Talk:Bill Ackman#Recent changes

The first paragraph of Personal views reads "In 2021, Ackman supported Kyle Rittenhouse's self-defense claim while the criminal trial was ongoing. Ackman's prediction of an acquittal proved to be accurate." This is confusing, because the first sentence only mentions Ackman's support of Rittenhouse, while the second sentence presumes the reader knows that Ackman predicted Rittenhouse's acquittal. I don't believe that supporting a defendant necessarily implies a prediction that the defendant wins. This could be rewritten as "In 2021, Ackman supported Kyle Rittenhouse's self-defense claim while the criminal trial was ongoing and predicted that Rittenhouse would win his case, which later proved to be accurate." 98.118.9.141 (talk) 19:48, 10 January 2024 (UTC)

:The source doesn't say it "proved to be accurate" so neither the current form nor the suggestion is good. I will update it to accurately WP:STICKTOSOURCE. Zenomonoz (talk) 22:10, 11 January 2024 (UTC)

:Honestly, not sure it's really relevant or due. He gave his opinion on one of the top news stories at the time. WP:NOTNEWS. It was covered at the time, but not enduring, like his involvement post the 2023 Hamas attack on Israel. Per WP:BRD, will remove. Longhornsg (talk) 22:29, 11 January 2024 (UTC)

I'm not an extended confirmed editor, so posting here. I think the page should mention [https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/12/business/bill-ackman-harvard-antisemitism.html his accusations of plagiarism] and his recent responses to accusations of plagiarism against [https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/05/us/plagiarism-bill-ackman-neri-oxman-claudine-gay-harvard.html his wife].

Edit: I believe that this topic should be included since he has become notable recently (but seems to be WP:SUSTAINED) due to his ongoing accusations (e.g., Vox [https://www.vox.com/2024/1/13/24032176/bill-ackman-claudine-gay-harvard-plagiarism-business-insider-explained article] title "Who is Bill Ackman and why is he so mad?"). _{too_much} curiosity (talk) 04:05, 15 January 2024 (UTC)

{{Edit COI|P}}

Hello again. [https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bill_Ackman&diff=prev&oldid=1194310056 In January], the infobox image was changed from :File:Valeant Pharmaceuticals' Business Model (26410186110) (cropped 2).jpg to :File:Valeant Pharmaceuticals' Business Model (cropped).jpg. I would like to request a revert to the previously used image, which I believe is more neutral and does not give an unfair impression as the new photo does. Do other editors agree that a headshot might be preferable here? Thanks, FMatPSCM (talk) 23:43, 2 March 2024 (UTC)

:Realizing I did not include Template:Edit COI, which I've added for editor review. Thanks, FMatPSCM (talk) 17:00, 5 November 2024 (UTC)

:You're right in that headshots are preferred, but the former image is a side profile which doesn't fully show the face and was blurrier. I've cropped the current image, which is clearer and does show the full face, into a headshot. Not sure what your neutrality concerns are. ---- Patar knight - ^chat/_{contributions} 01:17, 13 November 2024 (UTC)

{{Edit COI|answered=yes}}

Hello. I would like to address some text in the Personal views section. Specifically, the following text, which is not about Bill Ackman and uses sources that do not mention him:

• Israel estimates 1,139 people were killed in Hamas's October 7th attack, including 695 Israeli civilians, 36 of whom were children, 373 members of the security forces, and 71 foreigners;{{cite news |title=Israel social security data reveals true picture of Oct 7 deaths |url=https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20231215-israel-social-security-data-reveals-true-picture-of-oct-7-deaths |access-date=May 20, 2024 |publisher=France 24 |date=December 15, 2023}} between October 7th and the Post's report, the Gaza Ministry of Health estimated that IDF attacks had killed more than 35,000 Palestinians, mostly civilians.{{cite news |title=Gaza death toll: how many Palestinians has Israel's campaign killed |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/gaza-death-toll-how-many-palestinians-has-israels-campaign-killed-2024-05-14/ |access-date=May 31, 2024 |publisher=Reuters |date=May 14, 2024}}

{{Reflist-talk}}

I propose removing this text, as well as the following paragraph, which is mostly about a video call that Bill Ackman was not a part of and that was held after Bill Ackman was no longer participating in the group chat:

