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☆ A former model accused Diddy in a new lawsuit of sexually assaulting and drugging her in 2003. He's now facing 5 suits.
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-22 | by ( Hannah Getahun | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Read previewA former model filed a lawsuit Tuesday, accusing embattled music mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs of sexually assaulting her in 2003. Crystal McKinney, according to a lawsuit obtained by Business Insider, met Combs at a 2003 Men's Fashion Week event in Manhattan when she was 22. According to the lawsuit, McKinney was introduced to Combs by a fashion designer who believed Combs could "advance her modeling career." AdvertisementAccording to the lawsuit, McKinney was invited back to Combs' recording studio and given what she believed to be laced marijuana. One woman said in her suit filed in December that Combs "sex trafficked and gang raped" her as a 17-year-old in 2003.

Persons: —, Sean, Diddy, Combs, Crystal McKinney, McKinney, Comb's, Cassie Ventura, Ventura, Aaron Dyer, Dyer, Mr Organizations: Service, Business, New York's Southern, Court, NYC, Associated Press, CNN, Los Angeles Hotel, Department of Homeland Security Locations: Manhattan, New York's, Los, Los Angeles, Miami

☆ Former BP exec's ex-husband gets prison for insider trading after eavesdropping on her calls
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-22 | by ( Dan Mangan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

The ex-husband of a former BP mergers and acquisitions manager was sentenced to two years in federal prison for insider trading that netted him $1.76 million after he eavesdropped on her work calls about the oil giant buying another company. The ex-husband, Tyler Loudon, also was sentenced to one year of supervised release after his prison term and fined $10,000 by U.S. District Court Judge Sim Lake in Houston on Monday. The prison sentence was at the bottom end of the 24-to-30-month range requested by federal prosecutors. His purchases started after he secretly listened to his wife's work calls about BP buying TravelCenters and later discussed the deal with her in "normal" married-couple kinds of conversations, according to court records. Loudon's wife, who was not accused of wrongdoing, reported his actions to her BP supervisor, but she ended up getting fired later, court records show.

Persons: eavesdropped, Tyler Loudon, Sim Lake, Loudon's, Peter Zeidenberg, Lake, Loudon, Mr, Tyler, Zeidenberg Organizations: U.S, BP, Industry, Authority, CNBC Locations: Houston, Loudon, TravelCenters, America

☆ Bob Menendez: Trump circus overshadows senator’s corruption trial
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-21 | by ( Gregory Krieg | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

So it goes for Menendez, who is likely pleased to have his legal drama playing out in relative obscurity. More recently, Fetterman mocked the senator’s defense, which relies in part on pointing the finger of blame on Nadine Menendez, his wife. Republicans in Washington, as they’ve done during these first two weeks of the Menendez trial in New York, have been consistently deferential to the New Jersey Democrat. Rep. Andy Kim, a popular Democrat from South Jersey, is expected to win the nomination to succeed Menendez. Andrew Giuliani, pressed for a thought on the senator’s trial or the allegations against him, shrugged.

Persons: New York CNN — Andrew Giuliani, Donald, ”, Rudy Giuliani squinted, “, ” He’s, Sen, Bob Menendez’s, –, Michael Cohen, Daniels, Menendez, Trump, Donald Trump Jr, Attorney Alvin Bragg, Ronny Jackson, Bob Costello, Pam Bondi, Missouri Sen, Eric Schmitt, Matt Whitaker, Sebastian Gorka, Gov, Dan Patrick, Jackson, María Elvira Salazar, Troy Nehls, Dale Strong, Daniel Webster of, Vladimir Putin’s, Cory Booker, Chuck Schumer, John Fetterman, George Santos, Fetterman, Nadine Menendez, ” Fetterman, Jake Tapper, Mitch McConnell, ” North Dakota Sen, Kevin Cramer, he’s, Andy Kim, Andrew Giuliani, haven’t, ” CNN’s Sabrina Souza Organizations: New, New York CNN, New York, Manhattan Criminal, Court, Republican, Democrat, The New, The New Jersey Democrat, Foreign Relations, Trump, Democratic, Manhattan, Attorney, Texas, Dale Strong of, Pennsylvania Democrat, New York Rep, “, Union, ”, Republicans, New Jersey Democrat, Democrats, GOP, ” North, Politico Locations: New York, Lower Manhattan, Manhattan, The, The New Jersey, Menendez’s, Florida, Sebastian Gorka , Texas, María Elvira Salazar of Florida, Texas, Dale Strong of Alabama, Daniel Webster of Florida, North Korea, Vladimir Putin’s Russia, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Washington, Egypt, ”, “ State, Israel, ” North Dakota, South Jersey, New York City

