Patently False

Harvey Weinstein

Weinstein said through his lawyer, Lisa Bloom, that “he denies many of the accusations as patently false".

Quoted from: https://www.theguardian.com/film/2017/oct/06/harvey-weinstein-sexual-harassment-allegations-new-york-times

OR

Weinstein’s attorney, Ben Brafman, said in a statement that the new claim “is preposterous.” “Like so many other women in this case who have already been exposed as liars, this latest completely uncorroborated allegation that is almost 20 years old will also be shown to be patently false,” he said.

Quoted from: https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/claudiarosenbaum/harvey-weinstein-new-allegations 

Outcome: Weinstein was arrested and charged with rape in New York in May 2018, and was found guilty of two of five felonies in February 2020. Weinstein was sentenced to 23 years in prison. On July 20, 2021, he was extradited to Los Angeles to face further charges at a subsequent trial.

Source: Wikipedia

Bill Cosby

Bill Cosby’s attorney calls sexual assault allegation ‘patently false’.

Quoted from: https://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-bill-cosby-attorney-response-20141204-story.html

Outcome: Cosby has been accused by approximately 60 women of rape, drug-facilitated sexual assault, sexual battery, child sexual abuse, and sexual misconduct. The dates of the alleged incidents have spanned from 1965 to 2008 in ten U.S. states and in one Canadian province. In one deposition under oath, Cosby admitted to casual sex involving recreational use of the sedative-hypnotic methaqualone (Quaaludes) with a series of young women, and he acknowledged that his dispensing the prescription drug was illegal. In Pennsylvania, Cosby was found guilty of three counts of aggravated indecent assault at retrial on April 26, 2018 and on September 25, 2018, he was sentenced to three to ten years in state prison.

Source: Wikipedia

Donald Trump

John Bolton writes in his forthcoming book that Trump told him that he wanted to withhold hundreds of millions of dollars in security aid from Ukraine until it helped secure investigations into former Vice President Joe Biden. [...] President Donald Trump is dismissing a claim by his former national security adviser that could play a major role in his impeachment trial as patently “false".

Quoted from: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/watch-trump-dismisses-bolton-book-revelations-as-patently-false

Outcome: A non-verbatim transcript of the Trump–Zelenskyy call confirmed that Trump requested investigations into Joe Biden and his son Hunter Biden, as well as a conspiracy theory involving a Democratic National Committee server, while repeatedly urging Zelenskyy to work with Giuliani and Barr on these matters. Trump was impeached on charges of abusing the power of his office and obstructing Congress. U.S. ambassador to the European Union Gordon Sondland testified that he worked with Giuliani at Trump's "express direction" to arrange a quid pro quo with the Ukraine government. In January 2020, the Government Accountability Office, a non-partisan watchdog, concluded that the White House broke federal law by withholding Congress-approved military aid to Ukraine.

Source: Wikipedia

Kevin Spacey

Lawyers for Kevin Spacey Monday said the man at the center of a criminal sexual misconduct charge against the actor has made “patently false” allegations after he chose to participate in “mutual and consensual flirtation” at an island bar in 2016.

Quoted from: https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2019/01/07/spacey-lawyers-say-encounter-bar-was-mutual-and-consenual-flirtation/fJlKkxRWnYNhoHFfxRvo7H/story.html

Outcome: On October 29, 2017, actor Anthony Rapp alleged that Spacey made a sexual advance toward him at a party in 1986, when Rapp was 14. Fifteen others then came forward alleging similar abuse. On May 26, 2022, Spacey was charged with four counts of sexual assault against three men in the UK. Amazingly, he has yet to be convicted for any of these alleged crimes and Rapp lost his civil lawsuit against Spacey.

Source: Wikipedia

Purdue Pharma

In [2003] interviews, Purdue officials called Zakrzewski's claims "absolutely without merit" and said the company expects to show they are baseless "if and when this case goes to trial."

Quoted from: https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/os-xpm-2003-10-19-0310190446-story.html

Outcome: Purdue had reached a settlement potentially worth US$8.3 billion, admitting that it "knowingly and intentionally conspired and agreed with others to aid and abet" doctors dispensing medication "without a legitimate medical purpose."

