• Nico Murillo, a former Tesla production supervisor, was laid off after five years at the company.
• Murillo lived in his car in the factory's parking lot for a year to save commuting time.
• Murillo said the layoffs came as a surprise, but he's trying to be optimistic. 

This as-told-to essay is based on a transcribed conversation with Nico Murillo, a former production supervisor at Tesla's factory in Fremont, California. It has been edited for length and clarity.

I started at Tesla in 2019 as an entry-level production associate.

I worked my way up at the company for over five years, eventually becoming a production supervisor.

Half a decade felt like a long time to work at one place, so when the layoffs came in April, they were a total shock.

When I received the email stating that my position had been eliminated, I was already on my way to work.

I decided to try my badge on the turnstile in case it was a scam or a mistake, but a security guard confiscated it and told me I'd be affected by the job cuts.

I just walked back to my car in shock. It felt like a nightmare.

Camping in the car park

I worked really hard while I was at Tesla and wanted to be as efficient and productive as possible.

My shifts at Tesla were long, normally lasting around 12 hours. As I was working a salaried job, I sometimes needed to stay even longer to get things done.

In 2021, I started sleeping in my car and showering in the factory to avoid my lengthy commute.

I just felt like I needed more time to sleep — the job felt like being an industrial athlete because we were constantly moving. I needed more rest to be productive, efficient, and friendly at work. I decided it would be easier to stay at the factory and cut out my hour-and-a-half commute.

My coworkers were surprised when I told them I was sleeping in my car — it definitely turned heads as it wasn't normalized in the culture.

I was camping in the car between my work shifts for a whole year. My shift patterns alternated between three and four days a week, so it felt doable and put me in a better headspace.

I did a lot of research on how to design my Model Y Tesla to be in "camp mode." I realized I could live at the factory between my shifts as there were showers and a bathroom.

It was pretty comfortable and fun to create. In camp mode, the Model Y can stay at 70 degrees Fahrenheit the whole night, so you don't have to worry about it being too cold or hot.

Being awake and efficient at work was a priority for me. I needed more rest to achieve this, so cutting out my commute really helped.

When the weather got worse around December, I stopped sleeping in my car because it made it a lot more difficult. To get to the bathroom, I had to get out of my car and walk into the facility and back without getting everything wet.

'Grief moment'

Working at Tesla taught me that you have to pivot quickly in life.

You can't dwell on things or complain because that doesn't get you anywhere. When I found out I'd been laid off, it felt like a grief moment. I was in disbelief.

As I sat in my car outside the factory, it began to settle in. It hit me that I'd spent five years here, bonding with coworkers and camping in this parking lot.

In any negative situation, like a layoff, you can't control the outside events or your initial response. I've been trying to take a half-glass-full approach and think about everything I have time to do now I'm no longer working so hard at Tesla.

It's been about a month since I was laid off, and I've been seeing a lot of people in the EV industry being impacted by layoffs. It feels like it's happening to a lot of people.

Being laid off didn't change my opinion of Tesla. I still really resonate with its mission and what the company is trying to do. I worked hard for them, but that does not mean I plan to give up being a hard worker.

Right now, I'm a store manager at GNC, but going forward, I'm planning to grow my YouTube channel and I'm planning to move into my car full-time.

• Trump's been closing his eyes in court. Could his sleepy demeanor sway the verdict?
• Legal experts said jurors take their jobs very seriously and this trial is unprecedented.
• "That is a proverbial middle finger to the jury," one defense attorney told BI.

There's been a lot of talk about former President Donald Trump appearing to doze off during his hush-money trial.

But could his naps sway the jury?

Jurors will likely feel slighted by Trump's snoozing, legal experts told Business Insider.

And while closing your eyes during a criminal trial wouldn't result in a conviction in itself, Trump's naps aren't going to help if any of the jurors are on the fence.

In the opening days of his hush-money trial, Trump closed his eyes for minutes at a time before jolting back up.

Since then, it's been the same story: Trump's been spotted with his eyes closed, his head tilted, appearing to nod off during the trial.

Even during the testimony of prosecutors' key witness, Michael Cohen, Trump appeared to be napping in court.

The former President has denied falling asleep in the courtroom.

"I simply close my beautiful blue eyes, sometimes, listen intensely, and take it ALL in!!!" he explained on Truth Social earlier this month.