• Members of the 2023-2024 WhatsApp group chat also held a video call in April 2024 with New York City Mayor Eric Adams in an effort to, according to reporting by The Washington Post, "pressure Columbia’s president and trustees to permit the mayor to send police to the campus" to shut down criticism of Israel's offensive military operations in Gaza, which many campus protesters, intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations, civil servants, and governments around the world have alleged to be genocide. During the video call, group members discussed making political donations to Adams. A spokesperson for Ackman said he had not participated in the group chat since January 10, 2024, and that although Ackman "likes and is supportive of the Mayor," he had never spoken to Adams about the Columbia protests or donated to Adams's campaign..{{cite news |last1=Natanson |first1=Hannah |last2=Felton |first2=Emmanuel |title=Business titans privately urged NYC mayor to use police on Columbia protesters, chats show |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2024/05/16/business-leaders-chat-group-eric-adams-columbia-protesters/ |access-date=May 17, 2024 |newspaper=Washington Post |date=May 16, 2024}}

I propose removal of this text, too, or at least a major trim to keep the article about the subject and not a WhatsApp group. It does not seem appropriate to lead with so much detail, only to confirm at the end that the article subject was not present.

{{Reflist-talk}}

Thank you, FMatPSCM (talk) 19:54, 25 June 2024 (UTC)

::{{Respond|xmark|Not done:}} Too sensitive for a COI editor. Also, the topic of the this request (the war in Gaza) is considered contentious here. Quetstar (talk) 15:14, 27 June 2024 (UTC)

{{Edit COI|A}}

Hi again. Francis here, representing Pershing Square Capital Management. I've introduced myself previously but some of my past requests have been archived. I find some of the recent changes to this article concerning, so I'd like to flag a few issues and share sources I think are helpful to make this page more accurate.

I'd like to start with this text: "Ackman sponsored several billboard trucks to drive near Harvard’s campus and display the names and photos of Harvard students who signed the letter. The University’s Hillel, its Jewish student organization, condemned the billboards and Ackman's attempts to intimidate pro-Palestinian students."

This is based on [https://www.cnn.com/2023/10/12/business/harvard-doxxing-truck-israel-hamas-statement/index.html CNN], which does not confirm the text. [https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/oct/16/harvard-billboard-hamas-informing-america-foundation The Guardian] has confirmed that a group completely unrelated to Ackman took responsibility for the trucks. [https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/claudine-gay-harvard-doxxing-antisemitism-bill-ackman-b2464031.html This source] may also be helpful. I am asking editors to please remove this inaccurate text. Thank you again, FMatPSCM (talk) 16:26, 5 November 2024 (UTC)

:{{Done}} by another editor. The statements do appear to be incorrect. I've also removed another mention of the incorrect assignment of blame for the doxxing to Ackman elsewhere. ---- Patar knight - ^chat/_{contributions} 00:28, 13 November 2024 (UTC)

{{Edit COI|d|R}}

Next, I would like to address the text, "Critics of Ackman have called him an oligarch, basing accusations on his use of market manipulation and use of his wealth to push for his own policy preferences, particularly with respect to Israel." Ackman is not an oligarch, by definition, and this text is biased, inaccurate and not based on quality news sources whatsoever. I would ask editors to remove this text.

Thank you, FMatPSCM (talk) 16:29, 5 November 2024 (UTC)

:The [https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/oligarch Cambridge Dictionary defines "oligarch"] as "someone who is extremely rich and powerful, especially a person from Russia who became rich after the end of the former Soviet Union". Ackman clearly meets this definition as he is rich and the article notes how he has used his influence to wield political power especially after the Israel-Hamas war. Being Russian is not necessary for this definition. In any case, both of the articles are from reliable sources and explicitly use the term, so arguing over a definition is mostly moot. If there are reliable sources that dispute the usage of the term, we would discuss the inclusion of a rebuttal, but at this point there's no need for wholesale removal of the paragraph. -- Patar knight - ^chat/_{contributions} 00:08, 13 November 2024 (UTC)

{{Edit COI}}

The Philanthropy section of this article is a bit disjointed - overly detailed in some parts and not detailed enough in other parts. I'd like to propose the following modifications to this content:

• Trim the first and second paragraphs, which focus excessively on a small selection of organizations that have received funding from Ackman's foundation at one point or another (per WP:DUE). Perhaps like this:

:Ackman is a signer of The Giving Pledge, committing to give away at least 50% of his wealth by the end of his life to charitable causes.{{cite news |url=http://jewishvoiceny.com/index.php?view=article&catid=96%3Abusiness&id=995%3Ajewish-billionaires-join-group-pledging-majority-of-their-wealth-to-charity&tmpl=component&print=1&page=&option=com_content&Itemid=279 |website=Jewish Voice New York |title=Jewish Billionaires Join Group Pledging Majority of Their Wealth to Charity |author=Sholom Schreiber |date=April 25, 2005 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130625082131/http://jewishvoiceny.com/index.php?view=article&catid=96%3Abusiness&id=995%3Ajewish-billionaires-join-group-pledging-majority-of-their-wealth-to-charity&tmpl=component&print=1&page=&option=com_content&Itemid=279 |archive-date=June 25, 2013 |url-status=dead}}

