Andrew Left, the founder of Citron Research, was convicted of securities fraud and faces over 20 years in prison

According to Bloomberg, Andrew Left, the founder of the well-known short-selling firm Citron Research, has been found guilty of manipulating stock prices using dishonest social media posts. After a three-week trial in Los Angeles, the jury ruled that Left was guilty on 13 out of 17 charges, including one count of securities fraud.

Prosecutors accused Left of illegally influencing stock prices and profiting quickly from explosive tweets about dozens of companies between 2018 and 2023, earning over $20 million from it. Left stated in court that he would appeal, claiming the verdict is an attack on free speech and innocent trading behavior. He faces over 20 years in prison and will be sentenced on August 31. The case has drawn close attention from the short-selling industry, with a Yale professor stating that this ruling will have a chilling effect on short sellers.