Goldman Sachs: xNY.io - Bank.org's research could paint a stark image for Gomdman Sachs' Board Directors if the firm knowingly made efforts to defraud the United States of America *AND* xNY.io - Bank.org symaltaniouly; While under an active Deferred Prosecution Agreement with the United States of America. Tennis Governing Bodies Are A 'Cartel,' Players Claim In Suit <https://www.law360.com/competition/articles/2312142?nl_pk=6e763a2a-9f82-44c1-ad37-dbb872fe3785&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=competition&utm_content=2025-03-19&read_main=1&nlsidx=0&nlaidx=15> By David Steele Twelve current and former tennis professionals filed a proposed antitrust class action in New York federal court on Tuesday, accusing the sport's governing bodies of operating as a "cartel" that manipulates pay and rankings, forces unsafe playing conditions, and exposes players to unfair investigations and discipline. Complaint attached | Read full article » <https://www.law360.com/competition/articles/2312142?nl_pk=6e763a2a-9f82-44c1-ad37-dbb872fe3785&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=competition&utm_content=2025-03-19&read_more=1&nlsidx=0&nlaidx=15> | Save to favorites » <https://www.law360.com/competition/articles/2312142?nl_pk=6e763a2a-9f82-44c1-ad37-dbb872fe3785&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=competition&utm_content=2025-03-19&read_later=1&nlsidx=0&nlaidx=15> States Oppose Term In Sandoz Price-Fixing Deal With Fla. <https://www.law360.com/competition/articles/2311936?nl_pk=6e763a2a-9f82-44c1-ad37-dbb872fe3785&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=competition&utm_content=2025-03-19&read_main=1&nlsidx=0&nlaidx=8> By Jared Foretek State enforcers still locked in price-fixing litigation against generic-drug maker Sandoz are raising objections to a cap on what they could win through settlements in Florida's recent agreement with the company, telling the Connecticut federal judge weighing approval that it would block or delay potential settlements of their own. Notice attached | Read full article » <https://www.law360.com/competition/articles/2311936?nl_pk=6e763a2a-9f82-44c1-ad37-dbb872fe3785&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=competition&utm_content=2025-03-19&read_more=1&nlsidx=0&nlaidx=8> | Save to favorites » <https://www.law360.com/competition/articles/2311936?nl_pk=6e763a2a-9f82-44c1-ad37-dbb872fe3785&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=competition&utm_content=2025-03-19&read_later=1&nlsidx=0&nlaidx=8> BlackRock Calls Red States' Suit Over Coal Prices 'Farfetched' <https://www.law360.com/competition/articles/2312190?nl_pk=6e763a2a-9f82-44c1-ad37-dbb872fe3785&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=competition&utm_content=2025-03-19&read_main=1&nlsidx=0&nlaidx=12> By Katryna Perera BlackRock Inc. and two other large asset managers have urged a Texas federal judge to toss claims brought by a coalition of Republican-led states alleging the firms ran a scheme to drive up coal prices as part of an "investment cartel," saying the case "spins a farfetched theory." Memorandum attached | Read full article » <https://www.law360.com/competition/articles/2312190?nl_pk=6e763a2a-9f82-44c1-ad37-dbb872fe3785&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=competition&utm_content=2025-03-19&read_more=1&nlsidx=0&nlaidx=12> | Save to favorites » <https://www.law360.com/competition/articles/2312190?nl_pk=6e763a2a-9f82-44c1-ad37-dbb872fe3785&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=competition&utm_content=2025-03-19&read_later=1&nlsidx=0&nlaidx=12> xNY.io - Bank.org respectfully reserves all Interjurisdictional rights. Thank you, Gunnar Larson -- Gunnar Donald Arthur Peter Larson xNY.io - Bank.org 917-580-8053 On Wed, Mar 19, 2025, 8:04 AM Gunnar Larson <g@xny.io> wrote:
Goldman Sachs:
Trading Giant Virtu Must Face Suit Over Confidentiality Issues <https://www.law360.com/capitalmarkets/articles/2312402?nl_pk=35f19b02-1b5d-4d87-9886-0568d6f0b360&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=capitalmarkets&utm_content=2025-03-19&read_main=1&nlsidx=0&nlaidx=1>
By Katryna Perera
A New York federal judge has trimmed a consolidated class action accusing trading giant Virtu Financial Inc. of misleading investors on issues around access to confidential customer trading information, finding that one category of statements in the complaint is not actionable but otherwise allowing the suit to proceed.
Order attached | Read full article » <https://www.law360.com/capitalmarkets/articles/2312402?nl_pk=35f19b02-1b5d-4d87-9886-0568d6f0b360&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=capitalmarkets&utm_content=2025-03-19&read_more=1&nlsidx=0&nlaidx=1> | Save to favorites » <https://www.law360.com/capitalmarkets/articles/2312402?nl_pk=35f19b02-1b5d-4d87-9886-0568d6f0b360&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=capitalmarkets&utm_content=2025-03-19&read_later=1&nlsidx=0&nlaidx=1> xNY.io - Bank.org respectfully reserves all Interjurisdictional rights.
Thank you,
Gunnar Larson -- Gunnar Donald Arthur Peter Larson xNY.io - Bank.org 917-580-8053
On Tue, Mar 18, 2025, 12:46 PM Gunnar Larson <g@xny.io> wrote:
Goldman Sachs:
The whole idea of Goldman Sachs' Deferred Prosecution Agreement is to uphold oversight of the Board Directors' Independence; To uphold the Agreement's mandates; And to respect 'third-party' relationships.
