Federal authorities have charged the co-founders of Fresno startup Bitwise Industries with fraud months after the company laid off all of its employees and shut down without explanation. Irma Olguin Jr. and Jake Soberal surrendered to authorities Thursday after being charged in a federal complaint with conspiring to commit wire fraud and taking more than…
Sequoia Capital wants you to know that it was “deliberately misled and lied to” by convicted cryptocurrency scam artist Sam Bankman-Fried during the discussions that led to its $213.5-million investment in Bankman-Fried’s firm, FTX, last year. That’s an extraordinary admission, given that Sequoia is one of Silicon Valley’s oldest and largest venture investing firms, with…
Blazers brushed up against streetwear. Miniature cameras dangled from a woman’s earrings. One man’s hoodie read: “Rendered With Love.” Envoys from two parallel planets, software and showbiz, mingled in the Cary Grant Theatre on Thursday evening as they waited for the show to begin. Some recalled tales from the Cannes Film Festival; others debated the…
In the world of video games, there are plenty of so-called dating simulators, a.k.a. “dating sims,” in which players can craft a personality, meet potential partners and try to win them over. “Thirsty Suitors” is not that, and makes it clear what we’ve been missing in video games: the breakup simulator. Despite a title that…
Adam Bowen and James Monsees — the focus of the Netflix docuseries “Big Vape: The Rise and Fall of Juul” — originally set out to make the world a better place. I had to remind myself of that, given the role their company played in getting young people hooked on nicotine. They were just a…
“Fortnite” maker Epic Games will face a new round of litigation from celebrity choreographer Kyle Hanagami, who alleges the popular video game ripped off his moves. The U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals decided Wednesday that it will revisit Hanagami’s allegations against Epic Games, after a lower court dismissed the choreographer’s lawsuit last year. On…
The public has been riveted for weeks by the most important federal trial for the tech world in a quarter-century. The criminal trial of accused cryptocurrency scam artist Sam Bankman-Fried, right? No, not that. We’re talking about U.S. vs. Google, a massive antitrust trial unfolding in a federal courtroom in Washington, D.C. Google is their…
The fog of war has thickened in Gaza, a ground invasion is gathering steam, and aerial bombardments continue at a furious pace. On Tuesday, missiles struck a refugee camp in Jabaliya, where the Israel Defense Forces said a senior Hamas leader was stationed, killing dozens of civilians. Debate over the crisis rages online and off,…
Americans are tipping their delivery drivers less often than they did last year. DoorDash is seeking to reverse that trend with an automated nudge — one that carries a hint of a threat. The food delivery service is testing out a new in-app warning that encourages non-tipping customers to rethink their decisions. Customers selecting a…
WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court justices sounded divided Tuesday over whether the 1st Amendment forbids public officials who refer to government business on their personal Facebook pages from blocking members of the public who criticize them. At issue is whether government employees — whether city managers, school board members or even former President Trump — have…
