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Meta lays off 600 in AI division despite billion-dollar AI push

Meta lays off 600 in AI division despite billion-dollar AI push

Meta has invested heavily in artificial intelligence — from AI chatbots and companions to the infinite AI slop generator Vibes and even an AI-powered dating assistant. But that enthusiasm isn’t translating to job security for everyone.

On Wednesday, Meta’s Chief AI Officer Alexandr Wang announced in a memo that the company is laying off approximately 600 employees within its AI unit. The news, first reported by Axios and confirmed by CNBC, affects staff working on AI infrastructure, the Fundamental Artificial Intelligence Research (FAIR) group, and other product-related teams.

Despite the cuts, Meta says it’s still hiring for its new superintelligence division, dubbed TBD Lab.

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Impacted employees were told their last day will be Nov. 21 and are currently in a “non-working notice period.” The company is offering 16 weeks of severance pay, plus two additional weeks for every year of service, and is encouraging affected employees to apply for other roles within Meta.

“By reducing the size of our team, fewer conversations will be required to make a decision, and each person will be more load-bearing and have more scope and impact,” Wang wrote in the internal memo, according to TechCrunch.

The layoffs don’t appear to signal a retreat from AI. Just a day earlier, Reuters reported that Meta closed a $27 billion financing deal with Blue Owl Capital to fund a massive data center expansion — a move analysts say is key to supporting its next generation of AI tools.

This also follows an aggressive AI hiring spree. In recent months, Meta has lured top talent from OpenAI, brought Wang on board, and invested $14.3 billion in Scale AI.

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Welcome to your guide to Pips, the latest game in the New York Times catalogue.

Released in August 2025, Pips puts a unique spin on dominoes, creating a fun single-player experience that could become your next daily gaming habit.

Currently, if you’re stuck, the game only offers to reveal the entire puzzle, forcing you to move on to the next difficulty level and start over. However, we have you covered! Below are piecemeal answers that will serve as hints so that you can find your way through each difficulty level.

How to play Pips

If you’ve ever played dominoes, you’ll have a passing familiarity with how Pips is played. As we’ve shared in our previous hints stories for Pips, the tiles, like dominoes, are placed vertically or horizontally and connect with each other. The main difference between a traditional game of dominoes and Pips is the color-coded conditions you have to address. The touching tiles don’t necessarily have to match.

The conditions you have to meet are specific to the color-coded spaces. For example, if it provides a single number, every side of a tile in that space must add up to the number provided. It is possible — and common — for only half a tile to be within a color-coded space.

Here are common examples you’ll run into across the difficulty levels:

  • Number: All the pips in this space must add up to the number.

  • Equal: Every domino half in this space must be the same number of pips.

  • Not Equal: Every domino half in this space must have a completely different number of pips.

  • Less than: Every domino half in this space must add up to less than the number.

  • Greater than: Every domino half in this space must add up to more than the number.

If an area does not have any color coding, it means there are no conditions on the portions of dominoes within those spaces.

Easy difficulty hints, answers for May 28 Pips

Greater Than (4): Everything in this space must be greater than 4. The answer is 3-3, placed horizontally.

Greater Than (3): Everything in this space must be greater than 3. The answer is 4-0, placed horizontally.

Greater Than (2): Everything in this space must be greater than 2. The answer is 3-1, placed vertically.

Equal (1): Everything in this space must be equal to 1. The answer is 3-1, placed vertically; 2-1, placed vertically.

Equal (2): Everything in this space must be equal to 2. The answer is 2-2, placed horizontally.

Greater Than (6): Everything in this space must be greater than 6. The answer is 4-4, placed horizontally.

Medium difficulty hints, answers for May 28 Pips

Not Equal: Everything in this space must be different. The answer is 4-3, placed vertically; 5-5, placed vertically.

Number (5): Everything in this space must add up to 5. The answer is 5-5, placed vertically.

Number (4): Everything in this space must add up to 4. The answer is 4-4, placed horizontally.