:In 2006, Ackman, and his then wife Karen, founded the Pershing Square Foundation to fund innovative organizations focused on economic development, education, healthcare, human rights, arts and urban development and more.{{cite web|url=http://pershingsquarefoundation.org/fund/our-founders/|title=Founders|publisher=Pershing Square Foundation |access-date=July 28, 2015|archive-date=July 6, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150706062747/http://pershingsquarefoundation.org/fund/our-founders/|url-status=live}}{{cite news|url=https://jewishbusinessnews.com/2013/02/03/the-fighter-%d7%9c%d7%99%d7%a0%d7%a7-%d7%91%d7%99%d7%9c-%d7%90%d7%a7%d7%9e%d7%9f/|title=Bill Ackman: The fighter|date=2013-02-03|website=Jewish Business News|language=en-US|access-date=2019-05-23|archive-date=May 23, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190523193606/https://jewishbusinessnews.com/2013/02/03/the-fighter-%25D7%259C%25D7%2599%25D7%25A0%25D7%25A7-%25D7%2591%25D7%2599%25D7%259C-%25D7%2590%25D7%25A7%25D7%259E%25D7%259F/|url-status=live}} Since its inception, the foundation has committed more than $750 million in grants{{cite web|url= https://pershingsquarefoundation.org/2024/09/30/press-release-the-pershing-square-foundations-mind-maximizing-innovation-in-neuroscience-discovery-prize-is-now-accepting-applications-for-2025/|title=The Pershing Square Foundation's MIND (Maximizing Innovation in Neuroscience Discovery) Prize Is Now Accepting Applications for 2025|website=Pershing Square Foundation|date=September 30, 2024}} to more than 100 organizations. Grantees have included Lincoln Center's David Geffen Hall, One Acre Fund, Saïd Business School's Oxford-Pershing Square Graduate Scholarships, Friends of the High Line, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Center for Jewish History, Innocence Project, African Parks, Rare and Recidiviz.{{cite web|title=Pershing Square Foundation|url=https://www.insidephilanthropy.com/find-a-grant/grants-p/pershing-square-foundation|website=Inside Philanthropy}}{{cite web|url=https://pershingsquarefoundation.org/portfolio/portfolio-all/|title=Portfolio (Grantees A-Z)|website=Pershing Square Foundation}} Ackman and his wife, Neri Oxman, are the Foundation's co-trustees as of 2024.{{cite news|last=Anthes|first=Emily|title=Mount Sinai Seeks to Expand School Virus Testing Program|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/25/health/coronavirus-mount-sinai-kipp-schools.html|date=25 May 2021|work=New York Times}}{{cite web|url=https://pershingsquarefoundation.org/about-us/advisory-board/|title=Advisory Board|website=pershingsquarefoundation.org}}

: {{Not done for now}} Mixed feelings here. This section could definitely use some cleanup, but I don't love relying just on primary sources to pick and choose which grantees to include. Ideally, we'd include either the grantees with the most independent coverage of the grant, or the grantees who received the most funding (which I don't see in the sources given). How were these particular grantees chosen, I can't tell? Rusalkii (talk) 20:38, 21 February 2025 (UTC)

• Move the sentence about the 2011 "Philanthropy 50" list to its own paragraph, and add the following sentence:

:Ackman appeared on the "Philanthropy 50" list again in 2021, along with Oxman.{{cite news|last1=Di Mento|first1=Maria|last2=Gose|first2=Ben|title=Our Annual Philanthropy 50: Top Donors Returned to Pre-Pandemic Causes in 2021|url=https://www.philanthropy.com/article/our-annual-philanthropy-50-top-donors-returned-to-pre-pandemic-causes-in-2021|date=8 February 2022|work=The Chronicle of Philanthropy}}

: {{Not done for now}} I don't think this needs its own paragraph or an entire sentence to them being on the list a second time. Ideally you just do something like "In 2011 and 2021, Ackamn was...", but that drops the wives, and there isn't a great way to work them in to that sentence structure. The best I've got is "In 2011 and 2021, Ackman was on The Chronicle of Philanthropy's "Philanthropy 50" list of the most generous donors, with Karen Ackman and Neri Oxman respectively.", and that's clunky as hell. Thoughts? Rusalkii (talk) 20:38, 21 February 2025 (UTC)

• Remove the third paragraph, about Ackman being honored at a gala fundraiser, as this is not relevant.