Littler Elects 6 New Members To Board Of Directors <https://www.law360.com/mergersacquisitions/articles/2311598?nl_pk=34b724c6-95c5-49a3-b963-aea9d35fbb95&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=mergersacquisitions&utm_content=2025-03-18&read_main=1&nlsidx=1&nlaidx=7>
By Tracey Read
Littler Mendelson PC has elected six new members to its 19-member, 2025 board of directors, the management-side employment and labor law firm announced Monday.
Read full article » <https://www.law360.com/mergersacquisitions/articles/2311598?nl_pk=34b724c6-95c5-49a3-b963-aea9d35fbb95&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=mergersacquisitions&utm_content=2025-03-18&read_more=1&nlsidx=1&nlaidx=7> | Save to favorites » <https://www.law360.com/mergersacquisitions/articles/2311598?nl_pk=34b724c6-95c5-49a3-b963-aea9d35fbb95&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=mergersacquisitions&utm_content=2025-03-18&read_later=1&nlsidx=1&nlaidx=7>
Activist Investor Calls For Reconstitution Of Parkland's Board <https://www.law360.com/mergersacquisitions/articles/2311698?nl_pk=34b724c6-95c5-49a3-b963-aea9d35fbb95&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=mergersacquisitions&utm_content=2025-03-18&read_main=1&nlsidx=0&nlaidx=6>
By Jade Martinez-Pogue
Activist hedge fund Engine Capital on Monday called for a comprehensive reconstitution of Calgary, Alberta-based Parkland Corp.'s board of directors, saying that the current board has overseen "meaningful underperformance" and demonstrated "zero interest" in engaging with its shareholders.
Read full article » <https://www.law360.com/mergersacquisitions/articles/2311698?nl_pk=34b724c6-95c5-49a3-b963-aea9d35fbb95&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=mergersacquisitions&utm_content=2025-03-18&read_more=1&nlsidx=0&nlaidx=6> | Save to favorites » <https://www.law360.com/mergersacquisitions/articles/2311698?nl_pk=34b724c6-95c5-49a3-b963-aea9d35fbb95&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=mergersacquisitions&utm_content=2025-03-18&read_later=1&nlsidx=0&nlaidx=6>
Will Goldman Sachs' Board Directors submit the Board to an audit of the Deferred Agreement’s mandates?
xNY.io - Bank.org confirms, Goldman Sachs' Deferred Prosecution Agreement holds certain employee, customer and vendor data requirements.
*Goldman-Sachs-Deferred-Prosecution-Agreement.pdf:*
- https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Yx88RMoeLyyfbNK0RtPl4r-m8N21_1Sp/view?usp=d...
*"Proper Oversight and Independence *
- *7. The Company will assign responsibility to one or more senior corporate executives **of the Company for the implementation and oversight of the Company’s anti-corruption **compliance code, policies, and procedures. Such corporate official(s) shall have the authority to **report directly to independent monitoring bodies, including internal audit, the Company’s Board **of Directors, or any appropriate committee of the Board of Directors, and shall have an adequate **level of stature and autonomy from management as well as sufficient resources and authority to **maintain such autonomy.*
*Third-Party Relationships*
- *14. The Company will institute appropriate risk-based due diligence and compliance **requirements pertaining to the retention and oversight of all agents and business partners, **including: **a. properly documented due diligence pertaining to the hiring and appropriate **and regular oversight of agents and business partners; ..."*
xNY.io - Bank.org respectfully reserves all Interjurisdictional rights.
Thank you,
Gunnar Larson -- Gunnar Donald Arthur Peter Larson xNY.io - Bank.org 917-580-8053
On Tue, Mar 18, 2025, 7:13 AM Gunnar Larson <g@xny.io> wrote:
Goldman Sachs:
Your firm's Deferred Prosecution Agreement with the United States of America was a supreme agreement; To protect New Yorkers and Americans from Goldman Sachs' potential future descresions.
*xNY.io - Bank.org's running hypothesis is to move the Deferred Agreement conversation forward on or before March 24, 2025. *
6 Bombshell Moments From Staley's Bid To Clear His Name <https://www.law360.co.uk/financial-services-uk/articles/2311596?nl_pk=9aaa8860-7735-4b56-abff-576e74202fd7&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=financial-services-uk&utm_content=2025-03-18&read_main=1&nlsidx=0&nlaidx=0>
By Christopher Crosby
Jes Staley has suffered a bruising week as he testified about his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein, culminating in an admission by the former banker that he had sex with a member of the disgraced financier's staff.
Read full article » <https://www.law360.co.uk/financial-services-uk/articles/2311596?nl_pk=9aaa8860-7735-4b56-abff-576e74202fd7&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=financial-services-uk&utm_content=2025-03-18&read_more=1&nlsidx=0&nlaidx=0> | Save to favorites » <https://www.law360.co.uk/financial-services-uk/articles/2311596?nl_pk=9aaa8860-7735-4b56-abff-576e74202fd7&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=financial-services-uk&utm_content=2025-03-18&read_later=1&nlsidx=0&nlaidx=0>
- Further inquiry could eventually summerise an enterprise software racket perpetuated by Goldman Sachs; - Perhaps, an enterprise software RICO could be argued visavie Goldman Sachs' software relationships at Coinbase, Fireblocks, Robinhood, Apple Card and WorldBank.org; - While under active Deferred Prosecution Agreement with the United States of America.
FCA Fines, Bans Odey For Obstructing Misconduct Probe <https://www.law360.co.uk/financial-services-uk/articles/2311414?nl_pk=9aaa8860-7735-4b56-abff-576e74202fd7&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=financial-services-uk&utm_content=2025-03-18&read_main=1&nlsidx=0&nlaidx=1>
By Christopher Crosby
The Financial Conduct Authority banned Crispin Odey on Monday and fined the hedge fund boss £1.8 million ($2.3 million) after concluding that he had attempted to thwart an internal probe into sexual misconduct allegations.