☆ Hunter Biden tries again to delay gun trial two weeks before start date
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-20 | by ( Marshall Cohen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —Hunter Biden is once again trying to delay his fast-approaching trial on felony gun charges, which is scheduled to begin in two weeks. In addition to the gun case, Biden is facing a federal tax indictment in California. He is also pursuing appeals in that case and trying to delay that trial, which is scheduled to begin in late June after the expected conclusion of the gun trial. The saga put President Biden in an uncomfortable spot, and he publicly acknowledged his granddaughter for the first time last summer. In addition, they want to ask whether potential jurors have ever bought a gun and how they feel about various restrictions on gun possession.

Persons: CNN — Hunter Biden, –, he’s, Robert Hunter Biden, Biden, David Weiss, Joe Biden’s, Weiss, General Merrick Garland, Hunter Biden, ”, Maryellen Noreika, Lunden Roberts, Clint Lancaster, Hunter, Lancaster, Roberts, Biden’s Organizations: CNN, Monday, Trump, Biden, Lawyers, Arkansas Democrat, Gazette Locations: Wilmington , Delaware, California, Delaware, Arkansas, United States

☆ Supreme Court refuses to hear case from parents who objected to school’s transgender support plans in DC suburbs
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-20 | by ( John Fritze | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —The Supreme Court on Monday declined to review an appeal from a group of parents who claimed their suburban Washington-area school district was hiding transgender support plans involving their children. It’s the latest in a series of cases where the high court has dodged the issue of transgender rights at school – often leaving in place lower court rulings that sided with trans students. The appeals court said that the parents had not established that they were injured in a way that allowed them to sue. Three years ago, the Supreme Court declined to take up an appeal from a Virginia school district about whether schools may ban transgender students from using a bathroom that reflects their gender identity. Last year, the court denied West Virginia’s request to let it enforce a state law that bans transgender women and girls from participating on public school sports teams.

Persons: “, ”, West Organizations: CNN, Montgomery Country Locations: Washington, Maryland, Maine, California, Virginia

☆ Former Augusta National Golf Club employee pleads guilty to stealing millions worth of Masters memorabilia and merchandise
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-18 | by ( Samuel Joseph | Sam Joseph | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —A former employee of the Augusta National Golf Club (ANGC) in Georgia has pleaded guilty to stealing millions worth of Masters Tournament merchandise and memorabilia. A view of a Members Only sign outside of Augusta National Golf Club prior to the 2024 Masters Tournament on April 7. The 11th green is prepared prior to the 2024 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club on April 6. CNN has contacted Augusta National for further comment. Unlike the other majors, The Masters is played at the same course every year, with Augusta National hosting the event since the year it was founded.

Persons: CNN —, Richard Globensky, Globensky’s, Arnold Palmer, Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Globensky, Bobby Jones, Andrew Redington, “, Maddie Meyer, Tom Church, Scottie Scheffler Organizations: CNN, Augusta National Golf, District of Illinois Eastern, Masters, Augusta National, United States Attorney’s Office, Prosecutors, Augusta National Golf Club, PGA, U.S . Locations: Georgia, Chicago, Augusta, Florida

☆ They claim AI stole their voices. Now they’re suing
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-17 | by ( Clare Duffy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Now, Lehrman, along with fellow voice actor Linnea Sage, is suing AI firm Lovo for allegedly commissioning them for voice projects under false pretenses in order to create and sell AI-generated versions of their voices. The Berkeley, California based tech company advertises AI-generated voice technology to be used in marketing, education and product demos. Then in June 2023, Lehrman claims he heard his voice being used on a podcast about the dangers of AI technologies. Sage says she later also discovered her voice in a YouTube video: a recording of a Lovo investor presentation demonstrating its technology. They are voices stolen by LOVO and marketed by LOVO under false pretenses,” the complaint states.