But he might be wise to keep them open in the future, legal experts told BI.

'They will hold that against him'

Gene Rossi, a former litigator with the Department of Justice, told Business Insider that in the 110 cases he's tried, all the jurors took their jobs very seriously.

"If they sense that the defendant is essentially blowing it off and not taking it seriously like an eighth grader, they will hold that against him," Rossi said. "End of story."

"That is a proverbial middle finger to the jury," agreed Jeremy Saland, a former Manhattan Assistant District Attorney and current defense lawyer, who said dozing off would be a "foolish, dangerous way to handle yourself in that courtroom."

For his part, Rossi said he advises clients to be engaged and respectful "like they are in church listening to a sermon by the Pope."

Jurors had to go through a rigorous selection process and are giving up weeks of their lives to hear testimony.

But these proceedings carry unprecedented weight, Saland said.

There's all the news coverage, not to mention the sheer magnitude of deciding the first criminal trial of a former US president — who could still become the next President if he wins this year.

Saland said Trump's demeanor shouldn't impact his verdict — which will ultimately boil down to the evidence. But it could be risky if deliberations get close, he said.

"You should think that the system is there and has enough accountability and integrity that they won't hold it against him," he said, "but it certainly will not favor him."

Lawyers for Trump and members of his campaign didn't respond to requests for comment from Business Insider.

• Ford's F-150 Lightning was the most popular EV pickup in March, per S&P Global Mobility data. 
• Over 1,100 new Cybertrucks were registered in the month, according to the data.
• Tesla began deliveries of the Cybertruck in November.

Tesla's Cybertruck was the second-best-selling electric pickup truck in March, according to one key sales indicator.

The edgy pickup was second only to Ford's F-150 Lightning, according to new vehicle registration data from S&P Global Mobility that was first reported by the Automotive News. During the month of March, the Cybertruck had 1,158 new registrations, while the Lightning had 2,893. Rivian's R1T, on the other hand, had only 548 new vehicle registrations.

Spokespeople for Tesla, Ford, and Rivian did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Tesla began deliveries of the Cybertruck to its first dozen owners on November 30. Ford's electric pickup hit the market in 2022 and Rivian's in 2021.

Tesla has yet to disclose how many Cybertruck's its delivered. But, there was one clue earlier this year when the company recalled around 3,878 Cybertrucks produced between November 13 and April 4, which was basically all of the models Tesla had produced during that period.

Ahead of the Cybertruck's delivery event, it had as many as 2 million reservations, according to one online tally, and the vehicle quickly became one of the hottest status symbols for celebrities.

Some reservation-holders told Business Insider after the vehicle's debut in 2023 — when the truck was presented over budget and with a lower range than initially advertised — that they were reconsidering the purchase.

Meanwhile, Ford and Tesla alike have been dealing with an industry-wide EV sales slowdown. In April, Tesla posted its first year-over-year quarterly decline since 2020. And in March, Ford announced plans to slim down its workforce at the factory that builds the F-150 Lightning.

Do you work for Tesla or have a tip? Reach out to the reporter via a non-work email and device at gkay@businessinsider.com or 248-894-6012

• The internet has been buzzing about Mark Zuckerberg's new style choices.
• We showed ChatGPT some recent pictures of Zuckerberg and asked it to analyze his looks.
• The chatbot had some recommendations for the Meta CEO.

Mark Zuckerberg might be going viral for his new style, but ChatGPT has some fashion tips for the Meta CEO.

Zuck has been getting noticed for his refreshed take on the typical "tech industry uniform" of t-shirt and jeans. The CEO was one of the main figureheads of the trope early on in his career, but the 40-year-old is switching it up now.

But is it working for him? To find out, Business Insider turned to ChatGPT for an analysis of Zuckerberg's style. We grabbed a few recent photos from his Instagram and used prompts to get OpenAI's chatbot to weigh in.

ChatGPT is powered by GPT-4o, a large language model trained on data to provide humanlike answers to prompts.

BI also asked a real — human — style expert to answer the same prompts to the best of his ability.

Here's what they both had to say after seeing the 10 photos (and don't worry, we didn't use the viral fake bearded image).

ChatGPT's verdict was that Zuckerberg should work on dressing more appropriately for his job running a company.

