Convicted FTX fraudster Sam Bankman-Fried has been doling out crypto investment tips to jail guards at the notorious Brooklyn federal facility while he awaits sentencing, according to a report.
The disgraced crypto whiz kid — who faces more than 100 years in prison after being found guilty of fraud and money laundering last year — has been telling guards at the Metropolitan Detention Center to buy Solana, The New York Times reported.
The blockchain platform’s value has jumped 8% this year, giving it a market cap of more than $57 billion.
Its digital coin, called SOL, was selling for $130 on Thursday, up more than 10%.
Bankman-Fried’s stock tip comes as the world’s most popular digital currency, bitcoin, blew past $60,000 for the first time in two years on Wednesday.
As of Thursday, it was trading at $62,315 — within range of its late 2021 record high just under $69,000.
Bankman-Fried has also been using his time behind bars to work on his case, according to the Times.
His lawyers plan to argue in court that their client deserves leniency because FTX had enough assets to make their customers whole again.
Bankman-Fried’s mother, Stanford Law professor Barbara Fried, said in court papers that her son’s place on the autism spectrum puts him in “extreme danger” in prison due to the fact that he has trouble reading social cues.
Bankman-Fried was arrested after authorities said he used $8 billion worth of customer funds to cover risky bets made by his hedge fund.
On Tuesday, his attorneys filed a memo in Manhattan federal court in which they ask for a sentence between five and a quarter and six-and-a-half years.
Marc Mukasey, one of Bankman-Fried’s attorneys, called a 100-year guidelines range calculated by probation officers “barbaric”, saying it was based partly on a faulty assertion that FTX’s customers lost billions.
He pointed to the bankrupt company’s recent assertion that it expected to repay all customers in full to back up the argument that Bankman-Fried did not set out to steal.
Bankman-Fried was “deeply, deeply sorry” for “the pain he caused over the last two years,” according to the memo.
“His sole focus after the collapse of FTX was making customers whole.”
Lawyers for Bankman-Fried pressed their case for leniency by including a character letter written on their client’s behalf by Carmine Simpson, a 29-year-old former NYPD cop who was arrested three years ago for allegedly soliciting child pornography.
According to Simpson, MDC inmates are secretly working with the feds to extort and harass the disgraced FTX mogul.
Simpson urged US District Court Judge Lewis A. Kaplan to show leniency toward Bankman-Fried, who has been relegated to eating weekly meals of undercooked rice, a scoop of disgusting-looking beans and week-old brown lettuce.
Simpson described the conditions at MDC as cruel and inhumane.
Last week, a bearded Bankman-Fried was pictured alongside a former Bloods gang member in the first jailhouse photo of the disgraced crypto kingpin after he was convicted of fraud.
Bankman-Frieds wealth was estimated in the billions before FTX imploded.
He pleaded not guilty and is expected to appeal his conviction and sentence.
Bankman-Fried acknowledged making mistakes running FTX, but testified at trial that he never intended to steal customer funds.
Kaplan is set to sentence the former billionaire, who turns 32 next week, on March 28.
US director and actor Rob Reiner and his wife have been found dead at their home in Los Angeles.
Reiner and wife Michele Singer Reiner apparently died of stab wounds and a family member is being questioned, US media reported.
The Los Angeles Fire Department said a 78-year-old man and a 68-year-old woman were found dead inside a property, without identifying the victims. Reiner turned 78 in March.
Image: Pic: AP
Detectives from the LAPD Robbery Homicide Division have been assigned to the case, the force said in a statement.
LAPD Captain Mike Bland said they were investigating an “apparent homicide”.
A large police presence gathered at the house.
Image: Pic: AP
‘Celebrated director’
Reiner was a celebrated director whose work included some of the most memorable movies of the 1980s and ’90s.
He directed such classics as This Is Spinal Tap, The Princess Bride, When Harry Met Sally, A Few Good Men and Stand By Me.
Image: With Tom Cruise at the premiere of courtroom drama A Few Good Men in 1992. Pic: Reuters
He also acted, starring in Sleepless in Seattle and The Wolf of Wall Street among others. His most recent high-profile work was a recurring guest role in the hit show The Bear.
He met Michele Singer in 1989, while directing When Harry Met Sally. They have three children together.
