{"id":47319,"date":"2026-04-11T04:47:11","date_gmt":"2026-04-11T04:47:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/?p=47319"},"modified":"2026-04-11T04:47:11","modified_gmt":"2026-04-11T04:47:11","slug":"billionaire-bill-ackman-blasts-2m-shakedown-demand-by-former-staffer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/?p=47319","title":{"rendered":"Billionaire Bill Ackman blasts $2M \u2018shakedown\u2019 demand by former staffer"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><br \/>\n<br \/><\/p>\n<div>\n<p>Billionaire hedge fund boss Bill Ackman <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wsj.com\/articles\/bill-ackman-x-elon-musk-trump-dei-cf9d9dc0?mod=hp_lead_pos7\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">says he\u2019s the victim of a \u201cshakedown\u201d attempt<\/a> by a former employee demanding a $2 million severance payment after alleging an \u201cunsafe workplace\u201d \u2014 prompting wealthy captains of industry to publicly back the moneyman.<\/p>\n<p>Ackman recently laid out his case in a lengthy X post that quickly went viral, writing, \u201cI am reaching out to the @X community for advice,\u201d and vowing to \u201cfight this nonsense to the end of the earth.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>He said last Saturday that he launched his family office, called Table, about 15 years ago, putting it in the hands of a friend he described as \u201csomeone that I trusted implicitly.\u201d The office later \u201cgrew massively\u201d as headcount and costs ballooned despite having a largely administrative role, he added.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"nyp-slideshow-modal-image wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><figcaption>Billionaire hedge fund manager Bill Ackman claims he is facing a $2 million \u201cshakedown\u201d from a former employee. <span class=\"credit\">Bloomberg via Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Ackman said he remained mostly hands-off \u2014 conducting only an annual review \u2014 with the goal of having the firm \u201chandle everything other than my day job so that I would have more time for my job and my family.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>As costs and turnover \u201cballooned,\u201d he brought in his Harvard-educated nephew \u2014 who did a \u201csuperb job\u201d turning around another investment, according to Ackman \u2014 to review operations, leading to layoffs of about a third of staff.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"single__inline-module aligncenter wp-block-nypost-editor-primary-tag\">\n<\/aside>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"embed-wrapper twitter\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">I am reaching out to the <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/X?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@X<\/a> community for advice with the likely risk of sharing TMI. I have been sufficiently upset about the whole matter that I have lost sleep thinking about it and I am hoping that this post will enable me to get this matter off my chest.<\/p>\n<p>By way of\u2026<\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Bill Ackman (@BillAckman) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/BillAckman\/status\/2040547553675194539?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">April 4, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p>Most employees exited \u201cprofessionally,\u201d <a href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2026\/04\/07\/business\/bill-ackman-launches-65b-bid-for-taylor-swifts-label-universal-music\/\">Ackman said<\/a> \u2014 except for an in-house lawyer he called \u201cRonda\u201d who rejected three months\u2019 severance and demanded two years\u2019 pay after working just two-and-a-half years.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"nyp-slideshow-modal-image wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><figcaption>Tech entrepreneur Bryan Johnson was among online supporters urging Bill Ackman to fight the $2 million dispute. <span class=\"credit\">Bloomberg via Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Ackman said she refused to speak with him before the firm received a \u201cthreatening letter\u201d alleging \u201charassment and gender discrimination\u201d and an \u201cunsafe work environment\u201d \u2014 claims he called \u201cinteresting\u201d given she oversaw compliance.<\/p>\n<p>The letter alleged his nephew made \u201cinappropriate and genderbased [sic]\u201d remarks about a female employee\u2019s age, appearance and family planning, and warned she would \u201cseek all appropriate relief\u201d in court if a deal isn\u2019t reached.<\/p>\n<p>Ackman said the issue had been raised internally and that he pushed for \u201cworkplace sensitivity training,\u201d adding that accounts from others did not match the allegations and that \u201cno one, as far as I understand, was offended,\u201d adding there was \u201cno evidence whatsoever\u201d of broader problems.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"nyp-slideshow-modal-image wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><figcaption>Former Theranos CEO Elizabeth Holmes was among the high-profile figures reacting online as Ackman\u2019s dispute gained traction. <span class=\"credit\">REUTERS<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>He suggested the $2 million demand was opportunistic, noting \u201cRonda\u201d was aware of a medical crisis his daughter was undergoing and his firm\u2019s pending IPO, and blasting what he called \u201cfake\u201d discrimination claims as a costly \u201ctax on the economy.