Persons: Paul Lehrman, Linnea Sage, Lovo, Sage, ” Lovo, Lehrman, he’d, LOVO Organizations: New, New York CNN —, Court, New York Times Locations: New York, Berkeley, California, Southern

☆ Read the Texas Governor’s Pardon
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-16 | by ( ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

PROCLAMATION BY THE Governor of the State of Texas PROCLAMATION No. 2024-0001 DPS #07666731 TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME: WHEREAS, Daniel Scott Perry, TDCJ #02450686, D.O.B. April 24, 1987, was sentenced in the 147th District Court in Travis County on May 10, 2023, to twenty- five years in prison for the offense of Murder, Cause No. D-1-DC-21-900007; and WHEREAS, the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles has conducted an exhaustive review of Daniel Scott Perry's personal history and the facts surrounding his shooting of Garrett Foster; and WHEREAS, both the Second Amendment to the United States Constitution and Article I, Section 23, of the Texas Constitution protect the right to keep and bear arms for, among other things, self-defense; and WHEREAS, Texas law, consistent with those constitutional guarantees, provides one of the clearest self-defense protections in the United States; and WHEREAS, Texas Penal Code § 9.32(a) provides that a person “is justified in using deadly force against another" when that person "reasonably believes the deadly force is immediately necessary" to protect a person against another's use of unlawful deadly force; and WHEREAS, Texas Penal Code § 9.32(c) provides that a person who is otherwise lawfully present at the location where deadly force is used "is not required to retreat before using deadly force"; and WHEREAS, on July 25, 2020, Daniel Scott Perry, while driving on a public road in Austin, slowed his vehicle as he rounded a corner onto Congress Avenue and encountered a group of protestors obstructing traffic; and WHEREAS, Daniel Scott Perry's car was immediately surrounded by aggressive protestors who rushed to obstruct, strike, pound, smash, and kick his vehicle; and WHEREAS, Garrett Foster then approached within 18 inches of Daniel Scott Perry's car, confronted him, and brandished a Kalashnikov-style rifle in the low-ready firing position; and WHEREAS, Daniel Scott Perry fired his handgun at Garrett Foster to eliminate a perceived threat to his safety and called law enforcement less than one minute later to inform them of the incident; and WHEREAS, Daniel Scott Perry explained to law enforcement at the time that he used his weapon because he feared losing his life and has since consistently stated that he acted in self-defense; and WHEREAS, Travis County District Attorney José Garza, rather than upholding the self- defense rights of citizens, has prioritized "reducing access to guns" that citizens may use to lawfully defend themselves; and FILED IN THE OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE 1:25 PM O'CLOCK MAY 16 2024

Persons: Daniel Scott Perry, Paroles, Daniel Scott Perry's, Garrett Foster, brandished, Attorney José Garza Organizations: D.O.B, Texas, United States Constitution, Travis, Attorney Locations: Texas, TDCJ, Travis County, United States, Austin

☆ Wife of Sen. Robert Menendez has breast cancer, he reveals during corruption trial
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-16 | by ( Kevin Breuninger | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

US Senator Bob Menendez, Democrat of New Jersey, and his wife Nadine Arslanian, arrive at the US District Court, Southern District of New York, in New York City on September 27, 2023. Nadine Menendez, the wife and co-defendant of Sen. Robert Menendez, has been diagnosed with breast cancer, the Democratic lawmaker revealed Thursday during his trial on federal corruption charges. Nadine Menendez "had financial concerns that she kept from Bob," he said. The attorney advised the jurors that every time they hear evidence about Nadine Menendez, they should ask themselves, "What did Bob know?" "Every action Senator Menendez took was to help his constituents," he said.

