Tuesday, December 13, 2022

Wake-Up Call: Crypto King Busted In The Bahamas

SBF Arrested

UPDATE 7:30 am...crypto king Sam Bankman-Fried has been arrested by authorities in the Bahamas, where the SEC has charged him with defrauding investors to the tune of $1.8 billion.  The 30-year-old was taken into custody Monday night after the Bahamian government received formal notification from the US of the charges against him, according to the Office of Attorney General in the Bahamas.

"Earlier this evening, Bahamian authorities arrested Samuel Bankman-Fried at the request of the U.S. Government, based on a sealed indictment filed by the SDNY," U.S. Attorney Damian Williams wrote in a statement shared on Twitter. Royal Bahamas Police Force said in a news release that Bankman-Fried was arrested in reference to "various Financial Offences against laws of the United States, which are also offences against laws of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas." Bankman-Fried will appear in local court on Tuesday, the release said. 

He was in charge of the crypto exchange which collapsed just weeks after it was valued at $32 billion. Stars including Gisele Bundchen, Tom Brady, Larry David, Shaquille O'Neill and Steph Curry who were paid to advertise FTX have continued to remain silent after Bankman-Fried's arrest.

➤ANOTHER SAM IS FIRED: Sam Brinton, 35, has left their Department of Energy job after being was accused of stealing luggage in two separate incidents. Brinton uses they/them pronouns, and left their role after allegations of stealing cases from airports in Minneapolis and Las Vegas. It is unclear if Brinton left of their own accord, or if they were fired. The former government official had been on administrative leave after news of their alleged thefts was made public. 

➤DAD OF SLAIN CO-ED CALLS COPS 'COWARDS':  The father of one of the four murdered University of Idaho students described how the victims had “big open gouges” on their bodies from the “sadistic male” who killed them — while blasting the tight-lipped local police as “cowards.” Steven Goncalves, whose daughter Kaylee was among the murdered students in Moscow, Idaho, said coroner Cathy Mabbutt had revealed the chilling details when they spoke.  “She says, ‘sir, I don’t think stabs is the right word, it was like tears, like this was a strong weapon, not like a stab,’” he told Fox News Digital.   “She said these were big open gouges. She said it was quick. These weren’t something where you were going to be able to call 911. They were not going to slowly bleed out,” the grieving father continued. He also described how his beloved daughter’s liver and lungs were slashed.

Kaylee, 21, was killed along with Madison Mogen, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20, and Ethan Chapin, 20, in the early morning hours of Nov. 13.

➤RICHMOND IS REMOVING ITS LAST REMAINING CONFEDERATE STATUE: The city of Richmond, the capital of the Confederacy for most of the Civil War, removed its last city-owned Confederate statue Monday, more than two years after it began to purge itself of what many saw as painful symbols of racial oppression.  Efforts to remove the statue of Confederate Gen. A.P. Hill were complicated because the general’s remains were interred beneath it about 25 years after his death at the end of the Civil War.


➤JUDGE TOSSES TRUMP'S LAWSUIT, ENDING SPECIAL MASTER REVIEW OF MAR-A-LAGO DOCUMENTS: The Florida-based federal judge whose rulings on behalf of former president Donald Trump temporarily blocked the Department of Justice from evidence seized during the 8 August search of his Mar-a-Lago home and office has officially tossed the civil lawsuit he had used to intervene in the criminal investigation into his conduct.  US District Judge Aileen Cannon on Monday issued a one-page order dismissing the ex-president’s civil action on the grounds that she’d lacked the jurisdiction to hear it in the first place.


➤COURT ALLOWS NEW YORK TO ENFORCE LIMITS ON GUNS ON PRIVATE PROPERTY: A federal appeals court on Monday allowed New York to restrict the carrying of firearms on private property under a new law adopted in wake of a major U.S. Supreme Court ruling that expanded gun rights.  The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals put on hold a judge's order from last month that barred officials from enforcing part of the new law making it a felony to carry a gun on private property without the property owner's express consent.

➤PASSING YEAR-END TAX DEAL LOOKS IFFY: Republicans want to reverse, prevent or delay some tax increases on businesses that were scheduled in a GOP-backed 2017 tax law and that began taking effect this year. For the Democrats, some changes are OK, but they want an expanded child tax credit. If a bipartisan agreement were reached, it probably would need to be included in a broad spending package—which also is stalled. The Democrats control the House and Senate now, but when the new Congress starts on Jan. 3, the GOP will control the House.

➤MUSK DISBANDS TWITTER'S TRUST AND SAFETY COUNCIL :   Twitter disbanded its Trust and Safety Council, according to an email viewed by The Wall Street Journal.  The council, composed of civil-society groups, advised Twitter on how to enforce its policies on content such as hate speech before the social-media site was purchased by billionaire Elon Musk.

