Traders placed bets totalling more than $7 billion right before major US announcements relating to the Iran war, prompting accusations of rampant corruption in Washington.
The “highly unusual” trades have added to calls for regulators to step up their scrutiny of senior US government officials, including President Donald Trump.
Since the start of his second term, the US leader has reportedly increased his fortune by billions of dollars, while senior officials have been accused of easing regulations for industries, including AI and crypto, in which they hold investments. “We’re living in an era when the corruption is occurring on an unprecedented scale,” an ethics lawyer told The Atlantic’s George Packer.