Michele used to work as a photographer and took the photo of Donald Trump that appears on the cover of his book Trump: The Art Of The Deal.
Image: Rob Reiner on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1999. Pic Reuters
A spokesperson for the Reiner family said: “It is with profound sorrow that we announce the tragic passing of Michele and Rob Reiner. We are heartbroken by this sudden loss, and we ask for privacy during this unbelievably difficult time.”
Los Angeles mayor Karen Bass said Reiner’s death was a devastating loss for the city.
“Rob Reiner’s contributions reverberate throughout American culture and society, and he has improved countless lives through his creative work and advocacy fighting for social and economic justice,” she said.
“An acclaimed actor, director, producer, writer, and engaged political activist, he always used his gifts in service of others.”
Hollywood mourns a legend
A group of two dozen journalists are gathered behind a police cordon at the end of a street in Brentwood, usually a quiet and secure suburb of LA, an enclave of multimillionaires.
Beyond the yellow tape is the home of acclaimed Hollywood film director Rob Reiner and his wife Michele.
Stationed outside the house is a trailer being used by a forensic team gathering evidence from inside. The bodies of Rob and Michele were found with apparent stab wounds.
Every so often, local people wander past the house, expressing shock at what has happened. In this part of LA, home to many in show business, Rob Reiner is incredibly well-regarded. Even if you don’t immediately recognise his face, you know his work.
He is the director behind iconic films like The Princess Bride and Stand By Me. But it was while filming When Harry Met Sally, one of the most iconic rom coms of all time, that Rob met Michele, a photographer.
Their relationship persuaded him to change the ending of the film to ensure the main characters, played by Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal, ended up together.
‘Creative, funny, and beloved’
Reiner was a champion of liberal causes and a political activist.
In the 2004 presidential election, he backed Democratic candidate John Kerry and featured in advertisements taking aim at incumbent President George W Bush.
Reiner also supported Democratic presidential hopefuls Al Gore and Hillary Clinton.
Image: Rob Reiner with Hillary Clinton. Pic: Reuters
Former US president Barack Obama has led the tributes. He wrote on X that “Michelle and I are heartbroken by the tragic passing of Rob Reiner and his beloved wife, Michele. Rob’s achievements in film and television gave us some of our most cherished stories on screen.”
Former House speaker Nancy Pelosi said: “It’s hard to think of anyone more remarkable and excellent in every field and endeavour they pursued.
“Rob was creative, funny, and beloved. And in all of their endeavours, Michelle was his indispensable partner, intellectual resource, and loving wife.
“Personally, Rob cared deeply about people and demonstrated that in his civic activities – whether by supporting the First 5 initiative or fighting against Prop 8 in California.
“Civically, he was a champion for the First Amendment and the creative rights of artists. And professionally, he was an iconic figure in film who made us laugh, cry and think with the movies he created.”
Image: Reiner and his wife Michele Singer Reiner. Pic: AP
Actress Kathy Bates, who starred in Reiner’s film Misery, told NBC News: “I’m horrified hearing this terrible news. Absolutely devastated. I loved Rob.
“He was brilliant and kind, a man who made films of every genre to challenge himself as an artist. He also fought courageously for his political beliefs.
“He changed the course of my life. Michele was a gifted photographer. She shot my beautiful photos for the Misery campaign. My heart breaks for them both. My thoughts are with their family.”
Peugeot is officially bringing back one of its most iconic two-wheelers – the Peugeot 103 – this time as a modern electric moped.
For anyone who grew up in the heyday of European mopeds, the 103 name carries serious nostalgia. First launched in 1971, the original gasoline-powered Peugeot 103 became one of the most popular mopeds of all time thanks to its simple design, low cost, and accessibility for young riders who didn’t need a full motorcycle license.
You wouldn’t have to look far to find many people arguing that it is one of the most iconic mopeds ever produced, earning a legendary status in Europe thanks to its simplicity, reliability, and affordability.
Produced in massive numbers for decades, with countless variants and special editions, the 103 was especially popular in France, where it became deeply embedded in everyday culture, from city streets to rural towns. Its mechanical simplicity also made it a favorite for customization and tuning, helping cement its reputation not just as transportation, but as a rite of passage for generations of riders. Now, more than 50 years later, Peugeot is betting that the same formula can work again in the electric era.
