SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Closing arguments are set to kick off Tuesday in a trial pitting Elon Musk against Twitter shareholders who say the world's richest man engaged in a pattern of deceptive behavior that misled investors as he attempted to back out of his $44 billion deal to buy the social media platform in 2022.
The civil trial in San Francisco centers on a class-action lawsuit filed just before Musk took control of Twitter, which he later renamed X, in October 2022, six months after agreeing to buy the embattled company for $44 billion, or $54.20 per share. The price represents a sliver of the Tesla CEO's fortune, now estimated at $839 billion.
Much of the trial focused on Musk's claims about the number of bots on Twitter. Musk testified, as he long contended, that Twitter had a much higher number of fake and spam accounts than the 5% it disclosed in regulatory filings. He used what he called Twitter's misrepresentation of the number of fake accounts on its service as a reason to retreat from the purchase.
After Musk tried to back out, Twitter went to court in Delaware to force him to honor his original deal. Just before that case was scheduled to go to trial, Musk reversed course again and agreed to pay what he had originally promised.
The problem of bots and fake accounts on Twitter wasn’t new at the time Musk negotiated the deal. The company had paid $809.5 million in 2021 to settle claims it was overstating its growth rate and monthly user figures. Twitter also disclosed its bot estimates to the Securities and Exchange Commission for years while also cautioning that its estimate might be too low.
But Musk claimed the number was much higher, at least 20% according to some analysts. Saying the bot number was at least this high was like “saying the grass is green or the sky is blue,” Musk said.
Twitter’s former CFO Ned Segal disputed this claim and said on the witness stand that the number was actually closer to 1%.
Asked if Twitter ever filed false filings to the SEC that misstated its spam numbers, Segal said it did not. But he mentioned that the company once restated its finances after it became aware of a mistake in its calculation of daily users. In 2017, Twitter said it had been overstating its monthly user numbers by mistake because it was including users of a third-party app it should not have.
On Monday, the two sides met to go over instructions to the jury. Judge Charles R. Breyer noted that many in the jury pool had negative views on Musk. But, he added, a person who is “not universally liked” still deserves a fair trial, and should not to be treated in a discriminatory or prejudicial way.
Elon Musk arrives for a Twitter shareholder trial at the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, Wednesday, March 4, 2026, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
Members of Elon Musk's legal team, including attorney Stephen Broome, left, exit the Phillip Burton Federal Building after representing Elon Musk, in San Francisco, Wednesday, March 4, 2026. (Dan Hernandez/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)
MIAMI (AP) — Venezuelan players danced in the dugout before the first pitch, then pranced past Italy and into their nation's first World Baseball Classic final.
Ronald Acuña Jr., Maikel Garcia and Luis Arraez hit run-scoring, two-out singles in a rapid seventh-inning rally that sparked a 4-2 victory Monday night and vaulted Venezuela into a title matchup against the United States.
Players celebrated in the clubhouse before quickly turning focus to the final.
“A lot of dancing,” Garcia said. “We have to show the world who Venezuela is.”
Before each WBC game, Venezuelan players gather around a drum in the dugout for the tambor, coastal Afro-Venezuelan music and dance. They circle and shake, chant and enchant as they prepare to take the field in their nation's yellow, red and blue.
“That’s us. That’s our country,” manager Omar López said. “That’s winter ball. That’s how we enjoy our baseball.”
And who is tops at the tambor?
“Honestly, I think my cousin is the best dancer,” Garcia said in the postgame interview room, turning to Acuña, who was seated next to him and laughed at his relative's remark.
Eduardo Rodríguez is slated to start Tuesday night against the Americans’ Nolan McLean. Because both teams are 5-1, a coin toss was held earlier Monday to determine the home team, and the U.S. won.
Players avoided discussing the political turmoil between the U.S. and Venezuela.
“We’re here to speak baseball,” Acuña said. “Our country deserves the game tomorrow.”
