TechFlow reports, citing decripto, that Austin Private Wealth, a firm linked to BlackRock, shorted 12 million shares of Trump Media & Technology Group (DJT.O) the day before the attempted assassination of Trump. Austin Private Wealth manages approximately $1 billion in assets, with major shareholders including prominent investment firms such as BlackRock and Vanguard. The timing of this short sale has raised market suspicions of insider trading.
Austin Private Wealth explained that due to a technical malfunction in its trading system, the short sale order was erroneously placed—its actual size should have been much smaller and directed at different securities. It is reported that the SEC has begun investigating the firm’s internal communications and trading records to determine whether any misconduct occurred; if illegal activities are found, it could lead to severe penalties.
Earlier reports indicated that Thomas Crooks, the suspect in the Trump assassination attempt, had appeared in a BlackRock advertisement. BlackRock has since taken down the video. The company issued a statement strongly condemning all forms of political violence and affirming its commitment to promoting civility and unity in the nation.