"While casual, Zuckerberg's style can sometimes appear too relaxed for a CEO. Introducing smart-casual elements like blazers or stylish jackets could bridge the gap between his very casual and formal looks, providing a more polished appearance while retaining comfort," the chatbot said.

But Reginald Ferguson, men's fashion consultant and founder of New York Fashion Geek, disagreed with ChatGPT and said Zuckerberg is dressed "appropriately for a CEO of his era and industry."

When asked directly about the appropriateness of his style, ChatGPT matched Ferguson's answer more closely.

"Zuckerberg's style is generally appropriate within the context of the tech industry, known for its more laid-back dress codes. His formal attire at events shows that he can elevate his style when needed, aligning with traditional expectations of a CEO," the chatbot wrote.

While Ferguson said Zuck's new necklace choices are "tasteful," it seems like ChatGPT wants him to tone it down a bit with the gold chains.

"In terms of accessories, while the choice of a chain necklace is a personal style statement, opting for more subtle pieces might be more fitting for a CEO, especially in professional or public settings," said ChatGPT.

Zuckerberg's venture into fashion has been the source of viral moments online. His gold chains have earned him the meme treatment, and the billionaire Facebook founder seems to be leaning in.

And this might not be the end of his style evolution, Ferguson said.

"The challenge with Mark Zuckerberg is he's lived his entire adult life in public and came out the gate with a style (no style) that a whole generation of young men followed," Ferguson said.

He continued: "He still has no style, but he's trying, and he and his stylist should be applauded for that."

• The National Insurance Crime Bureau released their list of the most stolen cars in America for 2023.
• Hyundai and Kia models took six of the top 10 spots in the insurance industry trade group's list.
• Models from Chevrolet, Ford, and Honda also made the top 10.

Hyundai and Kia dominate the National Insurance Crime Bureau's list of the most stolen cars in America.

Vehicles made by the South Korean sibling automakers account for six of the top 10 spots on the insurance industry trade organization's list, which was compiled based on vehicle thefts in 2023 and published in May.

The compact Hyundai Elantra took the top spot, with more than 48,000 vehicles stolen, 2.5 times the number stolen in 2022.

The midsize Hyundai Sonata sedan finished in second with nearly 43,000 stolen, roughly double the number in 2022.

The Kia Optima came in third on the list with 30,000 vehicle thefts, up from 18,200 in 2022. Kia's Soul, Forte, and Sportage also make the list.

The full-size Ford F-Series and Chevrolet Silverado pickup trucks that topped the list in previous years fell behind the Korean contingent.

Thefts of Kia and Hyundai vehicles surged in recent years as TikTok videos exposed the lack of an immobilizer in many models. The wave prompted the automakers to issue free wheel locks and software updates to help combat the issue. No Hyundai or Kia models made the top 10 of the NICB list in the 3 years prior to 2022.

According to the NICB, there was a 1% increase nationally in auto theft claims in 2023. However, the organization noted that over 85% of vehicles reported stolen are eventually recovered, with 34% located within a day.

Here's a closer look at America's 10 most stolen vehicles in 2023, according to NICB.

• Chinese millennials are redefining luxury status symbols by refocusing on quiet luxury and personal style.
• Solo travel, pre-loved luxury fashion, and fine dining are also gaining popularity.
• As this cohort approaches big life milestones, here's how their approach to luxury differs from their parents.

Millennials, aged between their late 20s and early 40s, are approaching the age for major life milestones: they've gained some ground in their careers, some are thinking about settling down with a family, and others have enough disposable income to splash on designer goods.

For the wealthiest among them, luxury status symbols can be a way to showcase your success to others. Rich millennials in the US have been known to splash out on their pets, new laundry rooms, and expensive coffee machines.

And over in China, rich millennials have their own ideas of what counts as a luxury status symbol. They've followed suit in embracing quiet luxury — expensive goods that aren't clocked by the untrained eye — and some are opting to have fewer kids to focus on their careers and are traveling solo.

Here are 11 luxury status symbols for Chinese millennials:

1. They've moved past allegiance with specific brands

Garish Gucci prints and flashy Louis Vuitton logos are no longer a top priority for luxury customers looking to display their style as a status symbol. These millennials are less loyal to specific brands than their parent's generation.

They "seek products and experiences that not only reflect their personal style and aspirations but also resonate with their cultural identity and values," Daniel Langer, a Pepperdine University luxury professor and CEO of the luxury strategy firm Équité, told Business Insider.

