Online trading company Robinhood had a rise in its shares, rising more than 4% on Friday morning, in an unexpected turn of events. Sam Bankman-Fried, the former CEO of FTX who was arrested and charged, had previously owned more than $605 million in company equity, according to the business. Following Bankman-Fried’s well-publicized demise, the federal authorities had confiscated these shares. This clever move by Robinhood not only brought its stock prices to a little over one-month high of $11.30 a share, but also restored investor trust.
The market reacted favorably to Robinhood’s recent disclosure that it has spent more than $605 million buying its own shares. A crucial step was taken to stabilize the company’s position with the agreement between Robinhood and the U.S. Marshal Service to buy back about 55.3 million shares at a price of $10.96 each. About 7% of Robinhood’s outstanding shares are represented by these acquired shares. It should be noted that these shares were acquired by Bankman-Fried’s Emergent Fidelity Technologies in May 2022, but the federal government seized them when Bankman-Fried was charged with a crime and named CEO of the insolvent cryptocurrency company by the Department of Justice.
This tactical choice was not one that Robinhood made on the spur of the moment. For months, the business has been preparing to buy back these shares. In fact, the transaction had already been approved by the board in February, when it first caused Robinhood’s stock to rise by 5%. The Securities and Exchange Commission and the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York both gave their permission before the agreement was formally concluded on Thursday.
Sam Bankman-Fried, a former crypto billionaire who attracted attention worldwide, was charged in December with eight crimes in a federal district court in New York. These accusations included conspiracy to commit securities fraud, conspiracy to launder money, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and conspiracy to commit wire fraud against lenders. Prosecutors claim that Bankman-Fried organized a large-scale operation to defraud FTX clients by using their deposits to pay costs for a sister company, Alameda Research, instead of FTX. Bankman-Fried has pled not guilty to all eight counts, despite being freed on a $250,000 bond. He also entered a not guilty plea to five additional federal counts in March, including one for allegedly bribing a Chinese official with $40 million.
It’s interesting to note that Bankman-Fried recently received a gag order from the court after the prosecution claimed that he sent the New York Times personal information about his ex-girlfriend and business partner, Caroline Ellison. Her credibility as a witness in an upcoming fraud trial, according to the prosecution, was intended to be tarnished by this action. As a result, Bankman-Fried has been subject to judicial prohibitions on speaking with the media.
Robinhood is in an encouraging run
Although Robinhood’s recent performance has been encouraging, it is important to recognize the difficulties the company has experienced lately. The decision by Robinhood to restrict consumers from investing in “meme stocks” including Bed Bath & Beyond, GameStop, and AMC in 2021 led to a class-action lawsuit against the company, which a federal judge approved earlier this month. This choice was made in response to the sudden increase in these firms’ stock prices, with GameStop’s stock rising by as much as 1,700%. Despite these obstacles, Robinhood’s calculated decision to buy back the confiscated shares has given its stock prices a much-needed lift and boosted investor confidence.
In conclusion, Robinhood’s choice to repurchase the seized shares that Sam Bankman-Fried had previously possessed has turned out to be a game-changer for the business. The resultant rise in stock prices, which reached a high of almost one month, emphasizes the advantageous effects of this tactical choice. Even while there are still difficulties, like the ongoing class-action litigation, Robinhood’s aggressive measures have confirmed its determination to consolidate and strengthen its market position. It will be interesting to watch how this development affects the company’s future course as it develops.
Read Also: Streaming: Universal and Deezer collaborates
