Happy New Year 2025

Category: Business

CEO of water brand donates salary to LA fire victims, reduces income to $1

Jordan Bass, CEO and co-founder of Hop Wtr, reduced his salary to $1 following the tragic fires in Los Angeles, California, in January. Bass told FOX Business that he encourages other CEOs of brands to do the same or to contribute where they can.

Jordan Bass, CEO and co-founder of Hop Wtr, a non-alcoholic beverage brand, reduced his salary to $1 to provide immediate financial support to his employees, first responders and Los Angeles community members who were affected by the wildfires in January.

Headquartered in Los Angeles, Hop Wtr team members were forced to evacuate their homes, uncertain of what they might return to.

“Work took a backseat during that period,” Bass told FOX Business. “We’re a small company, so I have personal relationships with everyone in the company. I know all of our people. I know their families.”

WILL HURRICANES AND WILDFIRES CAUSE INSURANCE PRICES TO RISE NATIONWIDE?

Jordan Bass, CEO and co-founder of Hop Wtr, reduced his salary to $1 to support victims and employees during the devastating Los Angeles wildfires in January 2025. (Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images / Getty Images | Hop Wtr / Getty Images)

Amid evacuations, Bass ensured the safety of his employees by quickly coordinating forms of mass communication to team members living in and out of California. With Bass’ salary reduction, he was able to provide incremental funds for affected employees. This included reimbursement for air purifiers.

“We really care about each other pretty deeply,” Bass said. “I’m not a billionaire. We don’t have a big philanthropy department, but we felt really compelled to help. I hope this inspires other CEOs to contribute if they can.”

Despite having urgently evacuated his own family amid the raging wildfires, Bass said his team immediately mobilized and donated 10,000 cans of water to first responders, fire stations, fire camps and evacuation centers.

CALIFORNIA WILDFIRES COULD COST INSURERS $20B, HIGHEST IN STATE’S HISTORY

Jordan Bass, CEO and co-founder of Hop Wtr, told FOX Business that he was fortunate his family and home were safe in the aftermath of the LA fires. Hop Wtr donated 10,000 cans of water to first responders immediately, and 50,000 cans later.

“We realized we had a product that people needed, and we felt a real calling to help,” Bass told FOX Business.

“I just felt like I wanted to do more,” Bass said. “It wasn’t enough and the quickest way for me to do that was lower my salary and contribute those funds to help our employees get through this situation, help them with recovery, help continue to get clean water to those in need and to help with the rebuilding efforts.”

As part of their continued efforts to help amid the LA fires, Hop Wtr partnered with All Hands and Hearts, a volunteer-powered nonprofit, to disperse both water and financial support. Furthermore, Hop Wtr supported community outreach by establishing communication channels for people who were in need. The brand also launched a fundraising campaign for customers which garnered thousands of dollars.

STATE FARM, OTHER INSURERS SLAMMED FOR DROPPING COVERAGE

Hop Wtr provided 10,000 cans of water to first responders, fire camps and more immediately after wildfires raged in LA. An additional 50,000 cans were later distributed. (HOP WTR / Fox News)

GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO BY CLICKING HERE

“It’s really amazing to see that,” Bass said.

“I believe that as a business leader, it’s imperative to use my business platform for good and this has been absolutely devastating on many people,” he said. “I call on other CEOs to do the same and use your company, your salary, your platform to help with this recovery.”

February 5, 2025
Palantir CEO touts Elon Musk’s DOGE, ability to hold ‘sacred cows of the deep state’ accountable

‘Making Money’ host Charles Payne discusses the current state of global trade and The Fitz-Gerald Group principal Keith Fitz-Gerald analyzes Palantir on ‘Making Money.’

When asked whether the Elon Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) would serve as roadblocks to their business, Palantir’s CEO and chief technology officer were overwhelmingly optimistic about the check-and-balance foundation that DOGE is laying.

“Palantir’s real competition is a lack of accountability in government, these forever software projects that cost an insane amount that don’t actually deliver results. They’re sacred cows of the deep state,” CTO Shyam Sankar said in the fourth-quarter earnings webcast on Tuesday.