Equal (2): Everything in this space must be equal to 2. The answer is 5-2, placed horizontally; 2-2, placed horizontally.

Not Equal: Everything in this red space must be different. The answer is 5-6, placed vertically; 4-4, placed horizontally; 3-3, placed horizontally; 2-2, placed horizontally.

Hard difficulty hints, answers for May 28 Pips

Number (6): Everything in this space must add up to 6. The answer is 3-6, placed horizontally.

Equal (3): Everything in this space must be equal to 3. The answer is 3-6, placed horizontally; 3-3, placed vertically; 3-2, placed horizontally.

Greater Than (1): Everything in this space must be greater than 1. The answer is 3-2, placed horizontally.

Number (6): Everything in this space must add up to 6. The answer is 6-5, placed vertically.

Number (6): Everything in this space must add up to 6. The answer is 6-5, placed vertically; 1-0, placed vertically.

Equal (0): Everything in this space must be equal to 0. The answer is 1-0, placed vertically; 0-0, placed horizontally.


Not Equal: Everything in this space must be different. The answer is 1-4, placed vertically; 3-0, placed vertically; 2-6, placed vertically.


Less Than (3): Everything in this space must be less than 3. The answer is 0-6, placed vertically.

Greater Than (3): Everything in this space must be greater than 3. The answer is 4-6, placed vertically.

Equal (6): Everything in this space must be equal to 6. The answer is 0-6, placed vertically; 4-6, placed vertically; 6-6, placed vertically; 6-1, placed vertically.

Equal (1): Everything in this space must be equal to 1. The answer is 1-3, placed vertically; 6-1, placed vertically; 1-1, placed vertically.

Number (3): Everything in this space must add up to 3. The answer is 1-3, placed vertically

If you’re looking for more puzzles, Mashable’s got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

#NYT #Pips #hints #answers">NYT Pips hints, answers for May 28, 2026
                                                            Welcome to your guide to Pips, the latest game in the New York Times catalogue.Released in August 2025, Pips puts a unique spin on dominoes, creating a fun single-player experience that could become your next daily gaming habit.Currently, if you’re stuck, the game only offers to reveal the entire puzzle, forcing you to move on to the next difficulty level and start over. However, we have you covered! Below are piecemeal answers that will serve as hints so that you can find your way through each difficulty level.How to play PipsIf you’ve ever played dominoes, you’ll have a passing familiarity with how Pips is played. As we’ve shared in our previous hints stories for Pips, the tiles, like dominoes, are placed vertically or horizontally and connect with each other. The main difference between a traditional game of dominoes and Pips is the color-coded conditions you have to address. The touching tiles don’t necessarily have to match.
        SEE ALSO:
        
            Wordle today: Answer, hints for May 28, 2026
            
        
    
The conditions you have to meet are specific to the color-coded spaces. For example, if it provides a single number, every side of a tile in that space must add up to the number provided. It is possible — and common — for only half a tile to be within a color-coded space.Here are common examples you’ll run into across the difficulty levels:Number: All the pips in this space must add up to the number.Equal: Every domino half in this space must be the same number of pips.Not Equal: Every domino half in this space must have a completely different number of pips.Less than: Every domino half in this space must add up to less than the number.Greater than: Every domino half in this space must add up to more than the number.If an area does not have any color coding, it means there are no conditions on the portions of dominoes within those spaces.
        SEE ALSO:
        
            NYT Strands hints, answers for May 28, 2026
            
        
    
Easy difficulty hints, answers for May 28 PipsGreater Than (4): Everything in this space must be greater than 4. The answer is 3-3, placed horizontally.Greater Than (3): Everything in this space must be greater than 3. The answer is 4-0, placed horizontally.Greater Than (2): Everything in this space must be greater than 2. The answer is 3-1, placed vertically.Equal (1): Everything in this space must be equal to 1. The answer is 3-1, placed vertically; 2-1, placed vertically.Equal (2): Everything in this space must be equal to 2. The answer is 2-2, placed horizontally.Greater Than (6): Everything in this space must be greater than 6. The answer is 4-4, placed horizontally.
        
