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Crime & JusticeBreaking

Tech CEO Convicted of Running Nearly $2 Million Ponzi Scheme

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Coverage spectrum

Covered by 4 outlets, all right-leaning.

4 articles in total. The spectrum counts each outlet once and leaves opinion out. How we measure bias

A federal jury found the CEO of a wearable technology company guilty of running a Ponzi scheme worth nearly $2 million, according to the Justice Department. Prosecutors said the CEO, who led a company selling “smart rings,” told investors she owned patents for near-field communication payment rings that actually belonged to her former employer, UK-based McLear Ltd. She was also convicted of fraudulently obtaining $150,000 in COVID-19 pandemic business-relief loans. The scheme reportedly began in 2017. The case was prosecuted federally, and coverage identifies the company as Esos Rings Inc.

Headline and summary written by Mantle’s AI from the coverage below, under published rules. How this works

What happened

Key points

Each point shows who reports it, from Far Left to Far Right.

  1. A federal jury convicted the CEO of a wearable technology company of running a Ponzi scheme worth nearly $2 million.

    Reported byRight

  2. The CEO fraudulently obtained $150,000 in COVID-19 pandemic business-relief loans.

    Reported byRight

  3. The CEO falsely claimed to own patents for “smart ring” near-field communication payment technology.

    Reported byRight

  4. The patents actually belonged to UK-based McLear Ltd., the CEO's former employer.

    Reported byRight

  5. The company involved is identified as Esos Rings Inc.

    Reported byRight

  6. The scheme reportedly began in 2017.

    Reported byRight

How each side tells it

Compare views

  • the left

    No coverage yet

    No left-leaning outlet that Mantle follows has covered this story yet. That absence is part of the picture.

  • the center

    No coverage yet

    No center outlet that Mantle follows has covered this story yet. That absence is part of the picture.

  • the right

    4 outlets

    Right-leaning outlets uniformly report the conviction straightforwardly, with some adding descriptive detail (“bizarre,” “busted”) to characterize the scheme's nature.

    Jury convicts Smart ring CEO in nearly $2M Ponzi scheme
    The Washington TimesRightAll right-leaning headlines

The words they chose

Language to notice

Words that carry a judgement beyond the facts. Tap a highlighted word anywhere on the page to see why.

  • Left

    Has not covered this story.

  • Center

    Has not covered this story.

  • Right4

    duping investorsbustedbizarreripping off

In the outlets’ own words

  • Loaded verb

    duping investorsMore neutral: misleading investors

    Characterizes the defendant's actions with a judgmental verb rather than a neutral description of the fraud allegations, though supported by the conviction.

    …has been found guilty by a jury of running a near-$2 million Ponzi scheme by duping investors through lies that she owned “smart rings” patents that rightfully belonged to her…

    Used byTownhall (Far Right)

  • Loaded verb

    bustedMore neutral: convicted

    Informal, dramatic verb choice for an arrest/conviction that a neutral report would state factually.

    California tech CEO busted in bizarre $2M smart ring scam after ripping off British business owner

    Used byNew York Post (Right)

  • Sensational language

    bizarreMore neutral: unusual

    Adds a subjective dramatic characterization to the headline rather than a neutral description of the crime.

    California tech CEO busted in bizarre $2M smart ring scam after ripping off British business owner

    Used byNew York Post (Right)

  • Loaded verb

    ripping offMore neutral: defrauding

    Colloquial and judgmental phrase for defrauding someone, more dramatic than a neutral description.

    California tech CEO busted in bizarre $2M smart ring scam after ripping off British business owner

    Used byNew York Post (Right)

See the full language guide

See for yourself

Side by side

What each side leads with and what it leaves out. Open a side to read its headlines.

From the left

0 outlets

No left-leaning outlet that Mantle follows has covered this story yet. That absence is part of the picture.

From the center

0 outlets

No center outlet that Mantle follows has covered this story yet. That absence is part of the picture.

From the right

4 outlets

Leads with

  • the jury conviction
  • the dollar amount of the scheme
  • the fraudulent COVID relief loans
  • the false patent claims
See the 4 headlines from the rightHide the headlines
  • The Washington TimesRight

    Jury convicts Smart ring CEO in nearly $2M Ponzi scheme

    A federal jury has found the CEO of a wearable technology company guilty of running a nearly $2 million Ponzi scheme and fraudulently obtaining a $150,000 COVID-19 relief loan, the Justice Department announced.

    Read at The Washington Times (opens in a new tab)
  • New York PostRight

    California tech CEO Loaded verb“busted”Informal, dramatic verb choice for an arrest/conviction that a neutral report would state factually.More neutral: convictedDisagree with this highlight? in Sensational language“bizarre”Adds a subjective dramatic characterization to the headline rather than a neutral description of the crime.More neutral: unusualDisagree with this highlight? $2M smart ring scam after Loaded verb“ripping off”Colloquial and judgmental phrase for defrauding someone, more dramatic than a neutral description.More neutral: defraudingDisagree with this highlight? British business owner

    CEO of Esos Rings Inc., began the scheme in 2017 by claiming ownership of patented near-field communication (NFC) payment rings that actually belonged to UK-based company, McLear Ltd.

    Read at New York Post (opens in a new tab)
  • TownhallFar Right

    'Smart Ring' CEO Convicted in Near-$2 Million Ponzi Scheme

    The CEO of a wearable technology company has been found guilty by a jury of running a near-$2 million Ponzi scheme by Loaded verb“duping investors”Characterizes the defendant's actions with a judgmental verb rather than a neutral description of the fraud allegations, though supported by the conviction.More neutral: misleading investorsDisagree with this highlight? through lies that she owned “smart rings” patents that rightfully belonged to her former employer, and of fraudulently obtaining $150,000 in …

    Read at Townhall (opens in a new tab)
  • The Epoch TimesFar Right

    Tech CEO Found Guilty in $2 Million Ponzi Scheme

    The executive had also fraudulently secured $150,000 in COVID-19 pandemic relief loans.

    Read at The Epoch Times (opens in a new tab)

Articles you open from here build My Mix, a private picture of how your reading spreads across the spectrum, kept on this device. What is My Mix?

The left is Far Left and Left together. The right is Right and Far Right together. Every outlet keeps its own five-point rating.

Who reported it when

How the coverage built up

  • Left

    No report yet

    From the outlets Mantle follows

  • Center

    No report yet

    From the outlets Mantle follows

  • Right

    First to report

    The Epoch Times, Sep 26, 11:00 PM EDT

See the order the outlets reported inHide the order
  1. The Epoch TimesFar RightSep 26, 11:00 PM EDT
  2. TownhallFar RightSep 27, 12:01 PM EDT
  3. New York PostRightSep 28, 2:01 PM EDT
  4. The Washington TimesRightSep 29, 2:56 PM EDT

Times are the ones the outlets published in their own feeds, in Eastern time. Opinion is left out.

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