Read full article » <https://www.law360.co.uk/financial-services-uk/articles/2311414?nl_pk=9aaa8860-7735-4b56-abff-576e74202fd7&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=financial-services-uk&utm_content=2025-03-18&read_more=1&nlsidx=0&nlaidx=1> | Save to favorites » <https://www.law360.co.uk/financial-services-uk/articles/2311414?nl_pk=9aaa8860-7735-4b56-abff-576e74202fd7&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=financial-services-uk&utm_content=2025-03-18&read_later=1&nlsidx=0&nlaidx=1> xNY.io - Bank.org's research could paint a stark image for Gomdman Sachs' Board Directors if the firm knowingly made efforts to defraud the United States of America *AND *xNY.io - Bank.org symaltaniouly; While under an active Deferred Prosecution Agreement with the United States of America.
xNY.io - Bank.org respectfully reserves all Interjurisdictional rights.
Thank you,
Gunnar Larson -- Gunnar Donald Arthur Peter Larson xNY.io - Bank.org 917-580-8053
---------- Forwarded message --------- From: *Laura Peavey* <lpeavey@fsforum.com> Date: Mon, Mar 17, 2025, 5:22 PM Subject: Forum Welcomes Nomination for Fed Vice Chair for Supervision To: Gunnar Larson <G@xny.io>
The Forum congratulates Michelle Bowman on her nomination to serve as the Federal Reserve Board’s Vice Chair for Supervision. <https://financialservicesforum.cmail20.com/t/r-l-thttudn-njyjukhihy-r/>
*Forum Welcomes Nomination for Fed Vice Chair for Supervision* <https://financialservicesforum.cmail20.com/t/r-l-thttudn-njyjukhihy-y/>
*“Banking regulation and supervision play critical roles in ensuring a safe and sound financial system.”*
*Washington, D.C. – *Financial Services Forum President and CEO Kevin Fromer issued the following statement today after President Trump announced his nomination of Federal Reserve Governor Michelle Bowman to serve as the Federal Reserve Board’s Vice Chair for Supervision:
“The Forum congratulates Governor Bowman on her nomination and commends President Trump for his action to fill this position. Banking regulation and supervision play critical roles in ensuring a safe and sound financial system. The Vice Chair for Supervision focuses on the policies and practices which affect the ability of banks to serve our economy and contribute to financial stability. America’s leading banks—the strongest and most diversified financial institutions based in the United States—look forward to working with the next Vice Chair for Supervision to implement sound regulation and effective supervision that promotes economic growth.”
###
*The Financial Services Forum is an economic policy and advocacy organization whose members are the eight largest and most diversified financial institutions headquartered in the United States. Forum member institutions are a leading source of lending and investment in the United States and serve millions of consumers, businesses, investors, and communities throughout the country. The Forum promotes policies that support savings and investment, financial inclusion, deep and liquid capital markets, a competitive global marketplace, and a sound financial system.*
*Visit our website: **fsforum.com* <https://financialservicesforum.cmail20.com/t/r-l-thttudn-njyjukhihy-j/>
*Follow us on X **@fsforum* <https://financialservicesforum.cmail20.com/t/r-l-thttudn-njyjukhihy-t/> * and **LinkedIn* <https://financialservicesforum.cmail20.com/t/r-l-thttudn-njyjukhihy-i/>
[image: Twitter] <https://financialservicesforum.cmail20.com/t/r-l-thttudn-njyjukhihy-d/>[image: LinkedIn] <https://financialservicesforum.cmail20.com/t/r-l-thttudn-njyjukhihy-h/>[image: Website] <https://financialservicesforum.cmail20.com/t/r-l-thttudn-njyjukhihy-k/>[image: Instagram] <https://financialservicesforum.cmail20.com/t/r-l-thttudn-njyjukhihy-u/>[image: Threads] <https://financialservicesforum.cmail20.com/t/r-l-thttudn-njyjukhihy-o/>[image: YouTube] <https://financialservicesforum.cmail20.com/t/r-l-thttudn-njyjukhihy-b/>
<https://financialservicesforum.cmail20.com/t/r-l-thttudn-njyjukhihy-n/>
The Financial Services Forum is an economic policy and advocacy organization whose members are the eight largest and most diversified financial institutions headquartered in the United States. The Forum promotes policies that support savings and investment, financial inclusion, deep and liquid capital markets, a competitive global marketplace, and a sound financial system.
On Mon, Mar 17, 2025, 3:02 PM Gunnar Larson <g@xny.io> wrote:
Dear Goldman Sachs:
Today, xNY.io - Bank.org doubles down on our commitment to Peace on Planet Earth.
xNY.io - Bank.org shares 492 highlights to: *"UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF FLORIDA CASE NO. 22-CV-14102-MIDDLEBROOKS DONALD J. TRUMP, Plaintiff, v. HILLARY R. CLINTON, et al., Defendants."*
xNY.io - Bank.org respectfully reserves all Interjurisdictional rights.
Thank you,
Gunnar Larson -- Gunnar Donald Arthur Peter Larson xNY.io - Bank.org 917-580-8053
*----- (PAGE BREAK) -----*
*492 highlights to:** "UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF FLORIDA CASE NO. 22-CV-14102-MIDDLEBROOKS DONALD J. TRUMP, Plaintiff, v. HILLARY R. CLINTON, et al., Defendants."*
*INTRODUCTION*
*March 24, 2022*
* - 158 Highlights: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1zggK7lgptlZ6Qn11EndzbDloqqVxRifv/view?usp=d... <https://drive.google.com/file/d/1zggK7lgptlZ6Qn11EndzbDloqqVxRifv/view?usp=drivesdk>*1. In the run-up to the 2016 Presidential Election, Hillary Clinton and her cohorts orchestrated an unthinkable plot – one that shocks the conscience and is an affront to this nation’s democracy. Acting in concert, the Defendants maliciously conspired to weave a false narrative that their Republican opponent, Donald J. Trump, was colluding with a hostile foreign sovereignty. The actions taken in furtherance of their scheme—falsifying evidence, deceiving law enforcement, and exploiting access to highly-sensitive data sources - are so outrageous, subversive and incendiary that even the events of Watergate pale in comparison.