Persons: Bob Menendez, Nadine Arslanian, Nadine Menendez, Sen, Robert Menendez, Menendez, Nadine, ” Menendez, Nadine Menendez's, Wael Hana, Fred Daibes, Avi Weitzman, Weitzman, Bob, Waldo, Laura Pomerantz, Pomerantz Organizations: Democrat, Court, Southern District of, Democratic, NBC Locations: New Jersey, Southern District, Southern District of New York, New York City, Manhattan, Jersey, U.S

At least some of the workers are described as North Korean nationals in the indictment. Some of these IT workers work closely with North Korean hackers, who are also a rich source of revenue for the regime, according to experts. A previous CNN investigation found that the founder of a California-based cryptocurrency startup had unwittingly paid tens of thousands of dollars to a North Korean engineer. And North Korean illustrators and graphic designers appear to have helped produce work for US animation studios unbeknownst to those companies, independent researchers told CNN last month. The researchers discovered a trove of cartoon sketches on an open computer server on the North Korean portion of the internet.

Persons: Christina Chapman, Chapman, ” Organizations: CNN, Court, District of Columbia, North Korean, State Department, cyberattacks, White Locations: Arizona, Valley, Pyongyang, Korean, California, North Korean

☆ Sen. Robert Menendez bribery trial: Opening statements expected in corruption case
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-15 | by ( Kevin Breuninger | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ), arrives at Federal Court, for his bribery trial in connection with an alleged corrupt relationship with three New Jersey businessmen, in New York City, U.S., May 14, 2024. Prosecutors and defense attorneys are poised Wednesday to select a full jury and deliver opening statements in the federal bribery trial of Sen. Robert Menendez of New Jersey. Prosecutors will begin their opening statements shortly afterward "if all goes to plan," the judge said. A third New Jersey businessman charged in the case, Jose Uribe, pleaded guilty in March and agreed to cooperate with the federal prosecutors. Nadine Menendez has not been in court with her husband.

Persons: Robert Menendez, Sen, Sidney Stein, Stein, Menendez, Nadine Menendez, Wael Hanna, Fred Daibes, Jose Uribe Organizations: Federal Court, Prosecutors, Robert Menendez of New, Democratic, Benz, Senate Foreign Relations Committee Locations: Jersey, New York City, U.S, Robert Menendez of, Robert Menendez of New Jersey, Manhattan, Egypt, Qatar, New Jersey

☆ Supreme Court allows second majority-Black district in Louisiana over liberal dissents
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-15 | by ( John Fritze | Fredreka Schouten | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

The ruling will have an impact beyond the Louisiana district, which likely explains the vote count, said CNN Supreme Court analyst Steve Vladeck. The Supreme Court has never defined what constitutes a “last-minute” election decision that should bar courts from weighing into such disputes. In a brief dissent, Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson said it was premature for the Supreme Court to intervene in the case. Louisiana came to the Supreme Court caught between two lower court orders. Two years ago, the Supreme Court allowed that map to be used in the midterm even though a lower court said it was likely illegal.

Persons: Sen, Cleo Fields, “, ”, Liz Murrill, –, Steve Vladeck, Vladeck, Purcell, Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, Purcell “, ” “, ” Jackson, Jackson, ” Vladeck, “ Today’s, Garret Graves, Jeff Landry’s, ” Michael McClanahan, ” Edward Greim, Paul Hurd Organizations: CNN, Democrats, Representatives, Democrat, Republican, US, CNN Supreme, Black, University of Texas School of Law, Louisiana Gov, Court, Supreme, White Republicans, White, NAACP Louisiana State Conference, “ Locations: Black, Louisiana, Shreveport, Baton Rouge, Rep, Bayou, Republican Louisiana

☆ Analysis: Cohen gets a breather after bruising cross-examination as Trump looks on
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-15 | by ( Stephen Collinson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Blanche took Cohen through a long list of the insults he’s unleashed at Trump since becoming estranged from his former mentor, highlighting his penchant for serial lying. He drew jurors’ attention to a social media post in which Cohen wore a T-shirt that depicted Trump in jail, as he spun a narrative of bias and obsession. A key legal conundrum is whether prosecutors have so far succeeded in validating the legal theory behind the case. That foreboding realization was exacerbated by a new posse of Trump supporters at the courthouse on Tuesday, including House Speaker Mike Johnson. While Cohen’s reluctance to offer yes-and-no answers came across at times as flippant and confrontational, he did not appear to say or do anything to torpedo the prosecution case.