⚽U.S. SEIZES 55 WEBSITES FOR ILLEGALLY LIVE-STREAMING WORLD CUP: The US Justice Department said on Monday that fifty-five websites have been seized for illegally live-streaming matches from the World Cup in Qatar. The websites were shut down after a FIFA representative identified sites being used to distribute copyright-infringing content without the authorization of the soccer world governing body.  The Justice Department did not identify the seized websites but said visitors to the sites would be redirected to another site for additional information.

➤U.S. WORKER PRODUCTIVITY HAS TANKED THIS YEAR: U.S. labor productivity plunged first quarter in the largest decline since 1947, then dropped by the highest annual amount on record in the second according to the Bureau of Labor Statics. The third quarter data indicates year-over-year output saw three consecutive declines for the first time since 1982. According to Julie Bauke, founder and chief career strategist with The Bauke Group, the pandemic caused many older, seasoned workers to retire early, and the spots left behind by those "boomers" are being filled by an insufficient number of less-experienced workers from younger generations. At the same time, the older workers that remain now tend to be less willing to sacrifice their health or family time to take on loads of extra work. Bauke argues companies have been pushing their employees to the point that the workers don't care anymore but at the same time workers are scared to leave their jobs out of fear that they would be the first to be laid off if they took a new position elsewhere.

🚽FLUSHING TOILET LIDLESS COULD MAKE YOU SICK, RESEARCHERS FIND: In a new experiment using bright green lasers and camera equipment, scientists from the University of Colorado Boulder were able to visualize airborne particles, invisible to the naked eye, that are shot into the air when a lidless toilet is flushed.  These particles can transport pathogens, including bacteria, viruses, or other micro-organisms, that can cause disease, which could potentially pose an expose risk in public bathrooms. The scientists reported that in just eight seconds the particles shot out at rocket speeds of 6.6 feet per second, reaching 4.9 feet above the toilet.

➤CVS, WALGREENS TO PAY COMBINED $10.7 BILLION FOR ALLEGED OPIOID PRESCRIPTION LAPSES:  CVS and Walgreens have agreed to pay a combined $10.7 billion to settle allegations they failed to adequately oversee opioid painkiller prescriptions, thus contributing to America's opioid addiction crisis. The funds will be distributed to states, local governments and federally recognized tribes and will go toward opioid crisis abatement and remediation programs. CVS will pay $4.9 billion to states and political subdivisions and approximately $130 million to tribes. Walgreens will pay $4.95 billion, plus more than $750 million in fees for attorneys and costs. The payments will be made over time.


➤TIME TO PILE-ON:  Megyn Kelly branded the new Harry and Meghan Netflix documentary 'insufferable' and spent a few moments of her show on Monday speculating that what the prince needs is a qualified psychotherapist, not a 'whiny, woke annoying wife.' Kelly was none-too-impressed by the Sussex's much-discussed Netflix debut, which most have reviewed as out-of-touch whine-fest that continued to propagate the tired narrative about the bad time Harry and Meghan had performing royal duties. The SiriusXM host called the documentary, which was released late last week, 'three hours I'll never get back.' And that was the nicest thing she had to say.

Radio's Howard Stern slammed Prince Harry and Meghan Markle for acting like “whiny bitches” during a blistering review of their widely scrutinized Netflix docuseries.  During Monday’s episode of his SiriusXM radio show, Stern and his co-host Robin Quivers joked about their struggles to watch “Harry & Meghan.”  Stern said he had barely gotten through “almost the first episode” – and was already fed up with their antics.  “It’s been painful,” Stern said. “I wouldn’t stay with it, but my wife wants to watch it, so, we have shows we watch, but they come off like such whiny bitches. I gotta tell you man, I just don’t get it.”

➤DANICA MCKELLAR DEFENDS CANDACE CAMERON BURE: How I Met Your Mother actress Danica McKellar commented on Neal Bledsoe leaving Great American Family recently due to Candace Cameron Bure’s “traditional marriage” comments, which many saw as harmful to the LGBTQ+ community. "Neal is a wonderful person," McKellar told Fox News Digital. "He's such a great actor and I have enjoyed working with him so much. He and I both share our love and support of the LGBT community for sure… (but) I don't agree with his interpretation of her comments. I just didn't see them the same way."

📺T.J. HOLMES AND AMY ROBACH WILL REMAIN OFF THE AIR PENDING AN INTERNAL INVESTIGATION: Page Six reports that T.J. Holmes and Amy Robach won’t be returning to GMA3: What You Need to Know while ABC conducts an internal investigation into their relationship. ABC News president Kim Godwin updated the staff via email on Monday (December 12th), writing, “Amy and T.J. will remain off-air pending the completion of an internal review, and there will be a rotation of anchors at GMA3 for the time being.”

