News
The Mystery Customer for Palmer Luckey’s Aircraft-Killing Drone Is U.S. Special Forces
Records reviewed by 404 Media reveal that U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) has signed at least $12.5 million to buy the new autonomous aircraft.
Podcast
Podcast: Male Tech Conference Founder Runs Popular Woman-in-Tech Account (???)
In this week's episode, we talk about the bizarre tale of a tech conference founder who listed a fake, "auto-generated" woman as a speaker, and how he is also behind a popular woman-in-tech social media personality.
FOIA
CBP Is Testing Palmer Luckey's AI-Powered Surveillance Towers in the Great Lakes
Documents obtained by 404 Media show an expansion of Anduril's surveillance technology on the U.S.-Canada border.
News
Sneakers and Armored Cars: How a Shoe Company Empire Allegedly Used a Chinese Money Laundering Ring
James Regis Whitner, Jr. is a known figure in the world of sneakers and fashion. A wide spanning investigation alleges his companies, including Social Status, used a Chinese money laundering ring to move massive amounts of cash.
Podcast
Podcast: OpenAI, Harry Potter Fanfic, and Hackers Who Gamble
In this week's episode, we take a unique angle on the OpenAI drama, talk Twitter and sex work, then get into how hackers gamble away stolen Bitcoin at online casinos.
News
Hugging Face Removes Singing AI Models of Xi Jinping But Not of Biden
The removals come as Hugging Face is banned in China, which the company called “regrettable.”
News
The PS5’s $200 Pro-Controller Has a Major Problem With Its Grips
Grips on the PS5 DualSense Edge controller are peeling away after normal use, according to 404 Media's own experience and multiple people complaining online.
News
Hackers Use Online Casinos to Gamble Mountains of Cash They Steal from Victims
Members of the wider digital underground, known as The Com, often funnel stolen Bitcoin into a variety of online casinos including Stake, material obtained by 404 Media shows.
Podcast
Podcast: Venture Capitalists a16z Fund Nonconsensual Deepfake Porn
In this week's episode, we talk a16z's investment into AI platform Civitai, our investigation into working conditions at Labcorp, and how the "brand safety" industry is destroying media.
News
The $2,000 Phones that Let Anyone Make Robocalls
Videos collected by 404 Media over months give a peep inside the world of spoofing numbers, automated call scripts, and a specific seller of the phones.
‘Hello Sir/Ma’am’: Person Linked to Scam Asks FBI for His Seized Cryptocurrency Back
The FBI froze cryptocurrency stored in a Binance account the agency believes is linked to a scam targeting an elderly victim. The apparent owner would like it back.
News
How SIM Swappers Straight-Up Rob T-Mobile Stores
Video shot from a getaway car shows how SIM swappers have snatched worker tablets to help them take over phone numbers.