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Tesla short seller Jim Chanos hit with lawsuit from partner over alleged fund misuse

Credit: Philip Powerss/X

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Aggressive Tesla short seller Jim Chanos has been sued by a partner who is accusing the famed short-seller of using company funds for his personal use. 

Conlon Holdings, an investment firm that invested in Chanos’ firm in 2020, alleged that the famed short-seller treated the company “like a piggy bank” for personal gain, as noted in a Bloomberg News report. The lawsuit was filed in New York State court over the weekend. 

Conlon Holdings’ complaint centered on $10 million in loans that Chanos reportedly borrowed from his firm, Chanos & Co. (formerly known as Kynikos Associates), over more than a decade. Conlon alleged that the short-seller “never intended on paying the company back, but instead planned on using his power as general partner to run the company into the ground, enjoy the tax benefits of his financial shenanigans, and leave his partners with nothing.”

The suit further claimed that Chanos had sold a luxury Miami apartment owned by Chanos & Co. for $17.8 million without informing his partners. The sale reportedly resulted in Chanos’ girlfriend, Crystal Conners — who was the sales agent in the deal — earning $540,000 in commission. “In other words, Chanos not only sold the company’s property but did so in a way that he could pay his girlfriend more than half a million dollars of money that did not belong to him,” the suit noted. 

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Jim Chanos, for his part, has denied the allegations, dubbing Conlon’s lawsuit as ”puzzling and baseless.” “The facts will show that the internal loan in question from the company was paid off in 2021,” he noted. Interestingly enough, Chanos’ former chief financial officer Brian Nichols noted in an affidavit that his boss acknowledged that the loan was still outstanding as part of his tax return in 2022. 

Conlon Holdings is looking to prevent Chanos from accessing the proceeds from the Miami apartment sale. Conlon is also demanding that Chanos be removed as general partner of his firm.

Chanos’ fame stemmed from successfully shorting Enron stock in 2000. He was also one of Tesla’s most aggressive critics, announcing in 2017 that he believed the electric vehicle maker’s equity was worthless, and that his price target for TSLA stock was zero. By 2018, Chanos claimed that the Model 3 was “looking to be a lemon.” 

Needless to say, Chanos was unsuccessful in his efforts to short Tesla, and last year, he announced that he was closing his fund. His fund has gotten substantially smaller, dropping to less than $200 million in 2023 from $8 billion in 2008. Elon Musk, for his part, commented on Chanos’ recent legal troubles, noting that the short seller did not just bet against Tesla — he also pushed false narratives that the media embraced. 

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Simon is an experienced automotive reporter with a passion for electric cars and clean energy. Fascinated by the world envisioned by Elon Musk, he hopes to make it to Mars (at least as a tourist) someday. For stories or tips--or even to just say a simple hello--send a message to his email, simon@teslarati.com or his handle on X, @ResidentSponge.

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Elon Musk’s xAI plants flag in Bellevue AI hotspot

The lease places xAI’s new office in one of the region’s fastest-growing tech hubs.

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UK Government, CC BY 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence company xAI has leased a full floor at Lincoln Square South in downtown Bellevue, WA, as per city permit filings. 

The lease places xAI’s new office in one of the region’s fastest-growing tech hubs.

Public records indicate that xAI leased roughly 24,800 square feet in Lincoln Square South. The location was previously occupied by video game company Epic Games. Lincoln Square South is part of the Bellevue Collection, which is owned by Kemper Development Co.

The lease was first referenced in January by commercial real estate firm Broderick Group, which noted that an unnamed tenant had secured the space, as stated in a report from the Puget Sound Business Journal. Later filings identified xAI as the occupant for the space.

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xAI has not publicly commented on the lease.

xAI hinted at plans to open an office in the Seattle area back in September, when the startup posted job openings with salaries ranging from $180,000 to $440,000. At the time, the company had narrowed its location search to cities on the Eastside but had not finalized a lease.

xAI’s Bellevue expansion comes as Musk continues consolidating his businesses. Last week, SpaceX acquired xAI in a deal that valued the artificial intelligence startup at $250 billion. SpaceX itself is now valued at roughly $1.25 trillion and is expected to pursue an initial public offering (IPO) later this year.