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Classic versus modern take on the Peugeot 103 moped (left image via Reddit)
The new electric Peugeot 103 is expected to be a lightweight, urban-focused machine aimed squarely at city riders. Rather than trying to compete with high-performance electric motorcycles, Peugeot appears to be leaning into the original 103’s strengths: practicality, ease of use, and everyday transportation. Early information suggests removable battery options of either 1.6 or 2.2 kWh, which would be consistent with most small-format electric mopeds having batteries in this range, offering a modest but usable range for commuting and short trips while still being light enough to carry for off-board charging.
Styling-wise, Peugeot is clearly leaning into retro appeal. The electric 103 takes visual cues from the original model while incorporating modern touches like LED lighting and updated electronics. Under the skin, it’s expected to share technology with Peugeot’s SPx electric concept, giving it a contemporary electric drivetrain while keeping the overall package simple.
There don’t appear to be any visible pedals, meaning this could be more of a noped than a moped, but that would also keep it in line with several other lightweight electric two-wheelers in this modern class of electric commuters.
Electrek’s Take
The revival of the 103 feels like a smart move, especially since light electric motorbikes are some of the easiest to produce and sell right now. As cities continue to restrict cars and push for cleaner transportation, lightweight electric mopeds are becoming increasingly relevant. By reviving a beloved nameplate, Peugeot is tapping into decades of cultural memory, while offering a clean, quiet, and approachable way to navigate modern cities that could appeal to younger riders, even without the historic draw.
Signage at the Broadcom Inc. headquarters in San Jose, California, U.S., on Monday, June 2, 2025.
David Paul Morris | Bloomberg | Getty Images
The sell-off in artificial intelligence stocks continued unabated Friday stateside. Broadcom shares tumbled more than 11% as investors grew concerned over lower margins and uncertain deals. Names such as Nvidia, Advanced Micro Devices and Oracle fell in sympathy, which caused major U.S. indexes to close lower.
It was a motif patterning the week. Even though the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 1.1% week on week on the back of outperformance by financial stocks, tech names dragged down the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq Composite, which fell 0.6% and 1.6% respectively for the week.
That said, investors could have just been jittery amid the narrative of an apparent AI bubble, and were spooked by any sign of bad news. After all, Broadcom’s earnings — as well as its guidance for the current quarter — breezed past expectations.
“Frankly we aren’t sure what else one could desire as the company’s AI story continues to not only overdeliver but is doing it at an accelerating rate,” Bernstein analyst Stacy Rasgon, who has a “buy” rating on Broadcom, wrote in a Friday note.
Future prospects also look rosy, according to UBS. “We expect high profitability and the accelerating impact of the AI, power and resources, and longevity themes to drive 2026 performance,” said strategist Sagar Khandelwal.
But in the near term, investors may still be flighty, unless something concretely reassuring, such as Oracle achieving positive cash flow, reassures them the snapping sound is just a twig in the forest.
China’s economic slowdown deepens. Even though the country’s retail sales and industrial production grew year on year in November, their increase missed forecasts and slowed from the previous month. Investment in fixed assets in the January-to-November period contracted from a year earlier.
The end of the ‘Berkshire way’? Several aspects of Berkshire Hathaway’s leadership transition are signaling that the conglomerate is drifting away from the famously decentralized “Berkshire way,” CNBC’s Alex Crippen writes.
Hong Kong court finds Jimmy Lai guilty. The 78-year-old pro-democracy activist and media baron was ruled guilty of sedition and collusion with foreign countries by a Hong Kong court on Monday. The results might unsettle foreign investors, analysts say.
[PRO] China’s food security strategy. The spat between Beijing and Washington over soybean purchases has highlighted the evolution of China’s domestic agriculture industry. Goldman Sachs thinks this is the best way to play the sector.
And finally…
Copper prices have soared this year, hitting multiple record highs, fueled by supply disruptions and fears over U.S. tariffs.
Copper prices have hit multiple record highs this year, fueled by supply disruptions and as fears over U.S. tariffs have led to a surge in demand. The rally is set to continue into 2026.
Citi analysts expect prices of the red metal to skyrocket on the back of stronger demand led by the energy transition and artificial intelligence sectors. Electrification, grid expansion and data-center build-outs require large amounts of the metal for wiring, power transmission and cooling infrastructure.