He defied Beijing. He owes creditors billions. His U.S. car company is a mess. Can his latest crazy pitch keep him from ruin?
Illustration by Aaron Sacco
Jia Yueting insisted on driving the car himself. The Chinese entrepreneur knew that the 2017 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas could make or break his startup electric vehicle company, Faraday Future. After three years of planning and designing, Faraday was finally unveiling its first car, a sport utility vehicle called the FF91. Image mattered to Jia — who goes by the nickname Y.T. — so when it came time to drive the car on stage, he wanted to be behind the wheel.
Nick Sampson thoug
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California-based Jupiter Systems sold high-tech wall screens to U.S. military and government clients. On June 14, The Wire China revealed how Jupiter was sold to a Chinese company in 2020 without the first Trump administration’s knowledge. Now Trump is back and on the case as Jupiter teeters on the verge of bankruptcy.
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