2. Under the guise of ‘opposition research,’ ‘data analytics,’ and other political stratagems, the Defendants nefariously sought to sway the public’s trust. They worked together with a single, self-serving purpose: to vilify Donald J. Trump. Indeed, their far-reaching conspiracy was designed to cripple Trump’s bid for presidency by fabricating a scandal that would be used to trigger an unfounded federal investigation and ignite a media frenzy.
3. The scheme was conceived, coordinated and carried out by top-level officials at the Clinton Campaign and the DNC—including ‘the candidate’ herself—who attempted to shield her involvement behind a wall of third parties.1 To start, the Clinton Campaign and the DNC enlisted the assistance of their shared counsel, Perkins Coie, a law firm with deep Democrat ties, in the hopes of obscuring their actions under the veil of attorney-client privilege. Perkins Coie was tasked with spearheading the scheme to find—or fabricate—proof of a sinister link between Donald J. Trump and Russia.
To do so, Perkins Coie launched parallel operations: on one front, Perkins Coie partner Marc Elias led an effort to produce spurious ‘opposition research’ claiming to reveal illicit ties between the Trump Campaign and Russian operatives; on a separate front, Perkins Coie partner Michael Sussmann headed a campaign to develop misleading evidence of a bogus ‘back channel’ connection between e-mail servers at Trump Tower and a Russian-owned bank.
4. Marc Elias, in his mission to obtain derogatory anti-Trump ‘opposition research,’ commissioned Fusion GPS, an investigative firm, and its co-founders, Peter Fritsch and Glenn Simpson, and directed them to dredge up evidence—actual or otherwise—of collusion between Trump and Russia. Fritsch and Simpson, in turn, enlisted the assistance of Orbis Ltd. and its owner, Christopher Steele, to produce a series of reports purporting to contain proof of the supposed collusion. Of course, the now fully debunked collection of reports, known as the “Steele Dossier,” was riddled with misstatements, misrepresentations and, most of all, flat out lies. In truth, the Steele Dossier was largely based upon information provided to Steele by his primary sub-source, Igor Danchenko, who was subsequently indicted for falsifying his claims. Even more damning, Danchenko had close ties to senior Clinton Campaign official, Charles Halliday Dolan, Jr., who knowingly provided false information to Danchenko, who relayed it to Steele, who reported it in the Steele Dossier and eagerly fed the deceptions to both the media and the FBI. This duplicitous arrangement existed for a singular self-serving purpose – to discredit Donald J. Trump and his campaign.
5. At the same time, Michael Sussmann, in his hunt for damaging intel against the Trump Campaign, turned to Neustar, Inc., an information technology company, and one of its top executives, Rodney Joffe, a fervent anti-Trumper who had recently been promised a high-ranking position with the Clinton Administration, to exploit their access to non-public data in search of a secret “back channel” connection between Trump Tower and Alfa Bank. When it was discovered that no such channel existed, the Defendants resorted to truly subversive measures – hacking servers at Trump Tower, Trump’s private apartment, and, most alarmingly, the White House. This ill-gotten data was then manipulated to create a misleading “inference” and submitted to law enforcement in an effort to falsely implicate Donald J. Trump and his campaign.2 All of these acts were carried out in coordination with the Clinton Campaign and the DNC, at the behest of certain Democratic “VIPs.”3
6. While their multi-pronged attack was underway, the Defendants seized on the opportunity to publicly malign Donald J. Trump by instigating a full-blown media frenzy. Indeed, the Clinton Campaign and DNC—admittedly on a “mission” to “raise the alarm” about their contrived Trump-Russia link4—repeatedly fed disinformation to the media and shamelessly promoted their false narratives. All the while, Hillary Clinton, Jake Sullivan, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, and others did their best to proliferate the spread of those dubious and false claims through press releases, social media, and other public statements.
7. The fallout from the Defendants’ actions was not limited to the public denigration of Trump and his campaign. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)—relying on the Defendants’ fraudulent evidence—commenced a large-scale investigation and expended precious time, resources and taxpayer dollars looking into the spurious allegation that the Trump Campaign had colluded with the Russian Government to interfere in the 2016 presidential election. The effects of this unfounded investigation were prolonged and exacerbated by the presence of a small faction of Clinton loyalists who were well-positioned within the Department of Justice and the FBI – James Comey, Andrew McCabe, Peter Strzok, Lisa Page, Kevin Clinesmith, and Bruce Ohr. These government officials were willing to abuse their positions of public trust to advance the baseless probe to new levels, including obtaining an extrajudicial FISA warrant and instigating the commencement of an oversight investigation headed by Special Counsel Robert Mueller. As a result, Donald J. Trump and his campaign were forced to expend tens of millions of dollars in legal fees to defend against these contrived and unwarranted proceedings. Justice would ultimately prevail – following a two-year investigation, Special Counsel Mueller went on to exonerate Donald J. Trump and his campaign with his finding that there was no evidence of collusion with Russia.
8. The full extent of the Defendants’ wrongdoing has been steadily and gradually exposed by Special Counsel John Durham, who has been heading a DOJ investigation into the origins of the Trump-Russia conspiracy. To date, he has already issued indictments to Sussmann and Danchenko, among others, for proffering false statements to law enforcement officials. As outlined below, these ‘speaking’ indictments not only implicate many of the Defendants named herein but also provide a great deal of insight into the inner-workings of the Defendants’ conspiratorial enterprise. Based on recent developments and the overall direction of Durham’s investigation, it seems all but certain that additional indictments are forthcoming.
