Investigations into two separate entities have revealed questionable practices in the business sector. Cheeky Scientist has come under scrutiny after an examination of various documents and complaints filed with the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) exposed the company's use of controversial business tactics. Meanwhile, Taser maker Axon Enterprise, with its stock performance indicated as unchanged in pre-market trading, has been accused of fabricating much of its inspirational founding story, which CEO Rick Smith claimed was in memory of friends lost to gun violence. Reuters investigations uncovered a pattern of misrepresentation and self-serving behavior among Axon's top executives, including lavish payments that placed them in the 90th percentile compared to peers, with CEO Rick Smith being one of the world’s highest earning CEOs in 2018. The company also spent hundreds of thousands of dollars to sponsor and provide security for an Arizona golf tournament without disclosing the expenditure to the SEC. The FTC has sued Grand Canyon University for deceptive advertising and illegal telemarketing practices, accusing the school of misleading potential doctoral students about cost and course requirements, misrepresenting itself as a nonprofit organization, and misusing telemarketing calls to increase enrollment.
FTC accused Grand Canyon University of misleading potential doctoral students about cost and course requirements. FTC also contends the school misrepresented itself as a nonprofit organization and misused telemarketing calls to increase enrollment. https://t.co/wqgYvfSfFC
Taser maker Axon responded to a @Reuters report about its lavish pay for executives and other corporate governance claims by saying ‘we win right, celebrate awesome people, and recognize their achievements in memorable ways’ https://t.co/wyP1obD1Rd https://t.co/tNNhpTOlTA
US FTC sues Grand Canyon University for deceptive advertising, illegal telemarketing https://t.co/72jbAN3XNt https://t.co/SMN2GIU4Jh
⚠️ US FTC SUES GRAND CANYON UNIVERSITY FOR DECEPTIVE ADVERTISING, ILLEGAL TELEMARKETING The U.S. Federal Trade Commission said on Wednesday it has filed a lawsuit against Grand Canyon University for deceptive advertising and illegal telemarketing. The FTC filed the complaint… https://t.co/UeIDYDjUP6
U.S. FTC SAYS IT SUES GRAND CANYON UNIVERSITY FOR DECEPTIVE ADVERTISING AND ILLEGAL TELEMARKETING
Taser maker Axon spent hundreds of thousands of dollars this year and last to sponsor and provide security for an Arizona golf tournament in which a top executive was involved, @Reuters found. The expenditure was not disclosed to the SEC https://t.co/LdD2DjQIDu https://t.co/iCxJu3QcOW
Taser maker Axon tells investors it aims to pay executives near the 50th percentile compared to peer companies. But records show the top five executives placed in the 90th percentile and CEO Rick Smith was one of the world’s highest earning CEOs in 2018 https://t.co/lesMBs5eTI https://t.co/jfJmYzVXwP
Axon CEO Rick Smith says his highly successful Taser company was inspired by the death of his friends gunned down years ago. But much of the tale is false, Reuters found, part of a pattern of misrepresentation & self-serving behavior by Axon's top leaders. https://t.co/hpN5QSVqj6
.@Reuters found a pattern of misrepresentations and self-serving behavior among top executives at Taser maker Axon in recent years. At times, the company paid them lavishly, and leaders drew on Axon’s resources to finance private interests and costly perks https://t.co/aOV9KbuehO https://t.co/8SyRRYiZ4n
Axon getting Tased by Reuters. https://t.co/C5CCqmUDXo
Rick Smith, CEO of the highly successful Taser maker Axon Enterprise, for years has told an inspirational story about how his company was founded in memory of ‘friends’ lost to gun violence. Much of it appears to be false, @Reuters found https://t.co/TyGrWMV9Iw https://t.co/HZutw2UoHt
$AXON (+0.0% pre) Taser maker Axon has a moving backstory. It's mostly a myth - Reuters https://t.co/LN1IXgMzy9
Taser maker Axon has a moving backstory. It's mostly a myth https://t.co/Xx3KujtK5T https://t.co/2Dy68NukaL
A further investigation of Cheeky Scientist based on call recordings, contracts, emails, and scores of complaints filed with the U.S. Federal Trade Commission reveals the company’s use of controversial business tactics. https://t.co/mIkWeaagKN