A Durham-based energy company, American Efficient, files for bankruptcy after being accused of collecting hundreds of millions of dollars in electricity savings it did not produce. The company's CEO, Adam Abrams, has ties to former Governor Roy Cooper and the North Carolina Democratic Party. Meanwhile, VinFast, a Vietnamese EV manufacturer, is facing a lawsuit from the North Carolina Attorney General's office over its failure to meet job creation targets. The company received a $300 million grant from the state's JDIG program. In other news, former Governor Roy Cooper is leading in fundraising for the US Senate race, with $14.8 million raised in the second quarter compared to Michael Watley's $5 million. [... more]