Sam Bankman-Fried to argue for release from NY jail two weeks before trial
Reuters
23-09-19 10:12
Lawyers for Sam Bankman-Fried, the former cryptocurrency billionaire facing federal fraud charges, will argue in a US appeals court that he should be released from jail ahead of his trial. Bankman-Fried's lawyers and the Manhattan US Attorney's office will each have five minutes to present their arguments to a three-judge panel. Bankman-Fried's $250m bail was revoked in August after a judge found probable cause that he had tampered with witnesses. He is accused of looting billions of dollars in customer funds from his now-bankrupt company, FTX, to cover losses at Alameda Research, buy luxury real estate and fund US political campaigns.
The Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry has been asked to investigate whether children in care were victimised by paedophile rings. The inquiry is looking into the abuse of young offenders and vulnerable children in care in Scotland from 1930 to 2014. Abuse survivors have called for an investigation into the abuse by "organised predatory paedophiles" in the community. The inquiry is examining residential accommodation for young offenders, children awaiting trial, and those in need of care and protection. It has received allegations involving 39 establishments run by the prison service, local authorities, religious groups, and charities.
Sam Bankman-Fried’s parents sued by embattled crypto company FTX
The Independent
23-09-19 19:06
Crypto exchange FTX has filed a lawsuit against the parents of its founder, Sam Bankman-Fried, alleging that they were aware of or ignored red flags indicating fraudulent activity within the company. The bankrupt exchange claims that Bankman-Fried and his business partners orchestrated a vast fraudulent scheme, resulting in the misappropriation of millions of dollars of company funds. FTX collapsed in November amid concerns about its financial health, and Bankman-Fried has pleaded not guilty to charges of fraud and conspiracy. The lawsuit alleges that Bankman-Fried and his parents discussed transferring a $10m cash gift and a luxury property in the Bahamas worth $16.4m to them as the company collapsed. No criminal charges have been brought against Bankman or his parents.
FTX attorneys accuse Sam Bankman-Fried’s parents of unjustly enriching themselves with company funds
Associated Press
23-09-19 18:58
FTX Trading has filed a lawsuit accusing the parents of its founder Sam Bankman-Fried of exploiting their influence over their son to siphon millions of dollars from the company. The lawsuit alleges that Allan Joseph Bankman and Barbara Fried participated in the wrongdoing that led to the collapse of FTX and resulted in both criminal and civil investigations. Bankman-Fried has pleaded not guilty to charges that he cheated investors and looted customer deposits to make lavish real estate purchases, campaign contributions to politicians, and risky trades at Alameda Research, his cryptocurrency hedge fund trading firm.
US Supreme Court asked to scrap pro baseball’s ‘sweeping immunity’ from antitrust law
Reuters
23-09-19 18:44
Minor league baseball teams Tri-City ValleyCats and Norwich Sea Unicorns have asked the U.S. Supreme Court to strike down a Major League Baseball (MLB) rule that they say has shielded the MLB from U.S. antitrust liability for over a century. The teams argue that the MLB's restructuring in 2020, which restricted how many minor league teams can be affiliated with professional clubs, should not be immune from antitrust liability. The case will give the Supreme Court an opportunity to weigh in on MLB's antitrust exemption, which was established in a 1922 ruling. The excluded minor league teams claim that the restructuring cost them substantial value or caused them to collapse. The MLB has called the antitrust claims "patently frivolous."
Court arguments begin over injunction for Saskatchewan’s school pronoun policy
The Globe and Mail
23-09-19 18:31
An injunction application hearing has begun in Saskatchewan over the province’s policy that affects children who want to use different pronouns at school. The policy requires students under 16 to receive parental consent if they want to go by a different name or pronoun. Lawyers for UR Pride, an organization representing LGBTQ people in Regina, are arguing for the injunction, stating that the policy is discriminatory and puts students at risk if they are not accepted at home. Saskatchewan child advocate Lisa Broda has also stated that the policy violates rights to gender identity and expression. Premier Scott Moe has said he stands by the policy and that the province will do everything in its power to protect parental rights.
DoorDash, Grubhub, Uber Eats can sue NYC over commission caps
Reuters
23-09-19 18:25
Several food delivery services, including DoorDash, Grubhub, and Uber Eats, have been given permission to sue New York City over a law that caps the fees they can charge restaurants for delivering meals. The law, which was made permanent in 2021, limits the commissions that delivery services can charge restaurants to 15% for food orders and 5% for advertising and other services. The delivery services argue that the law violates the US and New York state constitutions and deprives them of the ability to collect higher commissions under their contracts with restaurants. The case will proceed in court.
