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Anonymous Goes After Elon Musk, Blamed the Billionaire for Bitcoin Woes

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Elon Musk's SpaceX Raised $850 million at $74 billion valuation

Anonymous has published a message for Elon Musk in a video where they called the Tesla CEO “nothing more than another narcissistic rich dude who is desperate for attention.” They shed light on many things people may not know about Musk, including how he treats his employees, harms the environment, where his fortune came from, how Tesla actually makes money, and his attempt to centralize and control bitcoin mining.

Anonymous, a decentralized international activist and hacktivism movement, posted a video Friday directed at Tesla CEO Elon Musk. It is unknown if the people behind this video are the same Anonymous as the hacktivist group known for cyber attacks against several governments since 2003. The video begins with a message: “Greetings citizens of the world. This is a message from Anonymous for Elon musk.”

Elon Musk Is ‘Nothing More Than Another Narcissistic Rich Dude Desperate for Attention’

The video starts by explaining why Elon Musk became popular. “For the past several years you have enjoyed one of the most favorable reputations of anyone in the billionaire class because you have tapped into the desire that many of us have to live in a world with electric cars and space exploration,” the group described, adding:

But recently your carefully created public image is being exposed, and people are beginning to see you as nothing more than another narcissistic rich dude who is desperate for attention.

“It appears that your quest to save the world is more rooted in a superiority and savior complex than it is an actual concern for humanity,” they declared.

Employees, Young Children, Local Environment Suffer Under Elon Musk

Anonymous then emphasized that Elon Musk’s lack of concern for humanity “has been obvious to [his] employees for a long time who have faced intolerable conditions under [his] command for years.”

The group referenced an article in the Observer titled “Elon Musk, Tesla are pushing factory workers to the brink as profits soar.” The article explains that “Tesla workers and worker advocates say the company is risking the health and safety of its workers in relentless pursuit of these gaudy numbers.”

Anonymous Targets Elon Musk for Destroying Crypto Holders' Lives, Trying to Control Bitcoin

In addition, Anonymous referenced a different article on The Times titled “‘Blood batteries’ fuel the fortune of Elon Musk,” stating:

It is also obvious to the young children working in your overseas lithium mines, which are destroying the local environment as well.

“You have been open about your willingness to stage coups in order to install dictators in places where your toxic products are being mined,” the group also said.

“You have even prematurely crowned yourself ‘Emperor of Mars,’ a place where you will be sending people to die,” the group continued, pointing to an article titled “Elon Musk proclaims himself emperor of Mars.”

Anonymous Targets Elon Musk for Destroying Crypto Holders' Lives, Trying to Control Bitcoin

“Your fanboys overlook these issues because they are focused on the potential good that your projects can bring to the world,” Anonymous suggested.

However, the group added: “you are not the only show in town, and your competition is growing more intense with each passing day. There are plenty of other companies working on space exploration and electric vehicles. You are just the only CEO who has gained a cult following through shitposting and trolling the world on social media.”

Tesla’s Main Income Is From Government Subsidies, Not Cars

Anonymous then talked about how Tesla makes its money. “Many people are now learning that the vast majority of Tesla‘s income doesn’t actually come from selling cars. It comes from government subsidies, selling carbon tax credit for your innovation with clean energy,” the group detailed. However, they pointed out:

This technically isn’t your innovation though because you aren’t actually the founder of Tesla. You simply purchased the company from two people much more intelligent than you are.

The two people Anonymous referred to were Martin Eberhard and Marc Tarpenning. In an interview with CNBC, Tarpenning said Musk was an investor of the company. “He was always supportive from the beginning but he wasn’t the founder. We started it,” he confirmed. Eberhard added: “He actually accomplished some amazing things … I’m not sure why he has to also said that he was the founder when he wasn’t. I don’t understand that.”

Anonymous Targets Elon Musk for Destroying Crypto Holders' Lives, Trying to Control Bitcoin
Tesla’s founders Martin Eberhard and Marc Tarpenning. Source: CNBC

Referencing an article titled “Tesla: Bitcoin sales and environmental credits boost profits,” Anonymous suspected:

Tesla has also made more money holding bitcoin for two months than they did in years of selling cars. It is also more than likely that this bitcoin was purchased with money from these government subsidies.

