Jimmy Fallon Offered $1 Million Air-Taxi Bet by Short Seller

Culper Research becomes latest firm to target Archer Aviation
Short seller wants Fallon to demonstrate conviction in company

Adam Goldstein during an interview with host Jimmy Fallon on The Tonight Show in New York on May 15.Photographer: Todd Owyoung/NBCUniversal/Getty Images

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By Carmen Reinicke and Sam Potter

May 20, 2025 at 5:29 PM UTC

Updated on

May 20, 2025 at 7:23 PM UTC

Air taxi company Archer Aviation Inc. has been targeted by short sellers before, but the latest attack has an unusual twist: A proposed $1 million “friendly wager” with the TV show host Jimmy Fallon.

New York-based Culper Research alleges that Archer has “systematically lied” about the progress of its flagship vehicle and paid millions to secure its CEO a May 15 appearance on The Tonight Show with Fallon, who a month earlier also attended a promotional event for the company.