: {{Done}}, agreed this is excess detail. Rusalkii (talk) 20:38, 21 February 2025 (UTC)

• Trim the content about David Sabatini, currently in the final paragraph of this section, again per WP:DUE, and to center the focus for the Philanthropy section. I suggest replacing the current paragraph with:

:In February 2023, Ackman announced that his foundation and an anonymous donor gave US$25 million over five years for a new research laboratory for David M. Sabatini, a biologist who was accused of sexual misconduct in what Ackman called unfair treatment.{{cite news |last=Wadman |first=Meredith |date=April 25, 2022 |title=NYU may hire biologist pushed out of MIT, Whitehead for sexual misconduct |work=Science |url=https://www.science.org/content/article/nyu-may-hire-biologist-pushed-mit-whitehead-sexual-misconduct |access-date=February 3, 2023 |archive-date=February 3, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230203131358/https://www.science.org/content/article/nyu-may-hire-biologist-pushed-mit-whitehead-sexual-misconduct |url-status=live}}{{cite news|last=del Valle|first=Lauren|title=Bill Ackman announces foundation funding for controversial ousted MIT and Whitehead Institute scientist|url=https://edition.cnn.com/2023/02/12/us/ackman-sabatini-mit-whitehead-institute-sexual-misconduct/index.html|date=12 February 2023|work=CNN}}

: {{Not done}} Skimmng through the sources it looks like there's coverage of Ackman's funding here that frames it as "This person who was fired from his last job for sexual harassment now has a new lab Ackman is funding", not "Ackmans' funding him and by the way this person has been accused of sexual harassment", see e.g. [https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/24/business/bill-ackman.html this NYT article], [https://www.cnn.com/2023/02/12/us/ackman-sabatini-mit-whitehead-institute-sexual-misconduct/index.html CNN]. I don't love the current phrasing but this strikes me as whitewashing. Rusalkii (talk) 20:38, 21 February 2025 (UTC)

{{reflist-talk}}

I am pinging {{u|Patar knight}}, who has worked on this article previously. Thanks, FMatPSCM (talk) 15:12, 9 January 2025 (UTC)

:{{not done}} for now. Please feel free to discuss, though. Andre🚐 08:36, 16 January 2025 (UTC)

I'd like to clarify the rationale behind the changes I've proposed as I reopen this request, in particular the suggestion to trim the first few paragraphs: Currently the Philanthropy section gives too much attention and weight to an arbitrary selection of organizations, presenting an inaccurate picture of Ackman's history of giving and misleadingly implying that he gave to these groups disproportionately. The suggestions I make here include dedicated sentences or paragraphs only for philanthropy that was particularly significant in the larger context of Ackman's years of philanthropic work. The consolidated list I am proposing includes some of the more prominent grantees and removes the less noteworthy details, e.g. that Ackman was honored at a gala one time for an organization he supported. FMatPSCM (talk) 13:50, 19 February 2025 (UTC)

:@AndreJustAndre could you explain why you declined the previous request, did you want to gain talk page consensus or was there some specific aspect you found problematic? I haven't looked at it yet in detail but am considering reviewing and want to make sure I'm taking whatever it was into account. Rusalkii (talk) 03:12, 20 February 2025 (UTC)

::I spoke with Andre elsewhere and have reviewed the request. For the declined request about the Sabatini thing, any thoughts from watchers of the article?

::Leaving the request open for @FMatPSCM to respond to the questions for the first two points. Rusalkii (talk) 20:40, 21 February 2025 (UTC)

:::{{replyto|Rusalkii}} Thank you for your thorough review. I will do my best to address each of your questions in the same order as they appear above.

:::*For the trimming of the first and second paragraphs, I was able to come up with secondary sources for the majority of the list I included in my suggested text: [https://www.insidephilanthropy.com/home/2015-7-21-inside-the-pershing-square-foundation-a-catalytic-funder-on-html One Acre Fund]; [https://archive.nytimes.com/dealbook.nytimes.com/2011/01/21/finding-deep-pockets-to-help-a-jewish-center/ Center for Jewish History]; [https://www.crainsnewyork.com/article/20130208/NONPROFITS/130209927/bill-ackman-donates-record-1m-to-innocence-project Innocence Project]; [https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2024-06-07-benefits-so-clearly-outweigh-the-risks-120-rhino-successfully-translocated-into-greater-kruger-system/ Africa Parks]; [https://www.philanthropy.com/article/the-philanthropy-50/#id=details_479_2021 Recidiviz]. (The grantees for which I couldn't find secondary coverage can be omitted from the sentence.) As for why these grantees should be included and not others, these are largely organizations that are notable in their own right and their connection to the foundation is documented in secondary RS. I also felt these are a small but good start of a representative sample of the types of organizations his foundation supports, but I recognize this is subjective and am open to other suggestions. The main thing is to shift the current content - full paragraphs or sentences on individual grantees that are highlighted for no particular reason - toward a more cohesive prose that lists a brief, balanced sampling of grantees.

