#Musk found liable to #Twitter shareholders in #fraud lawsuit over $44 billion takeover

A #US federal #jury found #ElonMusk liable on Friday for claims he defrauded Twitter shareholders by ‌trying to drive down the #SocialMedia company's #stock price so he could renegotiate or back out of a $44 billion takeover in 2022.

#law #tech
https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/boards-policy-regulation/musk-found-liable-twitter-shareholders-fraud-lawsuit-over-44-billion-takeover-2026-03-20/

The verdict from a #jury in San Francisco federal #court came in a closely watched civil trial where #Musk, the world's richest person, was accused of falsely claiming on ​#SocialMedia that #Twitter underreported how many fake & spam accounts, known as bots, were on its platform.

#law #tech #business #fraud

Damages have yet ​to be calculated but Francis Bottini, a lawyer for the shareholders, estimated they could total about $2.5 billion.

"Musk's ⁠status as the world's richest man is not a free pass," Bottini said in a statement. "If you're able to move markets with ​your tweets you're responsible for the harm you cause to investors."

#Musk #law #tech #SocialMedia #business #fraud

@Nonilex the lawyer from the fake bot case is named Bottini?
@Nonilex Now we just need a lawyer to say that exact same sentence, but leave out the "to investors" part.
@Nonilex Nice to see that sometimes things work the way they’re supposed to and Elmo gets some accountability
@lawyersgunsnmoney It ain't over yet. I won't hold my breathe that Musk will pay a dime other than to his attorneys.
@Axomamma Oh, I agree. There is a long way to go before he forks out $
@Nonilex How much compensation does each bot get?
@Nonilex and what he will get to appeal it and overturned?. Can't believe people in 2026 still think elites are held accountable to the laws that rest of us are subjected to... yes if they piss off another elite who is richer than themselves maybe, not because they trample all over the laws for the peasants.