“And I think DOGE is going to bring meritocracy and transparency to government. And that’s exactly what our commercial business is,” he continued. “The commercial market is meritocratic and transparent, and you see the results that we have in that sort of environment. And that’s the basis of our optimism around this.”

The artificial intelligence-enabled data analytics firm reached its own milestone this week, as investors reacted positively to Palantir’s Q4 earnings and caused shares to surge as high as 28% before settling at a 24% gain by market close.

WHAT IS U.S.A.I.D. AND WHY IS IT IN TRUMP’S CROSSHAIRS?

Forbes reported that Palantir’s market capitalization jumped up to $240 billion, a company record, making it more valuable than popular names like McDonald’s, American Express and Disney.

Top Palantir executives reportedly have no fears about risks DOGE could pose to its government contract-led business. (Getty Images)

More than half of Palantir’s business comes from government contracts. During an appearance on FOX Business in December, its CEO Alex Karp shared his wholehearted support for DOGE, adding that there’s no “better person” than Musk to lead it.

Palantir CEO Alex Karp opens up about the company’s success and weighs in on DOGE on ‘The Claman Countdown.’

“We love disruption, and whatever is good for America will be good for Americans and very good for Palantir,” Karp said on Tuesday’s webcast. “Disruption, [at] the end of the day, exposes things that aren’t working. There’ll be ups and downs. There’s a revolution. Some people can get their heads cut off.”

“We’re expecting to see really unexpected things and to win, basically, that’s what we’re going to do,” he expanded. “And we’re pretty optimistic about the U.S. environment.”

GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO BY CLICKING HERE

Palantir CTO Shyam Sankar warns that if the United States entered a war with a near-peer adversary, our weapons stockpile would last weeks — not years — on ‘The Claman Countdown.’

“The work that we’ve done in government, it’s deeply operational, deeply valuable, and we’re pretty excited about exceptional engineers getting in there under the hood and being able to see that for a change,” Sankar also said.

As of Wednesday’s opening bell, Palantir stock was down slightly from its all-time Tuesday high of $105.79.

READ MORE FROM FOX BUSINESS

February 5, 2025
USPS reverses decision to suspend inbound packages from China, Hong Kong

Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., breaks down how President Donald Trump’s tariff policies are addressing the fentanyl crisis and explains his subpoena for information on the COVID vaccine on ‘The Bottom Line.’

The U.S. Postal Service (USPS) on Wednesday said it will accept inbound mail and packages from China and Hong Kong, reversing a decision made hours earlier.

“The USPS and Customs and Border Protection are working closely together to implement an efficient collection mechanism for the new China tariffs to ensure the least disruption to package delivery,” USPS said in a statement.

The reversal came less than 24 hours after the agency temporarily suspended international package acceptance of inbound parcels from China and Hong Kong Posts “until further notice.”

USPS SUSPENDS INBOUND PACKAGES FROM CHINA, HONG KONG POSTS

The Tuesday package suspension announcement came as China issued retaliatory tariffs on select American imports.

The Chinese government said it would take “necessary countermeasures” in response to President Donald Trump’s executive order imposing a 10% tariff on Chinese imports to address what the White House says is the synthetic opioid supply chain in China. Trump temporarily paused planned tariffs on Mexico and Canada for 30 days to give both nations time to reach a deal with the U.S. to better secure its northern and southern borders.

A U.S. Postal Service truck is used to deliver mail on Sept. 12, 2024 in Miami Beach, Florida. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images / Getty Images)

The order accused the Chinese Communist Party of having “subsidized and otherwise incentivized” Chinese chemical companies to export fentanyl and related precursor chemicals that are used to produce synthetic opioids sold illicitly in the U.S.

HOW TRUMP’S TARIFFS CLOSED THE LOOPHOLE USED BY CHINESE RETAILERS

“The orders make clear that the flow of contraband drugs like fentanyl to the United States, through illicit distribution networks, has created a national emergency, including a public health crisis. Chinese officials have failed to take the actions necessary to stem the flow of precursor chemicals to known criminal cartels and shut down money laundering by transnational criminal organizations,” the White House said on Saturday.

The investigation resulted in the seizure of about 32,000 fentanyl pills with a street value of $1 million. (NYC Special Narcotics Prosecutor’s Office / Fox News)

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of The People’s Republic of China said in a statement that “the U.S.’s tariff hikes “severely violate” the World Trade Organization rules and that this “move cannot solve the U.S.’s problems at home and more importantly, does not benefit either side, still less the world.”

