Headline: "SEC Reaches $1.8 Million Settlement with Citron Partner Ryan Choi"

Renowned U.S. short-selling investor Andrew Left's partner at Citron Research, Ryan Choi, has reached a $1.8 million settlement with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The settlement addresses charges related to two stock recommendations published by Citron Research.

The SEC accused Choi of engaging in misleading conduct by failing to conduct adequate research or due diligence before issuing stock recommendations for two companies traded on U.S. exchanges through social media posts. The commission claimed that Choi developed the content for these recommendations in collaboration with Left in December 2020. Following the publication of these recommendations on social media, Choi traded in these stocks to benefit from the resulting price increases but did not disclose his trades in his posts.

As part of the settlement, Choi neither admitted nor denied the SEC's allegations but agreed to pay a total of $1.8 million to the SEC. This amount includes disgorgement of profits, prejudgment interest, and penalties.

This settlement could have implications for Andrew Left, who is currently facing charges from the SEC and Department of Justice. Lawsuits filed in July accuse Left of misleading Citron Research followers by issuing false information regarding stock trading activities. The outcome of Choi’s case could potentially influence Left’s ongoing legal challenges.