Source: Wikipedia

Analyst Phua Young

"We intend to fight this vigorously," Wilson said. "We think the complaint is without merit … (and) reflects a fundamental misunderstanding of what a good analyst does in order to be effective."

Quoted from: https://www.ourmidland.com/news/article/Regulators-Accuse-Merrill-Lynch-Analyst-7099658.php OR https://apnews.com/article/af3920cbbac5e04df08388c865f9b7cf

Outcome: Securities industry regulator NASD said Tuesday that it had fined former Merrill Lynch & Co. analyst Phua Young $225,000 and suspended him from the industry for one year for touting stocks he doubted in private. Young, whom Merrill fired in April 2002, issued positive reports on Tyco International Ltd. and Honeywell International Inc. despite privately harboring negative views on the two companies, NASD said.

Source: https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2004-may-26-fi-wrap26.3-story.html

Lumber Liquidators

In a statement, Lumber Liquidators called the lawsuit “entirely without merit.”

Quoted from: https://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/18/business/a-challenge-to-lumber-liquidators-tests.html 

Outcome: The Department of Justice announced today that Lumber Liquidators has agreed to pay a $33 million penalty for lying to investors regarding the sale of its laminate flooring from China. 

Source: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/lumber-liquidators-to-pay-33-million-criminal-penalty-60-minutes/

Harvard Professor Roland G. Fryer Jr.

Fryer calls the allegations “patently false” and denies ever discriminating against or harassing anyone in his lab.

Quoted from: https://toronto.citynews.ca/2018/05/25/since-weinstein-the-growing-list-of-the-accused/ 

Outcome: Harvard's investigation concluded that Fryer had "engaged in unwanted sexual conduct toward several individuals" and "exhibited a pattern of behavior that failed to meet expectations of conduct within our community and was harmful to the well-being of its members." In July 2019, Fryer was suspended from the Harvard faculty for two years without pay, a disciplinary action determined by a panel of tenured faculty. Harvard also determined that, after returning from suspension, Fryer cannot be an adviser or supervisor, have access to graduate fellows, or teach graduate workshops.

Source: Wikipedia

Johnny Avello & DraftKings

Any claim by this customer that he received a verbal agreement from Johnny Avello to place out of state wagers on his New Jersey mobile account through a proxy is patently false.”

Quoted from: https://www.bettingbrain.com/legal/draftkings-double-downs-on-improper-sports-betting-claim/ 

Outcome: The operator has been ordered by the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement (DGE) to pay a $150,000 penalty after breaching New Jersey rules around proxy betting.

Source: https://www.legalsportsreport.com/65633/draftkings-penalty-nj-proxy-betting-florida-super-bowl/ 

Actor Danny Masterson 

Masterson denies the allegations. "Law enforcement investigated these claims more than 15 years ago and determined them to be without merit," he said in the statement. "I have never been charged with a crime, let alone convicted of one."

Quoted from: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2017/11/22/weinstein-aftermath-all-men-accused-sexual-misconduct/884778001/ 

Outcome: On June 17, 2020, Masterson was charged with raping a 23-year-old woman in 2001, a 28-year-old woman in early 2003, and a 23-year-old woman in late 2003. The three counts come after a three-year investigation beginning in 2017. If convicted, Masterson faces up to 45 years in prison.

Source: Wikipedia

T-Mobile

T-Mobile was accused of the same thing in July in a case that it called "unfounded and without merit."

Quoted from: https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/mobile/t-fined-105-million-ftc-cramming-charges-customer-bills-n221426 

Outcome: T-Mobile to pay at least $90 million, including full consumer refunds to settle FTC mobile cramming case.

Source: https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2014/12/t-mobile-pay-least-90-million-including-full-consumer-refunds-settle-ftc-mobile-cramming-case 

Media Mogul Conrad Black

Through his spokesman, Black calls all the lawsuits "spurious and without merit."

Quoted from: https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2004/04/black200404

Outcome: In 2007, he was convicted on four counts of fraud in US District Court in Chicago. 

