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Binance and Coinbase vs. the SEC - Litigation Finance Journal
by Gunnar Larson 28 May '24

28 May '24

Check out a recent article of mine: https://litigationfinancejournal.com/binance-and-coinbase-vs-the-sec/ On June 5, 2023, the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) sued the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange, Binance, for allegedly misleading investors and regulators while operating an unregistered exchange. One day later, the SEC sued the largest cryptocurrency exchange in the United States, Coinbase, for similar allegations. Now, litigation financiers around the globe look on as top law firms organize to defend Binance and Coinbase against the SEC. Bloomberg Law reports that Binance and Coinbase have tapped some of the United States’ top law firms to defend their future to exchange nearly $120B in cryptocurrency token assets. The SEC claims that most of these tokens sum up to unregistered securities. Binance and Coinbase deny any wrongdoing. Agencies such as Lipton, Rosen & Katz, Milbank, Latham & Watkins, Wilmer Hale and Sullivan & Cromwell are among those said to bank upwards of $50M – $100M in legal fees for Binance’s and Coinbase’s defense against the SEC’s recent actions. Sullivan & Cromwell is reported to have billed over $80M in fees associated with the FTX Chapter 11 bankruptcy litigation, according to court documents. The SEC says that unregistered securities in the form of cryptocurrency violate US investor protection laws. Yet, former SEC leaders have joined Binance’s defense team. Richard Grime (of Gibson Dunn & Crutcher) has been hired by Binance. Mr. Grime formerly served as assistant director of the SEC’s enforcement division. William McLucas (of Wilmer Culter Pickering Hale and Dorr) formerly served as the SEC’s enforcement director. Mr. McLucus has been hired by BAM Trading Services, the operator of Binance.US. What does all of this mean for the litigation finance industry? Experts suggest that private actions could be explored by litigation investors and their clients in the wake of the SEC’s approach to cryptocurrency tokens being exchanged as unregistered securities. However, collectability remains a pertinent issue for litigation investors, as they consider whether to pursue crypto litigation funding.

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Ace Global Nixes $150M Greenhouse Farming Services Merger
by Gunnar Larson 28 May '24

28 May '24

Ace Global Nixes $150M Greenhouse Farming Services Merger <https://www.law360.com/mergersacquisitions/articles/1841038?nl_pk=a34c25b5-…> By Jade Martinez-Pogue Special-purpose acquisition company Ace Global Business Acquisition Ltd. on Friday announced that its planned merger with Chinese LED company LE Worldwide Ltd. has been canceled due to "significant" declines in LE Worldwide's revenues. Read full article » <https://www.law360.com/mergersacquisitions/articles/1841038?nl_pk=a34c25b5-…> | Save to favorites » <https://www.law360.com/mergersacquisitions/articles/1841038?nl_pk=a34c25b5-…>

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Big Win For Activist As Full Gildan Activewear Board Resigns
by Gunnar Larson 28 May '24

28 May '24

Big Win For Activist As Full Gildan Activewear Board Resigns <https://www.law360.com/mergersacquisitions/articles/1840888?nl_pk=a34c25b5-…> By Jade Martinez-Pogue The entire board of apparel company Gildan Activewear Inc., including its president and CEO Vince Tyra, have all resigned from the company after months of facing pressure from activist investor Browning West. Read full article » <https://www.law360.com/mergersacquisitions/articles/1840888?nl_pk=a34c25b5-…> | Save to favorites » <https://www.law360.com/mergersacquisitions/articles/1840888?nl_pk=a34c25b5-…>

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Ousted Publishing CEO Not Satisfied With Say In Potential Sale
by Gunnar Larson 28 May '24

28 May '24

Ousted Publishing CEO Not Satisfied With Say In Potential Sale <https://www.law360.com/mergersacquisitions/articles/1841043?nl_pk=a34c25b5-…> By Matthew Santoni The ousted CEO of the publisher behind the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and the Toledo Blade isn't dropping his case against his family's newspaper empire just because he won his bid to weigh in on the company's potential sale, his attorney told an Ohio state court judge Friday, who compared the conflict to a messy divorce. 3 documents attached | Read full article » <https://www.law360.com/mergersacquisitions/articles/1841043?nl_pk=a34c25b5-…> | Save to favorites » <https://www.law360.com/mergersacquisitions/articles/1841043?nl_pk=a34c25b5-…>

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Fwd: Your Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) Request FOIL-2024-097305-022242 - Crypto's Most Powerful Regulator - Adrienne Harris Recusal Records
by Gunnar Larson 28 May '24

