S.B.F. Legal Blame Game, a Murdoch Twist, & More Kutcher-Kunis Drama

Welcome back to The Rainmaker, a private email about money, power, fame, and, most of all, the law. In today’s edition, Sam Bankman-Fried’s blame-the-lawyers trial strategy. Plus John D. Rockefeller v. Elon Musk, Gary Gensler, Rupert Murdoch, Donald Trump, Martin Shkreli, Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis, Selena Gomez, Johnny Depp, Zia Chishti, and more. But first…
‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

Our special anniversary offer

No two ways about it—Puck has the inside scoop. Celebrate our second anniversary with 25% off your first year.

Happy Monday, I’m Eriq Gardner.

Welcome back to The Rainmaker, a private email about money, power, fame, and, most of all, the law.

In today’s edition, Sam Bankman-Fried’s blame-the-lawyers trial strategy. Plus John D. Rockefeller v. Elon Musk, Gary Gensler, Rupert Murdoch, Donald Trump, Martin Shkreli, Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis, Selena Gomez, Johnny Depp, Zia Chishti, and more.

But first…

On the Docket

Fox internal affairs: Following a series of costly libel lawsuits against Fox News, it seems that Fox Corp.’s board is now receiving briefings from the company’s ethics chief, Nicholas Trutanich, regarding...

Can’t see the full story?

You’re receiving the free version of The Rainmaker at . For full access to Puck, and to each of my colleagues, you can
subscribe here and get 25% off.

S.B.F. Is Blaming It All on the Lawyers

Bankman-Fried is relying, in part, on a complicated and risky advice-of-counsel strategy. It might lead to one of the more dramatic courtroom moments in recent legal history.

ERIQ GARDNER

For years, Sam Bankman-Fried carefully cultivated an image as a disheveled prodigy who cared more about using crypto to uplift the poor than enriching himself. Of course, as it turned out, S.B.F. wasn’t just playing video games, giving away his money, and driving a Toyota Corolla, as has been widely reported. He was also spending millions of dollars to...

Keep Reading with 25% Off

FOUR STORIES WE’RE TALKING ABOUT

Iger’s Buyers

Notes on the Disney fire sale and LVMH succession.

WILLIAM D. COHAN

The Hunter Manhunt

Biden insider Michael LaRosa dishes on the ’24 messaging wars and more.

TARA PALMERI

Elon’s Star Power

On Musk’s technological interventions in Ukraine and the limits of the public good.

BARATUNDE THURSTON

Drew’s Blues

How the Drew Barrymore saga perfectly encapsulates the studio-streamers’ dilemma.

MATTHEW BELLONI

Need help? Review our FAQs
page or contact
us for assistance. For brand partnerships, email ads@puck.news.

You received this email because you signed up to receive emails from Puck, or as part of your Puck account associated with . To stop receiving this newsletter and/or manage all your email preferences, click here.

Puck is published by Heat Media LLC. 227 W 17th St New York, NY 10011.

SEE THE ARCHIVES

Directly Supporting Authors

Personalized Subscriptions

Stay in the Know

Try Puck for free

Latest Articles from Hollywood

Iger’s Four Horsemen of the Succession Apocalypse

Ryan Coogler’s 25-Year Plan

Warners, Paramount, and the Allure of Mutual Desperation

Autem quidem magnam tempora

Et consequatur perspiciatis deserunt

Nihil eum repudiandae dignissimos et qui

Dolorum facere est non

Get access to this story

Latest Articles from Hollywood

Another scheduled test

Why Hollywood Thinks Trump Was Right About China

How to Fix Disney’s Sluggish Streamer: It’s All About the ‘Hamiltons’

dual by line test

Corporis labore culpa velit

Omnis excepturi laudantium laboriosam temporibus harum dolore

Quis ea quo ut quam sint et