April 2024 - cypherpunks - lists.cpunks.org

After 6-year hiatus, Stripe to start taking crypto payments, starting with USDC stablecoin | TechCrunch
by Gunnar Larson 26 Apr '24

26 Apr '24

https://techcrunch.com/2024/04/25/after-6-year-hiatus-stripe-to-start-takin… Stripe, the fintech giant, continues to inch its way back into the cryptocurrency market. On Thursday the company announced that it would let customers accept cryptocurrency payments, starting with just one currency in particular, USDC stablecoins, initially only on Solana, Ethereum and Polygon. This will be the first time that Stripe has taken crypto payments since 2018, when it dropped support for Bitcoin due to it being too unstable.

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Ex-Locke Lord Atty Loses Fight To Challenge Fraud Sentence
by Gunnar Larson 26 Apr '24

26 Apr '24

Ex-Locke Lord Atty Loses Fight To Challenge Fraud Sentence <https://www.law360.co.uk/financial-services-uk/articles/1829436?nl_pk=a94fc…> By Ronan Barnard A London appellate court on Thursday blocked Locke Lord LLP's former banking partner from challenging his prison sentence for taking part in a £21 million ($26.2 million) Ponzi scheme. Read full article » <https://www.law360.co.uk/financial-services-uk/articles/1829436?nl_pk=a94fc…> | Save to favorites » <https://www.law360.co.uk/financial-services-uk/articles/1829436?nl_pk=a94fc…>

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UK Antitrust Arm Frontloads In-Depth Merger Probes
by Gunnar Larson 26 Apr '24

26 Apr '24

UK Antitrust Arm Frontloads In-Depth Merger Probes <https://www.law360.com/competition/articles/1829532?nl_pk=6416fd97-1dc4-4e0…> By Bryan Koenig U.K. antitrust authorities finalized extensive changes Thursday to their in-depth merger probes, with an emphasis on frontloading the process for sooner — and more informal — talks with companies under investigation. Read full article » <https://www.law360.com/competition/articles/1829532?nl_pk=6416fd97-1dc4-4e0…> | Save to favorites » <https://www.law360.com/competition/articles/1829532?nl_pk=6416fd97-1dc4-4e0…>

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ANARCHISM AND YIDDISH LITERATURE
by pro2rat＠yahoo.com.au 26 Apr '24

26 Apr '24

HORIZONS BLOSSOM, BORDERS VANISH: ANARCHISM AND YIDDISH LITERATURE https://www.anarchistnews.org/content/horizons-blossom-borders-vanish-anarc… All religious anarchism is bad - and Jewish anarchy the exception that proves this rule.

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Your Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) Request FOIL-2024-097305-022021
by Gunnar Larson 26 Apr '24