28 May '24

Dear Katerina: I hope this email finds you well. The email below from New York State does not allow me to take the quiz this weekend for religious purposes, as it says "In God We Trust" on the United States Dollar. Can I please request an extension to the MOOC Quiz scheduled this weekend? I would like to take the quiz on June 10, 2024. I do not feel comfortable taking the MOOC Quiz until New York State is clear with xNY.io - Bank.org on the recusal status of the DFS Superintendent. Katerina, without these crypto recusal records the MSc and UNIC in Cyprus would have been taken advantage of. xNY.io - Bank.org respectfully reserves all rights. Warm 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 ---------- Forwarded message --------- From: <Idel.Lendoff(a)dfs.ny.gov> Date: Fri, May 10, 2024, 10:41 AM Subject: Your Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) Request FOIL-2024-097305-022242 To: <G(a)xny.io>, <Pascale.JeanBaptiste(a)dfs.ny.gov> Good morning, Attached please find correspondence from the NYS Department of Financial Services, pertaining to your FOIL request. Thank you. Tracking Number:FOIL-2024-097305-022242 SENT VIA EMAIL G(a)xny.io May 10, 2024 Gunnar D. Larson 406 W. 25th Street New York, NY 10001 Re: Freedom of Information Law (“FOIL”) Tracking No. 2024-097305 Dear Gunnar D. Larson: I write in response to the FOIL request that you submitted to The New York State Department of Financial Services (“Department”), which has been assigned tracking number 2024-097305. The Department requires additional time to respond to your FOIL request because we are still working on your request. The Department intends to provide its determination of your request by June 10, 2024. Thank you. 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

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NYPD, FDNY, teachers and NYC worker pension funds have millions sunk in TikTok parent ByteDance
by Gunnar Larson 28 May '24

28 May '24

https://nypost.com/2024/05/14/us-news/nypd-fdny-teachers-and-nyc-worker-pen… US NEWS EXCLUSIVE NYPD, FDNY, teachers and NYC worker pension funds may have millions sunk in TikTok parent ByteDance By Caitlin Doornbos Published May 14, 2024, 4:57 p.m. ET WASHINGTON – Millions of dollars from US pension funds – including those of New York’s police officers and firefighters – are likely invested in ByteDance, the Chinese-controlled parent company of TikTok that is under a standing order from Congress to sell off the popular social media platform or face its banning. The non-profit investment-watchdog group Future Union has identified 48 pension funds that have entrusted their money with venture capital and private equity firms known to have invested in ByteDance since 2012, according to a new report obtained by The Post Tuesday. Six of the largest are directly tied to New York, including the state’s common retirement fund and teacher’s retirement system, as well as New York City’s employees’ retirement system, police pension fund and teachers’ retirement system. Future Union was unable to track down exactly how much money was directly invested into ByteDance because its proprietary data “is not required to be publicly provided by the pensions funds.”

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FCA Bans Two Advisers Accused Of Misleading Clients
by Gunnar Larson 28 May '24

28 May '24

FCA Bans Two Advisers Accused Of Misleading Clients <https://www.law360.co.uk/financial-services-uk/articles/1840846?nl_pk=a94fc…> By Josh White The Financial Conduct Authority has banned two advisers from working in financial services for "recklessly" exposing pension holders to high-risk investments, the regulator said Friday. Read full article » <https://www.law360.co.uk/financial-services-uk/articles/1840846?nl_pk=a94fc…> | Save to favorites » <https://www.law360.co.uk/financial-services-uk/articles/1840846?nl_pk=a94fc…>

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Woman Imprisoned For Laundering From $5B Bitcoin Fraud
by Gunnar Larson 28 May '24

28 May '24

Woman Imprisoned For Laundering From $5B Bitcoin Fraud <https://www.law360.co.uk/financial-services-uk/articles/1840845?nl_pk=a94fc…> By Ronan Barnard A British-Chinese woman was imprisoned for more than six years on Friday at a London court for laundering bitcoin converted from an alleged £5 billion ($6.3 billion) investment fraud. Read full article » <https://www.law360.co.uk/financial-services-uk/articles/1840845?nl_pk=a94fc…> | Save to favorites » <https://www.law360.co.uk/financial-services-uk/articles/1840845?nl_pk=a94fc…>

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Labour Gov't Could Force Big Tech Into Fraud Repayments
by Gunnar Larson 28 May '24

28 May '24

Labour Gov't Could Force Big Tech Into Fraud Repayments <https://www.law360.co.uk/financial-services-uk/articles/1840910?nl_pk=a94fc…> By Alex Davidson A potential new Labour government means a turning point in tackling financial fraud if it should force big tech companies like Meta and Google to join banks in having to reimburse customers duped into sending fraudsters money, according to lawyers. Read full article » <https://www.law360.co.uk/financial-services-uk/articles/1840910?nl_pk=a94fc…> | Save to favorites » <https://www.law360.co.uk/financial-services-uk/articles/1840910?nl_pk=a94fc…>

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Stubhub, Attys Beat Sanctions Bid For Lost Hyperlinked Docs
by Gunnar Larson 27 May '24

27 May '24

Stubhub, Attys Beat Sanctions Bid For Lost Hyperlinked Docs <https://www.law360.com/legalethics/articles/1840299?nl_pk=153d4a8a-6fb9-4a5…> By Bonnie Eslinger A California federal magistrate judge on Monday rejected a request for sanctions against StubHub and its counsel over problems finding hyperlinked documents in a case brought by consumers seeking refunds for events that were canceled or rescheduled due to COVID-19, saying the court's order requiring their production was "in most cases impossible to comply with." Order attached | Read full article » <https://www.law360.com/legalethics/articles/1840299?nl_pk=153d4a8a-6fb9-4a5…> | Save to favorites » <https://www.law360.com/legalethics/articles/1840299?nl_pk=153d4a8a-6fb9-4a5…>

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