top lieutenants as cooperating witnesses.

☆ Celsius Co-Founder Sued by New York Attorney General
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-05 | by ( Corinne Ramey | James Fanelli | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

New York Attorney General Letitia James filed a civil lawsuit Thursday against Alex Mashinsky, alleging the co-founder of bankrupt crypto lender Celsius Network LLC defrauded investors out of billions of dollars of digital currency. The lawsuit alleges that the former chief executive made false statements to investors about the soundness of Celsius’s financial condition then concealed its dire situation when the lender lost hundreds of millions of dollars in risky investments. Mr. Mashinsky falsely claimed that Celsius was safer than a bank and only lent assets to credible entities, the lawsuit said.

☆ Times Square Attack Suspect Said He Wanted to Kill Police
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-04 | by ( Corinne Ramey | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

The man charged with attacking police near Times Square on New Year’s Eve told a detective after being arrested that he wanted to kill an officer in uniform, according to a complaint made public Wednesday. Trevor Bickford, 19 years old, told the detective that he saw the officer and waited until he was alone. “I said Allahu Akbar,” Mr. Bickford said, adding that he used a kukri, or type of short sword, to hit the officer over the head, according to the complaint. “I charged another officer but dropped the knife and I tried to get the police officer’s gun but I couldn’t.”

☆ Sam Bankman-Fried Pleads Not Guilty as Trial Is Set for October
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-04 | by ( Corinne Ramey | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried pleaded not guilty to fraud and other criminal charges Tuesday, as a judge set his trial to begin Oct. 2. Mr. Bankman-Fried, 30 years old, entered his not-guilty plea to all eight criminal counts he faces before U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan in federal court in Manhattan. It was his second appearance in a U.S. court after the collapse of his cryptocurrency exchange.

☆ Sam Bankman-Fried Pleads Not Guilty to Fraud and Other Offenses
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-03 | by ( Corinne Ramey | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried pleaded not guilty to fraud and other criminal charges Tuesday, as a judge set his trial to begin Oct. 2. Mr. Bankman-Fried, 30 years old, entered his not guilty plea to all eight criminal counts he faces before U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan in federal court in Manhattan. It was his second appearance in a U.S. court following the collapse of his cryptocurrency exchange.

☆ Caroline Ellison Apologized for Misconduct in FTX Collapse
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-23 | by ( Corinne Ramey | James Fanelli | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Caroline Ellison, a close associate of FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried , apologized in court this week as she pleaded guilty to fraud and other offenses, telling a judge that she and others conspired to steal billions of dollars from customers of the doomed crypto exchange while misleading investors and lenders. “I am truly sorry for what I did,” Ms. Ellison, the former chief executive of Mr. Bankman-Fried’s crypto-trading firm, Alameda Research, said in a New York federal court, according to a transcript of the hearing made available Friday. “I knew that it was wrong.”

☆ Caroline Ellison Apologizes for Misconduct in FTX Collapse
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-23 | by ( Corinne Ramey | James Fanelli | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Caroline Ellison , a close associate of FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried , apologized in court this week as she pleaded guilty to fraud and other offenses, telling a judge that she and others conspired to steal billions of dollars from customers of the doomed crypto exchange while misleading investors and lenders. “I am truly sorry for what I did,” Ms. Ellison, the former chief executive of Mr. Bankman-Fried’s crypto-trading firm, Alameda Research, said in a New York federal court, according to a transcript of the hearing made available Friday. “I knew that it was wrong.”

☆ Sam Bankman-Fried Released on $250 Million Bond
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-22 | by ( Corinne Ramey | James Fanelli | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried was released on a $250 million bond Thursday and ordered to detention in his parents’ Palo Alto, Calif., home, after the former executive’s first appearance in a New York federal court following his extradition from the Bahamas. Mr. Bankman-Fried, charged with engaging in criminal conduct that contributed to the cryptocurrency exchange’s collapse, came to court shackled by the ankles and wearing a charcoal gray suit. He sat quietly at the defense table, flanked by his lawyers.

