Jacob Shamsian is a correspondent on Business Insider's Legal Affairs desk, covering major court cases and specializing in the intersection of law and politics.
He has reported on the criminal trials of Donald Trump, Ghislaine Maxwell, Sam Bankman-Fried, R. Kelly, and Anna Sorokin (AKA Anna Delvey), He's also covered blockbuster civil trials, including both E. Jean Carroll v. Trump trials, the New York Attorney General's fraud trial against Trump, Sarah Palin v. The New York Times, and Johnny Depp v. Amber Heard.
In the aftermath of the 2020 election, Jacob covered Donald Trump's efforts to overturn the election results. His reporting has been cited in federal court decisions and lawsuits in those cases. He's continued to cover defamation litigation from Dominion and Smartmatic over conspiracy theories. Jacob has also reported on Jeffrey Epstein's links to powerful people and was in the courtroom when Trump was arraigned on criminal charges for the first time, in Manhattan.
Prior to his role as a correspondent, Jacob edited news coverage and managed push alerts and the homepage. He was also a reporter covering breaking news, entertainment, and digital culture.
Jacob has been interviewed for the docuseries "Surviving R. Kelly," ABC's "Good Morning America," and BBC News, among other programs. His work has been cited in numerous lawsuits and court decisions and by media outlets, including The New York Times, the Washington Post, Vanity Fair, Politico, the Daily Beast, and New York magazine. He's also written for GQ, The Awl, The New Republic, Entertainment Weekly, Time, and Modern Farmer. Jacob is allergic to cats.
Expertise:
Manhattan District Attorney and New York Attorney General Trump Organization investigations, 2020 election lawsuits, Dominion and Smartmatic, Jeffrey Epstein, Ghislaine Maxwell, Sean Combs, Sam Bankman-Fried, Anna Sorokin (AKA Anna Delvey), R. Kelly, January 6 criminal cases, Britney Spears conservatorship.
Scoopy and feature stories:
Luigi Mangione came from privilege. Then his spine gave out, he went off the grid, and he got a gun.
Why The New York Times' lawyers are inspecting OpenAI's code in a secretive room
When the crowd leaves Trump's hush-money trial, the judge spends his day in a very different kind of court
The newly unsealed Jeffrey Epstein documents have Donald Trump's name all over them. He had been secretly disguised as 'Doe 174.'
FTX's victims may get all their money back. The judge sentencing Sam Bankman-Fried might not care.
Trump's 'multitasking' defense is falling apart in court
I fled an extremist Jewish cult in Guatemala when I was 15 years old. I grew up with virtually no education and wasn't allowed to show love to my parents.
The Anna Delvey Industrial Complex — and me
Steve Bannon filmed Jeffrey Epstein for 15 hours. His 'documentary' has never surfaced.
Fake letters and sex tapes: How R. Kelly tried to discredit and compromise his accusers
Will Dominion end up owning MyPillow if it wins a $1.3 billion defamation lawsuit against Mike Lindell? Here are 2 ways it could take control.
Exclusive
Four law firms targeted by Trump opted to fight the administration in court. Federal judges signaled they would later rule in favor of the firms.
Fans of the man charged with murdering UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson wait hours for a glimpse. Thompson's name is never heard at these vigils.
The "freak off" videos that prosecutors want to put into evidence include footage of Diddy and "third parties," they said.
Tech
2025-04-16T16:20:47Z
Top antitrust experts think the FTC will have a tough time winning the trial — but there's still a real chance Meta will sell Instagram and WhatsApp.
Gina Carano will be getting the salary information for Pedro Pascal, Diego Luna, and a constellation of other "Star Wars" stars.
President Trump has taken aim at law firms that he believes have wronged him. Here's how they've responded.
Epaulet's owner, Eva Kuhle, says the White House's tariff policies are undermining domestic manufacturing.
Susman has previously represented Dominion Voting Systems in its blockbuster suit against Fox News.
The offer doesn't extend to all law enforcement officials, which would include ICE agents.
As Sean "Diddy" Combs' criminal trial approaches, he's been racking up wins against his accusers in civil court cases.
Ex-Rippling employee Keith O'Brien says Deel offered to relocate his family to Dubai after he was caught conducting corporate espionage.
Big Law firms often lend expensive legal firepower to civil liberties organizations suing the government. Trump doesn't like that.
Lawyers for the convicted JPMorgan defrauder argued that she couldn't wear a monitor due to her "particularly challenging and dynamic" teaching style.
Luigi Mangione's lawyer said the death penalty backs the industry "that continues to terrorize the American people."
Tech
2025-03-28T22:48:44Z
Javice remains free pending sentencing in a $175M fraud against JPMorgan. Her lawyer says an ankle monitor would make teaching Pilates "impossible."
OpenAI lets ChatGPT users generate images in the style of Studio Ghibli. The anime company could have a tough time if it makes a copyright claim.
Trump has ramped up his attacks on Big Law. Experts warn it's unprecedented and dangerous—and some firms are standing up to him.
Exclusive
The agreement language sent to Paul Weiss staff has some major differences from what Donald Trump posted on Truth Social, like no mention of DEI.
Skadden associate Rachel Cohen publicly resigned Thursday, citing a sense of urgency created by law firm Paul Weiss dropping its DEI hiring practices.
Donald Trump has lavished his loyal lawyers with rewards while targeting those he believes wronged him.