Good day and welcome to WSJ Pro Bankruptcy's Daily Briefing. It's Tuesday, Nov. 23. Here's what you need to know: On top of financial pressures, blacklisted tech firm NSO Group faces a new legal threat. And an Oaktree-backed yachting venture is sounding out fresh investment after pandemic-related delays to its maiden voyage. The largest power cooperative in Texas took aim at "exorbitant" gas bills. And a bankrupt Manhattan law firm's namesake lawyer reached a plea deal with prosecutors.

Please note: The newsletter will be taking a break for Thanksgiving but will return to your inboxes on Monday.

Apple sues junk-rated Israeli firm over spyware. Apple Inc. has sued NSO Group, an Israeli maker of surveillance software that has faced increasing pressure to change its business practices over alleged links to cyberattacks on journalists, politicians and political dissidents. The lawsuit poses another risk to NSO Group, which also faces U.S. trade restrictions and allegations that its surveillance software has been used inappropriately, according to Moody's Investors Service.

Earlier this month, the Biden administration placed NSO Group on an export prohibition list to sanction the company for this alleged behavior, restricting it from obtaining some U.S. technology.

Oaktree’s yacht venture cruises for cash. Oaktree Capital Management LP’s luxury-cruise venture Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection is exploring raising fresh financing amid construction delays and pandemic restrictions that postponed a planned launch of luxury liners, according to people familiar with the matter.

Theranos founder steps up her defense. For the first time in her criminal-fraud trial, Elizabeth Holmes on Tuesday took aim at the most serious allegations made against her by prosecutors, offering a narrative of herself as a well-intentioned if inexperienced entrepreneur who had some success in her effort to transform healthcare.

Texas co-op Brazos wants gas claims knocked out. Brazos Electric Power Cooperative Inc. asked the judge overseeing its bankruptcy to toss out $180 million in claims for natural gas sold at high prices during the winter storm that blanketed Texas in February. In court papers, Brazos said it shouldn't have to pay "exorbitant gas prices that constitute price gouging," to the tune of 35,000% above normal price levels.

The February cold snap spiked both electricity and gas prices, leaving Brazos and other power retailers to pay up or else potentially leave customers without electricity during the weather emergency.

The oldest and largest power cooperative in Texas, Brazos filed for chapter 11 after running up roughly $1.9 billion in bills to the state's electric-grid operator. Brazos has sought to walk away from those costs, too, a request still pending in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Houston. The grid operator has said the invoices it issued were legitimate and must be paid in full. —Andrew Scurria

Failed Manhattan firm's namesake lawyer to plead guilty. New York real-estate lawyer Mitchell Kossoff has reached a plea deal with the Manhattan District Attorney's Office after his law firm collapsed, unable to account for $17 million in client funds. Mr. Kossoff has agreed to plead guilty in New York state court, the District Attorney’s Office said in a letter Tuesday to the bankruptcy court overseeing his defunct firm's liquidation.

Mr. Kossoff had been threatened with arrest last week for failing to comply with bankruptcy-court orders that he produce detailed financial information about his firm, Kossoff PLLC. It was pushed into liquidation in April after a wave of civil allegations that its namesake lawyer absconded with client funds that were supposed to be sitting in escrow for real-estate deals. —Andrew Scurria

Share your tips, suggestions and feedback with the WSJ Pro Bankruptcy team: Soma Biswas; Alexander Gladstone; Jonathan Randles; Alexander Saeedy; Andrew Scurria; Becky Yerak. 

Follow us on Twitter: @SomaBisWSJ; @gladstonea; @Sparkyrandles; @ajsaeedy; @AndrewScurria; @beckyyerak.