Source: Wikipedia

Record Producer Lou Pearlman

A spokesperson for Trans Continental says, “Lou Pearlman and Trans Continental Records have been operating in accordance with the terms of the settlement agreement reached in December 2000 with the BackStreet Boys. This lawsuit is without merit and is a classic example of the typical frivolous lawsuits that the United States Congress is trying to eliminate,

Quoted from: https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/backstreet-boys-sue-pearlman-trans-continental-1403688/ 

Outcome: In 2006, he was accused of running one of the largest and longest-running Ponzi schemes in US history, leaving more than $300 million in debts. After being apprehended, he pled guilty to conspiracy, money laundering, and making false statements during a bankruptcy proceeding. In 2008, Pearlman was convicted and sentenced to 25 years in prison.

Source: Wikipedia

Pfizer

“Pfizer believes the remaining claims to be without merit and intends to defend the action vigorously.”

Quoted from: https://www.reuters.com/article/pfizer-suit/us-judge-rules-pfizer-shareholder-suit-can-proceed-idUKN0130287320080701 

Outcome: On September 2, 2009, the United States Department of Justice fined Pfizer $2.3 billion after one of its subsidiaries, Pharmacia & Upjohn Company, pleaded guilty to marketing four drugs including Bextra "with the intent to defraud or mislead."[9] Pharmacia & Upjohn admitted to criminal conduct in the promotion of Bextra, and agreed to pay the largest criminal fine ever imposed in the United States for any matter, $1.195 billion

Source: Wikipedia

Hedge Fund Investor Rajat Gupta

Gupta’s lawyer, Gary Naftalis, said the shareholder lawsuit “is without merit and we will vigorously defend it.”

Quoted from: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-goldman-gupta-lawsuit-idUSTRE7555WW20110607 

Outcome: Gupta was convicted in June 2012 on insider trading charges of four criminal felony counts of conspiracy and securities fraud in the Galleon scandal.

Source: Wikipedia

Goldman Sachs

Goldman Sachs said in a statement: “The 1MDB bond offerings were meant to raise money to benefit Malaysia; instead, a huge portion of those funds were stolen for the benefit of members of the Malaysian government and their associates. The lawsuits are without merit and we intend to vigorously contest them.”

Quoted from: https://www.theguardian.com/business/2018/dec/21/goldman-sachs-facing-class-action-lawsuits-over-1mdb-scandal 

Outcome: The former head of Goldman Sachs in Malaysia has been convicted for helping to orchestrate one of the world's biggest financial corruption scandals. A US jury found Roger Ng guilty on all charges in the trial, which concerned the looting of billions of dollars from Malaysia's 1MDB sovereign wealth fund.

Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/business-61043609 

Volkswagen

Volkswagen press release, 2 Mar 2016, “Volkswagen considers shareholder lawsuit to be without merit”

Quoted from: https://www.thelitigator.ca/2017/03/dirty-diesel-done-dirt-cheap-vw-settles-clean-diesel-scandal/ 

Outcome: Volkswagen announced that 11 million cars were involved in the falsified emission reports, and that over seven billion dollars would be earmarked to deal with the costs of rectifying the software at the heart of the pollution statements.

Source: Wikipedia

Napster

"Napster projects its headcount will actually increase over the coming year as our new Napster.com products enter the marketplace. Rumors of major or significant layoffs were misleading and greatly exaggerated, and efforts to sell the company are patently untrue," it said.

Quoted from: https://www.cnet.com/tech/home-entertainment/napster-cuts-10-managers-amid-layoff-rumors/ 

Outcome: In September 2008, Napster was purchased by US electronics retailer Best Buy for US $121 million.

Source: Wikipedia

Facebook 

Facebook reiterated that its policies prohibit advertisers from discriminating against its users. "The lawsuit is utterly without merit and we will defend ourselves vigorously,” Facebook’s statement read.

Quoted from: https://www.propublica.org/article/hud-has-serious-concerns-about-facebooks-ethnic-targeting 

Outcome: Meta would have to pay the maximum penalty under the Fair Housing Act of $115,054 under the settlement. 

