Article: The Securities And Exchange Commission May Look Into Possible Market Manipulation Made By Reddit Day Traders Instead Of The Short-Selling Hedge Funds

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The Securities And Exchange Commission May Look Into Possible Market Manipulation Made By Reddit Day Traders Instead Of The Short-Selling Hedge Funds

Jack Kelly,  29 January 2021

It’s telling that regulators aren’t asking why high-end hedge funds were allowed to target vulnerable corporations, such as GameStop, in an alleged short-selling scheme to drive their victims into bankruptcy. As the stock price of their prey goes to nearly zero, the hedge fund honchos could earn multimillions—or billions of dollars–in profits off of the companies closing their doors and laying off thousands of employees into the worst job market in modern history.

Instead, according to the Wall Street Journal, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is looking into the young, goofy, fun-loving, scrappy and foul-mouthed novice investors on the r/wallstreetbets subreddit of Reddit. There is the feel of an institutional knee-jerk reaction to accept activities from established Wall Street professionals (no matter how odious it seems), while shining a harsh light on new—mostly naive—entrants into the financial community. Continue reading “Article: The Securities And Exchange Commission May Look Into Possible Market Manipulation Made By Reddit Day Traders Instead Of The Short-Selling Hedge Funds”

Article: Why did Interactive Brokers restrict trading in GameStop and other companies?

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Why did Interactive Brokers restrict trading in GameStop and other companies?

George Sweeney, 29 January 2021

What is happening to GameStop shares?
GameStop shares have been hitting the news quite a lot recently. At first, it was simply due to their astronomical rise in value. Then people started looking into why the price was rising so much. After all, GameStop is a video game retailer that has been hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic and downloadable games.

Because of all the bad luck surrounding the company, they were one of the most shorted companies in the market. Short selling is when traders buy a company’s shares and then sell them, believing that their price will go down before they buy them back for a profit.

Why are there restrictions?

The reasons for the restrictions vary. Interactive Brokers have said their restrictions were created in order to protect the market and make sure there was enough liquidity.

Another concern they have is that they’ll be left to pick up the bill if their customers end up with big losses. That is why they’re increasing the minimum requirements people must meet in order to borrow money to trade.

If these shares all spiral down at the same time, their fear is that many traders won’t be able to pay back the money they’re borrowing for trading.

Other platforms have said they are using restrictions to:

Stop their service becoming overloaded. Provide some breathing room to maintain everything and look after other customers. Prevent investors losing lots of money during unusual volatility. Make sure they meet any regulatory requirements in their country.

However, some argue that limiting people’s ability to trade shares like GameStop freely is effectively market manipulation because: Many traders accept the volatility risk. Brokers are potentially limiting trading because of their own liquidity issues. Investors are not being allowed full control over their investments

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Article: Billionaire Mets’ owner Steve Cohen and poster boy trader Dave Portnoy in fiery GameStop fight

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Billionaire Mets’ owner Steve Cohen and poster boy trader Dave Portnoy in fiery GameStop fight

Sarah Sharples, 29 January 2021

An online stoush has erupted between the billionaire owner of baseball team The Mets and a day-trading poster boy surrounding the GameStop stock controversy. The war of words started when day trader Dave Portnoy blasted Steve Cohen, the hedge fund billionaire and Mets owner, about restrictions on trading apps including Robinhood, which are used by amateur investors.

GameStop, a brick-and-mortar video retailer, has seen its stock skyrockets after Reddit renegades set out to prevent Wall Street “fat cats” from making huge profits from it. Continue reading “Article: Billionaire Mets’ owner Steve Cohen and poster boy trader Dave Portnoy in fiery GameStop fight”

Article: CLSK Stock: Berger Montague Investigates Alleged Securities Fraud Claims Against CleanSpark, Inc. (NASDAQ: CLSK); Lead Plaintiff Deadline is March 22, 2021

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CLSK Stock: Berger Montague Investigates Alleged Securities Fraud Claims Against CleanSpark, Inc. (NASDAQ: CLSK); Lead Plaintiff Deadline is March 22, 2021

PR Newswire, 28 January 2021

If you purchased CleanSpark securities during the Class Period, have questions concerning your rights or interests, or would like to discuss Berger Montague’s investigation, please contact attorneys Andrew Abramowitz at aabramowitz@bm.net or (215) 875-3015, or Donnell Much at dmuch@bm.net or (215) 875-4667, or contact us at www.bergermontague.com/cleanspark.

A recently filed lawsuit accuses the Company and members of its senior management of misleading investors about CleanSpark’s business and operations – specifically, that the Company overstated contracts and customer relationships, as well as its ability to provide advanced technology solutions to solve modern energy challenges.

