Wendy Siegelman Profile picture
Independent journalist bylines Daily Beast, Guardian, Buzzfeed, Byline Times, Senate Intel Russia report, creator https://t.co/W1iyRMNzOJ, tips: wendy@newstracs.com
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Dec 14 4 tweets 2 min read
SEC charged Cantor Fitzgerald, led by Trump’s Commerce pick Howard Lutnick, with breaking securities laws re: disclosures by blank-check companies before they raised money from the public. Cantor Fitzgerald agreed to settle and pay $6.75mil civil penalty.
cnbc.com/2024/12/12/sec… Here's SEC filing re: Cantor Fitzgerald - concerning materially false and misleading statements made by two special purpose acquisition companies (SPACs) controlled by Cantor Fitzgerald - re: CFAC II merger w/View, Inc. and CFAC V merger w/Satellogic Inc.
sec.gov/files/litigati…
Dec 7 4 tweets 2 min read
Ex-Cambridge Analytica CEO Alexander Nix beats £16M ($20.4mil) claim over business collapse and convinced judge he is owed $12mil

London judge rejects claims by Cambridge Analytica companies Emerdata & Dynamo Recoveries (led by Rebekah Mercer) against Nix
law360.com/articles/22703… Link below to 115pg Approved judgement on 2 cases between Dynamo Recoveries Ltd, Emerdata Ltd v Alexander Nix, and between Nix v Emerdata

Claims against Nix were dismissed and Nix's claim for $12 million of outstanding debts from Emerdata has succeeded
maitlandchambers.com/images/uploads…
Nov 20 6 tweets 3 min read
Saudi Arabia: Nearly Trillion-Dollar Public Investment Fund (PIF) controlled by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is Linked to Abuses

A new @hrw report details PIF whitewashing and links to human rights violations such as murder of Jamal Khashoggi

hrw.org/news/2024/11/2… The Man Who Bought the World - Rights Abuses Linked to Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund and Its Chairman, Mohammed bin Salman

Link to full report from @hrw - which notes PIF $2 billion investment in Kushner's Affinity Partners

hrw.org/report/2024/11…
Nov 1 6 tweets 3 min read
A🧵on Ryan Girdusky (banned by CNN for racist remark inciting violence) and financial links to Leonard Leo

In 2022 a nonprofit closely linked to Leo called The Concord Fund gave $270K to Girdusky's nonprofit and Leo's Marble Trust paid $888K to a firm run by Girdusky's relatives Image In 2022 the Concord Fund (formerly JCN) run by Ann Corkery gave $270,000 to Ryan Girdusky's 1776 Education Project. Ann & husband Neil are tied closely to Leonard Leo. Neil is CFO of Leo's for profit CRC Advisors which The Concord Fund has paid over $20mil
projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/org…Image
Oct 28 9 tweets 4 min read
NEW: Elon Musk’s pro-Trump America PAC has spent $144 million and over 40% went to Phil Cox - I analyzed FEC filings and found that $61.7 million was paid to firms linked to former GOP and DeSantis operative Phil Cox, who helps run America PAC, my latest:
newstracs.com/musks-america-… America PAC received $140 million and Musk funded $118.5 million

Betsy DeVos, Trump’s former Secretary of Education and sister of Blackwater founder Erik Prince, donated $250,000 and with 6 members of the DeVos family provided $2 million to Musk’s PAC

newstracs.com/musks-america-…
Oct 24 5 tweets 3 min read
Today @RepRaskin & @RonWyden urge DOJ to appoint special counsel to investigate FARA violations by Jared Kushner

Kushner Acted as a Shadow Diplomat & Political Adviser to Crown Prince MBS Who Directed Billions in Saudi $ to Kushner-Owned Affinity Partners
oversightdemocrats.house.gov/news/press-rel… Here's 8pg letter from @RepRaskin & @RonWyden to AG Merrick Garland urging DOJ to appoint a Special Counsel to investigate possible violations of the Foreign Agents Registration Act (“FARA”) by Trump’s son-in-law and former senior WH adviser, Jared Kushner
oversightdemocrats.house.gov/sites/evo-subs…Image
Oct 15 6 tweets 3 min read
The WSJ reported Elon Musk gave $50 million to a Stephen Miller-linked nonprofit in 2022 & they spent $90mil on media contractors. Did some of Musk's $ loop back to buy ads on X?

