American oil tycoon accused of trying to conspire with OPEC to inflate prices
CNN
Scott Sheffield, the founder and longtime CEO of Texas oil producer Pioneer Natural Resources, attempted to collude with OPEC and its allies to inflate oil prices, federal regulators alleged Thursday.
Scott Sheffield, the founder and longtime CEO of a leading American oil producer, attempted to collude with OPEC and its allies to inflate prices, federal regulators alleged on Thursday. The Federal Trade Commission said Sheffield exchanged hundreds of text messages discussing pricing, production and oil market dynamics with officials at the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, or OPEC, the cartel led by Saudi Arabia. Regulators say Sheffield, then the CEO of Pioneer Natural Resources, used WhatsApp conversations, in-person meetings and public statements to try to “align oil production” in the Permian Basin in Texas with that of OPEC and OPEC+, the wider group that includes Russia. “Mr. Sheffield’s communications were designed to pad Pioneer’s bottom line — as well as those of oil companies in OPEC and OPEC+ member states — at the expense of US households and businesses,” the FTC complaint said. Unlike with OPEC nations, US oil production is supposed to be decided by the free market, not by coordination among the major players. Sheffield retired in December 2023 as CEO of Pioneer. The company he founded is the biggest producer in the Permian Basin, the abundant oilfield that has helped make the US the world’s top producer of oil and gas.
A coffee shop in Middleborough, Massachusetts, went viral overnight for offering free coffee to customers who entered the shop while dancing.
President-elect Donald Trump’s promise to further restrict immigration and roll out “mass deportations” has not been finalized, but the specter of looming policy changes is already reverberating throughout the US job market.
A recent lawsuit alleges Linda McMahon, who President-elect Donald Trump tapped to lead the Department of Education, knowingly enabled the sexual exploitation of children by a World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) employee as early as the 1980s — allegations she denies.
Months into President Donald Trump’s first term in the White House, his Justice Department sent shockwaves through the media industry by suing to block AT&T’s takeover of CNN owner Timer Warner.
Social Security is by far one of the most popular government programs in the United States because it is critical for so many retirees’ financial security.
The US government formally proposed a partial breakup of Google on Wednesday, urging a federal judge to force a sale of the company’s Chrome web browser after a landmark ruling this year finding that Google had violated US antitrust law with its search business.
Indian billionaire Gautam Adani and other executives were indicted in New York for roles in a multi-billion-dollar fraud scheme, the US Department of Justice said Wednesday.
Europe could soon be welcoming a wave of well-heeled Americans, as Democratic voters facing the prospect of another Donald Trump presidency eye refuges abroad.
Comcast just jump-started a new season of major change across the television industry. And no one quite knows what will happen next.
Sheetz, the gas station and convenience store chain, is slashing prices at some of its pumps ahead of the busy Thanksgiving travel period.
Target is expecting a surprisingly weak holiday shopping season, a warning sign for the retail industry.