➤JAY LENO JOKES THAT HIS FACE LOOKS ‘BETTER’ THAN BEFORE GARAGE FIRE: In an essay published by The Wall Street Journal Sunday, Jay Leno wrote that he prefers to joke about the garage fire that left him with third-degree burns last month. “You have to joke about it,” he said. “There’s nothing worse than whiny celebrities. If you joke about it, people laugh along with you.” In this vein, the former Tonight Show host said that he has “a brand-new face,” adding that “It’s better than what was there before.”

✞ACTOR STUART MARGOLIN HAS DIED: Stuart Margolin, best known for his Emmy-winning role on “The Rockford Files,” died Monday at 82 of natural causes.  Margolin, one of the busiest character actors of his era, appeared in episodes of “Love, American Style,” “The Partridge Family” and “The Mary Tyler Moore Show.”  The actor got the role of his career as Evelyn “Angel” Martin on “The Rockford Files.” Angel would help private investigator Jim Rockford, played by James Garner, by attaining information for cases while sometimes getting Rockford in hot water.   Margolin won Emmys in 1979 and 1980 for his work on the popular NBC show.

🏈NFL MNF:  New England Patriots 27 vs Arizona Cardinals 13


🏈DALLAS COWBOYS ADD VETERAN WR T.Y. HILTON: The Dallas Cowboys found their new wide receiver on Monday by signing longtime Indianapolis Colts star T.Y. Hilton. Terms of that deal are not yet known, but Hilton was on a visit with the team in Dallas on Monday. In 10 seasons with the Indianapolis Colts, Hilton caught 631 passes for 9,691 yards and 53 touchdowns. He was a four-time Pro Bowl pick.

⚾BRAVES ACQUIRE STAR CATCHER SEAN MURPHY FROM ATHLETICS: The Atlanta Braves acquired star catcher Sean Murphy in a three-way trade with the Oakland Athletics and Milwaukee Brewers that saw nine players switch teams, the organizations involved announced on Monday. Murphy, 28, was among the most prized players on the trade market this offseason.

⚾TORONTO BLUE JAYS AGREE WITH FORMER METS STARTER CHRIS BASSITT TO $63M DEAL: The Toronto Blue Jays have agreed with former New York Mets starting pitcher Chris Bassitt on a three-year, $63 million deal. Bassitt, played a single season with the Mets in 2022, posting a 3.42 ERA and 1.145 WHIP with 167 strikeouts and 49 walks in 181 2/3 innings pitched. Previously, he played six seasons with the Oakland A's, with whom he was an All-Star in 2021 and received Cy Young votes in 2020 and '21.
 
🏀TEXAS BASKETBALL COACH CHRIS BEARD ARRESTED ON ASSAULT CHARGE: Texas men's basketball coach Chris Beard was arrested Monday morning on a felony domestic violence charge. Beard was arrested and booked at on a third-degree charge of "assault of a family/household member, impede breath circulation," or strangulation. He was released from the Travis County jail after posting a cash bond. Beard's bail had been set at $10,000.  Texas suspended coach Chris Beard "until further notice" due to his arrest.

🏀PISTONS CADE CUNNINGHAM TO HAVE SEASON-ENDING SURGERY: Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2021 NBA draft, plans to have season-ending surgery on his left shin. Cunningham, who has been sidelined since Nov. 9, consulted with multiple doctors in recent weeks and ultimately decided with the Pistons and his representatives at Excel Sports to undergo a procedure that's expected to have him fully recovered ahead of training camp for the 2023-2024 season.

🏀NBA SCORES:
  • Miami Heat 87 Indiana Pacers 82
  • Brooklyn Nets 112 Washington Wizards 100
  • Memphis Grizzlies 128 Atlanta Hawks 103
  • San Antonio Spurs 112 Cleveland Cavaliers 111
  • Portland Trail Blazers 133 Minnesota Timberwolves 112
  • L-A Clippers 113 Boston Celtics 93


➤BUNDLE-UP AND HUNKER DOWN: ❄️ A brutal winter storm packing wind gusts of up to 80 mph was marching toward the nation's interior Monday, threatening to pound a swath of the nation with snow measured in feet. Almost 15 million people in more than a dozen states faced blizzard or winter storm warnings or watches. "This system will then stall across the central Plains into Thursday, producing several days of heavy snow and blowing snow, including blizzard conditions, and freezing rain extending into the Upper Midwest," the National Weather Service said. Severe thunderstorms, tornadoes, and flooding will be possible in the South.




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