A look at the network of Miller, Musk & former DeSantis advisors, my latest
newstracs.com/the-wsj-report… Musk funneled $50 million to Stephen Miller’s nonprofit through Building America’s Future, which is linked to former Ron DeSantis campaign advisors Generra Peck & Phil Cox, who both now run Elon Musk’s America PAC, which is paying vendors run by Phil Cox

newstracs.com/the-wsj-report…
Oct 7 8 tweets 3 min read
Jared and Ivanka are using political ties and $ from Gulf states to develop luxury resorts in Albania. Kushner (who is informally advising the Trump campaign) is planning a $1bil development & negotiating with foreign leaders such as Albanian PM Edi Rama.

wsj.com/real-estate/ja… After leaving the WH on a yachting trip in Albania Jared & Ivanka were romanced by a former military island and envisioned it as a perfect destination for a luxury hotel

The land is environmentally protected but a new law allows 'ultraluxury' hotels only

wsj.com/real-estate/ja…
Oct 5 14 tweets 5 min read
Elon Musk Gave Tens of Millions to Republican Causes Far Earlier Than Previously Known

Musk gave $50mil+ to Stephen Miller-linked org Citizens for Sanity in 2022 and $10mil to DeSantis's presidential bid, by @DanaMattioli @joe_palazzolo @khadeeja_safdar

wsj.com/politics/polic… In fall 2022 Musk spent $50+ million on Stephen Miller linked Citizens for Sanity to fund ad campaigns in battleground states before the midterm elections - attacking Democrats on issues such as medical care for transgender children and illegal immigration
wsj.com/politics/polic…
Sep 19 7 tweets 3 min read
Ex-Trump advisers help to grow pro-Russia website that spreads misinformation

George Papadopoulos, his wife Simona Mangiante and others are editorial board directors of Intelligencer, a growing source of news in rightwing circles, by @MattBernardini7

theguardian.com/us-news/2024/s… Fascinating article


Adding related item

Four Intelligencer editorial board members - George Papadopoulos, Simona Mangiante, Olga Ravasi and Igor Lopatonok - launched Christian Orthodox Coalition Inc nonprofit with Onisim Dorneanu
theguardian.com/us-news/2024/s…
opencorporates.com/companies/us_f…
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Sep 14 8 tweets 3 min read
Behind the Trump Crypto Project Is a Self-Described ‘Dirtbag of the Internet’

‘If you do this right, who f---ing cares if it goes to zero,’ Chase Herro once said of crypto.

Herro is the dealmaker behind World Liberty Financial, crypto project promoted by Donald Trump & his sons “You can literally sell s--- in a can, wrapped in piss, covered in human skin, for a billion dollars if the story's right, because people will buy it,” Herro said about crypto in a 2018

Herro was introduced to the Trumps by Steve Witkoff and his son Zach
bloomberg.com/news/features/…
Sep 12 7 tweets 3 min read
Trump's latest shady deal is a crypto project linked to a $2 million DeFi hack and former pick-up artist

A white paper on World Liberty Financial lists 4 people who had worked on Dough Finance which was hacked in July, via @CoinDesk

coindesk.com/business/2024/… The World Liberty Financial team includes "Chief Crypto Advocate" Donald Trump, Eric, Don Jr, and Barron is the project's "DeFi visionary"

Trump friend and property developer Steve Witkoff, his son Zach Witkoff and lawyer Alex Golubitsky are also involved
coindesk.com/business/2024/…
Sep 5 7 tweets 3 min read
Dimitri and Anastasia Simes charged - for allegedly conspiring to provide services to and launder over $1 million from sanctioned Russian broadcaster Channel One Russia; Anastasi allegedly provided art and antiques to sanctioned oligarch Aleksandr Udodov

justice.gov/opa/pr/tv-pres… 2020 story by @toddprincetv on Udodov

The Armani-Designed NY Condo Where Connected Russians Have Bought Apartments: Aleksandr Udodov, brother-in-law of Russia’s new PM, bought 6 condos at 20 Pine St from Valentin Laskov, casino biz parter of Michael Cohen
Sep 4 5 tweets 2 min read
Two RT Employees Indicted for Covertly Funding and Directing US Company that Published Thousands of Videos in Furtherance of Russian Interests