26 Apr '24

---------- Forwarded message --------- From: Gunnar Larson <g(a)xny.io> Date: Wed, Apr 24, 2024, 4:00 AM Subject: Re: Your Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) Request FOIL-2024-097305-022021 To: <Idel.Lendoff(a)dfs.ny.gov>, <letitia.james(a)ag.ny.gov> Cc: JeanBaptiste, Pascale (DFS) <Pascale.JeanBaptiste(a)dfs.ny.gov>, < cypherpunks(a)cpunks.org>, Reader, Shaun <sreader(a)curtis.com>, Harris, Adrienne A (DFS) <Adrienne.Harris(a)dfs.ny.gov>, Paasewe, Siaka (DHR) < Siaka.Paasewe(a)dhr.ny.gov> Madam Attorney General: Kindly following up. Have a nice day. Thank you, Gunnar -- Gunnar Larson xNY.io - Bank.org 917-580-8053 On Tue, Apr 16, 2024, 4:11 AM Gunnar Larson <g(a)xny.io> wrote: > Dear Madam Attorney General: > > xNY.io - Bank.org today contacts your esteemed office seeking to engage > New York State's False Claims Act under urgent pretences. > > Attorney General James, xNY.io - Bank.org contacted NY-DHR to assess if > they have any records of NY-DFS Superintendent recusal records mentioned by > New York Magazine (below). NY-DHR has responded that they have no NY-DFS > Superintendent recusal records. > > As a matter of risk arbitrage, xNY.io - Bank.org is not in a position to > placate any obstruction by NY-DFS on such important matters as our rights > as New Yorkers. > > For these obvious reasons, xNY.io - Bank.org seeks the Attorney General's > blessing to engage New York State's False Claims Act to mitigate any undue > losses to New Yorkers given conflicts of interest in virtual currency > marketes, including overall pure financial innovation across New York State. > > The very best with regards, > > Gunnar > > -- > Gunnar Larson > > xNY.io | Bank.org > > MSc - Digital Currency > MBA - Entrepreneurship and Innovation (ip) > > G(a)xNY.io > > +1-917-580-8053 > > New York, New York 10001 > > On Sat, Apr 13, 2024, 8:08 AM Gunnar Larson <g(a)xny.io> wrote: > >> Dear Idel Lendoff: >> >> NY-DFS has delayed answering if there are any Superintendent recusal >> records mentioned by New York Magazine several times. >> >> xNY.io - Bank.org today kindly petitions New York State Department of >> Financial Services' esteemed action against any worry of public corruption >> concerning recusal records of the current Superintendent. >> >> Given the history of NY-DFS Superintendent durability, especially given >> the previous NY-DFS Superintendent, it would seem that New York Magazine's >> mention of NY-DFS Superintendent recusals is evidently prudent for >> follow-up by xNY.io - Bank.org. >> >> Being clear, it was not xNY.io - Bank.org who first mentioned NY-DFS >> Superintendent recusals, it was New York Magazine. >> >> NY-DFS' latest response of delaying response of any recusal records until >> May 10, 2024 sparks further worry of public corruption (similar to that of >> Superintendent Lacewell). >> >> Simply, can NY-DFS answer if there are any Superintendent recusal records >> by 5:00pm Monday April 15, 2024? After Monday, we will need to confirm with >> New York Magazine if their reporting is correct. >> >> We cannot assume these recusal records away. >> >> Warm regards, >> >> Gunnar >> >> 2024-097305: 3/11/24: Dear Madam or Sir: On March 30, 2022 New York >> Magazine published a profile of NY-DFS Superintendent Adrienne Harris >> titled "Crypto’s Most Powerful Regulator Is Here Adrienne Harris, New >> York’s financial watchdog, has enormous sway over the industry’s future" ( >> https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2022/03/adrienne-harris-is-cryptos-most-pow…) >> The profile of Superintendent Harris quotes "... that she would recuse >> herself from any dealings with companies she has conflicts with." xNY.io - >> Bank.org seeks access to any and all records specific to Superintendent >> Harris' recusal(s) as of February 1, 2024. Thank you, Gunnar -- Gunnar >> Larson xNY.io | Bank.org MSc - Digital Currency MBA - Entrepreneurship and >> Innovation (ip) G(a)xNY.io +1-917-580-8053 New York, New York 10001 >> >> -- >> Gunnar Larson >> >> xNY.io | Bank.org >> >> MSc - Digital Currency >> MBA - Entrepreneurship and Innovation (ip) >> >> G(a)xNY.io >> >> +1-917-580-8053 >> >> New York, New York 10001 >> >> >> On Thu, Apr 11, 2024, 2:53 PM <Idel.Lendoff(a)dfs.ny.gov> wrote: >> >>> Good afternoon, >>> >>> Attached please find correspondence from the NYS Department of Financial >>> Services, pertaining to your FOIL request. >>> >>> >>> >>> Thank you. >>> >>> Tracking Number:FOIL-2024-097305-022021 >>> >>

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Your Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) Request FOIL-2024-097130-021987 - The Alliance for Regulatory Innovation and Brex, Inc
by Gunnar Larson 26 Apr '24

26 Apr '24

---------- Forwarded message --------- From: <Joanne.Verdejo(a)dfs.ny.gov> Date: Mon, Apr 8, 2024, 1:05 PM Subject: Your Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) Request FOIL-2024-097130-021987 To: <g(a)xny.io> Good afternoon, Attached please find correspondence from the NYS Department of Financial Services, pertaining to your FOIL request. Thank you. Tracking Number:FOIL-2024-097130-021987 SENT VIA EMAIL g(a)xny.io April 8, 2024 Gunnar Larson Re: FOIL Tracking No. 2024-097130 Dear Gunnar Larson: I write with respect to your above-referenced FOIL request. The New York State Department of Financial Services (DFS) requires additional time to respond to your request, assigned the tracking number 2024-097130, because we are still working on your request. DFS intends to provide its determination of your request by May 8, 2024. We appreciate your continued patience. Thank you. 2024-097130: 3/8/24: We would like to revisit this FOIL request. Can you please update update us if DFS has any records concerning BREX and the The Alliance for Regulatory Innovation and Brex, Inc.