Customers want more personal items that reflect their values over a generic symbol of spending power.

It's more about an "inward feeling rather than an outward projection," said Amrita Banta, managing director of luxury insights firm Agility Research & Strategy.

2. Less loud luxury, more quiet luxury

Those who buy from designer brands are doing so more subtly. "Laoqianfeng" — a concept similar to the Western old-money aesthetic — has become a favorite of rich millennials in China. It refers to looking put together in an effortless way.

"This younger cohort is inclined to convey their elevated societal standing in understated ways," Elisa Harca, CEO of consultancy firm Red Ant Asia, told Business Insider.

Harca points to brands like The Row, which exemplify this style. The brand, founded by former child stars Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, prioritizes an anti-trendiness, focusing instead on simplicity, style, and comfort.

Even though the clothes may look understated, the key is in the details. Wealthy customers still want a high standard of customer service through talking one-on-one to sales assistance or being in contact with brands over WeChat to hear about exclusive products, Harca said.

Expect to see these rich millennials mixing luxury casual wear like T-shirts and sneakers with traditional luxury brands, Banta told BI.

3. Group travel is out, solo travel is in

Travel has also changed for today's rich millennials compared to their parents.

When their parts were growing up, China's world tourism was still in its infancy, which meant that organized tour groups were the travel option of choice for those with money. They were attracted to the safety and accessibility of traveling in a big group, said Harca.

But now younger Chinese people, especially those already well-traveled or have studied abroad, are opting for solo travel or traveling with small groups of friends.

Adventurous and immersive experiences to one-of-a-kind destinations are top of the travel list for this cohort — think glamping safaris and trips to Antarctica or Iceland, Banta told BI.

4. Pre-Loved Luxury Fashion

Pre-loved luxury fashion has taken off in the West as a more sustainable way to shop for designer brands. And many rich millennials in China are following suit.

For one, it's more sustainable. Reflecting your values in your purchases is becoming more important for customers, and as such, the environmental impact of the textile industry is a great concern for those buying clothes, said Olivia Plotnick, founder of Wai Social, a Shanghai-based social media agency.

So, luxury consumers are turning to secondhand clothes using platforms like Vestiaire Collective, The RealReal, and Mercari.

For some Chinese people, secondhand clothing items are associated with superstitions of bad luck and negative energy. But these beliefs hold less weight for younger generations, Harca told BI.

An added bonus of vintage and secondhand clothes is that they can be more individual than clothes found on the rack. Finding unique pre-loved clothes is a way to express individuality through fashion choices, Harca said. These items can have a more personal story behind them.

5. Buying products that come with an experience

Social media and the internet have made it easier to identify highly coveted items, so for luxury consumers, these brands are becoming too conspicuous.

Instead, they're looking for ways to make these things more individual.

An exec at drinks conglomerate Diageo told BI about how the company is trying to appeal to this type of consumer as its Asian whisky market grows. It's doing so by investing in reopening distilleries like Port Ellen off the coast of Scotland to offer premium whisky tours.

"It's not enough to just say this is 45-year-old Port Ellen cask. They want to say they journeyed to Scotland, tested all these different whiskies, and to tell you about the experiences they had," said Ewan Andrew, Diageo president of global supply chain & procurement.

There are two main reasons customers are drawn to these experiential goods, according to Langer.

First, some people are attracted to brands that make them feel like part of an exclusive club and find their egos satisfied by VIP experiences. Another group finds more satisfaction in the authenticity and individuality of these experiences over overt displays of wealth.

6. Fine dining in Michelin-starred and Black Pearl-rated restaurants

Another emerging hobby among this affluent group is enjoying the burgeoning fine dining industry.

The Michelin Guide, which entered China in 2016, attracted some criticism for being too Western-centric, according to the South China Morning Post. That's where the Black Pearl guide comes in: it was set up in 2018 by Meituan, a Chinese food delivery giant, to appeal to Chinese consumers from a Chinese perspective.

But both guides are still popular with luxury consumers, according to Banta. These customers like to tick off highly rated restaurants in their own city and wherever they travel.

7. Choosing not to have kids

There's also been a cultural shift in societal attitudes toward marriage and parenthood, changing how wealthy millennials approach life milestones.

Some see having kids as a bad investment. Instead, this generation is more inclined to prioritize personal freedom, career development, and individual pursuits over starting a family, according to Harca.