According to the complaint, investors learned the true state of the Company’s health on January 14, 2021, when Culper Research published a report titled “Cleanspark: Back to the Trash Can.”
Continue reading “Article: CLSK Stock: Berger Montague Investigates Alleged Securities Fraud Claims Against CleanSpark, Inc. (NASDAQ: CLSK); Lead Plaintiff Deadline is March 22, 2021”

Article: Steve Cohen’s enormous GameStop losses are his own fault

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Steve Cohen’s enormous GameStop losses are his own fault

DENNIS YOUNG, 28 January 2021

For Mets fans hoping for a hard reset under new owner Steve Cohen, one of the richest men ever to buy an American sports team, this offseason has been depressingly familiar.

The team hasn’t splurged on any major free agents or extended any of its own young talent. They had to fire the GM for being outed as a serial sexual harasser just a month after he was hired. And, most alarmingly for the Mets’ competitive fortunes, Cohen has quickly lost a ton of money on an ill-advised investment. Point72, the $19 billion hedge fund owned and operated by Steve Cohen, is down 15% this year, according to the New York Times. Continue reading “Article: Steve Cohen’s enormous GameStop losses are his own fault”

Article: Short Squeeze Costs Tesla Shorts $40 Billion in 2020

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Short Squeeze Costs Tesla Shorts $40 Billion in 2020

Danny Vena, 21 January 2021

Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) was one of the undisputed winners of 2020, with the stock gaining 743% over the course of the year. There were a number of factors that contributed to the electric car maker’s surging stock price, including five successive quarters of profits, induction into the S&P 500 Index, and a well-received stock split.

However, short sellers that bet against the stock lost a massive $40 billion in 2020, making it the single most unprofitable short of the year. Short sellers lost a combined $245 billion last year, with Tesla costing shorts more than the next nine stocks combined. Continue reading “Article: Short Squeeze Costs Tesla Shorts $40 Billion in 2020”

Article: What’s The Endgame For GameStop?

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What’s The Endgame For GameStop?

Taylor Tepper,  27 January 2021

There’s something very weird happening in shares of GameStop (GME).

A market frenzy has pushed the shares of the Grapevine, Texas-based video game retailer up more than 3,000% in just a few months—far, far outsripping the market as a whole. A once-dormant brick-and-mortar retailer with sagging sales, GameStop was worth $300 million in August 2019. Today it has a market cap of almost $20 billion.

Nobody knows what it’ll be worth tomorrow.

GameStop has not invented an addictive new gaming platform. GameStop has not rolled out an awe-inspiring online gaming delivery service. GameStop is a store at the mall. That doesn’t bode well for revenue, given that state governments have imposed rolling lockdowns and stay-at-home orders to limit the spread of Covid-19. And yet here we are. Continue reading “Article: What’s The Endgame For GameStop?”

Article: DoorDash scam found to be fraudulently charging people who didn’t even have the app

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DoorDash scam found to be fraudulently charging people who didn’t even have the app

Becky Robertson, 27 January 2021

An exposé from the CBC found multiple citizens across six provinces including Ontario had been charged, even those who live in remote areas where DoorDash isn’t even offered.

It also seems that many of the targets weren’t even existing DoorDash customers, making the methodology of how the fraudsters got their banking info all the more sketchy.

The origins of the scam and who is behind it have yet to come to light, but DoorDash has said that it is taking the situation very seriously and has worked with TD to resolve the issue through reimbursements.
Continue reading “Article: DoorDash scam found to be fraudulently charging people who didn’t even have the app”

Article: Something ‘Systemically Wrong’ With GameStop Options Trading, Says Massachusetts Securities Regulator

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Something ‘Systemically Wrong’ With GameStop Options Trading, Says Massachusetts Securities Regulator

Shivdeep Dhaliwal , 27 January 2021

There is something “systemically” wrong in the options trading of the stock of GameStop Corporation GME 0.1%, according to Massachusetts securities regulator, Barron’s reported Tuesday.

What Happened: The Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts William Galvin told Barron’s that he has kept an eye on the stock. “I’m concerned, because it suggests that there is something systemically wrong with the options trading on this stock.”

The publication is awaiting further clarification from Galvin on the specific nature of the problems in options trading. GameStop shares soared over 134% in regular and after-hours trading and have risen over 678% since 2021 began fueled by a Reddit forum. Continue reading “Article: Something ‘Systemically Wrong’ With GameStop Options Trading, Says Massachusetts Securities Regulator”

Article: ADVANZ PHARMA Corp. Limited Announces Agreement Of Terms To Be Acquired By Nordic Capital

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ADVANZ PHARMA Corp. Limited Announces Agreement Of Terms To Be Acquired By Nordic Capital

PRNewswire, 27 January 2021

ADVANZ PHARMA Corp. Limited (“ADVANZ PHARMA” or “the Company”), a specialty pharmaceutical company with a strategic focus on complex medicines in Europe, today announced that its board of directors has reached an agreement on the terms of a cash offer, to be made by a subsidiary (“Bidco”) of Nordic Capital, pursuant to which Nordic Capital will acquire the entire issued and to-be-issued limited voting share capital of ADVANZ PHARMA (the “Acquisition”).