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Medium difficulty hints, answers for May 28 PipsNot Equal: Everything in this space must be different. The answer is 4-3, placed vertically; 5-5, placed vertically.Number (5): Everything in this space must add up to 5. The answer is 5-5, placed vertically.Number (4): Everything in this space must add up to 4. The answer is 4-4, placed horizontally.Equal (2): Everything in this space must be equal to 2. The answer is 5-2, placed horizontally; 2-2, placed horizontally.Not Equal: Everything in this red space must be different. The answer is 5-6, placed vertically; 4-4, placed horizontally; 3-3, placed horizontally; 2-2, placed horizontally.Hard difficulty hints, answers for May 28 PipsNumber (6): Everything in this space must add up to 6. The answer is 3-6, placed horizontally.Equal (3): Everything in this space must be equal to 3. The answer is 3-6, placed horizontally; 3-3, placed vertically; 3-2, placed horizontally.Greater Than (1): Everything in this space must be greater than 1. The answer is 3-2, placed horizontally.Number (6): Everything in this space must add up to 6. The answer is 6-5, placed vertically.Number (6): Everything in this space must add up to 6. The answer is 6-5, placed vertically; 1-0, placed vertically.Equal (0): Everything in this space must be equal to 0. The answer is 1-0, placed vertically; 0-0, placed horizontally.Not Equal: Everything in this space must be different. The answer is 1-4, placed vertically; 3-0, placed vertically; 2-6, placed vertically.Less Than (3): Everything in this space must be less than 3. The answer is 0-6, placed vertically.Greater Than (3): Everything in this space must be greater than 3. The answer is 4-6, placed vertically.Equal (6): Everything in this space must be equal to 6. The answer is 0-6, placed vertically; 4-6, placed vertically; 6-6, placed vertically; 6-1, placed vertically.Equal (1): Everything in this space must be equal to 1. The answer is 1-3, placed vertically; 6-1, placed vertically; 1-1, placed vertically.Number (3): Everything in this space must add up to 3. The answer is 1-3, placed verticallyIf you’re looking for more puzzles, Mashable’s got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

                    
                                            
                            
                        
                                    #NYT #Pips #hints #answers

New York Times catalogue.

Released in August 2025, Pips puts a unique spin on dominoes, creating a fun single-player experience that could become your next daily gaming habit.

Currently, if you’re stuck, the game only offers to reveal the entire puzzle, forcing you to move on to the next difficulty level and start over. However, we have you covered! Below are piecemeal answers that will serve as hints so that you can find your way through each difficulty level.

How to play Pips

If you’ve ever played dominoes, you’ll have a passing familiarity with how Pips is played. As we’ve shared in our previous hints stories for Pips, the tiles, like dominoes, are placed vertically or horizontally and connect with each other. The main difference between a traditional game of dominoes and Pips is the color-coded conditions you have to address. The touching tiles don’t necessarily have to match.

The conditions you have to meet are specific to the color-coded spaces. For example, if it provides a single number, every side of a tile in that space must add up to the number provided. It is possible — and common — for only half a tile to be within a color-coded space.

Here are common examples you’ll run into across the difficulty levels:

  • Number: All the pips in this space must add up to the number.

  • Equal: Every domino half in this space must be the same number of pips.

  • Not Equal: Every domino half in this space must have a completely different number of pips.

  • Less than: Every domino half in this space must add up to less than the number.

  • Greater than: Every domino half in this space must add up to more than the number.

If an area does not have any color coding, it means there are no conditions on the portions of dominoes within those spaces.

Easy difficulty hints, answers for May 28 Pips

Greater Than (4): Everything in this space must be greater than 4. The answer is 3-3, placed horizontally.

Greater Than (3): Everything in this space must be greater than 3. The answer is 4-0, placed horizontally.