8. Those who want kids are keen to maintain a level of luxury after giving birth

Luxury postnatal retreats have become popular with wealthy millennials, and some can cost over 200,000 yuan ($28,000) a month, Banta told BI.

Some new mothers in China have been flocking to these luxury post-natal retreats in Singapore, Bloomberg reported. The centers offer around-the-clock care for new parents including lactation consultants, nannies, and chefs.

The custom of staying inside your home for a month to recuperate after childbirth has been documented as early as 960 in China.

Modern iterations of these retreats are taking the concept to new, luxurious heights.

Some of these retreats in Singapore, like Clover Suites, offer month-long trips for new mothers, which include aesthetics clinics, herbal baths, and in-house physiotherapy centers. At Clover Suites, new mothers can expect restaurant-style meals and can enjoy some rest while nurses or nannies take care of their children.

And when they come back home, they're sure to spend on expensive luxury cots too, Banta added.

9. Splashing out on luxury home decor

Chinese millennials are investing their money in luxury home décor to elevate their living spaces and enhance their quality of life, Plotnick told BI.

She added that brands like Tom Dixon and Muuto are popular choices for furniture, lighting, and home accessories in China.

"They are designing every room with painstaking detail," according to Banta.

10. Splurging on wellness

Luxury wellness and self-care products, such as skincare, beauty, and wellness supplements, are all gaining popularity among health-conscious Chinese millennials, Potnick told BI.

Potnick pointed to one popular brand, mesoestetic, which offers aesthetic treatments like peels and facial needling.

The pandemic spurred the wellness trend, particularly for Gen Z and millennials.

Post COVID, people became more interested in wellness supplements to aid diet and improve health, Gabriella Tegen, cofounder and CEO of e-commerce subscription platform Smartrr, previously told BI. And getting regular aesthetic treatments has become a top priority for affluent millennials, Banta told BI.

McKinsey 2024 wellness report showed that 85% of its survey participants from China had purchased more in the longevity and healthy-aging category in the past year than in prior years, with Gen Z and millennials leading the charge over older generations.

11. Brands that stand for something

This cohort of wealthy millennials in China is more concerned about shopping from sustainable brands.

Eco-friendly materials and sustainable production are an increasingly important consideration for luxury purchases, Plotnick said.

Independent luxury brands that offer more authentic products and those that draw on cultural heritage are also highly in demand, she said.

• Government contracting opportunities are increasing, but entry can be challenging and nuanced.
• BI spoke to recruiters to learn best practices to land work at a government contracting company. 
• Recruiters say candidates should avoid short stints, keep their LinkedIn updated, and network. 

As Americans seek stable work and flexibility with jobs, interest in public sector jobs is growing.

Following industry-wide layoffs, a growing number of graduates are shifting away from pursuing jobs at typical tech companies and doubling down on applications to government roles, according to a Handshake report published in January.

While lower pay in government jobs is sometimes viewed as a drawback of the sector, contracting companies tend to pay better than the federal government, and opportunities in this field are also increasing.

According to a spokesperson for recruiting company The Judge Group, the company has seen a 15% increase in government, aerospace, and defense opportunities in the last year or two.

But the world of government contracting is vast and it can be tricky to break into. While some people bid on their own contracts, there are also opportunities to work as an employee at a company that regularly signs contracts with the government.

While these kinds of companies aren't owned by the government, they have niche requirements and nuances that separate them from other corporate roles. Business Insider talked to three recruiters in the field to learn the best practices for getting a job in the industry.

1. Avoid job hoppiness on your résumé

Matt Grussendorf, a delivery manager at The Judge Group, oversees hiring for aerospace, government, and defense employers — and he said job "hoppiness" is a red flag.

For some roles, it's okay to have one six-month contract after another on your résumé, Grussendorf said. But in certain fields, like aerospace and defense, employers may be looking for longer tenure, he told Business Insider.

While short stints may seem inevitable in the industry, there are ways to avoid positioning them that way. Lauren Irizarry, a senior talent acquisition partner at A2 Federal, said if you do have shorter contracts, there's a way to format your résumé to make it look more consistent.

For example, she said if you've worked as a data scientist for 12 years with eight different contracting companies, you can put "data scientist" at the top of your résumé and list the individual contracts underneath instead of listing eight separate lines with the same role.

