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MacKenzie Scott trims Amazon stake by 42%, shedding $12.5 billion in shares

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MacKenzie Scott, the billionaire philanthropist and ex-wife of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, has cut her stake in the e-commerce giant by 42% over the past year, according to a Bloomberg News report citing a recent regulatory filing.

Scott now holds 81.1 million Amazon shares as of September 30, down by about 58 million shares from the previous year. Based on Tuesday’s closing price, the sale represents roughly $12.55 billion in stock.

The filing also revealed that Bezos still beneficially owns more than 964 million Amazon shares, including 81.1 million over which he has sole voting authority. Amazon did not respond to requests for comment, and Reuters was unable to independently verify the filing.

Scott received her Amazon holdings in 2019 as part of her divorce settlement, amounting to a 4% stake valued at $36 billion at the time. Since then, she has become one of the world’s most active philanthropists, donating more than $19.25 billion to over 2,450 non-profit organizations through her charitable platform, Yield Giving.

Her large-scale giving efforts have focused on education, gender equality, racial justice, and community-based initiatives, often made without conditions or publicity — a sharp contrast to the structured foundations of many billionaires.

Cryptocurrency Firm Pleads Guilty After FBI’s Operation Token Mirrors Sting

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A cryptocurrency financial services firm, CLS Global, has agreed to plead guilty to charges related to market manipulation after its involvement in a unique FBI sting operation aimed at uncovering fraud in the crypto sector.

Key Points:

  • Guilty Plea and Charges: CLS Global, a UAE-registered firm, admitted to helping manipulate the market for a digital token created by the FBI in its undercover investigation, “Operation Token Mirrors.” The company is set to plead guilty to two counts of fraudulent market manipulation and has agreed to pay $428,059 in restitution.
  • FBI’s Novel Operation: “Operation Token Mirrors” marked the first time the FBI had directed the creation of its own digital token, NexFundAI, to bait fraudsters. The operation also involved setting up a fake cryptocurrency company to lure in market manipulators.
  • Sham Transactions: CLS Global was one of three companies that provided illicit trading services, including wash trading, which is used to artificially inflate trading volumes and prices. These services were provided for the FBI-backed NexFundAI token on the Ethereum blockchain.
  • Consequences for CLS Global: The firm will be barred from participating in cryptocurrency transactions involving U.S. investors or offering services to U.S.-based crypto clients. Additionally, CLS Global must submit annual certifications regarding its business practices.
  • SEC Civil Charges: In addition to the criminal charges, CLS Global will settle related civil charges with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).