Source: https://www.cnbc.com/2022/06/21/doj-settles-with-facebook-over-allegedly-discriminatory-housing-ads.html 

Huawei 

“These new charges are without merit and are based largely on recycled civil disputes from the last 20 years that have been previously settled, litigated and, in some cases, rejected by federal judges and juries,” Huawei said in a statement Friday morning. “The US government will not prevail with its charges, which we will prove to be both unfounded and unfair.”

Quoted from: https://www.cnbc.com/2020/02/14/huawei-says-us-charges-are-an-attempt-to-irrevocably-damage-its-image.html 

Outcome: Addressing an audience of business leaders and academics at Thames House in London, MI5 Director General Ken McCallum and FBI Director Chris Wray laid out serious concerns about the long-term prospects of Chinese mergers and acquisitions (M&As) and intellectual property (IP) theft across all sectors.

Source: https://www.itpro.co.uk/security/368470/mi5-and-fbi-warn-businesses-over-mass-chinese-ip-theft 

International Flavors & Fragrances

In a June SEC filing, IFF said it believes the litigation is "without merit." The company's flavors, including the butter flavor, meet Food and Drug Administration requirements, says IFF. 

Quoted from: https://www.thestreet.com/opinion/the-five-dumbest-things-on-wall-street-this-week-10035508 

Outcome: [This latest] verdict brings to nearly $53 million the total amount awarded in the last two years against the makers of the popcorn flavouring, International Flavors & Fragrances (IFF).

Source: https://www.foodnavigator.com/Article/2005/09/07/IFF-fined-12m-in-popcorn-flavour-case 

Mining Company Bre-X

But Bre-X subsequently said its partners were threatening legal action over their claims, and it said last week that other companies are also considering legal action over similar claims. Bre-X said all the claims are "without merit."

Quoted from: https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB848874158773220500 

Outcome: In 1997, Bre-X collapsed and its shares became worthless in one of the biggest stock scandals in Canadian history, and the biggest mining scandal of all time.

Source: Wikipedia

EF Hutton

''The allegations that Hutton received material nonpublic information are totally without basis in fact, and we consider the allegations in the complaint to be without merit,'' Daniel J. Good, a Hutton executive vice president, said in a statement.

Quoted from: https://www.nytimes.com/1985/12/09/business/hutton-denies-schering-story.html 

Outcome: On May 2, Hutton agreed to plead guilty to 2,000 counts of mail and wire fraud, as well as pay a $2 million fine plus $750,000 for the cost of the investigation.

Source: Wikipedia

Xerox

"We took a look at the issues he raised," Mr. Tayler says. "We believe they are factually without merit." Xerox, Mr. Tayler adds, is "quite comfortable with our reporting in terms of generally accepted accounting principles." He says KPMG signed off on the company's fourth-quarter and 2000 financial statements after considering Mr. Bingham's concerns.

Quoted from: https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB981411058880071857 

Outcome: The Securities and Exchange Commission today charged six former senior executives of Xerox Corporation, including its former chief executive officers, Paul A. Allaire and G. Richard Thoman, and its former chief financial officer, Barry D. Romeril, with securities fraud and aiding and abetting Xerox's violations of the reporting, books and records and internal control provisions of the federal securities laws.

Source: https://www.sec.gov/news/press/2003-70.htm 

Citigroup 

However, in a statement the bank said: “Citi will vigorously defend against these claims by the trustee as they are entirely without merit and completely false.”

Quoted from: https://www.bobsguide.com/2011/02/24/citigroup-accused-of-ignoring-warning-signs-of-bernie-madoffs-fraud/ 

Outcome: On Monday, the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit in Manhattan ruled that the trustee Irving Picard, of law firm BakerHostetler, who is liquidating Madoff’s firm, can proceed with a clawback lawsuit against Citigroup seeking to recover $343.1 million, Reuters writes.

Source: https://www.financialadvisoriq.com/c/3305934/419174/legal_boosts_chances_recovering_losses_from_madoff_fraud 

British Petroleum

“Allegations of market misbehavior arising from this legal proceeding are untrue and without merit,” BP spokesman Scott Dean told NGI. “BP is not engaging, and will not engage, in any price or market manipulation. Our ongoing trading strategies are lawful and compliant.”