Persons: Donald Trump’s, Michael Cohen, don’t, Cohen, ”, Todd Blanche, president’s, didn’t, he’s, Trump, Stormy Daniels, Blanche, ” Cohen, he’d, ” Blanche, douchebag, ” Michael Moore, “, Moore, Juan Merchan, Will Trump’s, ” Shira Scheindlin, CNN’s Jake Tapper, ” Scheindlin, “ Cohen, Mike Johnson, ” Johnson, Andrew McCabe, Cohen’s, ” Moore, Daniels, Susan Hoffinger, reimbursements, ’ ” Cohen Organizations: CNN, GOP, Trump, Middle, Middle District of, Louisiana Republican, Defense, FBI Locations: Ohio, Kentucky, Middle District, Middle District of Georgia, New York, Louisiana, Blanche, Manhattan

☆ Prosecutors ask judge to jail former Trump aide Steve Bannon after he loses appeal
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-14 | by ( Dan Mangan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Federal prosecutors on Tuesday asked a judge to order former Trump White House aide Steven Bannon to begin serving his four-month jail sentence for contempt of Congress, citing a recent appeals court decision upholding his conviction. Bannon's lawyer, David Schoen, did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the motion. Judge Carl Nichols, who was appointed to the district court by former President Donald Trump, later sentenced Bannon to four months in jail but allowed him to remain free pending appeal. After that ruling, Bannon's lawyer Schoen said that he would ask for the appeal to be reheard by a panel made up of all the judges on the D.C. Circuit appeals court.

Persons: Steven Bannon, Bannon, David Schoen, Carl Nichols, Donald Trump, Nichols, Bannon's, Trump's, Schoen Organizations: Trump White House, U.S . Capitol, District of Columbia, U.S, Circuit, Appeals Locations: United States, America, U.S

☆ An Iowa sheriff's department spent some of its $600K income from jail fees on a cotton-candy machine and laser tag: lawsuit
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-14 | by ( Joshua Zitser | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Read previewCivil rights groups initiated a class-action lawsuit on Monday, accusing an Iowa sheriff's department and its sheriff of unlawfully collecting jail fees and using some of the proceeds to fund laser tag, ice cream, and a cotton candy machine. Laser tag, ice cream, and cotton candy machinesAccording to the lawsuit, the policy is a money maker for Black Hawk County Sheriff's Office. It said that the department collected $590,217.36 in jail fees between July 2021 to July 2023. AdvertisementSome counties don't collect jail fees at all because they see the practice as unfair, the ACLU and Public Justice said in a joint statement. In the joint statement by the ACLU and Public Justice, Roberts said she wanted to take a stand against the practice.

Persons: —, Tony Thompson, Rita Bettis Austen, Sheriff Thompson, Raymond, Leticia Roberts, Roberts, Charles Moore Organizations: Service, Business, Court, Nothern District of, American Civil Liberties Union of Iowa, Public, Sheriff's, ACLU, Public Justice Locations: Iowa, Hawk, Nothern District, Nothern District of Iowa

☆ Black Man Charged With Threatening to Kill White People in Mass Shooting
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-13 | by ( Ed Shanahan | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

A Black man from New Jersey who was until recently a U.S. Marine has been charged with threatening to kill white people — “as many as I possibly can” — in a ranting message posted online, federal prosecutors said on Monday. The man, Joshua Cobb, acknowledged to F.B.I. agents in an interview last month that he had written the threatening message, admitted posting other ominous comments and described in detail several sites he had considered as potential targets, a criminal complaint says. Mr. Cobb, 23, of Trenton, was charged with one count of transmitting a threat in interstate and foreign commerce. He was scheduled to make an initial appearance before a magistrate judge in Federal District Court in Trenton Monday afternoon, the U.S. attorney’s office in New Jersey said.