VOTERS REJECT TRUMP’S TARIFF PUSH; MOST BELIEVE POLICY WILL HURT ECONOMY

After China banned the production of fentanyl in 2019, China-based companies started to produce and sell fentanyl precursors, which are the ingredients needed to manufacture the drug, according to the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).

At least two cartels in Mexico – the Sinaloa cartel based in Sinaloa and cartel Jalisco Nueva Generación based in Jalisco – receive fentanyl precursors and synthetic opioids directly from China or from intermediaries in the U.S., according to the DEA. They maintain distribution hubs in various cities across the U.S. and control smuggling corridors into the country, the agency said.

GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO BY CLICKING HERE

Fentanyl can be 50 times more potent than heroin in small amounts. Overdose deaths involving synthetic opioids – primarily illicitly manufactured fentanyl – rose to 73,838 in 2022, according to the latest data from the National Institute on Drug Abuse.

February 5, 2025
Trump’s commerce pick with crypto ties advances to Senate floor

‘Kudlow’ panelists Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., and Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., unpack the president-elect’s economic team picks and ideas.

The Senate Commerce Committee moved to advance the nomination of billionaire banker Howard Lutnick to lead the Commerce Department to the Senate floor on Wednesday.

The nomination advanced out of committee on a party line vote other than Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., who gave Lutnick a “yes” vote along with Republicans.

Lutnick, a longtime friend of President Donald Trump and CEO of investment firm Cantor Fitzgerald, will be charged with ushering in new crypto and tariff policy for the Commerce Department, if confirmed.

He’ll also take the lead on a new executive order from Trump establishing a sovereign wealth fund for the U.S. government.

The no-nonsense CEO is best known for leading Cantor through the 9/11 terrorist attacks, when he lost his brother and more than 600 coworkers in the attacks on the North Tower. Lutnick has been praised for his charitable work through Cantor Fitzgerald’s Relief Fund, which helps support families impacted by acts of terrorism, natural disasters and other emergencies.

HOWARD LUTNICK, TRUMP COMMERCE SECRETARY PICK, SAYS IT’S ‘NONSENSE’ THAT TARIFFS CAUSE INFLATION

The Senate Commerce Committee moved to advance the nomination of billionaire banker Howard Lutnick to lead the Commerce Department to the Senate floor on Wednesday. (ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images / Getty Images)

Lutnick, who is supportive of strong tariffs, promised in his confirmation hearing to “use any and all authorities at its disposal to implement the president’s trade agenda.”

He claimed it’s “nonsense” to suggest tariffs cause inflation.

“The two top countries with tariffs, India and China, do have the most tariffs and no inflation,” Lutnick noted.

“A particular product’s price may go up,” he conceded, while arguing that levies would not cause broad inflation. “It is just nonsense to say that tariffs cause inflation. It’s nonsense.”

Lutnick also said he prefers “across-the-board” tariffs on a “country-by-country” basis, rather than ones aimed at particular sectors or products.

“I think when you pick one product in Mexico, they’ll pick one product. You know, we pick avocados, they pick white corn, we pick tomatoes, they pick yellow corn. All you’re doing is picking on farmers.”

“Let America make it more fair. We are treated horribly by the global trading environment. They all have higher tariffs, non-tariff trade barriers and subsidies. They treat us poorly. We need to be treated better,” Lutnick said. “We can use tariffs to create reciprocity.”

Lutnick will be charged with ushering in new crypto and tariff policy for the Commerce Department, if confirmed.

Lutnick said it’s ‘nonsense’ to suggest tariffs cause inflation.

TRUMP’S BILLIONAIRE COMMERCE SECRETARY PICK VOWS TO SELL ALL HIS BUSINESS INTERESTS IF CONFIRMED

He said Trump was of a “like mind” that tariffs need to be simple. “The steel and aluminum had 560,000 applications for exclusions. It just seems that’s too many.”

Lutnick’s ties to the dollar-pegged cryptocurrency Tether also came under scrutiny during his hearing. Lutnick’s firm Cantor has around 5% ownership of Tether, valued at $600 million, the Wall Street Journal recently reported. Lutnick told lawmakers that his company had no equity in Tether, but had a convertible bond.

GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO BY CLICKING HERE

“I believe U.S. dollar stablecoins should be audited, should be completely backed by U.S. treasuries 100%,” Lutnick said during his hearing.

He has promised to sell all of his business interests if confirmed for the role.

February 5, 2025
Rick Caruso launches foundation to rebuild after LA wildfires

New York City real estate agents Dolly and Jenny Lenz discuss the Los Angeles wildfires and the impact it will have on the local housing market on ‘FOX Business Live.’

Los Angeles real estate developer Rick Caruso has launched a nonprofit to help rebuild and restore communities impacted by the wildfires.

Caruso, whose real time net worth is $5.8 billion, according to Forbes, and who ran for Los Angeles mayor against Karen Bass in 2022, started Steadfast LA on Monday.

“You have to have private enterprise involved in this because government alone can’t do it,” Caruso told local FOX 11. “It’s too big.”

Caruso is using his business leader connections in the effort, looking at issues like putting power lines underground and using AI for building code plan checks and corrections.

LA WILDFIRES DRIVE SURGE IN RENTAL HOUSING PRICES, PROMPTING PRICE GOUGING CONCERNS

From left to right, former Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, developer Rick Caruso and Los Angeles Councilmember Mike Bonin attend the Palisades Village grand opening private ribbon-cutting ceremony at Palisades Village on Sept. 22, 2018 in Pacific Pa (Amanda Edwards / Getty Images)

He has called Mayor Bass but has not connected with her yet.

“I want to make her very efficient and productive in this,” Caruso said, adding that his nonprofit’s work has nothing to do with politics, even if Bass’ supporters accuse him of politicizing the tragedy.

LA OFFICIALS WERE WARNED ABOUT BUDGET CUTS TO FIRE DEPARTMENT: ‘SOMEONE WILL DIE’

Los Angeles mayoral candidate Congresswoman Karen Bass speaks as developer Rick Caruso listens as they participate in the second one-on-one mayoral debate at the KNX Newsradio SoundSpace Stage in Los Angeles on Thursday, Oct. 6, 2022. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times / Getty Images)

“There’s nothing about politics in this,” Caruso told FOX 11. “This is so much bigger than politics and that’s an insulting comment.”

He added that at this time, he is not considering a bid for either governor of California or Los Angeles mayor.

LA mayoral candidate Rick Caruso conducts a town hall with residents of South LA on Aug. 28, 2022. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times / Getty Images)

Steadfast LA is spearheaded by Najla Kayyem, a commercial real estate marketing executive who used to work for Caruso, FOX 11 reported. The local TV station says Upfront Ventures general partner Kobie Fuller; head of Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios Mike Hopkins; Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos and his wife; former U.S. Ambassador to the Bahamas Nicole Avant; co-chair of Gensler Andy Cohen and executives from banking, insurance, real estate and private equity companies are all involved.

The foundation’s funding will come solely from Caruso, he told the Los Angeles Times. None of the companies or executives will be paid for their roles in the assistance.

View of damaged structures and homes caused by the Palisades Wildfires in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles on Jan. 11, 2025 in Los Angeles. (Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images / Getty Images)

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ON FOX BUSINESS

Caruso, 66, and his family lost three homes as a result of the Palisades Fire, according to FOX 11. He said he would like to see people rebuilding their homes in the communities devastated by fire within a year.

February 5, 2025
Private sector adds 183,000 jobs in January, above expectations, ADP says

Crossmark Global Investments CEO and CIO Bob Doll unpacks the state of the U.S. economy on ‘Maria Bartiromo’s Wall Street.’

Companies in the private sector added 183,000 jobs in January, payroll processing firm ADP said on Wednesday.

The figure is above economists’ estimates of 150,000 jobs and also more than the prior month’s reading of 122,000.

“We had a strong start to 2025 but it masked a dichotomy in the labor market,” said Nela Richardson, ADP’s chief economist. “Consumer-facing industries drove hiring, while job growth was weaker in business services and production.”

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

February 5, 2025
Super Bowl scams: What they are and how to avoid them

Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti joins ‘The Big Money Show’ to discuss lawmakers’ ongoing efforts to sue Ticketmaster’s parent company, Live Nation.

