The former dean of Stanford Law School who co-signed Sam Bankman-Fried’s bail said he considered Bankman-Fried’s parents “the truest of friends” who helped his family through a “harrowing battle with cancer.” In an emailed statement to Cointelegraph on Feb. 16, Larry Kramer said he co-signed Bankman-Fried’s bail as a way to return the favor. “Joe Bankman and Barbara Fried have been close friends of my wife and I since the mid-1990s,” said Kramer. He said that over the past two years, Bankman-Fried’s parents Joe Bankman and Barbara Fried, provided food and moral support while “frequently stepping in at moment's notice …

The Consumer Federation of California (CFC), a nonprofit advocacy organization working for consumer rights, sponsored a bill that seeks to license and regulate the activities of cryptocurrency exchanges. The legislation demanding regulatory oversight of crypto businesses — the Digital Financial Assets Law — was introduced by Assemblymember Timothy Grayson with the aim of protecting Californians from financial hardship and fostering responsible innovation. Grayson believes that licensure is the next natural step for the crypto industry, adding: “And it is equally clear that until we take that step, Californians will continue to be vulnerable to prevalent and preventable financial scams.” This …

The California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) is testing out the digitization of car titles and title transfers via a private Tezos blockchain. The move is part of a collaboration between the California DMV, Tezos and blockchain software firm Oxhead Alpha, with the latter announcing t successful proof-of-concept on Jan. 25. The California DMV has tapped Oxhead Alpha to build on a private Tezos testnet that it has dubbed a “shadow ledger.” It is essentially designed to become a blockchain-based replication of the agency’s current database. The California DMV’s chief digital officer Ajay Gupta told Fortune on Jan. 26 that …

Three men reportedly drove their car into the metal barricade outside Sam Bankman-Fried’s parent’s home where he is currently under house arrest, SBF’s lawyers claim. In a filing to the federal court, the lawyers for the former FTX CEO said the three men got out of the car after hitting the barricade and told a security guard guarding the home: “You won’t be able to stop us.” The unidentified trio were then able to drive away before security guards could record the car’s license plate. According to a Reuters report, the incident was described in a Jan. 19 court filing …

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) has begun the process of getting a default judgment in its case against Ooki DAO after the latter missed the deadline to respond to the lawsuit. According to a Jan. 11 court filing, the regulator has requested the court for an "entry of default" against the decentralized autonomous organization (DAO), stating it had missed the deadline to "answer or otherwise defend" as instructed by the summons. If approved, the entry of default will establish Ooki DAO has failed to plead or defend itself in court and will no longer be able to answer or …

Sam Bankman-Fried has reportedly been leading a decent lifestyle while under house arrest in his parent’s home in Palo Alto — with daily jogs, a security detail, and a couple of in-home visits. However, it's not exactly a life of endless luxury either. The former FTX CEO is reportedly required to wear an ankle monitor and is only allowed to leave the house under certain circumstances, among other restrictions. The aforementioned Palo Alto home, located on the border of Stanford University’s campus is understood to be a $4 million property equipped with 5 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, and a pool according …

The California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation (DFPI) has fired off 17 separate warnings over two days of crypto brokers and websites it suspects of being fraudulent. The list includes Tahoe Digital Exchange, TeleTrade Options, Tony Alin Trading Firm, Hekamenltd/Tosal Markets Limited, Trade 1960, Yong Ying Global Investment Company Limited, Unison FX, VoyanX.com, and ZC Exchange, to name a few. Additionally, there are two copycat sites posing as two big names in the crypto sector with eth-Wintermute.net, and UniSwap LLC. At the time of writing, the DFPI's consumer alert page has posted 17 warnings over Dec. 27 and Dec. …

The number of lawsuits against former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried has been racking up since the fall of his crypto empire, with the former “white knight” of crypto finding himself a defendant in seven class action lawsuits filed since FTX’s bankruptcy. These lawsuits are separate from the numerous probes and investigations examining FTX and Sam Bankman-Fried, such as a reported market manipulation probe by federal prosecutors and the Federal Election Commission’s likely investigation into Bankman-Frieds dark money donations to the Republican Party. Below is a summary of the class-action lawsuits brought against Sam Bankman-Fried since Nov. 11. Dec. 7: Podalsky …

With the cryptocurrency market becoming ever more complex and intimidating, California Attorney General Rob Bonta had decided to issue guidance for novice crypto buyers. The California Office of the Attorney General’s website now features a page that will help those new to crypto “avoid the hype, [and] get the facts.” “Don’t fall for a fantasy – Cryptocurrency, like all investments, carries significant risks, and there’s no guarantee that you’ll see large – or any – returns,” Bonta said in a statement. “Our new webpage is meant to be a resource for Californians curious about this new and volatile market.” (The …

The Department of Financial Protection and Innovation (DFPI) in the state of California announced on Nov. 10 that it will open up an investigation as to the “apparent failure” of the cryptocurrency exchange FTX. California regulators said in the announcement that the DFPI takes this oversight responsibility “very seriously” and that the department expects all entities offering financial services in the state to comply with local financial laws. It also encouraged anyone in the state who has been affected by the events of the ongoing FTX saga, to call a dedicated hotline. The state of California is one of many …

Amid Twitter beginning mass layoffs, the company employees are launching a class-action lawsuit against the new Twitter CEO, Elon Musk. According to multiple sources, Musk started massive layoffs at Twitter on Nov. 4, reducing the company’s workforce of 7,500 people. The CEO was speculated to cut as much as 50% of Twitter’s staff, or about 3,500 people, just a few days after acquiring Twitter for $44 billion on Oct. 27. In response to the layoffs, Twitter employees filed a class-action lawsuit against Musk in San Francisco federal court, Bloomberg reported. The suit argues that Twitter is violating federal and California …

The California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation (DFPI) announced last month that it had issued desist and refrain orders to 11 entities for violating California securities laws. Some of the highlights included allegations that they offered unqualified securities as well as material misrepresentations and omissions to investors. These violations should remind us that while crypto is a unique and exciting industry for the public at large, it is still an area that is rife with the potential for bad players and fraud. To date, government crypto regulation has been minimal at best, with a distinct lack of action. Whether …