☆ Sam Bankman-Fried to Make First Appearance in U.S. Court
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-22 | by ( Corinne Ramey | James Fanelli | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Sam Bankman-Fried, the founder of cryptocurrency exchange FTX, is escorted out of the Magistrate Court building Wednesday in Nassau, Bahamas. FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried is expected to make his first appearance in a New York federal court Thursday, after his extradition from the Bahamas. The hearing is tentatively scheduled for 1 p.m., court officials said.

☆ Sam Bankman-Fried Expected Back in Bahamas Court
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-21 | by ( James Fanelli | Corinne Ramey | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

NASSAU, Bahamas—Jailed FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried is expected to return to court here Wednesday to seek his transfer into U.S. custody, paving the way for him to fly to New York to face criminal charges connected to the collapse of the crypto exchange. Mr. Bankman-Fried has agreed not to contest his extradition, according to a person familiar with the matter, but must formally inform the court and get a magistrate judge’s approval. Mr. Bankman-Fried has signed paperwork that triggered such a hearing, the person said. A court administrator said the hearing is scheduled for 11 a.m.

☆ Sam Bankman-Fried’s Extradition Approved by Judge
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-21 | by ( James Fanelli | Corinne Ramey | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

NASSAU, Bahamas—FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried will soon be in U.S. custody to face criminal charges connected to the collapse of the crypto exchange, after a judge here approved his transfer from a local jail where he has been held. In court Wednesday, Mr. Bankman-Fried’s lawyer read an affidavit in which the former executive waived his right to extradition proceedings and said he had “a desire to make the relevant customers whole.”

☆ Caroline Ellison, Associate of FTX Founder Sam Bankman-Fried, Pleads Guilty to Criminal Charges
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-21 | by ( Corinne Ramey | Dave Michaels | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

A plane carrying FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried leaves the Bahamas as he is being extradited to the U.S.Two associates of FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried have pleaded guilty for their roles in fraud that contributed to the cryptocurrency exchange’s collapse and are cooperating with federal investigators. Caroline Ellison , the former chief executive of Alameda Research, a trading firm tied to FTX, and Gary Wang , FTX’s former chief technology officer, both pleaded guilty to criminal offenses similar to those Mr. Bankman-Fried was charged with last week.

☆ Sam Bankman-Fried Transferred to U.S. Custody
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-21 | by ( James Fanelli | Corinne Ramey | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

NASSAU, Bahamas—FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried was transferred to U.S. custody Wednesday to face criminal charges connected to the collapse of the crypto exchange, after a judge here approved his extradition. He was being flown to New York, accompanied by federal law-enforcement officials, according to a person familiar with the matter, and could make an initial appearance in federal district court as soon as Thursday. When he is arraigned, he will be asked to enter a plea.

☆ Sam Bankman-Fried’s Lawyers Hash Out His Transfer to U.S. After Confusion in Court
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-19 | by ( James Fanelli | Corinne Ramey | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

NASSAU, Bahamas—FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried inched closer to being transferred into U.S. custody to face criminal charges related to the cryptocurrency exchange’s collapse, after a chaotic court hearing here Monday in which his local lawyer appeared at odds with his U.S. legal team. Mr. Bankman-Fried has agreed to be extradited, according to a person familiar with the matter, and plans were being fleshed out by his legal team after the day’s court proceedings. Mr. Bankman-Fried’s lawyers hope to have a new hearing on the matter as early as Tuesday, the person said.

☆ Prosecution of Sam Bankman-Fried Could Rise or Fall on Intent
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-15 | by ( James Fanelli | Corinne Ramey | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried stuck to a common refrain ahead of his indictment on fraud and conspiracy charges, saying that while bad decisions and lack of oversight led to the collapse of the crypto exchange, he didn’t commit or know of any wrongdoing. If his case goes to trial, his lawyers are likely to make the same argument to the jury. Prosecutors will need to rebut that narrative to win a conviction, proving that Mr. Bankman-Fried knowingly and willfully broke the law, former federal prosecutors and defense attorneys say.

Search resuls for: "Ramey"

25 mentions found