Sanctions Versus Russia | Larry Ellison’s Largest Political Gift | Who Hacked The DAO?

Plus: Pilgrim’s Pride Ex-CEOs Face Felony Trial Over Alleged Price-Fixing In Chicken

Good morning.

Germany led Europe's reaction against President Vladimir Putin's decision to send troops to breakaway Ukrainian territories Russia has recognized as independent, with new sanctions from the U.S. and its allies likely to follow. We're also covering Oracle billionaire Larry Ellison's largest political donation to date and an investigation to find the hacker behind the largest ever theft of ether, the Ethereum blockchain’s native token. Finally, catch up with the criminal charges against ten poultry industry’s former executives as their second trial gets underway in Denver today. 

In The News Today

Chancellor Olaf Scholz halted a $11 billion gas pipeline project from Russia to Germany after President Vladimir Putin recognized two eastern Ukrainian separatist regions as independent and dispatched troops there. 

New sanctions against Russia are also expected, after the U.S., the U.K., and other members of the United Nations condemned Putin’s decision as a violation of international law. Putin’s announcement hit global markets and the Russian currency, but boosted oil prices.

Top Take-Aways

Larry Ellison gave $15 million in January to a super-PAC that is supporting South Carolina Republican Senator Tim Scott—the single largest political donation that the Oracle billionaire has ever made to a federal campaign or committee, according to a review of FEC data.

The main investigative committee in the U.S. House of Representatives has asked the federal government to consider terminating Donald Trump’s lease on the Old Post Office, a historic Washington building that houses his landmark luxury hotel in the nation’s capital.

Miami street gangs have turned their backs on narcotics and are getting most of their revenue from a less risky crime: buying Americans' data in huge quantities from Russian cybercrime forums to commit identity fraud.

Getting a refund from mental health startup Cerebral is quite the ordeal. Internal documents show the company has a strict protocol for refunds, and customers say they are met with resistance when they seek repayment for services not rendered—until they pull out the big guns.

Ethereum, the second biggest crypto network, is subject of a great mystery: who committed the largest theft of ether ever, by hacking decentralized venture capital fund The DAO in 2016? One investigation points to a 36-year-old Austrian programmer.

A fire on board the Felicity Ace, a charter ship transporting nearly 4,000 upmarket vehicles such as Porsches, Audis, Bentleys, and Lamborghinis to the U.S., could cost Volkswagen Group around $450 million, according to a worst case scenario modeled by UBS.

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