Garland to testify before Congress, with his record in the spotlight
Washington Post
23-09-19 23:01
U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland's hands-off approach to some of the Department of Justice's (DOJ) most high-profile investigations has drawn both praise and criticism. Garland's commitment to running a law enforcement agency insulated from political interference has been tested as the DOJ investigates former President Donald Trump, current President Joe Biden, and Biden's son, Hunter Biden. Garland has appointed special counsels to investigate both Trump and Biden, which has led to charges being brought against both, but he has faced criticism from both sides of the political spectrum. Republicans accuse Garland of going too easy on Biden's son, while liberals have accused him of treating Hunter Biden too harshly. Garland has also faced criticism for not being aggressive enough in pursuing Trump and for the pace of the investigation. Garland's defenders argue that he is the right person to navigate the complexities of the current political climate, while his critics argue that his hands-off approach has left the DOJ unprepared to defend itself from attacks from both the right and the left.
After unintended 12-year pause, South Carolina secures drug to resume lethal injections
The Toronto Star
23-09-19 22:23
South Carolina has obtained a drug needed to carry out lethal injections and is ready to perform the state’s first execution in over 12 years, officials announced Tuesday. South Carolina used to be one of most prolific states in the nation when it came to putting inmates to death. But it has had an unintended moratorium on the death penalty ever since its lethal injection drugs passed their expiration date and pharmacies refused to sell the state more because they could be publicly identified.
FTX accuses Bankman-Fried’s parents of siphoning millions
Al Jazeera
23-09-19 22:14
Lawyers for FTX Trading have filed a lawsuit against the parents of FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried, alleging that they exploited their influence over their son to siphon millions of dollars from the company. The lawsuit claims that Allan Joseph Bankman and Barbara Fried used FTX funds to buy a luxury home in the Bahamas, funnelled money to their "pet causes" and Stanford University, and participated in wrongdoing that led to the collapse of FTX. Bankman-Fried is currently facing charges of cheating investors, looting customer deposits, and making lavish purchases with the funds.
Business Highlights: The UAW prepares to expand its strike, Sam Bankman-Fried’s parents are sued
Associated Press
23-09-19 21:18
The United Auto Workers (UAW) union has threatened to expand its strike against Detroit's Big Three automakers if there is no progress in contract negotiations. UAW President Shawn Fain stated that workers at more factories will join the strike on Friday unless there is "serious progress" towards agreements. The UAW strike, which is currently limited to three plants, has been ongoing for five days. In other news, lawyers for collapsed cryptocurrency exchange FTX Trading have accused the parents of the company's founder, Sam Bankman-Fried, of unjustly enriching themselves with company funds. The lawsuit alleges that Allan Joseph Bankman and Barbara Fried siphoned millions of dollars from the company for personal use. Instacart's shares rose 12.3% in their stock market debut on the Nasdaq. The grocery delivery company, which provides services for more than 80,000 stores, has 7.7 million active customers. The stock market slipped as investors awaited the Federal Reserve's decision on interest rates. Treasury yields climbed, pushing mortgage rates higher, and weaker-than-expected homebuilding activity was reported. Foreign companies operating in China have expressed concerns over tensions with Washington and uncertainty over Chinese policies, according to surveys by the American Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai and the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China. Ukraine has filed a complaint against Hungary, Poland, and Slovakia at the World Trade Organization after they banned grain and other food products from the country.
Qantas chief ordered to face mediation over sacked workers
The Sydney Morning Herald
23-09-20 01:43
Qantas CEO Vanessa Hudson and the head of the Transport Workers’ Union, Michael Kaine, have been ordered by a judge to negotiate a deal in person over compensation for the airline's 1,700 sacked workers. Qantas last week lost its final appeal against a Federal Court judge's finding that it had illegally outsourced ground crew jobs during the pandemic. Lawyers for Qantas and the TWU were back before the judge on Wednesday morning, preparing to negotiate compensation for the former staff. The judge has asked for the CEO and TWU leader to participate in the mediation sessions.