2. Make sure your clearances are up to date

Many government contracting roles require clearances, which can vary depending on the role and may also expire over time.

Irizarry said it's often easier to start with a larger company so that they sponsor your clearance. However, Quadesha Bynum, who worked in HR at various government agencies and contracting companies before starting her own company, said it can be difficult to land a government contracting job at a big company when starting out, so smaller firms may be a good place to start.

Whether you have the required clearance or not, it's important to accurately list it, Grussendorf said. Recruiting companies like The Judge Group check candidates' clearance, so applicants should verify their status when they apply for a role.

Additionally, candidates who are unwilling to get their clearance verified or checked can be a red flag.

3. Network, network, network

Irizarry said the government contracting industry is "all about networking." That means joining groups on LinkedIn or other platforms and getting in touch with people in the field.

Grussendorf said if you're breaking into the field out of college, you may have the advantage of attending career fairs and events centered on government contracting, he said.

While college fairs may be more accessible for young candidates, there are other networking opportunities. Clearancejobs.com, the largest platform for people with security clearance has a career fair page with a list of upcoming events to directly meet and speak with employers.

4. Reach out to recruiters directly

Since many government contracting opportunities have specific requirements, it can make a big difference to speak with a recruiter directly to find out what you need to do for that specific job.

An easy way to do so is by making a profile on Clearancejobs.com. The site allows users to browse through thousands of open roles, many of which have contact info for recruiters.

Grussendorf recommends reaching out to recruiters, talent acquisition at staffing agencies, or direct employers and telling them the job and salary range you're looking for to stay on their "candidate hot list."

5. Be open to relocation

There are several government hubs around the country, including in D.C., Seattle, Southern California, Alabama, and Denver, said Grussendorf. Most direct hire opportunities offer relocation packages, but contract or contract-to-hire positions typically don't, he said.

But Grussendorf said many employers end up extending the contract or hiring a candidate after they make the commitment to the company. Employers don't want to let strong employees or candidates go if they don't have to.

6. Make sure your LinkedIn is up to date

While some industries are more relaxed about certain standards, government jobs tend to be more traditional. Since many jobs in the sector require background checks and clearances, they may also do more digging than other corporate jobs.

Irizarry said candidates should keep LinkedIn fully professional — that means omitting irrelevant interests or experiences and using headshots from the shoulders up with a plain background.

Irizarry said she looks for information that will grab her attention. For example, if you're a cyber expert or speak multiple languages, list it.

7. Know what you're signing up for

Bynum said it's important to do research on the field before applying. Career fairs, she said, are a great place to do that.

Bynum said candidates should know details like how long the contract lasts and whether there are other positions available. She also said it's important to know what clearances are required for the job and how long that process will take to complete.

• Jeff Bezos owns three private jets, worth around $140 million in total.
• They include two Gulfstream G650ERs and a Pilatus PC-24.
• Records seen by BI show he also bought a hangar at Seattle's Boeing Field in 2015.

Like most billionaires, Jeff Bezos often flies around the world, and having his own planes lets him save time and improve his security.

The world's second-richest person owns three private jets, according to public records seen by Business Insider and data from JetSpy.

Two of them are Gulfstream G650ERs, which cost around $65 million each. The G650ER is a popular choice for the world's richest people — Elon Musk and Bill Gates also own one — thanks to its long range and high speed.

From Bezos' home in Miami, the G650ER can fly as far as Cape Town, Dubai, and Beijing, according to Gulfstream's website. Only Australia and southeast Asia would necessitate a fuelling stop.

The range is slightly reduced if it's traveling at its top speed of Mach 0.90, equivalent to 690 miles per hour. But the 22-seater can still fly for an impressive 7,365 miles. There aren't many other private jets on the market that allow for a more than 10-hour flight.

Bezos also owns a Piltaus PC-24 with the tail-number N194PJ, according to data from JetSpy. The light business jet with 10 seats was manufactured in 2020 and usually costs about $9 million. But with a maximum range of 2,200 miles, it would need a fuel stop to travel between Bezos' Miami home and Amazon's Seattle HQ.

How Bezos' jets are kept private

Proving Bezos' ownership of the jets isn't simple. JetSpy's data lists Bezos as the operator of the PC-24, although it's registered with the Federal Aviation Administration under a company called TVPX Aircraft Solutions.