There are many tactics used to trick scammers during major events like the Super Bowl. Fake travel groups, counterfeit tickets and merchandise, and unauthorized hospitality packages are just some of them, according to experts.

Consumers should be cautious of advertisements seen on Google that may direct them to fraudulent websites, Patrick McCall, a security expert at McCall Risk Group Inc., told FOX Business.

“Make sure you are accessing the correct and legitimate site and check the spelling in the web bar to make sure it’s correct,” McCall said, adding that it’s important to type the URL directly into the browser rather than clicking on links from Google search results.

The company has seen ads for well-known sites like Ticketmaster and StubHub, where the spelling appears correct and everything seems legitimate, but users are redirected to a counterfeit site designed to look like the real one.

SPORTS TIRADES: ACT IMPULSIVELY, AND YOU COULD LOSE YOUR JOB

McCall recommends that consumers use the official NFL website for information on how to buy from verified resellers and sources. They could also use the website VerifiedTicketSource.com.

For added security, he said consumers should pay for tickets with a credit card so they have protection in case they need to dispute the charge. That means avoiding payment methods such as Venmo, Cash App, cash or gift cards.

The Caesars Superdome is being prepared for Super Bowl LIX at the Caesars Superdome on Jan. 16, 2025, in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Chris Graythen/Getty Images / Getty Images)

Business strategist Marva Bailer told FOX Business that the “scam trail doesn’t stop at tickets,” either.

Bad actors are already coming up with tactics to exploit the excitement surrounding the Super Bowl and that the recent snowstorm in New Orleans “has only added to the intrigue,” said Bailer.

DAVE PORTNOY OUT $1M AFTER BETTING ON THE BUFFALO BILLS

“Scammers often weave current events into their tactics to appear more credible. For instance, they might use ‘terms and conditions’ referencing weather-related policies, rescheduling scenarios, or enhanced security measures to create an illusion of legitimacy,” Bailer said, adding that these are fake terms “often riddled with vague language, grammatical errors or inconsistencies.”

One common way is something as miniscule as “no return” instead of the correct “no returns.”

The Caesars Superdome is being prepared for Super Bowl LIX at the Caesars Superdome on Jan. 16, 2025, in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Chris Graythen/Getty Images))

“Legitimate organizations invest in professional, polished policies, so reading the fine print carefully can save you from falling into a trap,” she added.

This means before booking a flight, consumers need to look for red flags like suspicious refund policies, spelling errors and inconsistencies in contact information.

Another tactic scammers are leveraging is “targeted outreach.” Consumers may get messages saying: “You’ve been selected to win Super Bowl tickets!” or “Special fan offers just for you!” These messages often come with personalized details and even reference their recent online activity to add to the authenticity of the scam.

Consumers shouldn’t engage with unknown sources, especially if they haven’t opted into communication from those groups, according to Bailer.

GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO BY CLICKING HERE

The power of artificial intelligence is also making phishing scams more convincing, IdentityIQ Chief Innovation Officer Michael Scheumack told FOX Business.

In order to trick consumers, AI-powered phishing attacks use real-time data mining to craft personalized SMS messages, emails and even live phone calls with familiar voices, according to Scheumack.

“When it comes to SMS scams and other phishing scams that take you to a fake betting or sweepstakes site, AI-powered phishing websites adapt to your browsing habits, displaying content relevant to your recent searches,” he added. This makes it even harder to distinguish legitimate sites from deceptive ones.

February 5, 2025
‘Selling The City’ star’s dog saved her from fire that ravaged NYC apartment building

Taylor Middleton told FOX Business her dog barked “ferociously” and he’s not a “barker” which alerted her to her apartment building being on fire.

“Selling The City” star Taylor Middleton has her dog to thank for quickly evacuating their New York City apartment building while it was on fire.

During an interview with FOX Business, Middleton explained that her building in Tribeca caught on fire shortly after her and her husband, Peter Scavo, went to sleep.

“I had actually gone to bed quite early that night and then my husband came to bed maybe an hour after me. We were fast asleep and our golden retriever, Mac, all of a sudden started barking ferociously. He’s not a barker. And so he woke us up. Clearly there was a problem,” the celebrity real estate agent said.