:::*For the Philanthropy 50 part, here is one way we might be able to convey the information elegantly in a single sentence: In 2011, Bill Ackman was on The Chronicle of Philanthropy's "Philanthropy 50" list of the most generous donors; Ackman was listed again in 2021 with wife Neri Oxman.

:::*For the Sabatini paragraph, I certainly don't want to whitewash. But as this is the Philanthropy section of the biography of Bill Ackman, Ackman's actions in relation to Sabatini should be the primary focus of the sentence, while the contextual information about Sabatini should be secondary and limited to avoid WP:COATRACK. Maybe this compromise could make sense, to ensure the sentence doesn't downplay the background about Sabatini: In February 2023, Ackman announced that his foundation and an anonymous donor gave US$25 million over five years for a new research laboratory for David M. Sabatini, a biologist who was accused of sexual misconduct and had been fired by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, in what Ackman called unfair treatment.

:::Thank you again for your time and consideration, FMatPSCM (talk) 17:56, 26 February 2025 (UTC)

::::* Yeah, which organizations to highlight is always going to be subjective, but "there's independent sourcing covering this grant" is good enough for me. I'd be inclined to keep Planned Parenthood, ([https://www.science.org/content/article/billionaire-launches-plagiarism-detection-effort-against-mit-president-and-all-its source], but there's probably better), since it's already in the article and while I can't find a source good enough to actually use the foundation seems to be a major donor. Could you please format it with the independent sources cited inline next to the relevant organizations? Once that's done it'll be good to go.

::::* {{Done}}, with Karen added to the first one, that's much better than my attempt.

::::* This phrasing does preserve what I'd consider the most important information, which is that Ackman is funding him after and in sense because he got fired from his previous lab for sexual misconduct. I don't find this version fundamentally unacceptable but I think I'm going to leave this up for a bit and see if anyone else wants to weigh in.

::::Rusalkii (talk) 19:41, 26 February 2025 (UTC)

:::::Thanks again, {{u|Rusalkii}} for your time and attention. Here is the suggested text for trimming the first and second paragraphs formatted per your request:

::::::Ackman is a signer of The Giving Pledge, committing to give away at least 50% of his wealth by the end of his life to charitable causes.{{cite news |url=http://jewishvoiceny.com/index.php?view=article&catid=96%3Abusiness&id=995%3Ajewish-billionaires-join-group-pledging-majority-of-their-wealth-to-charity&tmpl=component&print=1&page=&option=com_content&Itemid=279 |website=Jewish Voice New York |title=Jewish Billionaires Join Group Pledging Majority of Their Wealth to Charity |author=Sholom Schreiber |date=April 25, 2005 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130625082131/http://jewishvoiceny.com/index.php?view=article&catid=96%3Abusiness&id=995%3Ajewish-billionaires-join-group-pledging-majority-of-their-wealth-to-charity&tmpl=component&print=1&page=&option=com_content&Itemid=279 |archive-date=June 25, 2013 |url-status=dead}}