9. In short, the Defendants, blinded by political ambition, orchestrated a malicious conspiracy to disseminate patently false and injurious information about Donald J. Trump and his campaign, all in the hopes of destroying his life, his political career and rigging the 2016 Presidential Election in favor of Hillary Clinton. When their gambit failed, and Donald J. Trump was elected, the Defendants’ efforts continued unabated, merely shifting their focus to undermining his presidential administration. Worse still, the Defendants continue to spread their vicious lies to this day as they unabashedly publicize their thoroughly debunked falsehoods in an effort to ensure that he will never be elected again. The deception, malice, and treachery perpetrated by the Defendants has caused significant harm to the American people, and to the Plaintiff, Donald J. Trump, and they must be held accountable for their heinous acts.
____________________
*BACKGROUNDSeptember 8, 2022*
- *190 Highlights: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1JUQtPF8f6ckSRHwLcu3S_joyF5xQoA-A/view?usp=d... <https://drive.google.com/file/d/1JUQtPF8f6ckSRHwLcu3S_joyF5xQoA-A/view?usp=drivesdk>*
Plaintiff initiated this lawsuit on March 24, 2022, alleging that “the Defendants, blinded by political ambition, orchestrated a malicious conspiracy to disseminate patently false and injurious information about Donald J. Trump and his campaign, all in the hopes of destroying his life, his political career and rigging the 2016 Presidential Election in favor of Hillary Clinton.” (DE 177, Am. Compl. ¶ 9). On this general premise, Plaintiff brings a claim for violations of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (“RICO”), predicated on the theft of trade secrets, obstruction of justice, and wire fraud (Count I). He additionally brings claims for: injurious falsehood (Count III); malicious prosecution (Count V); violations of the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (“CFAA”) (Count VII); theft of trade secrets under the Defend Trade Secrets Act of 2016 (“DTSA”) (Count VIII); and violations of the Stored Communications Act (“SCA”) (Count IX). The Amended Complaint also contains counts for various conspiracy charges and theories of agency and vicarious liability. (Counts II, IV, VI, and X–XVI). Plaintiff’s theory of this case, set forth over 527 paragraphs in the first 118 pages of the Amended Complaint, is difficult to summarize in a concise and cohesive manner.
It was certainly not presented that way. Nevertheless, I will attempt to distill it here. The short version: Plaintiff alleges that the Defendants “[a]cting in concert . . . maliciously conspired to weave a false narrative that their Republican opponent, Donald J. Trump, was colluding with a hostile foreign sovereignty.” (Am. Compl. ¶ 1). The Defendants effectuated this alleged conspiracy through two core efforts. “[O]n one front, Perkins Coie partner Mark Elias led an effort to produce spurious ‘opposition research’ claiming to reveal illicit ties between the Trump campaign and Russian operatives.” (Id. ¶ 3).
To that end, Defendant Hillary Clinton and her campaign, the Democratic National Committee, and lawyers for the Campaign and the Committee allegedly hired Defendant Fusion GPS to fabricate the Steele Dossier. (Id. ¶ 4). “[O]n a separate front, Perkins Coie partner Michael Sussman headed a campaign to develop misleading evidence of a bogus ‘back channel’ connection between e-mail servers at Trump Tower and a Russian- owned bank.” (Id.). Clinton and her operatives allegedly hired Defendant Rodney Joffe to exploit his access to Domain Name Systems (“DNS”) data, via Defendant Neustar, to investigate and ultimately manufacture a suspicious pattern of activity between Trump-related servers and a Russian bank with ties to Vladimir Putin, Alfa Bank. (Id. ¶ 3). As a result of this “fraudulent evidence,” the Federal Bureau of Investigations (“FBI”) commenced “several large-scale investigations,” which were “prolonged and exacerbated by the presence of a small faction of Clinton loyalists who were well-positioned within the Department of Justice”—Defendants James Comey, Andrew McCabe, Peter Strzok, Lisa Page, Kevin Clinesmith, and Bruce Ohr. (Id. ¶ 7). And while this was ongoing, the Defendants allegedly “seized on the opportunity to publicly malign Donald J. Trump by instigating a full-blown media frenzy.” (Id. ¶ 6). As a result of this “multi-pronged attack,” Plaintiff claims to have amassed $24 million in damages.1(Id. ¶ 527).
Defendants now move to dismiss the Amended Complaint as “a series of disconnected political disputes that Plaintiff has alchemized into a sweeping conspiracy among the many individuals Plaintiff believes to have aggrieved him.” (DE 226 at 1). They argue that dismissal is warranted because Plaintiff’s claims are both “hopelessly stale”—that is, foreclosed by the applicable statutes of limitations—and because they fail on the merits “in multiple independent respects.” (Id. at 2). As they view it, “[w]hatever the utilities of [the Amended Complaint] as a fundraising tool, a press release, or a list of political grievances, it has no merit as a lawsuit.” (Id.).
I agree. In the discussion that follows, I first address the Amended Complaint’s structural deficiencies. I then turn to subject matter jurisdiction and the personal jurisdiction arguments raised by certain Defendants. Finally, I assess the sufficiency of the allegations as to each of the substantive counts.