Persons: Joshua Cobb, Cobb Organizations: Marine, Buffalo, Federal, Court Locations: New Jersey, U.S, Florida, Trenton

☆ Bob Menendez: Here’s what prosecutors say bought off a US senator
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-12 | by ( Zachary B. Wolf | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Here’s what prosecutors say the senator and his wife got:Gold barsProsecutors say Hana and Daibes gave Menendez and his wife gold bars, which were seized by the FBI from the Menendez residence. After returning from a trip to Egypt and getting a ride home from the airport from Daibes’ driver, prosecutors say Menendez searched online for the price of a gold bar. Nadine Menendez needed a new car, apparently after hitting and killing a jaywalker in Bogota, New Jersey, in December 2018. There is a long list of actions prosecutors say Menendez undertook in exchange for all of these alleged bribes. The envelopes of cash prosecutors say bore Daibes’ fingerprints may be more difficult to explain.

Persons: CNN — Democratic Sen, Bob Menendez, Mercedes, Menendez, CNN’s Manu Raju, “, ”, Nadine, Wael Hana, Fred Daibes, Jose Uribe, Daibes, Nadine Menendez’s, Nadine Menendez, Uribe, Hana, –, …, Qataris, retry Menendez, Salomon Melgen, Melgen, Donald Trump Organizations: CNN — Democratic, Bob Menendez of New, Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Capitol, FBI, Court Southern District of, Prosecutors, Court Southern District of New York Prosecutors, Court Southern District of New York, Menendez, Uribe, Mercedes, Benz, Senate Foreign Relations, US Department of Agriculture, New York, of Justice Locations: Bob Menendez of, Bob Menendez of New Jersey, Egypt, Qatar, New Jersey, Daibes, Court Southern District of New York, Bogota , New Jersey, New

☆ Who Are Key Players in the Menendez Case?
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-11 | by ( Tracey Tully | Benjamin Weiser | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +7 min

Who Are Key Players in the Menendez Case? Mr. Menendez goes to trial on May 13 with two of the businessmen, Fred Daibes and Wael Hana. Fred Daibes New Jersey Real Estate Developer Mr. Daibes is accused of giving Mr. Menendez furniture, gold and cash. Nadine Menendez Mr. Menendez’s Wife Ms. Menendez served as a go-between for Mr. Menendez, Egyptian intelligence officials and men who were seeking political favors from the senator, according to the indictment. Defense LawyersAdam Fee Lawyer for Robert Menendez He previously spent five years as a prosecutor in the U.S. attorney’s office for the Southern District — the same office prosecuting Mr. Menendez.

Persons: Menendez, Robert Menendez, Nadine Menendez, Mr, Fred Daibes, Wael Hana, Menendez's, Daibes, Nadine Menendez Mr, Menendez’s, Ms, Jose Uribe, Uribe, Uribe's, Sidney H, Stein, Bill Clinton, Jennifer Shah, Hassan Nemazee, Damian Williams, Williams, President Biden, Sam Bankman, Fried, Juan Orlando Hernández, Christina Clark, Clark, Charles McGonigal, Catherine Ghosh, Eli Mark, Paul Monteleoni, Robert Hadden, Lara Pomerantz, Ghislaine Maxwell, Jeffrey Epstein, Norman Seabrook, Daniel Richenthal, Sheldon Silver, Michael Avenatti, Adam Fee, Fee, Avi Weitzman, Lawrence Lustberg Organizations: Democrat, Robert Menendez New Jersey, Senate Foreign Relations, Jersey Real, EG, Prosecutors, United, Jose Uribe Former New, Benz, U.S, Southern, of, Democratic, Attorney, Southern District of, ex, Public, New, New York City Housing Authority, Justice Department, Southern District’s, New York State Assembly, Nike . Defense, Southern District Locations: New Jersey, Manhattan, Jersey, Egypt, Qatar, United States, Jose Uribe Former New Jersey, of New York, Southern District, Southern District of New York, Russian, New York City, Brooklyn, Columbia, New York, U.S, California