::::::In 2006, Ackman, and his then wife Karen, founded the Pershing Square Foundation to fund innovative organizations focused on economic development, education, healthcare, human rights, arts and urban development and more.{{cite web|url=http://pershingsquarefoundation.org/fund/our-founders/|title=Founders|website=Pershing Square Foundation |access-date=July 28, 2015|archive-date=July 6, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150706062747/http://pershingsquarefoundation.org/fund/our-founders/|url-status=live}}{{cite news|url=https://jewishbusinessnews.com/2013/02/03/the-fighter-%d7%9c%d7%99%d7%a0%d7%a7-%d7%91%d7%99%d7%9c-%d7%90%d7%a7%d7%9e%d7%9f/|title=Bill Ackman: The fighter|last=Taub|first=Orna|date=February 3, 2013|work=Jewish Business News|language=en-US|access-date=May 23, 2019|archive-date=May 23, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190523193606/https://jewishbusinessnews.com/2013/02/03/the-fighter-%25D7%259C%25D7%2599%25D7%25A0%25D7%25A7-%25D7%2591%25D7%2599%25D7%259C-%25D7%2590%25D7%25A7%25D7%259E%25D7%259F/|url-status=live}} Since its inception, the foundation has committed more than $750 million in grants{{cite web|url= https://pershingsquarefoundation.org/2024/09/30/press-release-the-pershing-square-foundations-mind-maximizing-innovation-in-neuroscience-discovery-prize-is-now-accepting-applications-for-2025/|title=The Pershing Square Foundation's MIND (Maximizing Innovation in Neuroscience Discovery) Prize Is Now Accepting Applications for 2025|website=Pershing Square Foundation|date=September 30, 2024}} to more than 100 organizations. Grantees have included One Acre Fund, Saïd Business School's Oxford-Pershing Square Graduate Scholarships,{{cite news|last=Callahan|first=David|title=Inside the Pershing Square Foundation: A "Catalytic" Funder on the Fast Track|url=https://www.insidephilanthropy.com/home/2015-7-21-inside-the-pershing-square-foundation-a-catalytic-funder-on-html|date=July 21, 2015|work=Inside Philanthropy}} Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory,{{cite news|title=Here's One Foundation That's Heeding the Call for More Basic Science Funding |last=Karon |first=Paul |url=https://www.insidephilanthropy.com/home/2015-11-4-heres-one-foundation-thats-heeding-the-call-for-more-basic-s-html|date=November 4, 2015|work=Inside Philanthropy}} Center for Jewish History,{{cite news|last=Storm|first=Stephanie|title=Finding Deep Pockets to Help a Jewish Center|url=https://archive.nytimes.com/dealbook.nytimes.com/2011/01/21/finding-deep-pockets-to-help-a-jewish-center/|date=January 21, 2011|work=The New York Times}} Innocence Project,{{cite news|last=Agovino|first=Theresa|title=Bill Ackman donates record $1M to Innocence Project|url=https://www.crainsnewyork.com/article/20130208/NONPROFITS/130209927/bill-ackman-donates-record-1m-to-innocence-project|date=February 7, 2013|work=Crain's New York Business}} African Parks{{cite news|last=Evans|first=Julia|title=Saving Private Rhino:120 rhino successfully translocated into Greater Kruger system|url=https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2024-06-07-benefits-so-clearly-outweigh-the-risks-120-rhino-successfully-translocated-into-greater-kruger-system/|date=June 7, 2024|work=Daily Maverick}} and Recidiviz.{{cite news|last=Di Mento|first=Maria|title=Philanthropy 50|url=https://www.philanthropy.com/article/the-philanthropy-50/#id=details_479_2021|date=5 March 2024|work=The Chronicle of Philanthropy}} Ackman and his wife, Neri Oxman, are the Foundation's co-trustees as of 2024.{{cite news|last=Anthes|first=Emily|title=Mount Sinai Seeks to Expand School Virus Testing Program|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/25/health/coronavirus-mount-sinai-kipp-schools.html|date=May 25, 2021|work=New York Times}}{{cite web|url=https://pershingsquarefoundation.org/about-us/advisory-board/|title=Advisory Board|website=pershingsquarefoundation.org}}

{{reflist talk}}

:::::Thanks again, FMatPSCM (talk) 17:54, 27 February 2025 (UTC)

:::::: {{Done}}, replacing Recidiviz, which doesn't have an article and feels thematically similar to the Innocence Project, with Planned Parenthood. Also, removed "largest donor" claim about PP from the lead. Rusalkii (talk) 18:23, 28 February 2025 (UTC)

I'd like to propose that the "Herbalife short" section be trimmed. The current version of the section contains 10 paragraphs, which are largely misleading, overly detailed and greatly WP:UNDUE for a biography. I'd be happy to suggest two or three replacement paragraphs if other editors are open to the idea. Or perhaps it is worth considering splitting the longer Herbalife story into its own article. I welcome everyone's thoughts on the best way to trim the section to an appropriate length. FMatPSCM (talk) 14:52, 11 March 2025 (UTC)

:@FMatPSCM: Feel free to suggest a replacement. Even if there is a split, a shortened version is still needed in this article. However, I feel that two paragraphs would be too short for this, considering the considerable amount of coverage this short generated, along with the fact that it lasted six years. ARandomName123 (talk)^{Ping me!} 04:24, 20 March 2025 (UTC)

::Hi {{u|ARandomName123}}. Thank you and apologies for the delay. What you are saying about the need for more than two paragraphs makes sense. I took the time to consider my suggested language below, which is based on the Herbalife section from the Pershing Square article with additional details to reflect the focus on Ackman himself as well as give a broader picture. My suggested rewrite is in the box below.