Taylor Middleton’s New York City apartment building caught fire at the end of January. (Netflix/Taylor Middleton/Instagram / Fox News)

“We turned on the lights and there was just a cloud of smoke in our apartment. And at that point, the smoke alarms had not gone off yet. We knew that there was a pretty big problem. Clearly… There’s smoke completely taking over our office, in our kitchen,” Middleton continued.

CELEBRITY REAL ESTATE AGENT BRINGS ‘SMALL-TOWN’ TENNESSEE LIFE ROOTS TO BIG CITY BUSINESS

She explained that “before she knew it” the New York Fire Department was at their apartment building.

“We were fast asleep and our golden retriever, Mac, all of a sudden started barking ferociously.”

– Taylor Middleton

“They were very, very, very fast, thank God, and they seemed to be on it. So I just grabbed anything I could. I knew I only had a few minutes. And so I grabbed, you know, a laptop, chargers, passport, things like that, and then just got out of there,” Middleton said. “But it was freezing outside. It was absolutely freezing. And so that made it especially tricky, I think, for the firefighters and then for all of my neighbors.”

“Selling The City” stars, from left to right, Justin Tuinstra, Gisselle Meneses-Nunez, Taylor Middleton, Jade Chan, Eleonora Srugo, Abigail Godfrey, Jordyn Taylor Braff and Steve Gold. (Netflix / Fox News)

Middleton told FOX Business that prior to her apartment building catching on fire, her friend lost her home in the Palisades Fire that devastated the Los Angeles community.

WATCH:- ‘Selling The City’ star’s dog saved her from fire that ravaged NYC apartment building

Taylor Middleton told FOX Business her dog barked “ferociously” and he’s not a “barker” which alerted her to her apartment building being on fire.

Since this was on her mind prior to her home catching fire, she was mentally aware of the steps that should be taken when you need to quickly evacuate your home.

“One of my very best friends lost her home in the Pacific Palisades fire. Her whole community. Her whole neighborhood. So, I would never, ever try to compare that to that level of destruction and catastrophe there. It breaks my heart. That said, knowing that she had gone through this, it was, you know, mentally you run through in your mind, okay, ‘if I were in that situation, what would I do?’”

Taylor Middleton stars in Netflix’s “Selling The City.” (Jake Rosenberg / Fox News)

FORMER ‘SELLING SUNSET’ STAR WARNS FLORIDA’S HIGH CONDO PRICES TURNING INTO ‘BIG ISSUE’ WITH RETIREES

“All of the most important documents and everything. So I knew I had maybe five minutes. So I just went through to grab chargers. I went through to grab any kind of legal documents that we had, marriage certificates, things like that. Passports. I was asleep. So, quite frankly, like, my brain was pretty foggy,” Middleton said.

“I wasn’t thinking clearly. I just grabbed whatever I could to be able to show up for work the next day. We didn’t have time to grab things that were special to us or anything like that. It was just about remaining connected to life.”

APP USERS CLICK HERE FOR INSTAGRAM POST

The residents of Middleton’s apartment building were given the okay to go back into their building a few hours after the fire started. Middleton and Scavo opted not to return, which ended up being a blessing since the fire reignited.

“I didn’t think it was safe to go back into the building. Even like the air quality. And so a lot of people went back into the building, and I’m told it was maybe 45 minutes to an hour and then the fire had reignited. What we’re told is that it was in the support beams of the second floor apartment. And so, you know, these things happen.”

“But the FDNY really was amazing. And before we knew it, I think that they were fighting the fire for over four hours. You know, there were two firefighters who were injured. It was really something,” Middleton said.

Middleton recognized that the fire she recently experienced was nowhere near the devastation that occurred in California.

WATCH: ‘Selling the City’ star’s apartment building has been deemed ‘uninhabitable’

Taylor Middleton cannot move back into her apartment after the building caught on fire in January.

“We have the privilege and the ability to go back into the building to try to remediate certain things,” she explained.

Middleton shared that her apartment building had been deemed uninhabitable by the Department of Health and the Department of Buildings, and the residents were told it would be between four and six months before they could return to their homes.

