A federal grand jury in California has charged short seller Andrew Left with multiple counts of securities fraud for a $16 million stock market manipulation scheme. The Department of Justice said in a statement on Friday that Left, who was a securities analyst, trader, and guest commentator on television channels including CNBC and Fox Business, is charged with one count of engaging in a securities fraud scheme, 17 counts of securities fraud, and one count of making false statements to federal investigators. As a short seller, Left would make money...

Trampled by markets and attacked by angry executives, short sellers now find themselves confronting their biggest worry yet: the US government.

Fresh accusations by federal authorities that one of the industry’s most prominent players, Andrew Left , committed securities fraud is sending shock waves across the already shrinking field of investors who specialize in betting against specific stocks. For a group that has long courted controversy by taking on some of the biggest names in business, it’s a particularly sobering moment.

Famed activist short-seller Andrew Left is facing criminal charges and civil complaints alleging that, for years, he manipulated stock prices and lied to investors about his positions. Why it matters: The DOJ and SEC cases filed late Thursday and on Friday, respectively, are a result of long-standing investigations into traders that profit from betting a company's share price to fall — a practice that received renewed scrutiny following the meme stock frenzy. • They're sending a message about the kind of behavior that is not going to be tolerated in...

He could face up to 25 years in prison if convicted. Prominent activist short seller and market analyst Andrew Left has been criminally charged by federal prosecutors with multiple counts of securities fraud. If convicted, Mr. Left, 54, could face a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison for the scheme. Short-selling is a widely used and highly risky strategy used by traders to bet against a stock they view as overvalued. Well-known short sellers can create a frenzy in the financial markets by presenting bearish research findings about a...

Prominent short seller and Wall Street commentator Andrew Left was hit with criminal charges for running a $16 million market manipulation scheme involving bets on stocks including Nvidia and Tesla, the Justice Department said Friday. Federal prosecutors accused Left, 54, of Boca Raton, Fla., of using and abusing his position as a investing pundit on major TV networks to rake in millions in ill-gotten gains during the allegedly long-running swindle. The former resident of Beverley Hills, Calif., was charged with one count of engaging in a securities fraud scheme, 17...

Federal prosecutors on Friday charged prominent short seller Andrew Left with fraud, accusing him of using his vast following to manipulate the stock market and illegally profit to net at least $16 million.

Prosecutors Charge Short Seller Andrew Left Of Citron Research With Fraud For "Misleading Statements" Federal prosecutors charged short seller Andrew Left with fraud on Friday, accusing him of making misleading statements about stocks to profit from price moves triggered by his reports, according to an exclusive by the Wall Street Journal. Known for his firm Citron Research, which targets market "lemons," Left gained fame for betting against Valeant Pharmaceuticals and for betting against GameStop during the meme stock craze, but he has seen less success in recent years. The DOJ...