☆ The rule capping credit card late fees at $8 is on hold — here’s what it means for you
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-10 | by ( Hugh Son | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

The U.S. banking industry won a key victory in its effort to block the implementation of a Consumer Financial Protection Bureau rule that would've drastically limited the fees that credit card companies can charge for late payment. The CFPB estimates that the rule would've saved American families $10 billion a year in fees paid by those who fall behind on their bills. It would've capped late fees that are typically $32 per incident to $8 each and limited the industry's ability to hike the fees. "Consumers will shoulder $800 million in late fees every month that the rule is delayed — money that pads the profit margins of the largest credit card issuers," a CFPB spokesman told CNBC on Friday. The CBA said it will continue to press its case in the courts on why the CFPB rule should be "thrown out entirely."

Persons: Rohit Chopra, Mark Pittman, would've Organizations: Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Banking, Housing, Urban Affairs Committee, Washington , D.C, Financial, Bureau, Northern, Northern District of Texas, U.S . Chamber of Commerce, U.S, CNBC, Consumer Bankers Association, District, CBA Locations: Washington ,, U.S, Northern District

☆ Judge Blocks New U.S. Rule Limiting Credit Card Late Fees
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-10 | by ( Cade Metz | More About Cade Metz | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

In March, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau announced that a new federal rule would cap fees on late credit card payments at $8 a month, estimating that the change would save American households $10 billion a year. On Friday, a federal judge in Fort Worth temporarily blocked the rule, siding with bank and credit card company lobbyists who contend in a lawsuit that it is unconstitutional. Now, the lobbyists can continue their legal fight in U.S. District Court before Judge Mark T. Pittman, who granted the preliminary injunction. The consumer bureau’s new rule would limit issuers to an $8 fee unless they could show that more money was needed to cover their collection costs. The bureau estimated that the rule would apply to more than 95 percent of all outstanding credit card balances.

Persons: Mark T, Pittman Organizations: Consumer Financial, Bureau Locations: Fort Worth, U.S

☆ Fat Brands and chair Andy Wiederhorn indicted in $47 million 'sham' loan scheme
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-10 | by ( Amelia Lucas | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Federal authorities on Friday charged Fat Brands and its chair Andy Wiederhorn of committing a brazen scheme that netted him $47 million in bogus loans from the restaurant company that owns Fatburger, Johnny Rockets and Twin Peaks. Fat Brands, Wiederhorn and a few other people were criminally indicted by a federal grand jury in Los Angeles for wire fraud, tax evasion and other counts related to the alleged scheme. "These charges are unprecedented, unwarranted, unsubstantiated and unjust," Fat Brands counsel Brian Hennigan said in a statement. As chief executive of Fat Brands, Wiederhorn, 58, allegedly directed the company to loan its own funds to him, with no intention of ever paying the "sham" loans back, according to the indictment. He also did not report any of the so-called loans from Fat Brands as income, according to the indictment.

Persons: Andy Wiederhorn, Johnny, Brian Hennigan, Wiederhorn, overreach —, Nicola Hanna, Wiederhorn's, Thayer, Ron Roe, Rebecca Hershinger, William Amon Organizations: Brands, Johnny Rockets, U.S . Securities, Exchange Commission, Fat Brands, SEC, Fog, Wiederhorn Locations: Los Angeles, Oregon, U.S

☆ Cold Stone Creamery is being sued because its pistachio ice cream has no pistachios in it
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-10 | by ( Joshua Zitser | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Cold Stone Creamery is facing legal action over 'pistachio' ice cream that contains no pistachios. AdvertisementThe parent company of Cold Stone Creamery is facing legal action after a New York woman ordered "pistachio" ice cream only to discover that it didn't contain pistachios. It all started when the plaintiff visited a Cold Stone Creamery in Levittown, Long Island, in July 2022, ordering what she believed was a pistachio ice cream. The plaintiff's lawyers argued that had she been aware of this, she wouldn't have bought the ice cream. Related storiesIn the ruling, the plaintiff compared Cold Stone Creamy's pistachio ice cream to offerings from Häagen-Dazs and Ben and Jerry's, both of which contained real pistachios.