Greater Than (2): Everything in this space must be greater than 2. The answer is 3-1, placed vertically.

Equal (1): Everything in this space must be equal to 1. The answer is 3-1, placed vertically; 2-1, placed vertically.

Equal (2): Everything in this space must be equal to 2. The answer is 2-2, placed horizontally.

Greater Than (6): Everything in this space must be greater than 6. The answer is 4-4, placed horizontally.

Medium difficulty hints, answers for May 28 Pips

Not Equal: Everything in this space must be different. The answer is 4-3, placed vertically; 5-5, placed vertically.

Number (5): Everything in this space must add up to 5. The answer is 5-5, placed vertically.

Number (4): Everything in this space must add up to 4. The answer is 4-4, placed horizontally.

Equal (2): Everything in this space must be equal to 2. The answer is 5-2, placed horizontally; 2-2, placed horizontally.

Not Equal: Everything in this red space must be different. The answer is 5-6, placed vertically; 4-4, placed horizontally; 3-3, placed horizontally; 2-2, placed horizontally.

Hard difficulty hints, answers for May 28 Pips

Number (6): Everything in this space must add up to 6. The answer is 3-6, placed horizontally.

Equal (3): Everything in this space must be equal to 3. The answer is 3-6, placed horizontally; 3-3, placed vertically; 3-2, placed horizontally.

Greater Than (1): Everything in this space must be greater than 1. The answer is 3-2, placed horizontally.

Number (6): Everything in this space must add up to 6. The answer is 6-5, placed vertically.

Number (6): Everything in this space must add up to 6. The answer is 6-5, placed vertically; 1-0, placed vertically.

Equal (0): Everything in this space must be equal to 0. The answer is 1-0, placed vertically; 0-0, placed horizontally.


Not Equal: Everything in this space must be different. The answer is 1-4, placed vertically; 3-0, placed vertically; 2-6, placed vertically.


Less Than (3): Everything in this space must be less than 3. The answer is 0-6, placed vertically.

Greater Than (3): Everything in this space must be greater than 3. The answer is 4-6, placed vertically.

Equal (6): Everything in this space must be equal to 6. The answer is 0-6, placed vertically; 4-6, placed vertically; 6-6, placed vertically; 6-1, placed vertically.

Equal (1): Everything in this space must be equal to 1. The answer is 1-3, placed vertically; 6-1, placed vertically; 1-1, placed vertically.

Number (3): Everything in this space must add up to 3. The answer is 1-3, placed vertically

If you’re looking for more puzzles, Mashable’s got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

#NYT #Pips #hints #answers">NYT Pips hints, answers for May 28, 2026

Welcome to your guide to Pips, the latest game in the New York Times catalogue.

Released in August 2025, Pips puts a unique spin on dominoes, creating a fun single-player experience that could become your next daily gaming habit.

Currently, if you’re stuck, the game only offers to reveal the entire puzzle, forcing you to move on to the next difficulty level and start over. However, we have you covered! Below are piecemeal answers that will serve as hints so that you can find your way through each difficulty level.

How to play Pips

If you’ve ever played dominoes, you’ll have a passing familiarity with how Pips is played. As we’ve shared in our previous hints stories for Pips, the tiles, like dominoes, are placed vertically or horizontally and connect with each other. The main difference between a traditional game of dominoes and Pips is the color-coded conditions you have to address. The touching tiles don’t necessarily have to match.

The conditions you have to meet are specific to the color-coded spaces. For example, if it provides a single number, every side of a tile in that space must add up to the number provided. It is possible — and common — for only half a tile to be within a color-coded space.

Here are common examples you’ll run into across the difficulty levels:

  • Number: All the pips in this space must add up to the number.

  • Equal: Every domino half in this space must be the same number of pips.

  • Not Equal: Every domino half in this space must have a completely different number of pips.

  • Less than: Every domino half in this space must add up to less than the number.

  • Greater than: Every domino half in this space must add up to more than the number.