ICC war crimes tribunal hobbled by hacking incident -sources
Reuters
23-09-21 12:53
The International Criminal Court (ICC) is operating with limited digital systems after a recent hacking incident. Lawyers and sources close to the court have said that most of its systems that can access the internet have been disconnected, employees cannot access email, and off-site employees cannot access documents. The ICC first disclosed the cyber attack on Tuesday and has not provided further details. The court’s livestream was unavailable during a trial hearing on Thursday, and there was no sound in the galleries for the public and journalists. The ICC, established in 2002, is tasked with trying war crimes and crimes against humanity.
The Department for Infrastructure in Northern Ireland is facing legal action from Friends of the Earth NI and the Public Interest Litigation Support Project (PILS) over allegations that it has failed to fully test the emissions of diesel cars. The groups claim that hundreds of thousands of diesel cars have not received legally compliant exhaust emissions tests at MoT centres. The government is legally required to conduct emissions tests on diesel cars. The case is due to be heard in the High Court. The groups argue that the department has not carried out the legally required tests on any diesel cars in Northern Ireland and has therefore breached its duties under vehicle testing law, as well as its duties to public health and biodiversity.
Aide says Bolsonaro floated Brazil coup with military officers after election -reports
Reuters
23-09-21 13:30
According to reports from O Globo and UOL, a close aide to former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has told police that Bolsonaro and senior military officers met last year to discuss a military intervention to overturn the result of the election after he lost. The former aide, Mauro Cid, agreed to cooperate with Federal Police in their investigation into Bolsonaro for possible crimes including embezzlement and inciting the January riots in Brasilia. Cid allegedly told police that Bolsonaro had spoken with armed forces commanders about a draft decree to overturn the election. Bolsonaro's lawyers and the Federal Police declined to comment on the reports. Bolsonaro has already been banned from seeking office until 2030 by Brazil's federal electoral court.
COVID-19 lawsuit too broad, paints all Quebec care homes with same brush: lawyer
The Toronto Star
23-09-21 20:14
A proposed class-action lawsuit against long-term care homes in Quebec that experienced COVID-19 outbreaks is too broad and does not distinguish between the most affected facilities and those that had few infections, a lawyer for Quebec's health authorities argued. The lawyer argued that each long-term care center experienced a unique situation and that there was no systemic character to the outbreaks. The lawsuit seeks to hold the provincial government accountable for its failure to plan for the arrival of the coronavirus. Over 5,000 people died in Quebec's long-term care centers during the first two waves of the pandemic.
UK law firm is latest to partner with legal AI startup Harvey
Reuters
23-09-21 18:15
London law firm Macfarlanes has partnered with legal AI startup Harvey to provide its attorneys with an AI tool. Up to 650 Macfarlanes lawyers will have access to Harvey's technology, which will be used for tasks such as research, document analysis and summarisation, and creating initial drafts of emails and memos. The tool will be used in client work, with human lawyers reviewing the work produced. Macfarlanes is the second law firm to announce a deal with Harvey this year, following Allen & Overy in February. Accounting giant PwC also said it would provide access to Harvey's platform for 4,000 legal professionals in March.
9 deputies charged in death of man beaten in Memphis jail, including 2 for second-degree murder
Associated Press
23-09-21 17:47
Two Memphis jail deputies have been indicted on second-degree murder charges after the death of a Black man resulted from a psychotic episode last fall. Gershun Freeman died in custody after jailers assaulted him following a confrontation. The indictments were made on Tuesday and warrants were issued on Wednesday. The deputies charged have all been placed on administrative leave.
Black leaders say threats to undermine US democracy appear aimed at their community
Associated Press
23-09-21 22:47
Black leaders in the US have said that many threats to democratic institutions appear to be targeted at their community. They cited efforts to make voting more difficult, censor lessons around race, and weaken social safeguards such as affirmative action as examples. The leaders called for action to ensure that the interests of Black Americans are protected. They highlighted attacks on democracy and the spread of misinformation as key challenges, and criticized attempts to restrict voting, dismantle affirmative action, and ban books in schools. They also raised concerns about the erosion of trust in the federal government.
Supreme Court to decide whether Alabama can postpone drawing new congressional districts
Associated Press
23-09-21 22:33
The US Supreme Court is expected to decide on whether Alabama should be allowed to keep new GOP-drawn congressional lines in place. A three-judge panel is drawing new congressional lines in Alabama after lawmakers refused their directive to create a second district where black voters would at least come close to comprising a majority. Lawyers representing plaintiffs in the case said Alabama “knowingly and intentionally” defied court orders and passed a map that continued to dilute the influence of black voters in congressional elections.
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