‘SELLING SUNSET’ PATRIARCH NAVIGATING A REAL ESTATE ‘DEATH KNELL’

“Being in real estate and knowing how permits work, I think it will probably be longer, but we are able to go back in by appointment to try to salvage certain things,” she said.

Eleanora Srugo and Taylor Middleton during an episode of “Selling The City.” (Netflix / Fox News)

Since Middleton is involved in the real estate market nationwide, she has heard some “rumblings” that some people affected by the LA fires are leaving California.

“Honestly, I know that my friends who live in California are going to stay there because they love it so, so much. But of course, I’ve heard rumblings about people leaving,” she said. “I know for myself. You know, with our building fire. I think it may change day to day. There may be a range of emotions depending on where you are in the process.”

GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO BY CLICKING HERE

Middleton, who was raised in Nashville, Tennessee, moved to Manhattan after graduating from Vanderbilt University. Since launching her career in 2013, Middleton, who is starring in Netflix’s new reality series “Selling the City,” has closed over $500 million in luxury real estate sales.

WATCH: Taylor Middleton has heard ‘rumblings’ of LA residents leaving the city following the fires

Taylor Middleton told FOX Business that a lot of her friends are staying and rebuilding their communities that were burnt down, but not everyone is.

“Selling the City” is a New York City-based spin-off of Netflix’s mega-hit show “Selling Sunset.” The series follows both the professional and personal lives of the ambitious realtors at the Manhattan branch of the firm Douglas Elliman as they “navigate the cutthroat world of luxury real estate in New York City,” per the streaming network.

APP USERS CLICK HERE FOR INSTAGRAM POST

READ MORE FROM FOX BUSINESS

In addition to Middleton, the “Selling the City” cast consists of seven other Douglas Elliman real estate agents, including team leader Eleonara Srugo. Srugo, who has drawn comparisons to “Selling Sunset” patriarch Jason Oppenheim, executed Douglas Elliman’s biggest real estate deal of 2023 after selling a $75 million listing.

February 5, 2025
Retailer Fashion Nova suppressed negative online reviews, $2.4M going to customers

FTC director of public affairs Douglas Farrar reacts to Albertsons suing Kroger after a judge ruled against the grocery merger on ‘The Big Money Show.’

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is issuing over 148,000 refunds totaling nearly $2.4 million in a settlement order involving online fast fashion retailer Fashion Nova, which is accused of hiding negative reviews.

To qualify for the refund, consumers who purchased items from Fashion Nova before Nov. 21, 2019, had to make a “valid claim” with the FTC before the August 15, 2023, deadline. Currently, the FTC is no longer accepting claims in the matter.

In the final order, Fashion Nova is explicitly prohibited from hiding reviews or endorsements, and is obligated to present them to customers “regardless of the endorser’s opinion or rating.” Additionally, the retailer was ordered to pay $4.2 million.

A view of the atmosphere at Fashion Nova Presents: Party With Cardi at Hollywood Palladium on May 8, 2019, in Los Angeles. (Tommaso Boddi/Getty Images for Fashion Nova)

FASHION NOVA SUED FOR COPYING JENNIFER LOPEZ’S ICONIC VERSACE DRESS

While recipients of the FTC payments in this case were spread out across the country, according to the commission’s data, Illinois had the largest number of recipients with more than 25,000. Among the 148,351 recipients, the median refund was $16, according to the FTC.

The FTC made its allegations against Fashion Nova in January 2022, kicking off the first-of-its-kind case.

“From as early as late 2015 through mid-November 2019, Fashion Nova chose to have four- and five-star reviews automatically post to the website, but did not approve or publish hundreds of thousands lower-starred, more negative reviews,” the FTC wrote in its complaint against Fashion Nova.

The FTC claimed to have found “numerous instances” in which Fashion Nova “suppressed product reviews with ratings lower than four stars,” making the representation of their products “false or misleading.”

The FTC claimed to have found “numerous instances” in which Fashion Nova “suppressed product reviews with ratings lower than four stars.” (iStock / iStock)

FTC GRANTS CHAIRMAN ANDREW FERGUSON AUTHORITY TO COMPLY WITH TRUMP’S ORDERS TO END DEI PROGRAMS

While this case was the FTC’s first involving negative reviews, it was not the commission’s first case involving Fashion Nova. In April 2020, the fast fashion retailer agreed to pay $9.3 million over allegations “that it didn’t properly notify consumers and give them the chance to cancel their orders when it failed to ship merchandise in a timely manner, and that it illegally used gift cards to compensate consumers for unshipped merchandise instead of providing refunds.”