TVPX's website says it provides trust services for US business aviation, either due to rules on citizenship or for "privacy enhancement."

The two Gulfstreams are registered to a holding company called Poplar Glen LLC, per the FAA registry.

BI found Washington state records from the firm's creation in 2004 which say it is owned by Bezos. The manager was listed as Zeffram LLC, another of Bezos' holding companies. In the most recent records, Poplar Glen's governor is listed as Paul Dauber, one of Bezos' attorneys.

Bezos bought a Dassault Falcon 900EX the same year as Poplar Glen's creation. According to the manufacturer's website, a pre-owned one costs around $10 million.

Taylor Swift also used to own a Falcon 900 until she sold it in January. According to FlightAware, Bezos sold his in 2015.

The same year, Poplar Glen paid $5.5 million for a hangar at Boeing Field in Seattle, according to property deeds seen by BI. The Puget Sound Business Journal first reported the sale.

Those documents show it was owned by Costco, and measures nearly 18,600 square feet. A sales brochure for the space, Hangar H-1, is still visible online.

Bezos then bought his first Gulfstream G650ER in 2016. It's registered as N271DV — the number previously used by his Falcon 900EX.

The Amazon founder's second Gulfstream jet was purchased in 2019, and registered as N758PB. It has newer Rolls Royce engines than his other jet, providing a couple hundred extra pounds of thrust, per FlightAware.

If you try to look up these jets on Flightradar24, you'll see that they can't be tracked. That's because the site uses some data from the FAA, which lets jet owners protect their privacy by signing up for the "Limiting Aircraft Data Displayed" program.

However, these planes can still be tracked via sites like ADS-B Exchange, built on a network of plane enthusiasts and institutions with receivers that detect aircraft signals. ADS-B Exchange's data is used by Jack Sweeney, the college student who was named on Forbes 30 Under 30 after tracking Musk's jet.

Bezos has also taken the extra step of reserving 36 other N-Numbers which aren't in use, per the FAA registry. Some of these, like 271EV and 271DX, resemble his Gulfstreams' N-Number, so they could help maintain his security.

• Palmer Luckey's startup Anduril is producing futuristic weapons of war. 
• But the billionaire founder has his own James Bond-esque collection of military vehicles.
• Luckey gave Bloomberg an inside peek at his 1980s-designed home and private collection of "boys toys."

The defense tech startup Anduril is making some of the most futuristic autonomous weapons on the market as it tries to reinvent the military's wheelhouse.

But the company's forward-thinking vision hasn't stopped founder Palmer Luckey from amassing his own collection of older military-grade vehicles and boy's toys.

The billionaire's collection includes a boat bought from the US Navy, six helicopters, and a 1985 ex-Marine Corps Humveefighter, he revealed in the latest episode of Bloomberg's "The Circuit."

That's land, sea, and air covered.

Luckey's Mark V special operations craft, which he purchased from the Navy, is the fastest boat ever built by the force with a little over 5,000 horsepower, he told reporter Emily Chang as he took her for a ride on the vessel around Newport Beach.

"It was designed specifically for Navy seal insertion and extraction missions. It runs really fast, and it's a lot of fun."

He still has the real M2 heavy-barreled 50 BMG machine gun that came with the boat but keeps fake ones fitted "most of the time."

"Most of my neighbors like it, and a handful hate it."

Luckey first made his name when he founded virtual reality company Oculus in 2012. Two years later, he sold the company to Facebook, now known as Meta, for $2 billion in cash and stock. 

In 2017, one year after he was fired from Facebook, Luckey founded Anduril. It's since risen to the top of Silicon Valley's defense tech boom.

But his passion for the military started when he was young, Luckey told The Circuit.

"I grew up watching the Marine Corps practice right offshore in their helicopters. Watching Navy ships do exercises gets in your brain, and it doesn't leave."

He's now the proud owner of six helicopters, including a UH-60 Blackhawk.

In addition to military-grade vehicles, Luckey owns a 1967 Disneyland Autopia, a toy car used in Disney theme parks, designed by legendary park designer Bob Gurr and Walt Disney himself.

"As far as I know, mine is the only complete Autopia that is outside of the parks. Mine has the original mechanicals, original gear boxes, original wheels, the whole deal," Luckey told Chang.

The small vehicle, typically seen tearing up Disneyland race tracks, suffered a minor breakdown mid-interview and had to be fixed with a flathead screwdriver.