If an area does not have any color coding, it means there are no conditions on the portions of dominoes within those spaces.

Easy difficulty hints, answers for May 28 Pips

Greater Than (4): Everything in this space must be greater than 4. The answer is 3-3, placed horizontally.

Greater Than (3): Everything in this space must be greater than 3. The answer is 4-0, placed horizontally.

Greater Than (2): Everything in this space must be greater than 2. The answer is 3-1, placed vertically.

Equal (1): Everything in this space must be equal to 1. The answer is 3-1, placed vertically; 2-1, placed vertically.

Equal (2): Everything in this space must be equal to 2. The answer is 2-2, placed horizontally.

Greater Than (6): Everything in this space must be greater than 6. The answer is 4-4, placed horizontally.

Medium difficulty hints, answers for May 28 Pips

Not Equal: Everything in this space must be different. The answer is 4-3, placed vertically; 5-5, placed vertically.

Number (5): Everything in this space must add up to 5. The answer is 5-5, placed vertically.

Number (4): Everything in this space must add up to 4. The answer is 4-4, placed horizontally.

Equal (2): Everything in this space must be equal to 2. The answer is 5-2, placed horizontally; 2-2, placed horizontally.

Not Equal: Everything in this red space must be different. The answer is 5-6, placed vertically; 4-4, placed horizontally; 3-3, placed horizontally; 2-2, placed horizontally.

Hard difficulty hints, answers for May 28 Pips

Number (6): Everything in this space must add up to 6. The answer is 3-6, placed horizontally.

Equal (3): Everything in this space must be equal to 3. The answer is 3-6, placed horizontally; 3-3, placed vertically; 3-2, placed horizontally.

Greater Than (1): Everything in this space must be greater than 1. The answer is 3-2, placed horizontally.

Number (6): Everything in this space must add up to 6. The answer is 6-5, placed vertically.

Number (6): Everything in this space must add up to 6. The answer is 6-5, placed vertically; 1-0, placed vertically.

Equal (0): Everything in this space must be equal to 0. The answer is 1-0, placed vertically; 0-0, placed horizontally.


Not Equal: Everything in this space must be different. The answer is 1-4, placed vertically; 3-0, placed vertically; 2-6, placed vertically.


Less Than (3): Everything in this space must be less than 3. The answer is 0-6, placed vertically.

Greater Than (3): Everything in this space must be greater than 3. The answer is 4-6, placed vertically.

Equal (6): Everything in this space must be equal to 6. The answer is 0-6, placed vertically; 4-6, placed vertically; 6-6, placed vertically; 6-1, placed vertically.

Equal (1): Everything in this space must be equal to 1. The answer is 1-3, placed vertically; 6-1, placed vertically; 1-1, placed vertically.

Number (3): Everything in this space must add up to 3. The answer is 1-3, placed vertically

If you’re looking for more puzzles, Mashable’s got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

#NYT #Pips #hints #answers
Federal prosecutors charged a Google employee with fraud after he allegedly made $1.2 million on Polymarket bets related to Search-related trends in 2025, as reported earlier by ABC News. In their now-unsealed complaint, prosecutors allege that Michele Spagnuolo “knew the outcome of these wagers before the trading public did because he had accessed Google’s confidential, commercially valuable internal data.” Spagnuolo was arrested in New York on Wednesday but released on a $2.25 million bond, ABC News reports. He is charged with commodities fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering.

Spagnuolo made bets on Polymarket under the username AlphaRacoon, with his successful search-related wagers catching the attention of outlets like Forbes and users on social media last December. In one instance, Spagnuolo correctly guessed that a singer named D4vd would “be the #1 searched person on Google” in 2025, despite the “near-zero probability” assigned by Polymarket, according to the complaint.

At the same time, Spagnuolo allegedly bet that Pope Leo XIV and Kendrick Lamar would not appear on Google’s “Year in Search 2025” lists, which are difficult to predict because of how they’re calculated. Google says it ranked last year’s terms based on which ones saw the “highest increase in traffic” — not the highest number of searches — between January 1st, 2025 and November 25th, 2025. “By measuring the spike in interest rather than the total number of searches, we can identify the trends that were unique to 2025.”