Quoted from: https://www.naturalgasintel.com/bp-market-manipulation-allegations-without-merit/ 

Outcome: BP plc has been fined $20.16 million and ordered to disgorge another $207,169 by FERC after the agency found affiliates of the company had gamed the market for natural gas at the Houston Ship Channel (HSC) in 2008 after Hurricane Ike.

Source: https://www.naturalgasintel.com/ferc-fines-bp-20m-in-2008-market-manipulation-case-bp-challenges-decision/ 

The Shooting on the Set of 'Rust'

"Mr. Luper’s allegations around budget and safety are patently false".

Quoted from: https://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/rust-camera-assistant-quit-shooting-safety-concerns/story?id=80946156 

Outcome: New Mexico Safety Bureau filed administrative complaint against producers of ‘Rust’ seeking enforcement of fine for unsafe working conditions.

Source: https://deadline.com/2022/08/rust-movie-new-mexico-safety-bureau-administrative-complaint-against-producers-seeking-enforcement-of-fine-for-unsafe-working-conditions-1235088601/ 

Parkland Officer Scot Peterson 

"The allegations that Mr. Peterson was a coward and that his performance, under the circumstances, failed to meet the standards of police officers are patently untrue," Peterson's lawyer Joseph DiRuzzo said in a statement.

Quoted from: https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/trump-bump-stocks-congress-act/story?id=53362605 

Outcome: Parkland officer who stayed outside during shooting [is] facing criminal charges.

Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/04/us/parkland-scot-peterson.html 

Tyco

In 1999:

Albert Meyer of David W. Tice Associates [published] a detailed, nine-page report, [where he] highlighted the large number of one-time charges taken by the company after many acquisitions. [...] Tyco angrily denounced Meyer’s report, stating that “rumors relating to the company are false, unfounded, and malicious.” Chairman Dennis Kozlowski insisted in a conference call that there were “no restatements, no irregularities, and no investigations” involving Tyco’s financial statements. 

Quoted from: Martin S. Fridson and Fernando Alvarez. Financial statement analysis: a practitioner's guide. John Wiley & Sons, 2011. [B155]

Outcome: On June 17, 2005, former chairman and chief executive Dennis Kozlowski and former chief financial officer Mark H. Swartz were convicted on all but one of the more than 30 counts against them. Kozlowski and Swartz were each sentenced to no less than eight years and four months in prison. Then in May 2007, New Hampshire Federal District Court Judge Paul Barbadoro approved a class action settlement whereby Tyco agreed to pay $2.92 billion (in conjunction with $225 million by Pricewaterhouse Coopers, their auditors) to a class of defrauded shareholders.

Source: Wikipedia

Enron

[In August 2001, Enron CEO Kenneth] Lay commented, “I can honestly say the company is in the strongest shape it’s ever been in.”

Quoted from: Martin S. Fridson and Fernando Alvarez. Financial statement analysis: a practitioner's guide. John Wiley & Sons, 2011. [B155]

Outcome: On December 2, 2001, Enron declared bankruptcy. It was the largest bankruptcy ever at the time, by a wide margin.

Sources: Wikipedia and [B155]

China & COVID Transmission

Packers Sanitation Services Inc. (PSSI)

As CBS reported:

Last November, the Department of Labor filed suit against PSSI. The company responded with this: "PSSI has an absolute company-wide prohibition" against hiring minors. It added, "we will defend ourselves vigorously against these claims." [...] Four weeks after its vow to "vigorously defend" itself, PSSI settled with the government. It did not dispute the finding that it hired children. PSSI promised not to do so in the future and agreed to regular audits. The company paid the maximum fine of $1.5 million, which was about 1 percent of its cash on hand.

Quoted from: 60 Minutes

Outcome: [DoL] Investigators found the company employed at least 102 children ages 13 to 17  in "hazardous occupations." This is despite the PSSI's "zero tolerance" policy, which it supposedly enforced with "document verification, biometrics, and multiple layers of audits."

Source: Business Insider