{{collapse-top|Herbalife section proposal}}

In December 2012, Ackman announced that Pershing Square had made a $1 billion short bet against Herbalife, a maker of weight-loss and vitamin supplements, calling the company a "pyramid scheme".{{Cite news |last=Stevenson |first=Alexandra |date=11 March 2014 |title=Herbalife Shares Fall as Ackman Makes New Accusations |language=English |work=The New York Times |url=https://dealbook.nytimes.com/2014/03/11/herbalife-shares-fall-as-ackman-makes-new-accusations/ |url-status=live |access-date=24 March 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140316131204/http://dealbook.nytimes.com/2014/03/11/herbalife-shares-fall-as-ackman-makes-new-accusations/ |archive-date=16 March 2014}}

A few months after Ackman's initial comments, billionaire investor Carl Icahn challenged Ackman's comment in a public spat on national TV.{{cite news|last1=O'Toole|first1=James|title=Icahn challenges Ackman with 13% Herbalife stake|url=https://money.cnn.com/2013/02/14/investing/icahn-herbalife/index.html|access-date=January 22, 2015|work=CNN Money|date=February 14, 2013|archive-date=January 22, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150122053626/http://money.cnn.com/2013/02/14/investing/icahn-herbalife/index.html|url-status=live}} Following this, Icahn announced a stake in Herbalife in January 2013.{{Cite news |last=Stanford |first=Duane |date=24 March 2014 |title=Herbalife Strengthens Ties With Icahn as Ackman War Rages |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-03-24/herbalife-to-nominate-three-more-icahn-candidates-to-board.html |access-date=24 March 2014 |work=Bloomberg}} Over the following years, Icahn continued to buy Herbalife shares to combat Ackman's short.{{cite news|last=Belvedere|first=Matthew|title=How the Icahn-Ackman 'Battle of the Billionaires' on CNBC became a defining moment of the decade|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2019/12/13/reliving-the-carl-icahn-and-bill-ackman-herbalife-feud-on-cnbc.html|work=CNBC|date=December 13, 2019}}

After a persistent campaign funded by Ackman's Pershing Square,{{Cite news |last=Schmidt |first=Michael |date=9 March 2014 |title=After Big Bet, Hedge Fund Pulls the Levers of Power |language=English |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/10/business/staking-1-billion-that-herbalife-will-fail-then-ackman-lobbying-to-bring-it-down.html |url-status=live |access-date=24 March 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170114034542/https://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/10/business/staking-1-billion-that-herbalife-will-fail-then-ackman-lobbying-to-bring-it-down.html |archive-date=14 January 2017}}{{Cite news |last=DealBook |date=10 March 2014 |title=Ackman vs. Herbalife, a History |language=English |work=The New York Times |issue=DealBook |url=https://dealbook.nytimes.com/2014/03/10/ackman-versus-herbalife-a-history/ |url-status=live |access-date=24 March 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201106130219/https://dealbook.nytimes.com/2014/03/10/ackman-versus-herbalife-a-history/ |archive-date=6 November 2020}} the Federal Trade Commission initiated an investigation into Herbalife. Other regulators and law enforcement also got involved. In April 2014, Reuters reported that the FBI conducted a probe into Herbalife and reviewed documents obtained from the company's former distributors.{{Cite news |date=April 2014 |title=FBI conducting a probe into Herbalife: sources |url=https://finance.yahoo.com/news/fbi-conducting-probe-herbalife-source-211828041.html |url-status=live |access-date=11 April 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140413125749/http://finance.yahoo.com/news/fbi-conducting-probe-herbalife-source-211828041.html |archive-date=13 April 2014}} On March 12, 2015, it was reported that one of Pershing Square's subcontractors was being probed by federal prosecutors and the FBI; Ackman was quoted that he would not back down from his claims against Herbalife.{{Cite news |last=Lopez |first=Linette |date=March 13, 2015 |title=REPORT: The FBI is investigating Bill Ackman over Herbalife |language=English |work=Business Insider |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/the-fbi-is-investigating-bill-ackman-over-herbalife-2015-3 |url-status=live |access-date=June 16, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150617081609/http://www.businessinsider.com.au/the-fbi-is-investigating-bill-ackman-over-herbalife-2015-3 |archive-date=June 17, 2015}}{{Cite news |last=Holm |first=Erik |date=March 13, 2015 |title=Bill Ackman Not Backing Down On Herbalife |language=English |work=Wall Street Journal |issue=MoneyBeat|url=https://blogs.wsj.com/moneybeat/2015/03/13/bill-ackman-not-backing-down-on-herbalife/ |url-status=live |access-date=June 16, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150617061517/http://blogs.wsj.com/moneybeat/2015/03/13/bill-ackman-not-backing-down-on-herbalife/ |archive-date=June 17, 2015}} Neither Ackman nor Pershing Square were accused of wrongdoing. The probe of the subcontractor was dropped.{{Cite web |last=Mathews|first=Christopher |date=January 29, 2016 |title=Probes of Ackman and Herbalife Fizzle|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/probes-of-ackman-and-herbalife-fizzle-1454111460| website=Wall Street Journal}}