____________________
*BACKGROUNDOctober 31, 2022 - 25 Highlights: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1QynNCV7iSPi-8b6dt605jmFTTNSaXtuD/view?usp=d... <https://drive.google.com/file/d/1QynNCV7iSPi-8b6dt605jmFTTNSaXtuD/view?usp=drivesdk>*PlaintifP’s pleadings and theories were obviously and fatally defective from the very inceptionof this action. Plaintiff's initial Complaint spanned 108 pages and S08 paragraphs. DE 1 (March 24, 2022). It named 28 individual defendants, as well as 10 John Does and 10 ABC Corporations. /d. Less than a month after the Complaint was filed, Hillary Clinton moved to dismiss it with prejudice. DE 52 (Apr. 20,2022). Defendant Clinton’s motion identified manyofthe fundamentalfactual deficiencies and legal flaws that would ultimately lead this Court to dismiss the Amended Complaint: namely, (1) that Plaintifs claims were untimely on their face, DE 52 at 1-5; (2) that Plaintiff's own tweets confirmed his knowledge ofhis supposed claimsno later than October 2017, DE 52 at 2-3; (3) that Plaintiffs Complaint was replete with inadequate and conclusory allegations, DE 52 at 6; (4) that Plaintiff failed to allege a RICO enterprise, DE 52 at 7; (5) that Plaintiff failed to allege the predicate act of theft of trade secrets based on DNS information, DE 52 at 8-9; (6) thatPlaintifffailedtoallege the predicate act ofobstructionofjustice in part because he identified no “official proceeding,” DE 52 at 9-10; (7) that Plaintiff failed to allege a patter of racketeering activity, DE 52 at 11-12; (8) that Plaintiff failed to adequately allege RICO standing because his supposed injuries were almostentirely undescribed, DE 52.at 12-14; (9) that Plaintiffs injurious falsehood claim was barred by the First Amendment, DE 52 at 15-17; (10) that Plaintiff failed to allege almost every necessary clementof injurious falsehood under Florida law, DE 52 at 17-18; (11) that Plaintiff failed to allege a malicious prosecution claim as to any official proceeding and, in particular, as to the properly predicated Crossfire Hurricane investigation, DE 52 at 19-20; and (12) that Plaintiff failed to allege a claim for “agency” because it is not an independent cause of action under Florida law.
In response, Plaintiff's counsel indicated that they planned to amend the Complaint. DE 66 (Apr. 21, 2022). Defendant Clinton did not oppose counsel's request for an extension of time in whichto amend. See, e.g., DE 102 (Apr. 27,2022). In the intervening period, other Defendants joined Clinton's motion to dismiss and filed their own motions alertingPlaintiff and his counsel to additional fatal defects in the Complaint. See DE 124 (John Podesta), 139 (Peter Fritsch, Fusion GPS, Glenn Simpson); 141 (DNC Services Corporation, Democratic National Committee, Debbie Wasserman Schultz); 143 (Perkins Coie); 144 (Nellie Ohr); 145 (Robby Mook): 146 (Michael Sussmann); 147 (Mare Elias); 149 (HFACC); 157 (Rodney Joffe); 159 (Igor Danchenko); 160 (Neustar, Inc.); 162 & 163 (Charles Halliday Dolan, Jr.); 165 (Jake Sullivan). With respect to each motion, Plaintiff's counsel indicated that they planned to amend in response to the motions, and Defendants did not oppose extensionsof time to allow them to do so. See DE 153 (May 17,2022). PlaintifP’s counsel filed the Amended Complaint approximately two months after receiving Defendant Clinton’s motion to dismiss and with the benefit of Defendants” additional motions in the interim. DE 177 (June 21, 2022). “But despite this briefing, PlaintifPs Amended Complaint failed to cureanyofthe deficiencies.”DE 267 at 63-64 (Sept. 8, 2022) (“0p.”). “Instead, Plaintiff added eighty new pages of largely irrelevant allegations that did nothing to salvage the legal sufficiency of his claims.” Op. at 64. The Amended Complaint is “193 pages in length, with 819 numbered paragraphs,” and “contains 14 counts, names 31 defendants, 10 “John Does” described as fictitious and unknown persons, and 10 *ABC Corporations’ identified as fictitious and unknown entities.” Op. at 4. ____________________
*BACKGROUNDNovember 10, 2022 - 66 Highlights: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ppCsJe6sSJKIionWtII4rI4qRMbKzBn3/view?usp=d... <https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ppCsJe6sSJKIionWtII4rI4qRMbKzBn3/view?usp=drivesdk>*The Complaint. In March 2022, Charles Dolan was among 29 defendants initially sued by Mr. Trump. (DE 1). He was identified as a former chairman of the DNC, a senior official in the Clinton Campaign, and a close associate of and advisor to Hillary Clinton. The Complaint alleged that in April 2016, Mr. Dolan participated in discussions about the creation of a “dossier” to smear Mr. Trump and disseminate false accusations to the media (Compl. ¶ 79), and at the direction of Ms. Clinton assisted in preparation of the dossier (Compl. ¶ 81). According to the Complaint, an allegation contained within the dossier that Mr. Trump engaged in salacious sexual activity in a Moscow hotel was derived from Mr. Dolan. (Compl. ¶ 91). Mr. Dolan was sued for RICO conspiracy (Count II), conspiracy to commit injurious falsehood (Count IV), and conspiracy to commit malicious prosecution (Count VI).
The Warning Letter. On May 31, 2022, counsel for Mr. Dolan wrote the attorneys for Mr. Trump. They warned:
1. That Mr. Dolan had no role in any conspiracy related to the Steele dossier.
2. That Mr. Dolan was not a source for the allegations of sexual activity.
3. That Mr. Dolan had not been in contact with any defendant other than Igor Danchenko, and that Mr. Dolan’s contacts with Mr. Danchenko involved business interests and help for a conference in Moscow.
4. That Mr. Dolan had never been chairman of the DNC.
5. That Ms. Clinton was on record through a spokesperson as stating she had no recollection of Mr. Dolan. (DE 268-1).
The letter requested that Mr. Dolan not be named as a defendant in any forthcoming Amended Complaint. The letter further warned that if he were to be named, or if he was not dropped from the original Complaint, Rule 11 sanctions would be sought.