Venezuela overcame a 2-0, fourth-inning deficit after climbing out of a three-run hole to beat defending champion Japan in a quarterfinal. The Venezuelans reached the championship round for the first time after losing to South Korea in their only previous semifinal appearance in 2009.
In 2023, Venezuela wasted a two-run, eighth-inning lead in a 9-7 quarterfinal loss to the U.S. in Miami as Trea Turner hit an eighth-inning grand slam.
“Baseball gives you these kind of opportunities,” Acuña said. “Life is so ironic.”
Italy, the first European nation to reach a WBC semifinal, had been 5-0 in the tournament and sparked attention with an espresso-sipping ritual after home runs and victory celebrations featuring Italian wine.
But a team with three Italy-born players, a handful of major leaguers and many from the minors couldn't hold a late-inning lead against a batting order that got three straight RBIs from All-Stars as a pro-Venezuelan sellout crowd of 35,382 at loanDepot park roared.
“In three years they are going to take us seriously,” Italy manager Francisco Cervelli said. “I just told the guys that they are the champions of this tournament. ... They revolutionized Italy. They put another sport on the map.”
Italy went ahead in the second when Keider Montero forced in a run with three straight walks, the last to J.J. D’Orazio. Dante Nori hit into a run-scoring forceout against Ricardo Sánchez, the first of six relievers who combined to finish a five-hitter.
Eugenio Suárez's fourth-inning homer off Aaron Nola started the comeback, and winner Ángel Zerpa escaped a bases-loaded jam in the sixth when he threw a sinker on the outside corner past Sam Antonacci.
Gleyber Torres walked leading off the seventh against loser Michael Lorenzen, and Jackson Chourio's two-out single put runners at the corners.
Acuña grounded to the shortstop hole and beat Antonacci's throw from the outfield grass as pinch-runner Andrés Giménez scored. Garcia lined a 2-0 fastball to left, driving in Chourio with the go-ahead run, and Arraez chased Lorenzen when he singled on a full-count fastball.
Daniel Palencia got three straight outs for the save, striking out Antonacci to end the game.
As Venezuelans jumped and screamed, Italy players spent 10 minutes in front of their dugout hugging each other and saluting fans. Team captain Vinnie Pasquantino talked about the millions thought to have watched on television in Italy, where the first pitch was thrown at 1:08 a.m. Tuesday.
“We weren’t successful on the field tonight, but we were successful in Italy,” he said. “And that’s what this is all about.”
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB
The Venezuela team celebrates after defeating Italy at a World Baseball Classic semifinal game, Monday, March 16, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
The Italy team console each other after losing to Venezuela at a World Baseball Classic semifinal game, Monday, March 16, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
Venezuela Andres Gimenez scores on a single by Ronald Acuña Jr., during the seventh inning of a World Baseball Classic semifinal game against Italy, Monday, March 16, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
Venezuela pitcher Daniel Palencia reacts after the team defeats Italy during a World Baseball Classic semifinal game, Monday, March 16, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
Venezuela Ronald Acuña Jr. (21) celebrates after scoring during the seventh inning of a World Baseball Classic semifinal game against Italy, Monday, March 16, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
The Venezuela team celebrates after defeating Italy at a World Baseball Classic semifinal game, Monday, March 16, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
Venezuela catcher William Contreras cheers as Luis Arraez hits a single during the seventh inning of a World Baseball Classic semifinal game against Italy, Monday, March 16, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
Venezuela Ronald Acuña Jr. (21) celebrates after scoring during the seventh inning of a World Baseball Classic semifinal game against Italy, Monday, March 16, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
Venezuela Jackson Chourio (1) celebrates after scoring during the seventh inning of a World Baseball Classic semifinal game against Italy, Monday, March 16, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
Venezuela Jackson Chourio (1) scores during the seventh inning of a World Baseball Classic semifinal game against Italy, Monday, March 16, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
Venezuela Maikel Garcia reacts to first base coach Gerardo Parra (8) after getting on the base during the seventh inning of a World Baseball Classic semifinal game against Italy, Monday, March 16, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