The founder also took cameras into his 1980s-designed home in LA. Fitted with a two-inch thick teal shag carpet and a 6,500-gallon aquarium, Luckey's home has "some good Miami Vice vibes," he told Chang.

The coffee table is fitted with a map of his Dungeons and Dragons campaign, where he plays as a "chaotic neutral wizard named Nilrim V."

As the billionaire founder himself admits, "I am a little bit of a caricature."

But where to keep the world's largest collection of video games?

"I put that in one of my missile bases. 200 feet underground," Luckey told Chang.

• Conservatives are fighting guaranteed basic income programs across the country.
• Lawyers and lawmakers want to block basic income programs in Texas, California, and elsewhere.
• Many of them argue the programs are discriminatory because they are not universal.

Legal challenges by conservative lawmakers and activists against guaranteed basic income programs are heating up nationwide. And one of their arguments is surprising: Some say the programs are discriminatory because they are not universal.

Numerous cities and counties are experimenting with guaranteed basic incomes to support their most vulnerable populations. They typically offer no-strings-attached monthly payments between $500 and $1,000 to specific groups, like new moms, Black women, or trans people, all of them low-income residents.

Guaranteed basic income programs differ from their idealistic cousin — a universal basic income. UBI, made famous by Andrew Yang during the 2016 presidential election, would provide a monthly payment to all citizens. The theory is simple: A rising tide lifts all boats.

The idea has gained new traction after the success of federal pandemic-era financial support, which experts say prevented about 12 million people from falling into poverty. Some have also embraced the potential of a basic income as a remedy for the rise of AI, which could threaten job security for many Americans. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said his own study on basic income would be released soon.

While localized guaranteed basic income programs are tiny compared to a nationwide universal basic income, they are the subject of no less conservative opposition. Much of the opposition from lawmakers is due to fears of creeping "socialism." Local politicians in places like South Dakota and Arizona have moved to block basic income programs for this reason alone.

The South Dakota bill's sponsor, Republican Sen. John Wiik, said basic income programs redistribute hard-earned money and are a "socialist idea."

Legal challenges to the programs, meanwhile, led by some conservative officials and legal activist groups, are making a more specific argument that, perhaps unintentionally, makes a case for a universal basic income.

In San Francisco, the conservative legal activist organization Judicial Watch sued city officials in January to block a basic income program that gives a small group of trans people $1,000 a month. The lawsuit argues that the program, known as GIFT, violates the state constitution's equal protection clause because it gives "preferential treatment" to trans people when choosing candidates.

"Suffering doesn't know a race or a creed or a gender," Kathryn Blankenberg, an attorney at Judicial Watch, told Business Insider. "It's something universal. And saying one group suffers more than another based on how they identify, that's painting people with a very broad brush."

In November, the American Civil Rights Project, a conservative public-interest law firm, sued the city over several of its guaranteed basic income plans.

That lawsuit mainly targets The Abundant Birth Project, which gives pregnant Black women $1,000 monthly payments for a year. After showing positive results, the program received a $5 million grant from the state in December 2022.

The group's lawsuit similarly argues that several of the city's basic income programs are discriminatory because they "unlawfully" choose candidates based on "race, ethnicity, gender/gender identity, and sexual orientation."

"Most prominently, these government-sponsored and publicly funded programs are designed to select beneficiaries on a racially exclusionary basis. This is unconstitutional," the lawsuit says.

Meanwhile, in Texas, the state supreme court ordered an administrative stay against a Houston-area basic income project hours before it was set to begin — a reaction to a challenge by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who says it's "unconstitutional."

In court documents, Paxton argued that the Uplift Harris program — which gives low-income residents in the Harris County area up to $500 a month — is unconstitutional because the program chooses recipients based on a random lottery.

"Here, the selection of individuals to receive payments under (Uplift Harris) is plainly arbitrary," Paxton writes.

While these arguments appear to support giving basic income payments to a broader group of people, it's unlikely many conservatives would actually support a universal basic income.

Blankenberg from Judicial Watch said her main focus was the "suspect classification" of the guaranteed basic income projects but doesn't believe a universal basic income would work either, echoing some of the arguments made by state lawmakers in South Dakota and elsewhere.

"I don't think it'll ever work," she said. "At the end of the day, the taxpayer hurts. It's not the government's money. It's our money."