“This offer highlights the value that our employees around the world have collectively contributed towards building ADVANZ PHARMA into the strong and diverse company it is today,” said Graeme Duncan, Chief Executive Officer of ADVANZ PHARMA. “In addition, this Acquisition will significantly help the business through both the capital support, and Nordic Capital’s deep sector expertise. I am very much looking forward to working with Nordic Capital to deliver our growth targets.”
Continue reading “Article: ADVANZ PHARMA Corp. Limited Announces Agreement Of Terms To Be Acquired By Nordic Capital”

Article: GameStop short-sellers lost $1.6 billion in a single day as Reddit traders rebelled against them

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GameStop short-sellers lost $1.6 billion in a single day as Reddit traders rebelled against them

Ben Winck, 25 January 2021

Investors betting against GameStop and the army of bullish retail traders have already lost billions in 2021. Mark-to-market losses for GameStop shorts on a year-to-date basis reached $3.3 billion when trading closed on Friday, according to data from the financial-analytics firm S3 Partners. Losses totaled nearly $1.6 billion on Friday alone as shares rocketed 51% higher into the close.

GameStop stock has continued to climb as Reddit users and day traders have extended the unusual momentum trade into its third week. The company’s shares initially leaped on January 11 after it agreed with an activist investor to add three new directors to its board. The day’s gains drew in swaths of retail traders, including members of the popular WallStreetBets subreddit. Continue reading “Article: GameStop short-sellers lost $1.6 billion in a single day as Reddit traders rebelled against them”

Article: Contract Violations, Fraudulent Activity Deactivations, Doordash, Grubhub and Uber Eats Cracking Down

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Contract Violations, Fraudulent Activity Deactivations, Doordash, Grubhub and Uber Eats Cracking Down

ronald.l.walter, 25 January 2021

What’s going on with all this activation talk lately? What’s up with all this cracking down on contractors lately by Grubhub, Doordash, Uber Eats and maybe others? And how can you avoid being deactivated?

Spend much time lately in Reddit or Facebook groups for drivers and you see people left and right who are being deactivated or threatened with deactivation.

Referral policy fraud. Extreme lateness. Fraudulent activity. What’s going on here? We’ll get into why this may be happening. Then we’ll talk about whether these companies are crossing the line. Then we’ll get into what we can do to avoid being deactivated. Finally, what do you do when you do get deactivated?
Continue reading “Article: Contract Violations, Fraudulent Activity Deactivations, Doordash, Grubhub and Uber Eats Cracking Down”

Article: Top official warns of ‘disturbing’ amount of Russian money laundering in UK

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Top official warns of ‘disturbing’ amount of Russian money laundering in UK

Stefan Boscia, 25 January 2021

One of the UK’s top officials in monitoring economic crime has today warned about the “disturbing” prevalence of Russian money laundering in London, claiming up to half of all money laundered from the country is done through the UK.

Graeme Biggar, director general of the National Economic Crime Centre, told MPs today that it was “too easy to set up companies here” and that Russian “laundromats” were exploiting the UK’s corporate structure to launder billions of pounds. Continue reading “Article: Top official warns of ‘disturbing’ amount of Russian money laundering in UK”

Article: Deutsche Bank Agrees to $130 Million Settlement Over Claims of Bribery, Market Manipulation

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Deutsche Bank Agrees to $130 Million Settlement Over Claims of Bribery, Market Manipulation

Dani Alexis Ryskamp, J.D., 22 January 2021

Deutsche Bank recently agreed to pay over $130 million in a settlement involving two separate claims—that Deutsche Bank paid bribes for overseas business and that it was involved in the manipulation of metal markets. The settlement’s terms also include a three-year deferred prosecution agreement. Continue reading “Article: Deutsche Bank Agrees to $130 Million Settlement Over Claims of Bribery, Market Manipulation”

Article: MultiPlan (MPLN) Investigation Alert: Did You Lose Money on Your Investment? Contact Johnson Fistel Regarding Investigation

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MultiPlan (MPLN) Investigation Alert: Did You Lose Money on Your Investment? Contact Johnson Fistel Regarding Investigation

PR Newswire, 21 January 2021

Johnson Fistel’s investigation seeks to determine whether the Company issued false or misleading statements or failed to disclose information relevant to investors.

Last November, Muddy Waters Research published a report entitled “MultiPlan: Private Equity Necrophilia Meets The Great 2020 Money Grab” The report described problem’s involving MultiPlan, including that “MPLN is in the process of losing its largest client, UnitedHealthcare (‘UHC’). UHC has formed a competitor to MPLN that offers significantly lower prices and fewer conflicts of interest.” Additionally, the Muddy Waters report claims that Multiplan is already in financial decline, “and its financial statements were engineered to obscure this existing deterioration.”
Continue reading “Article: MultiPlan (MPLN) Investigation Alert: Did You Lose Money on Your Investment? Contact Johnson Fistel Regarding Investigation”

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