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Andrew Left, founder of Citron Research, faced a sharp rebuke from a federal judge after skipping jury deliberations in his Los Angeles securities fraud trial. The judge threatened to put him in custody until the verdict was read, marking a dramatic moment in the high-profile case.
Quick Facts
- Left was absent on Monday as the jury deliberated
- Judge Virginia Phillips threatened custody until verdict
- Trial involves allegations of stock market manipulation
- Charges include securities fraud related to Nvidia and Tesla shares
The Activist Short Seller’s Securities Fraud Trial
Andrew Left is a prominent activist short seller who founded Citron Research, an online investment newsletter known for short-selling research and commentary. He was charged on July 25, 2024, with engaging in a securities fraud scheme and multiple counts of securities violations. Prosecutors alleged that Left manipulated stock prices through his trading activity and public statements, profiting from the moves. The trial began in Los Angeles federal court on May 11, 2026, at the United States Courthouse on 1st Street.
Monday’s AWOL Incident and Judge’s Warning
On Monday, as the jury began deliberating in federal court in Los Angeles, Left did not appear. A federal judge blasted the short-seller for being absent during a critical phase of the trial. The judge stated she would put him in custody until the verdict if he did not comply with court orders requiring his presence. The incident underscored the tension in a landmark case that tests the legal boundaries of activist short-selling and how much market influence a single trader can legally exert through social media and public appearances.
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Andrew Left skipped jury deliberations in LA, judge threatens custody
What the Case Tests
The trial raises fundamental questions about short-selling tactics and accountability. Prosecutors argued that Left used his influence through social media, cable news appearances, and his newsletter to manipulate stocks while timing his own trades to profit from the moves. The defense maintained that Left acted in good faith based on his genuine beliefs about the companies he targeted. Court documents show that on July 25, 2024, Left faced charges of using incomplete or misleading research to drive stock prices, a practice prosecutors said enriched him at the expense of retail investors.
Sources
- AOL News — Judge threatens to put short-seller Andrew Left in custody after AWOL from trial deliberations (June 1, 2026)
- Yahoo News — Short-seller Andrew Left went AWOL from his trial (June 1, 2026)
- Business Insider — Judge threatens to jail Andrew Left after he goes AWOL from trial (June 1, 2026)
- Reuters — Short-seller Andrew Left accused of scaring retail investors as his LA trial gets under way (May 12, 2026)
- U.S. Department of Justice — Criminal Division case filing for United States v. Andrew Left