Kostiantyn Kalashnikov & Elena Afanasyeva deployed nearly $10mil to publish RT-curated content thru TN company

justice.gov/opa/pr/two-rt-… Treasury Takes Action as Part of US Government Response to Russia’s Foreign Malign Influence Operations

Sep 2 4 tweets 2 min read
Elon Musk’s Twitter investors have lost billions in value

This recent @faizsays story estimates the $33.5 billion equity stake at the time of the sale would be worth around $9.4 billion today based on an analysis of valuations from X shareholder Fidelity. HT @NFTethics This story estimates that Prince Alwaleed bin Talal (and Kingdom Holding Co.) had an investment of $1.89 billion at time of sale to Musk, and 2024 value is $529.2 million, a loss of -$1.36 billion

My recent story shows loss was likely larger

washingtonpost.com/technology/202…
Aug 29 7 tweets 3 min read
Interesting update on Christopher Condon CEO of Economic Transformation Technologies/ETT which paid indicted Alexander Smirnov $600,000

@twistopherrobin found Condon/ETT announced several deals w/Kenneth Ekow Andam who fled UT securities violation in 2018
theguardian.com/us-news/2024/m…
Story by @JSweetLI on Smirnov, Condon and Trump links

US firm that paid indicted FBI informant tied to Trump associates

Alexander Smirnov was paid $600,000 in 2020 by ETT – the year he allegedly began lying to FBI about Bidens’ role in Ukraine business
theguardian.com/us-news/2024/m…
Aug 26 5 tweets 4 min read
Trump Media & Technology Group/TMTG announced:
- share repurchase for some execs
- remittance of $2,908,708 plus penalties & interest to IRS & state tax authorities
- board director Don Jr appointed dir/honorary co-chair of Trump Vance 2025 transition team
sec.gov/Archives/edgar…

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TMTG announcement also included:
- director Linda McMahon was also appointed as a director and co-chair of Trump Vance 2025 Transition
sec.gov/Archives/edgar…
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Aug 26 6 tweets 3 min read
NEW: public filings show Saudi Prince Alwaleed’s company Kingdom Holdings' $1.9 billion investment in Elon Musk’s X may have fallen to a valuation of $262 million - filings also show Kingdom Holding recently invested $400 million in Musk’s xAI, my latest

newstracs.com/new-details-on… In May 2024 Elon Musk’s xAI announced $6 billion funding round with Prince Alwaleed and Kingdom Holding among the investors, but the amounts invested were not previously reported.

I found the June 2024 Kingdom Holding filing that shows $400 mil invested.
newstracs.com/new-details-on…
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Aug 24 6 tweets 3 min read
The recent unsealing of list of X owners includes Joe Lonsdale's 8VC

Some are now saying that since the sons of 2 Russian oligarchs work at 8VC that means their fathers Petr Aven and Vadim Moshkovich are X owners. There's no evidence that fathers (or sons) have ownership in X. Here's the latest reporting from @SilvermanJacob who successfully filed a motion in civil case called Anoke v. Twitter to unseal a list of X’s shareholders with help from lawyers at @rcfp

jacobsilverman.com/p/we-got-a-jud…
Jun 26 6 tweets 2 min read
Gery Shalon was arrested in 2015 for hacking JPMorgan. He flipped and became a star cooperator for the FBI. New evidence suggests while helping FBI he ran Tradologic and a massive fraud empire in Europe, by @SimonaWeinglass @MichaelRileyDC @JasonLeopold

bloomberg.com/news/features/… After Gery Shalon was arrested in 2015 for a an infamous hack of JPMorgan and then flipped - he informed on Russian hacker Peter Levashov who ran the Kelihos botnet used by cyber criminals

Jun 22 8 tweets 3 min read
This is a wild story unfolding

Martin Shkreli - who was convicted of securities fraud, spent 6 years in jail, and fined $70 million - claims that he and Barron Trump are responsible for a mysterious Trump-branded meme cryptocurrency called Trump Coin

newrepublic.com/post/182900/ma… Trump Coin was registered on the Solana blockchain platform this past week with the DJT symbol

Data analytics firm Arkham Intelligence offered $150,000 to whoever discovered who was behind the asset

@ZachXBT posted this thread identifying Mrtin Shkreli