Musk already has a significant presence in the region through SpaceX, which employs about 2,000 workers locally. That initiative, however, is focused largely on Starlink satellite development.

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Bellevue has increasingly become a center for artificial intelligence companies. OpenAI has expanded its local office footprint to nearly 300,000 square feet. Data infrastructure firms such as Crusoe and CoreWeave have also established offices downtown.

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SpaceX blocks unauthorized Starlink terminals used by Russian troops

Ukrainian officials confirmed that Starlink terminals believed to be used by Russian troops were disabled after coordination with SpaceX.

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(Credit: Starlink/X)

SpaceX has taken steps to block unauthorized use of its Starlink satellite internet network, a move Ukrainian officials stated is already disrupting Russian military communications. 

Russian units lose a key communications tool

As per a report from The Guardian, Ukrainian defense officials have confirmed that Starlink terminals believed to be used by Russian troops were recently disabled after coordination with SpaceX. The move reportedly affected frontline communications and drone operations, especially in areas where traditional military radios are unreliable or easily jammed.

For months, Russian units had relied on large numbers of illicitly obtained Starlink terminals to stay connected along the front. The satellite internet service allowed faster coordination and more precise drone use for Russian forces.

Several Russian military bloggers close to frontline units have acknowledged the impact of the Starlink shutdown, with some describing sudden connectivity problems in the satellite internet service.

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Russia lacks comparable replacement

Russia does not have a satellite internet system that matches Starlink’s speed, coverage, and ease of deployment. Alternatives such as fiber-optic lines, short-range wireless links, and digital radio systems take longer to install and work inadequately for fast-moving units.

Russia does operate limited satellite communications through state-linked providers, but those systems rely mainly on geostationary satellites, which are notably slower. Coverage is uneven, and data capacity is far lower than Starlink’s low-Earth-orbit network.

For now, Ukraine has stated that it has introduced a verification system that allows only approved Starlink terminals to connect. Devices believed to be linked to Russian forces are blocked from the network. That being said, Ukrainian officials have also claimed Russian units are trying to work around the restrictions by asking civilians to register Starlink terminals in their names. 

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Tesla Semi pricing revealed after company uncovers trim levels

This is a step up from the prices that were revealed back in 2017, but with inflation and other factors, it is no surprise Tesla could not come through on the numbers it planned to offer nine years ago. When the Semi was unveiled in November 2017, Tesla had three pricing levels:

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Credit: Tesla

Tesla Semi pricing appears to have been revealed after the company started communicating with the entities interested in purchasing its all-electric truck. The pricing details come just days after Tesla revealed it planned to offer two trim levels and uncovered the specs of each.

After CEO Elon Musk said the Semi would enter volume production this year, Tesla revealed trim levels shortly thereafter. Offering a Standard Range and a Long Range trim will fit the needs of many companies that plan to use the truck for local and regional deliveries.

Tesla Semi lines up for $165M in California incentives ahead of mass production

It will also be a good competitor to the all-electric semi trucks already available from companies like Volvo.

With the release of specs, Tesla helped companies see the big picture in terms of what the Semi could do to benefit their business. However, pricing information was not available.

A new report from Electrek states that Tesla has been communicating with those interested companies and is pricing the Standard Range at $250,000 per unit, while the Long Range is priced at $290,000. These prices come before taxes and destination fees.

This is a step up from the prices that were revealed back in 2017, but with inflation and other factors, it is no surprise Tesla could not come through on the numbers it planned to offer nine years ago. When the Semi was unveiled in November 2017, Tesla had three pricing levels:

  • $150,000 for a 300-mile range version
  • $180,000 for a 500-mile range version
  • $200,000 for a limited “Founders Series” edition; full upfront payment required for priority production and limited to just 1,000 units

Tesla has not officially released any specific information regarding pricing on the Semi, but it is not surprising that it has not done so. The Semi is a vehicle that will be built for businesses, and pricing information is usually reserved for those who place reservations. This goes for most products of this nature.

The Semi will be built at a new, dedicated production facility in Sparks, Nevada, which Tesla broke ground on in 2024. The factory was nearly complete in late 2025, and executives confirmed that the first “online builds” were targeted for that same time.

Meaningful output is scheduled for this year, as Musk reiterated earlier this week that it would enter mass production this year. At full capacity, the factory will build 50,000 units annually.

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