*By Amanda Weston*
Allegations that Wilbur Ross [stole $120 million](https://www.forbes.com/sites/danalexander/2018/08/06/new-details-about-wilbur-rosss-businesses-point-to-pattern-of-grifting/) from colleagues may not be enough to force Ross, the Secretary of Commerce, to lose his job, said the Forbes reporter Dan Alexander.
"Ethical issues haven't bounced people quickly in the past, and I think that Wilbur Ross really likes being in the cabinet," Alexander said Wednesday in an interview on Cheddar. "I don't see him as somebody who's likely to step down because of embarrassment or anything like that. So we'll sort of see how it plays out."
Alexander's article, published Tuesday by Forbes, includes accusations made by Ross's colleagues at WL Ross & Co., including one who describe him as "a pathological liar." Alexander wrote that if half of the allegations are true, Ross could be one of the biggest grifters in U.S. history. (More than 280,000 people have read the Forbes article on its website.)
"This is the former No. 2 person in Wilbur Ross's firm saying that he stole about $4 million from him, another high-ranking employee saying that he stole $3.6 million, and then a lot of it is more complex, siphoning funds from investors or from other partners," said Alexander. "Total it all up and you get to over $120 million. That's a tremendous amount of money for anyone, but particularly for somebody like Wilbur Ross who said he was a billionaire ー and is not."
A Commerce Department spokesperson said in [a statement to Business Insider](https://www.businessinsider.com/wilbur-ross-120-million-grift-allegations-in-bombshell-forbes-report-2018-8) that the accusations against Ross are,"based on false rumors, innuendo, and unverifiable claims."
Alexander relied on information from more than 20 people who know Ross, and details from four lawsuits, including one by David Storper, who worked under Ross for more than a decade. Had senators known about the allegations against Ross, Alexander said his confirmation hearing for Commerce Secretary may have gone differently.
As a member of the president's cabinet, Ross has to file financial disclosure forms detailing what he owns. Alexander said that past disclosures were "embarrassing" because they showed how Ross made misleading statements about his wealth.
When asked whether any of his sources had no complaints to issue about Ross, Alexander had a simple response.
"There was nobody who was willing to go on the record saying Wilbur Ross is a tremendous guy."
For more on this story, [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/commerce-secretary-wilbur-ross-accused-of-stealing-millions).
While the United States struggles with mass shootings, other countries have had success with gun regulations - often after their own mass shootings. On this Gun Awareness Day, Cheddar's Shannon LaNier reports on steps some other countries have taken to stop gun violence.
Join Cheddar News as we break down the Need 2 Know headlines this morning including Gun Violence Awareness Day, how to prevent mass shootings, and the president's comments on gun control.
President Biden and Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell meet at the White House today for the first time since Powell's renomination to the position. The President and the Fed Chair discussed the economy and historically high inflation, as new data shows inflation may be cooling slightly. Morning Consult economic analyst Jesse Wheeler joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss how the Biden administration at the U.S. central bank can work together to combat soaring prices for American consumers.
In the second part of Cheddar's talk with Governor Asa Hutchinson, the Republican from Arkansas discussed his state's abortion trigger law and the overturning of Roe v. Wade, the Texas law that would prevent social media platform moderation currently being held up by the U.S. Supreme Court, and rumors of his 2024 presidential run. "I did go to New Hampshire. I am testing the waters out there, so no decision at this point. But we're looking at it," he said, noting that if former President Donald Trump runs, it would not affect his own decision.
Cheddar Politics looks at the ongoing efforts to pass meaningful gun safety laws in both Chambers of Congress following multiple mass shootings. Lisa Hagen, senior political reporter for U.S. News and World Report, helps break down why Senators are hopeful that a modest bipartisan gun safety package might be able to overcome a filibuster.
Join Cheddar News as we break down the top headlines this morning including updates on the Tulsa medical center shooting, Johnny Depp V. Amber Heard verdict, and Democrats push for gun control reform.
After two subway shootings in two months and the more recent mass shootings in Uvalde, Texas, and Buffalo, New York, Mayor Eric Adams is calling for gun detection scanners to be installed in New York City subways. The tech would be similar to that used in sporting arenas, however, experts note multiple difficulties with such a setup including the need for nearby human operators.
Catching you up on what you need to know on Wednesday, June 1, 2022, House lawmakers hold an emergency hearing on gun control measures in the wake of the Uvalde shooting, the Supreme Court temporarily blocks Texas' law stopping social media moderation, and the James Webb Space Telescope gets a new mission.