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Court Considers Recusal Standards In CFPB 5th Circuit Suit Over Credit Card Late Fees - Financial Services - United States
by Gunnar Larson 26 Apr '24

26 Apr '24

https://www.mondaq.com/unitedstates/financial-services/1454794/court-consid… 23 April 2024 by Tonya M. Esposito and Shirin Afsous Greenberg Traurig, LLP View Tonya M. Esposito Biography on their website The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and a coalition of trade-group plaintiffs filed dueling briefs last week over recusal standards in the Fifth Circuit lawsuit challenging the CFPB's $8 credit card late fee final rule.1 On April 8, 2024, the court requested supplemental briefing on whether a judge's ownership interest in a non-party large credit card issuer would be substantially affected by the outcome of the case. The final rule defines a larger card issuer as an issuer that, along with its affiliates, has at least one million open credit card accounts. The issue arose because U.S. Circuit Court Judge Don R. Willett, a judge in this matter who already ruled once in this case in a 2-1 panel majority opinion sending the litigation back from D.C. to Texas federal court, has approximately $2,000 of a large bank's stock held in one of his children's college funds. While the bank is not a party to this case, it is a large credit card issuer that would be impacted by the outcome of this litigation. The supplemental briefing submitted on this issue turns on how narrowly the court considers the issue, with the CFPB arguing that "the law requires any judge who owns stock in a large card issuer to recuse[]" and plaintiffs arguing the potential impact of the litigation is "too remote and speculative" to justify judicial recusal. The plaintiff trade groups argue that "courts have held that recusal is not warranted under the applicable standard unless the litigation's substantial effect on the judge's interest is 'easily ascertainable.'" Plaintiffs further assert, "Applying these principles, courts across the country, including this one, have been 'unwilling to adopt a rule requiring recusal in every case in which a judge owns stock of a company in the same industry as one of the parties to the case.'" Using the CFPB's own conduct concerning the final rule, plaintiffs argued, "The CFPB argued below that, '[a]s for the large card issuers, they will be fine[]'" and that based on the CFPB's own representations, it is not easily ascertainable if there will be "a substantial effect on the stock price—rather than revenue—of any particular credit card issuer." The CFPB argues in its supplemental briefing that "the outcome of this litigation could substantially affect an ownership interest in large credit card issuers...[because] there is a direct connection between this case—a facial challenge to a regulation governing the late fees that can be charged by the 30 to 35 largest card issuers in the country—and the revenue streams of those directly regulated entities" (emphasis in original). The CFPB further states, "And while it is difficult to say with precision how the Late Fee Rule—or the litigation challenging it—would affect card issuers' revenue and thus profitability (which could in turn affect share prices), industry analysts have predicted a possible substantial effect." The CFPB contends that "ownership of stock in a large card issuer would trigger recusal obligations regardless of whether the litigation could substantially affect that ownership interest." Judge Willett has said he does not believe he needs to recuse himself from the case and that he has received ethical advice concerning the same from an adviser at the court. Footnote 1. For background, see previous GT Alerts.

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‘Buffett Got it Wrong’ on California Fire Risk: PG&E CEO
by Gunnar Larson 26 Apr '24

26 Apr '24

‘Buffett Got it Wrong’ on California Fire Risk: PG&E CEO https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-04-25/-buffett-got-it-wrong-on… Warren Buffett’s warning that wildfires have turned utilities across the western US into risky investments is mistaken — at least in California, according to the head of the state’s largest electricity provider.

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US White-Collar Job Growth Stalls, Even in Pandemic Boomtowns
by Gunnar Larson 26 Apr '24

26 Apr '24

US White-Collar Job Growth Stalls, Even in Pandemic Boomtowns https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-04-25/white-collar-hiring-stal… A laid-off YouTube employee is down to his last paycheck. A former startup worker has to borrow money from his family to pay his mortgage. A veteran financial consultant can barely land an interview.

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BREAKING: Attys, Insurance Agent Found Guilty Of Tax-Avoidance Scheme
by Gunnar Larson 26 Apr '24

26 Apr '24

BREAKING: Attys, Insurance Agent Found Guilty Of Tax-Avoidance Scheme <https://www.law360.com/insurance/articles/1829601?nl_pk=59612751-8689-4b1e-…> By Hayley Fowler Two St. Louis tax attorneys and a North Carolina insurance agent on Thursday were found guilty on all counts of conspiring to defraud the federal government and aiding in the filing of false tax returns for their role in a tax avoidance scheme that prosecutors claim cost the Internal Revenue Service tens of millions of dollars. Read full article » <https://www.law360.com/insurance/articles/1829601?nl_pk=59612751-8689-4b1e-…> | Save to favorites » <https://www.law360.com/insurance/articles/1829601?nl_pk=59612751-8689-4b1e-…>

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