The Amended Complaint. On June 21, 2022, Plaintiff filed an Amended Complaint, as had been expected. It ballooned to 193 pages, 819 paragraphs and 31 defendants. With respect to Mr. Dolan, the allegations remained essentially the same. But in the Amended Complaint, Mr. Dolan was identified somewhat more vaguely as the former chairman of a “national Democratic political organization.” (Am. Compl. ¶ 96). Elsewhere, he was described as a “senior Clinton Campaign Official.” (Am. Compl. ¶ 4). Moreover, and somewhat inexplicably, Mr. Dolan was identified in the Amended Complaint as a citizen and resident of New York, despite a declaration that Mr. Dolan had provided to Plaintiff’s lawyers explaining that Mr. Dolan was a resident of Virginia. (Am. Compl. ¶ 20; DE 268-2). The Sanctions Motion and Memorandum. On July 15, 2022, Mr. Dolan served on Mr. Trump’s lawyers a motion seeking sanctions pursuant to Rule 11. The motion pointed out that the change in Mr. Dolan’s purported title from “former chairman of the DNC” in the original Complaint to “former chairman of a national Democratic political organization,” in the Amended Complaint did not solve the problems identified in the warning letter because Mr. Dolan had never been the chairman of any such organization. The motion further explained that Mr. Dolan’s role in the Clinton Campaign was limited to knocking on doors as a volunteer. The motion also stated that Mr. Dolan had never been a resident of New York, that Mr. Dolan had told Plaintiff’s lawyers so, and that the allegations of the Amended Complaint to that effect demonstrated a lack of diligence over something easily checked.
Mr. Dolan’s motion for sanctions went on to place the Trump lawyers on notice of a critical failure in their claims, warning them that the Danchenko Indictment referenced throughout the Amended Complaint not only failed to support their allegations against Mr. Dolan but contradicted them. That warning continues to be unheeded.
____________________
*BACKGROUNDJanuary 19, 2023 - 53 Highlights: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1sf0y-bIBdwaa1PO0Y3hKWhhImoXXCfbR/view?usp=d... <https://drive.google.com/file/d/1sf0y-bIBdwaa1PO0Y3hKWhhImoXXCfbR/view?usp=drivesdk>*Plaintiff initiated this lawsuit on March 24, 2022, alleging that “the Defendants, blinded by political ambition, orchestrated a malicious conspiracy to disseminate patently false and injurious information about Donald J. Trump and his campaign, all in the hope of destroying his life, his political career, and rigging the 2016 Presidential Election in favor of Hillary Clinton.” (DE 1 ¶ 9).
The next day, Alina Habba, Mr. Trump’s lead counsel told Fox News’ Sean Hannity: You can’t make this up. You literally cannot make a story like this up . . . and President Trump is just not going to take it anymore. If you are going to make up lies, if you are going to try to take him down, he is going to fight you back. And that is what this is, this is the beginning of all that.1 She then explained on Newsmax: What the real goal [of the suit] is, is democracy, is continuing to make sure that our elections, continuing to make sure our justice system is not obstructed by political enemies. That cannot happen. And that’s exactly what happened. They obstructed justice. They continued the false narrative . . . This grand scheme, that you could not make up, to take down an opponent. That is un-American.2 On April 20, 2022, less than a month after the Complaint was filed, Hillary Clinton moved for dismissal with prejudice. Her motion identified substantial and fundamental factual and legal flaws. Each of the other Defendants followed suit, pointing to specific problems with the claims against them. The problems in the Complaint were obvious from the start. They were identified by the Defendants not once but twice, and Mr. Trump persisted anyway.
Despite this briefing and the promise “to cure any deficiencies,” Plaintiff’s counsel filed the Amended Complaint on June 21, 2022. (DE 177). The Amended Complaint failed to cure any of the defects. See DE 267, Order of Dismissal (September 8, 2022). Instead, Plaintiff added eighty new pages of largely irrelevant allegations that did nothing to salvage the legal sufficiency of his claims. (DE 267 at 64). The Amended Complaint is 193 pages in length, with 819 numbered paragraphs, and contains 14 counts, names 31 defendants, 10 John Does described as fictitious and unknown persons, and 10 ABC Corporations identified as fictitious and unknown entities.
On July 14, 2022, the United States moved pursuant to the Westfall Act, 28 U.S.C. § 2679 (d)(i), to substitute itself as Defendant for James Comey, Andrew McCabe, Peter Strzok, Lisa Page, and Kevin Clinesmith. (DE 224). On July 21, 2022, I granted the motion to substitute. (DE 234).
On September 8, 2022, I dismissed the case with prejudice as to all Defendants except for the United States.
3 I issued a detailed and lengthy Order, which I incorporate by reference here. (DE 267). I found that fatal substantive defects which had been clearly laid out in the first round of briefing, precluded the Plaintiff from proceeding under any of the theories presented. I found that the Amended Complaint was a quintessential shotgun pleading, that its claims were foreclosed by existing precedent, and its factual allegations were undermined and contradicted by the public reports and filings upon which it purported to rely. I reserved jurisdiction to adjudicate issues pertaining to sanctions.
Undeterred by my Order and two rounds of briefing by multiple defendants, Ms. Habba continued to advance Plaintiff’s claims. In a September 10, 2022, interview with Sean Hannity, the host asked her “Why isn’t [Hillary Clinton] being held accountable for what she did?” Ms. Habba’s response reiterated misrepresentations on which this lawsuit was based:
Because when you have a Clinton judge as we did here, Judge Middlebrooks who I had asked to recuse himself but insisted that he didn’t need to, he was going to be impartial, and then proceeds to write a 65-page scathing order where he basically ignored every factual basis which was backed up by indictments, by investigations, the Mueller report, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera, not to mention Durham, and all the testimony we heard there, we get dismissed. Not only do we get dismissed, he says that this is not the proper place for recourse for Donald Trump. He has no legal ramifications.