“Once he won, Spagnuolo then took deliberate steps to conceal his unlawful use of nonpublic information by attempting to obscure the source and ownership of his unlawful proceeds,” the complaint says. Last month, federal prosecutors charged US Army soldier Gannon Ken Van Dyke with fraud for allegedly making a $400,000 Polymarket bet on the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

In a statement on X, Polymarket called itself “the enforcement leader,” saying its “market integrity infrastructure” flagged Spagnuolo’s activity. “Blockchain trading is transparent, traceable, and bad actors leave footprints,” the company writes, without noting whether the people putting their money down know that.

”We’re working with law enforcement on their investigation,” Google spokesperson Jaclyn Vazquez says in a statement to The Verge. “The employee accessed our marketing material using a tool available to all employees, but using such confidential information to place bets is a serious breach of our policies. We’ve placed the employee on leave and will take the appropriate action.”

#Google #employee #allegedly #information #win #million #PolymarketBusiness,Google,Policy,Tech">A Google employee allegedly used inside information to win .2 million on Polymarket Federal prosecutors charged a Google employee with fraud after he allegedly made .2 million on Polymarket bets related to Search-related trends in 2025, as reported earlier by ABC News. In their now-unsealed complaint, prosecutors allege that Michele Spagnuolo “knew the outcome of these wagers before the trading public did because he had accessed Google’s confidential, commercially valuable internal data.” Spagnuolo was arrested in New York on Wednesday but released on a .25 million bond, ABC News reports. He is charged with commodities fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering.Spagnuolo made bets on Polymarket under the username AlphaRacoon, with his successful search-related wagers catching the attention of outlets like Forbes and users on social media last December. In one instance, Spagnuolo correctly guessed that a singer named D4vd would “be the #1 searched person on Google” in 2025, despite the “near-zero probability” assigned by Polymarket, according to the complaint.At the same time, Spagnuolo allegedly bet that Pope Leo XIV and Kendrick Lamar would not appear on Google’s “Year in Search 2025” lists, which are difficult to predict because of how they’re calculated. Google says it ranked last year’s terms based on which ones saw the “highest increase in traffic” — not the highest number of searches — between January 1st, 2025 and November 25th, 2025. “By measuring the spike in interest rather than the total number of searches, we can identify the trends that were unique to 2025.”“Once he won, Spagnuolo then took deliberate steps to conceal his unlawful use of nonpublic information by attempting to obscure the source and ownership of his unlawful proceeds,” the complaint says. Last month, federal prosecutors charged US Army soldier Gannon Ken Van Dyke with fraud for allegedly making a 0,000 Polymarket bet on the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.In a statement on X, Polymarket called itself “the enforcement leader,” saying its “market integrity infrastructure” flagged Spagnuolo’s activity. “Blockchain trading is transparent, traceable, and bad actors leave footprints,” the company writes, without noting whether the people putting their money down know that.”We’re working with law enforcement on their investigation,” Google spokesperson Jaclyn Vazquez says in a statement to The Verge. “The employee accessed our marketing material using a tool available to all employees, but using such confidential information to place bets is a serious breach of our policies. We’ve placed the employee on leave and will take the appropriate action.”#Google #employee #allegedly #information #win #million #PolymarketBusiness,Google,Policy,Tech

reported earlier by ABC News. In their now-unsealed complaint, prosecutors allege that Michele Spagnuolo “knew the outcome of these wagers before the trading public did because he had accessed Google’s confidential, commercially valuable internal data.” Spagnuolo was arrested in New York on Wednesday but released on a $2.25 million bond, ABC News reports. He is charged with commodities fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering.