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"embed-wrapper twitter\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8<\/p>\n<p>Destroy them! Good work.<\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Joe Lonsdale (@JTLonsdale) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/JTLonsdale\/status\/2040554248581296247?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">April 4, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p>Ackman stated that the lawyer was part of broader layoffs and had \u201ctoo much horsepower\u201d for the role, for which she got $1.05 million last year. He also hinted that she wanted to settle to avoid reputational damage.<\/p>\n<p>The post struck a chord online, drawing support from some of the biggest names in tech and finance.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"embed-wrapper twitter\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Agreed\ud83d\udcaf\ud83d\udcaf\ud83d\udcaf this nonsense has to stop.<\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/DonaldJTrumpJr\/status\/2040617398852616343?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">April 5, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p>Chamath Palihapitiya, the Silicon Valley angel investor, likened the situation to a \u201ctax\u201d on wealthy executives.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"embed-wrapper twitter\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Fight it.  This kind of extortion happens way more than people realize.  It&#8217;s easy money for the accuser and the lawyers. <\/p>\n<p>The accuser and their attorney can say whatever they want, without evidence and without penalty, to harm the person&#8217;s reputation and try to force them into\u2026<\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Bryan Johnson (@bryan_johnson) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/bryan_johnson\/status\/2040580945926058059?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">April 5, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p>\u201cDestroy them!\u201d Joe Lonsdale, a co-founder of Palantir, wrote in response to Ackman\u2019s account.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cFight it,\u201d urged tech and anti-aging entrepreneur Bryan Johnson. \u201cThis kind of extortion happens way more than people realize. It\u2019s easy money for the accuser and the lawyers.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"nyp-slideshow-modal-image wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><figcaption>Donald Trump Jr. backed Ackman, writing: \u201cAgreed \u2026 This nonsense has to stop.\u201d <span class=\"credit\">Bloomberg via Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"embed-wrapper twitter\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">I\u2019ve dealt with a bunch of this nonsense in the past. It\u2019s the \u201ctax\u201d I spoke about on the pod this week. It was simpler to pay it for a while because it was relatively small dollars each time (a few million here or there) but then the system realizes I am a mark and won\u2019t stop.\u2026<\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Chamath Palihapitiya (@chamath) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/chamath\/status\/2040576297664184489?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">April 4, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"embed-wrapper twitter\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">You have the $ to fight injustice.<\/p>\n<p>Most others I&#8217;d suggest they settle. <\/p>\n<p>You have the luxury and duty to preserve the truth, no matter the cost.<\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Elizabeth Holmes (@ElizabethHolmes) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/ElizabethHolmes\/status\/2040599831714968015?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">April 5, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p>Elizabeth Holmes, who is serving a 10-year prison sentence for defrauding investors in the Theranos scandal, wrote on X: \u201cYou have the luxury and duty to preserve the truth, no matter the cost.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis nonsense has to stop,\u201d said Donald Trump Jr.<\/p>\n<p>Ackman later said it was \u201creassuring that there appears to be a consensus\u201d backing his decision to fight rather than settle.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><br \/>\n<br \/><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2026\/04\/10\/business\/billionaire-bill-ackman-blasts-2m-shakedown-demand-by-former-staffer\/\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Billionaire hedge fund boss Bill Ackman says he\u2019s the victim of a \u201cshakedown\u201d attempt by a former employee demanding a $2 million severance payment after alleging&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":47320,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[40],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-47319","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-business"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/47319","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=47319"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/47319\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/47320"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=47319"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=47319"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=47319"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}