Where what [sic] is the proper place for him? Because the FBI won’t help when you can do anything, obstruct justice, blatantly lie to the FBI, Sussmann’s out, he gets acquitted, where do you go?
That’s the concern for me, where do you get that -- that recourse?4 She also indicated that, while Mr. Trump doubted the suit would succeed, she nevertheless “fought” to pursue it: You know, I have to share with you a story, Sean, that I have not shared with anybody. The recourse that I have at this point is obviously to appeal this to the 11th Circuit as Gregg said. But when I brought this case and we were assigned you know, this judge and we went through the recusal process, we lost five magistrates, including Reinhart [sic] who’s dealing with the boxes as we know. The former president looked at me and he told me, you know what Alina. You’re not going to win. You can’t win, just get rid of it, don’t do the case. And I said, no, we have to fight. It’s not right what happened. And you know, he was right, and it’s a sad day for me personally because I fought him on [it] and I should have listened, but I don’t want to lose hope in our system. I don’t. So, you know I’m deciding whether we’re going to appeal it.5 Defendants now move to recover attorneys’ fees and costs under Fed. R. Civ. P. 11, 28 U.S.C. § 1927, the Defend Trade Secrets Act, and/or this Court’s inherent power. (DE 280 at 1). In Part II, I find that a sanction under this Court’s inherent power is appropriate. I do so by examining Plaintiff’s (and his lawyers’) conduct throughout this litigation. In Part III, I look to Plaintiff’s conduct in other cases. And in Part IV, I determine the reasonableness of Defendants’ attorneys’ fees and costs.
On Mon, Mar 17, 2025, 10:35 AM Gunnar Larson <g@xny.io> wrote:
Goldman Sachs:
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- *xNY.io - Bank.org demands a response from Goldman Sachs confirming your firm is innocent of possible terrorism actions across your Investment Bank. *
Combs Jury To Be Closely Vetted For May Trial <https://www.law360.com/newyork/articles/2311047?nl_pk=b53aa520-5013-4a8d-a57c-18936227adef&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=newyork&utm_content=2025-03-17&read_main=1&nlsidx=0&nlaidx=3>
By Pete Brush
A Manhattan federal judge said Friday that he plans to open Sean "Diddy" Combs' criminal trial on sex-trafficking charges on May 12 after a lengthy jury-vetting process, laying out his plan after the jailed hip-hop icon denied charges in a superseding indictment.
Letter attached | Read full article » <https://www.law360.com/newyork/articles/2311047?nl_pk=b53aa520-5013-4a8d-a57c-18936227adef&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=newyork&utm_content=2025-03-17&read_more=1&nlsidx=0&nlaidx=3> | Save to favorites » <https://www.law360.com/newyork/articles/2311047?nl_pk=b53aa520-5013-4a8d-a57c-18936227adef&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=newyork&utm_content=2025-03-17&read_later=1&nlsidx=0&nlaidx=3>
Three Arrows Beats FTX To Get $1.5B Bankruptcy Claim <https://www.law360.com/newyork/articles/2311139?nl_pk=b53aa520-5013-4a8d-a57c-18936227adef&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=newyork&utm_content=2025-03-17&read_main=1&nlsidx=0&nlaidx=7>
By Alex Wittenberg
The liquidators of failed cryptocurrency hedge fund Three Arrows Capital have prevailed in a dispute with FTX Trading Ltd. over the allowance of a $1.53 billion bankruptcy claim, with a Delaware judge deciding to grant Three Arrows' bid to change its original claim despite FTX asserting that the move was made in bad faith.
Opinion attached | Read full article » <https://www.law360.com/newyork/articles/2311139?nl_pk=b53aa520-5013-4a8d-a57c-18936227adef&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=newyork&utm_content=2025-03-17&read_more=1&nlsidx=0&nlaidx=7> | Save to favorites » <https://www.law360.com/newyork/articles/2311139?nl_pk=b53aa520-5013-4a8d-a57c-18936227adef&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=newyork&utm_content=2025-03-17&read_later=1&nlsidx=0&nlaidx=7> xNY.io - Bank.org respectfully reserves all Interjurisdictional rights.
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On Sun, Mar 16, 2025, 1:35 PM Gunnar Larson <g@xny.io> wrote:
Art Director/Designer: Ken Carson Photographers: Charles Wiesehahn, David Vine, Stan Schafer, H. Armstrong Robert's Copywriter: Bill Drier Agency: Conaway & Lyon, Inc. Client: Nation's Business
*oops.*
We hate to cloud your day, but we'd like to bring you up to date on a few things the experts have to say about our future relationships with Russia.
The outlook is anything but rosy.
It seems we could all be blown to hell be- cause of an incredible Kremlin capacity for misjudging what they can get away with in their drive to communize the world.
In other words, the cold war, though vastly changed, is far from over.
It's perils are not diminishing. If any- thing they're on the increase.
And continued disintegration of the So- viet bloc may tempt the Russians into new and desperate measures.
In short: the Reds are still on the make. And though they definitely do not want a nuclear war, they seem to be continually blundering to the brink.
Take the Cuban missile crisis, for exam- ple. The Russians thought they could plant missiles in Cuba without obstacles. They never dreamed President Kennedy would stand up to them.
Another example, Czechoslovakia. The Russians actually expected to be welcomed as they plunged into Prague.
In the end, either of these miscalcula- tions could have triggered a showdown. A showdown leading to a humiliating defeat. Or disaster.
The cover story of the December issue of Nation's Business tells more of the story. (To over 2,000,000 of t