A US federal jury has found prominent short seller Andrew Left guilty of securities fraud in a landmark case centered on alleged market manipulation. Multiple outlets report that prosecutors argued Left used social media posts to influence stock prices and profit from resulting market moves. The trial took place in federal court in California, and the conviction follows charges brought in mid-2024. One report describes the jury’s verdict as guilty on 13 securities-fraud counts under a larger scheme, and another outlet summarizes the conviction as including one scheme count and multiple additional fraud counts. The outlets also note that Left faced additional allegations related to false statements to federal investigators, and they report that the potential penalties include a lengthy prison term, with one source citing a maximum of 25 years. Financial and industry-focused coverage indicates the verdict is likely to increase scrutiny of other short sellers and could affect how regulators and market participants view the use of public commentary, including social media, in connection with trading positions. Sentencing and any appeals are not covered in the provided summaries.