Pump-and-Dump Scheme
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Papa John's Is Not First: Here Are 3 Other Stocks Rocked By Market-Moving Fake News - Papa John's International (NASDAQ:PZZA)
Benzinga· 2025-11-11 08:33
Core Insights - The article discusses the impact of fake news on publicly traded companies, highlighting a recent incident involving Papa John's International Inc. and comparing it to past cases of market manipulation through false reports [1]. Group 1: Papa John's Incident - A false report claimed a $65-per-share acquisition offer from TriArtisan Capital Advisors, leading to significant stock volatility for Papa John's [8]. - The stock rose 18% intraday but ultimately settled 7.04% higher at $43.97, with a subsequent after-hours decline of 0.38% [8]. - Year-to-date, the stock has advanced 1.59%, but it has fallen 17.63% over the year [8]. Group 2: Vinci SA Case - In November 2016, Vinci SA's stock plummeted over 18% due to a fake press release claiming the firing of its CFO and the discovery of €3.5 billion in hidden losses [2][3]. - The company denied the claims, and the stock recovered, but the incident temporarily erased billions in market value [3]. Group 3: Avon Products Hoax - In May 2015, a fraudulent filing to the SEC claimed a non-existent firm intended to buy Avon Products for $18.75 per share, causing a 20% spike in stock price [4][5]. - The surge led to multiple trading halts before Avon confirmed the offer was false, revealing vulnerabilities in the SEC's filing system [5]. Group 4: Galena Biopharma Scheme - A 2017 SEC complaint detailed a "pump-and-dump" scheme involving Galena Biopharma, now Sellas Life Sciences Group Inc., where writers were paid to publish bullish articles, driving the stock price up by over 900% [6][7]. - This operation aimed to mislead both human investors and trading algorithms by creating the illusion of independent analyses [7].