Multiple Federal and State agencies found that Herbalife committed wrongdoing. In July 2016, Herbalife settled with the Federal Trade Commission, agreeing to pay $200 million and restructure its business practices.{{Cite news |last1=Bartz |first1=Diane |last2=Flaherty |first2=Michael |date=July 15, 2016 |title=Herbalife settles pyramid scheme case with regulator, in blow to Pershing's Ackman |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSKCN0ZV1F6/ |access-date=May 2, 2024 |work=Reuters}}{{Cite news |last=Thielman |first=Sam |date=July 15, 2016 |title=Herbalife dodges 'pyramid scheme' label and agrees to pay $200m fine |url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/2016/jul/15/herbalife-ftc-fine-200-million-pyramid-scheme-label |access-date=May 2, 2024 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}} The FTC found that Herbalife "deceived consumers" and that "the small minority of distributors who do make a lot of money are compensated for recruiting new distributors."{{cite web|title=Herbalife Will Restructure Its Multi-level Marketing Operations and Pay $200 Million For Consumer Redress to Settle FTC Charges|url=https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2016/07/herbalife-will-restructure-its-multi-level-marketing-operations-pay-200-million-consumer-redress|date=July 15, 2016|website=Federal Trade Commission}} In 2019, Herbalife paid the SEC $20 million to settle charges that it made false and misleading statements about its China business model.{{cite web|title=Herbalife to Pay $20 Million for Misleading Investors|url=https://www.sec.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2019-195|date=May 19, 2019|website=U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission}} In 2020, Herbalife paid more than $122 million after the Department of Justice and SEC found Herbalife "falsif[ied] books and records and provide[d] corrupt payments and benefits to Chinese government officials for the purpose of obtaining, retaining, and increasing Herbalife's business in China." In 2022, Herbalife paid $12.5 million settled a case of alleged RICO violations.{{cite news|last=McCreless|first=Patrick|title=Why is Herbalife considered controversial by some? Take a look at their legal troubles|url=https://www.thestate.com/news/local/article259898480.html|date=March 30, 2022|newspaper=The State}}

Despite multiple government regulators validating Pershing Square's claims,{{cite news|last=Sorkin|first=Andrew Ross|title=The Activist and Herbalife: Just Maybe Ackman's Right |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/02/business/dealbook/the-activist-and-herbalife-just-maybe-ackmans-a-hero.html|date=August 1, 2016|newspaper=The New York Times}}

in November 2017, Ackman said that he had covered his short-sell position, but would continue to bet against Herbalife using put options.{{cite news|last1=Herbst-Bayliss|first1=Svea|title=Ackman makes new bet against Herbalife with options|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-herbalife-ackman/ackman-makes-new-bet-against-herbalife-with-options-idUSKBN1D14TL|access-date=February 28, 2018 |work=Reuters|date=November 1, 2017|location=USA|archive-date=February 28, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180228161551/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-herbalife-ackman/ackman-makes-new-bet-against-herbalife-with-options-idUSKBN1D14TL|url-status=live}} On February 28, 2018, Ackman exited his near billion-dollar bet against Herbalife at a loss.{{cite news|last1=Benoit|first1=David|title=Bill Ackman Surrenders in His Five-Year War Against Herbalife|work=The Wall Street Journal |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/bill-ackman-surrenders-his-in-five-year-war-against-herbalife-1519854456|access-date=February 28, 2018 |date=March 1, 2018|location=USA|url-access=subscription|issn=0099-9660|archive-date=February 28, 2018|archive-url=https://archive.today/20180228220542/https://www.wsj.com/articles/bill-ackman-surrenders-his-in-five-year-war-against-herbalife-1519854456|url-status=live}}

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::Looking forward to hearing your thoughts. Thanks again, FMatPSCM (talk) 15:09, 8 May 2025 (UTC)