Elon Pretends to Be Clueless About Energy Use When Tesla’s Main Income (Government Money) Is at Stake

On the subject of bitcoin and Tesla’s income from the government, Anonymous said: “It is now widely believed that you have been forced to renounce your company’s involvement with bitcoin in order to keep that green government money flowing into Tesla’s coffers.”

The group noted that “The energy use argument about proof-of-work mining is a very nuanced conversation that requires a fairly complex understanding of how power grids work and how excess energy is wasted by power companies and sought out by crypto miners,” emphasizing:

This is a conversation that you have been having for over a year and were intimately aware of. But as soon as your main source of income was threatened, you pretended to be clueless in an attempt to play both sides of the fence.

Elon’s Attempt to Centralize and Control Bitcoin Mining

The video then talked about Elon Musk’s attempt to centralize and control bitcoin mining. On May 24, the Tesla CEO announced on Twitter that he had met with leading North American bitcoin miners. During the closed-door meeting hosted by Microstrategy CEO Michael Saylor, he said the miners have agreed to form a Bitcoin Mining Council.

However, Anonymous said:

[Elon’s] move to create a Bitcoin Mining Council was rightly seen as an attempt to centralize the industry and take it under your control.

The group then referenced an article on Bitcoin News titled “Crypto proponents become skeptical of closed-door meeting between billionaires and bitcoin miners.”

Anonymous Targets Elon Musk for Destroying Crypto Holders' Lives, Trying to Control Bitcoin

Is the CEO/Founder of Investors King Limited. A proven foreign exchange research analyst and a published author on Yahoo Finance, Businessinsider, Nasdaq, Entrepreneur.com, Investorplace, and many more. He has over two decades of experience in global financial markets.

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Dogecoin, Shiba Inu, NEAR Protocol Soar 5%-10% in Cryptocurrency Rebound

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Dogecoin- Investors King

Dogecoin, Shiba Inu, and NEAR Protocol have seen impressive gains ranging from 5% to 10%, igniting optimism among investors after a period of volatility.

Dogecoin, the meme-inspired digital currency, surged by 5% to add to its recent momentum while Shiba Inu, another popular meme coin, followed suit with a 10% jump.

NEAR Protocol, a blockchain platform focusing on decentralized applications, also joined the rally with a solid 5% increase.

This surge comes on the heels of Bitcoin’s resurgence, which saw a nearly 5% gain to briefly break the $62,000 price level.

Ethereum, the second-largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization, reclaimed the $3,000 level, further bolstering confidence in the market.

The rally was spurred by the release of the U.S. April jobs report, which showed the addition of 175,000 jobs, falling short of the expected 245,000.

This unexpected development eased concerns about higher interest rates, prompting a positive response from cryptocurrency investors.

Market analysts pointed out that the softer-than-expected jobs data led to an increase in the likelihood of at least one rate cut by September, according to CME FedWatch data.

This dovish sentiment, coupled with the Federal Reserve’s indication of no immediate interest in cutting rates, contributed to a more favorable environment for cryptocurrencies.

Moreover, Coinbase analysts highlighted the recent Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting, where policymakers tapered the pace of the central bank’s balance sheet runoff, signaling a more dovish stance.

This move was interpreted as a positive signal for both fiat and cryptocurrency markets.

Arthur Hayes, former CEO of BitMEX, expressed confidence in Bitcoin’s recent performance, suggesting that it may have bottomed out at $56,000.

However, he cautioned investors to expect a gradual recovery rather than a swift ascent to previous highs.

Hayes forecasted a period of range-bound price action between $60,000 and $70,000 until August.

As the cryptocurrency market continues to navigate through fluctuations, the recent rebound in Dogecoin, Shiba Inu, and NEAR Protocol reflects a renewed sense of optimism among traders, fueled by positive developments in the broader financial landscape.

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Binance Boss Behind Bars: CZ Sentenced to Four Months for Crypto Exchange Failures

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Binance CEO

Binance founder Changpeng Zhao, widely known as CZ, has been sentenced to four months in prison for his role in security failures that enabled cybercriminals and terrorist groups to exploit the Binance platform.