Persons: —, Gary R, Brown, wouldn't, Jerry's, Kahala Brands, Taco, Oren Bitan Organizations: Service, Cold, Eastern, Court, Kahala Brands, Kahala, Business, Taco Bell Locations: New York, York, Brooklyn, Levittown, Long, Häagen

☆ U.S. Judge Backs U.K. Request to Extradite ‘Irish Heiress’ Who Swindled Producer
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-09 | by ( Isabella Kwai | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Her elaborate schemes, among them posing as the heiress to an Irish fortune, swindled people out of huge sums and left Marianne Smyth with two felony convictions. Ms. Smyth became known as the “Irish heiress” after one of her former victims, Johnathan Walton, started a podcast in 2021 about his experience. The two became close friends after meeting in 2013, and Mr. Walton, a reality television producer, said that Ms. Smyth had claimed to be from a prominent Irish family. But she was facing money problems, she told him, and was battling relatives in Ireland over an inheritance worth tens of millions of dollars. Sympathetic, Mr. Walton lent her money and the use of his credit card, an amount that totaled more than $63,000.

Persons: Marianne Smyth, Smyth, ”, Johnathan Walton, Walton Organizations: U.S . Marshals Service Locations: American, Northern Ireland, U.S, Maine, Irish, Ireland

☆ Hunter Biden gun case: Appeals court refuses to toss Delaware case
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-09 | by ( Dan Mangan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

A federal appeals court on Thursday rejected a request by Hunter Biden to toss the pending criminal gun case against him, saying that his appeal was premature. The ruling clears the way for Hunter Biden's trial in the case to start on June 3 in U.S. District Court in Delaware. Biden is the son of President Joe Biden. The appeals panel, whose decision was unanimous, did not rule on the merits of Biden's arguments that the indictment should be dismissed. If Biden is convicted at trial, he could renew the arguments for dismissal with the same appeals court that it declined to consider in its order Thursday.

Persons: Hunter Biden, Joe Biden, Hunter Biden's, Biden, Abbe Lowell, Lowell, Maryellen Noreika Organizations: Republican, O'Neill, 3rd Circuit U.S, Circuit, Supreme, U.S, District, Republicans Locations: Washington , U.S, U.S, Delaware, Congress

☆ Kylie McKenzie: Jury awards $9M in damages to tennis player in sexual assault case
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-09 | by ( Ben Morse | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —A jury has awarded $9 million in damages to a tennis player after a court ruled that the United States Tennis Association (USTA) failed to protect her from being sexually assaulted by a coach. “My confidence and my self-esteem was gone,” McKenzie said, “both on and off the court.”On Monday, a jury awarded McKenzie $3 million in compensation and $6 million in punitive damages. Shortly after, Aranda began to coach McKenzie. McKenzie alleges that Aranda remarked on her physical appearance, inquired about her personal life and would instigate inappropriate physical contact with her. With each serve repetition, Coach Aranda would press harder and harder against Plaintiff’s body to the point where Plaintiff would almost tip forward and lose her balance,” the lawsuit says.

Persons: Kylie McKenzie, Anibal Aranda –, “, McKenzie, Aranda, ” McKenzie, ”, Chris Widmaier, –, ” Widmaier, Michael Chow, Robert Allard, McKenzie “, Aranda’s, Anibal Aranda, John Raoux, Aranda groped, Jane Doe ”, Jane Doe Organizations: CNN, United States Tennis Association, USTA, Court, Athletic, USA, AP, US Center, SafeSport Locations: American, Orlando , Florida, Arizona, Republic, Orlando, Aranda, New York

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