Additionally, in 2022, the FTC put several companies offering review management on notice, informing them that “avoiding the collection or publication of negative reviews violates the FTC Act.”

Signage stands outside the Federal Trade Commission headquarters in Washington, D.C., in 2019. (Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg via Getty Images / Getty Images)

GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO BY CLICKING HERE

In its guide to featuring online customer reviews, the FTC instructs companies to not “prevent or discourage” consumers from submitting negative reviews. While a “reasonable process” to ensure reviews are genuine is allowed, the FTC tells businesses to “treat negative and positive reviews equally.”

February 5, 2025
$Colombia’s president orders national oil company to sell US fracking operation after backing down to Trump$

Colombia’s president orders national oil company to sell US fracking operation after backing down to Trump

Walser Wealth Management President Rebecca Walser and Culture+Group CEO and co-founder Lili Gil Valletta discuss which world leaders will cave to President Trump’s tariff threats on ‘Making Money.’

Colombian President Gustavo Petro ordered his country’s state-run oil company to sell off its operations in the U.S. on Tuesday, saying they would reinvest the funds into green energy.

Petro announced the move during a televised cabinet meeting this week, arguing the company, Ecopetrol, cannot be “for death and not for life.” The order relates to a planned joint venture between Ecopetrol and the U.S.-owned oil company Occidental Petroleum, or Oxy. The deal was set to produce some 90,000 barrels of oil per day, but Petro now says he opposes it because it relies on fracking.

“I want that operation to be sold, and for the money to be invested in clean energies,” Petro said in the meeting. “We are against fracking, because fracking is the death of nature, and the death of humanity.”

“There is no other way for humanity but to stop the path of fossil fuels,” he added. “This is not happening because the oil companies are beating us, because we are afraid of them. I am not afraid of them.”

A VICTORY FOR TRUMP’S ‘FAFO’: HOW THE WHITE HOUSE STRONG-ARMED ONE-TIME CLOSE ALLY COLOMBIA OVER IMMIGRATION

Colombia’s selloff of oil efforts in the U.S. comes after President Donald Trump threatened massive tariffs against the contry. ( Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images / Getty Images)

The move comes just weeks after Petro backed down to President Donald Trump and allowed the U.S. to move forward with deporting Colombian illegal immigrants out of the U.S. and back to their home country.

COLOMBIAN LEADER QUICKLY CAVES AFTER TRUMP THREATS, OFFERS PRESIDENTIAL PLANE FOR DEPORTATION FLIGHTS

In late January, American officials sent two flights of Colombian illegal aliens as part of Trump’s deportation program. Petro rejected the flights, writing that the U.S. cannot “treat Colombian migrants as criminals.”

Trump struck back immediately, vowing 25% tariffs on all goods from Colombia, a travel ban on Colombian government officials and other steep financial sanctions. He said the tariffs would reach as high as 50% by next week and insisted the migrants being sent back were “illegal criminals.”

Colombian migrants stand in shackles as they prepare to enter a plane for deportation at the Marcos A. Gelabert de Albrook Airport in Panama City. (AP Photo/Agustin Herrera / AP Images)

Petro initially retaliated with his own 25% tariffs on Colombian exports into the U.S., insisting he would not accept the return of migrants who were not treated with “dignity and respect” and who had arrived shackled or on military planes.

But amid intense political pressure from within his own government, the former Marxist guerrilla fighter acquiesced to U.S. demands.

President Trump signed dozens of executive orders on his first day in office, and he continues to sign more. (Melina Mara-Pool/Getty Images / Getty Images)

GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO BY CLICKING HERE

The White House confirmed later that weekend that Colombia’s president had caved “to all of President Trump’s terms, including the unrestricted acceptance of all illegal aliens from Colombia returned from the United States, including on U.S. military aircraft, without limitation or delay.”

Fox News’ Michael Dorgan, the Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report

February 5, 2025