Spagnuolo made bets on Polymarket under the username AlphaRacoon, with his successful search-related wagers catching the attention of outlets like Forbes and users on social media last December. In one instance, Spagnuolo correctly guessed that a singer named D4vd would “be the #1 searched person on Google” in 2025, despite the “near-zero probability” assigned by Polymarket, according to the complaint.

At the same time, Spagnuolo allegedly bet that Pope Leo XIV and Kendrick Lamar would not appear on Google’s “Year in Search 2025” lists, which are difficult to predict because of how they’re calculated. Google says it ranked last year’s terms based on which ones saw the “highest increase in traffic” — not the highest number of searches — between January 1st, 2025 and November 25th, 2025. “By measuring the spike in interest rather than the total number of searches, we can identify the trends that were unique to 2025.”

“Once he won, Spagnuolo then took deliberate steps to conceal his unlawful use of nonpublic information by attempting to obscure the source and ownership of his unlawful proceeds,” the complaint says. Last month, federal prosecutors charged US Army soldier Gannon Ken Van Dyke with fraud for allegedly making a $400,000 Polymarket bet on the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

In a statement on X, Polymarket called itself “the enforcement leader,” saying its “market integrity infrastructure” flagged Spagnuolo’s activity. “Blockchain trading is transparent, traceable, and bad actors leave footprints,” the company writes, without noting whether the people putting their money down know that.

”We’re working with law enforcement on their investigation,” Google spokesperson Jaclyn Vazquez says in a statement to The Verge. “The employee accessed our marketing material using a tool available to all employees, but using such confidential information to place bets is a serious breach of our policies. We’ve placed the employee on leave and will take the appropriate action.”

#Google #employee #allegedly #information #win #million #PolymarketBusiness,Google,Policy,Tech">A Google employee allegedly used inside information to win $1.2 million on Polymarket 

Federal prosecutors charged a Google employee with fraud after he allegedly made $1.2 million on Polymarket bets related to Search-related trends in 2025, as reported earlier by ABC News. In their now-unsealed complaint, prosecutors allege that Michele Spagnuolo “knew the outcome of these wagers before the trading public did because he had accessed Google’s confidential, commercially valuable internal data.” Spagnuolo was arrested in New York on Wednesday but released on a $2.25 million bond, ABC News reports. He is charged with commodities fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering.

Spagnuolo made bets on Polymarket under the username AlphaRacoon, with his successful search-related wagers catching the attention of outlets like Forbes and users on social media last December. In one instance, Spagnuolo correctly guessed that a singer named D4vd would “be the #1 searched person on Google” in 2025, despite the “near-zero probability” assigned by Polymarket, according to the complaint.

At the same time, Spagnuolo allegedly bet that Pope Leo XIV and Kendrick Lamar would not appear on Google’s “Year in Search 2025” lists, which are difficult to predict because of how they’re calculated. Google says it ranked last year’s terms based on which ones saw the “highest increase in traffic” — not the highest number of searches — between January 1st, 2025 and November 25th, 2025. “By measuring the spike in interest rather than the total number of searches, we can identify the trends that were unique to 2025.”

“Once he won, Spagnuolo then took deliberate steps to conceal his unlawful use of nonpublic information by attempting to obscure the source and ownership of his unlawful proceeds,” the complaint says. Last month, federal prosecutors charged US Army soldier Gannon Ken Van Dyke with fraud for allegedly making a $400,000 Polymarket bet on the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

In a statement on X, Polymarket called itself “the enforcement leader,” saying its “market integrity infrastructure” flagged Spagnuolo’s activity. “Blockchain trading is transparent, traceable, and bad actors leave footprints,” the company writes, without noting whether the people putting their money down know that.

”We’re working with law enforcement on their investigation,” Google spokesperson Jaclyn Vazquez says in a statement to The Verge. “The employee accessed our marketing material using a tool available to all employees, but using such confidential information to place bets is a serious breach of our policies. We’ve placed the employee on leave and will take the appropriate action.”

#Google #employee #allegedly #information #win #million #PolymarketBusiness,Google,Policy,Tech

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