The verdict, delivered by US District Judge Richard Jones in Seattle, is the first time a chief executive officer of a major cryptocurrency exchange has been incarcerated for breaching banking secrecy laws.

The courtroom, packed with onlookers and CZ’s legal team, witnessed the billionaire entrepreneur, clad in a dark suit and light blue tie, receive his sentence stoically.

Despite fervent pleas from prosecutors for a three-year sentence to set a precedent in the crypto industry, Judge Jones opted for a shorter term.

In his statement, Judge Jones emphasized that no individual, regardless of wealth or status, is exempt from accountability under the law.

The case against CZ stemmed from a protracted investigation by the US Department of Justice, casting a long shadow over Binance, one of the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchanges, and its high-profile leader.

Prosecutors argued that CZ’s failure to implement adequate money laundering safeguards facilitated illicit transactions, enabling cybercriminals and even terrorist groups like Hamas to operate freely on the platform.

The sentencing also comes on the heels of similar crackdowns within the cryptocurrency space, including the recent conviction of Sam Bankman-Fried, a former crypto titan who received a 25-year prison sentence for defrauding FTX customers of billions of dollars.

CZ’s defense team, however, contended that he should be spared imprisonment due to his non-US citizenship, which they argued put him at heightened risk in a US detention facility.

Nevertheless, Judge Jones emphasized the gravity of CZ’s offenses, terming them “unprecedented” in scale and impact.

In a post-sentencing statement on social media, CZ expressed acceptance of his fate, vowing to “do his time” and focus on education and philanthropy upon his release.

Despite his impending incarceration, CZ affirmed his commitment to the cryptocurrency sector as a passive investor.

The implications of CZ’s sentencing extend beyond his personal fate, raising questions about regulatory oversight and accountability within the burgeoning crypto industry.

Federal prosecutor Kevin Mosley underscored the deliberate nature of CZ’s violations, arguing that they were not mere oversights but intentional breaches of US law.

As CZ prepares to serve his prison term at Seattle’s Federal Detention Center, SeaTac, the crypto community grapples with the repercussions of his downfall.

The episode serves as a stark reminder that, despite the decentralized ethos of cryptocurrencies, regulatory scrutiny and legal accountability remain paramount in an increasingly interconnected financial landscape.

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U.S. Prosecutors Recommend 36-Month Prison Term for Binance Founder Changpeng Zhao

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Binance CEO

In a significant development in the legal saga surrounding Binance, the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange, U.S. prosecutors have recommended a 36-month prison term for its founder, Changpeng Zhao.

The recommendation follows Zhao’s guilty plea to violating laws against money laundering, a pivotal moment in the ongoing legal battle between Binance and U.S. authorities.

Zhao, commonly known as CZ, stepped down as Binance’s chief last November, simultaneously admitting to the violations alongside the exchange.

The firm agreed to a hefty penalty of $4.32 billion as part of the settlement with prosecutors.

According to court filings submitted to the U.S. district court for the western district of Washington, prosecutors argued that the magnitude of Zhao’s willful violation of U.S. law warranted an above-guidelines sentence.

While federal sentencing guidelines set a maximum term of 18 months in prison for Zhao, prosecutors emphasized the severity of the violations and their consequences in advocating for the extended sentence.

The legal scrutiny surrounding Binance stems from allegations that the exchange failed to report over 100,000 suspicious transactions involving designated terrorist groups such as Hamas, al Qaeda, and ISIS.

Furthermore, prosecutors alleged that Binance’s platform facilitated the sale of child sexual abuse materials and served as a recipient of a significant portion of ransomware proceeds.

As part of the settlement, Zhao agreed to pay a $50 million fine and disengage from any involvement with Binance, the platform he founded in 2017.

The penalties imposed on Binance included a staggering $1.81 billion criminal fine and restitution of $2.51 billion.

The recommendation for a 36-month prison term underscores the seriousness with which U.S. authorities are addressing violations within the cryptocurrency industry.

The outcome of Zhao’s sentencing, scheduled for April 30 in Seattle, will likely have far-reaching implications for both Binance and the broader cryptocurrency ecosystem.

As regulatory scrutiny intensifies, stakeholders across the industry are closely monitoring developments to gauge their impact on the future of cryptocurrency exchanges and their founders.

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