Woofun AI reports that Andrew Left, founder of short-selling firm Citron Research, has had his sentencing hearing scheduled for August 31, 2026. The theoretical maximum penalty could reach 265 years, although the final judgment will be determined by the court based on specific circumstances.

Prosecutors alleged that Left utilized short-term options expiring within 0 to 5 trading days to bet on stock price fluctuations shortly after releasing reports or tweets. He reportedly pre-set limit orders, with exit prices often diverging significantly from Citron's publicly stated target prices. Stocks involved in the case include Nvidia, Tesla, Facebook, General Electric, and Luckin Coffee. Left previously targeted over 20 Chinese concept stocks, including New Oriental, Qihoo 360, Evergrande Group, Southeastern Asset Management, and China High Speed Transmission. While his early reports were often accurate, Citron's work was frequently criticized for being 'riddled with loopholes' compared to peers like Muddy Waters Research. Left was previously banned from the Hong Kong market for five years by the Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission.