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☆ Van Goghs attacked again in London hours after Just Stop Oil activists sentenced
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-27 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Supporters of Phoebe Plummer and Anna Holland protest in front of Southwark Crown Court on September 27, 2024 in London, England.] Three Just Stop Oil activists threw soup at two of Vincent van Gogh's "Sunflowers" paintings in London's National Gallery on Friday, just hours after two other members of the protest group were jailed for doing the same thing in 2022. The activists threw tomato soup at the "Sunflowers" owned by the London Gallery, and another from the series that is on loan from Philadelphia Museum of Art for a temporary exhibition. The National Gallery said three people had been arrested and the paintings were unharmed. Activists from Just Stop Oil have staged a number of eye-catching protests in recent years, including disrupting sporting events, theatre performances and road traffic.

Persons: Phoebe Plummer, Anna Holland, Vincent van, Plummer, Holland, Christopher Hehir, Roger Hallam Organizations: Southwark Crown, Oil, London, Philadelphia Museum of Art, London's, London's Southwark Crown Court Locations: Southwark, London, England, London's Southwark, Britain, Europe

☆ Julian Assange ends stalemate with US, exchanging guilty plea to felony charge for his freedom
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-25 | by ( Lauren Said-Moorhouse | Thomas Manglona | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +15 min

Leon Neal/AFP/Getty Images Assange addresses the Oxford Union Society from the Ecuadorian Embassy in January 2013. David Paul Morris/Bloomberg/Getty Images Assange attends a news conference inside the Ecuadorian Embassy in London in August 2014. FABRICE COFFRINI/AFP/Getty Images Assange, on the balcony of the Ecuadorian Embassy, holds up a United Nations report in February 2016. Carl Court/Getty Images Assange speaks to the media in May 2017, after Swedish prosecutors had dropped their investigation of rape allegations against Assange. Jack Taylor/Getty Images Assange was seen for the first time in months during a hearing via teleconference in Quito, Ecuador, in October 2018.

Persons: Julian Assange, “, ” Assange, Assange, Kim Hong, Ramona Manglona, Chelsea Manning, Jack Taylor, LEON NEAL, BERTIL ERICSON, FABRICE COFFRINI, Carl Court, Geoff Caddick, Oli Scarff, CARL COURT, Leon Neal, Philip Toscano, Ricardo Patino, Frank Augstein, David Paul Morris, John Stillwell, Mike, Pompeo, Maria Sol Borja, Alastair Grant, Daniel Leal, Elizabeth Cook, Anthony Albanese, Joe Biden, ASSANGE, Adrienne Watson, Stella, ”, Gabriel Shipton, he’s, hasn’t, Julian, –, ” Shipton Organizations: Northern Mariana Islands CNN, Northern, Northern Mariana Islands . Justice Department, WikiLeaks, United States, Reuters, Army, Metropolitan Police, US Justice Department, British, Justice Department, Guardian, Getty, Swedish Trade Union Confederation, St, Paul's, Court, Ecuadorian Embassy, Oxford Union Society, Ecuadorian Foreign, Southwest Festival, Bloomberg, United Nations Human Rights, United, United Nations, CIA, CNN, Ecuadorian, Ecuador, Southwark Crown, White, Sweden, National Security, Department of Justice, BBC Radio Locations: Saipan, Northern Mariana, London, United Kingdom, Hawaii, Northern Mariana Islands, Australia, United States, Iraq, Afghanistan, Sweden, Ecuadorian, Ecuador, Westminster, AFP, Stockholm, Geneva, Switzerland, Austin , Texas, United Nations, Quito, Southwark, Baghdad, Guantanamo Bay

☆ Kevin Spacey says he was ‘too handsy’ in the past
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-12 | by ( Lianne Kolirin | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Kevin Spacey has said that he was “too handsy” and that he’s been guilty of “pushing the boundaries” in the past, in a lengthy interview released Tuesday. The two-time Oscar winner was responding to claims of inappropriate behavior in an interview that ran for more than 90 minutes. “I’m absolutely 150% prepared to take accountability for those things and mistakes that I made… bad, bad, bad, behavior some times,” he told Piers Morgan Uncensored on YouTube. Last year, Spacey, 64, was found not guilty of seven counts of sexual assault and two counts of other serious sexual offenses following a four-week trial in London. The allegations covered a period between 2004 and 2013, when Spacey served as artistic director at the Old Vic theater in the British capital.

Persons: Kevin Spacey, he’s, “, ”, Piers Morgan, Spacey, Anthony Rapp, Morgan, ” Morgan, ” Spacey, Susannah Ireland, “ can’t Organizations: CNN, YouTube, Old, Southwark Crown, Reuters, “, Netflix Locations: London, New York, Nantucket, Massachusetts, Southwark, Baltimore

London CNN —WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange will find out Monday whether he can make a final challenge against his extradition to the United States. LEON NEAL/AFP/Getty Images Assange attends a seminar at the Swedish Trade Union Confederation in Stockholm on August 14, 2010. LEON NEAL/AFP/Getty Images Assange and his bodyguards are seen after a news conference in Geneva, Switzerland, in November 2010. Carl Court/Getty Images Assange speaks to the media in May 2017, after Swedish prosecutors had dropped their investigation of rape allegations against Assange. Jack Taylor/Getty Images Assange was seen for the first time in months during a hearing via teleconference in Quito, Ecuador, in October 2018.

Persons: Julian Assange, Assange, Victoria Sharp, Jeremy Johnson —, Stella Assange, ” “ Julian, ”, Kristinn Hrafnsson, Jack Taylor, LEON NEAL, BERTIL ERICSON, FABRICE COFFRINI, Carl Court, Geoff Caddick, Oli Scarff, CARL COURT, Leon Neal, Philip Toscano, Ricardo Patino, Frank Augstein, David Paul Morris, John Stillwell, Mike, Pompeo, Maria Sol Borja, Chelsea Manning, Alastair Grant, Daniel Leal, Elizabeth Cook, Anthony Albanese, “, Albanese’s, Joe Biden, Trump, Biden, Sunna, it’s, Alan Rusbridger Organizations: London CNN, Foreign Press Association, Court, European, of Human Rights, WikiLeaks, Guardian, Getty, Swedish Trade Union Confederation, St, Paul's, British, Ecuadorian Embassy, Oxford Union Society, Ecuadorian Foreign, Southwest Festival, Bloomberg, United Nations Human Rights, United, United Nations, CIA, CNN, Army, Ecuadorian, Ecuador, Southwark Crown, Australian, Parliamentary, of Europe, Prospect Magazine Locations: United States, London, Westminster, Afghanistan, AFP, Stockholm, Iraq, Geneva, Switzerland, Sweden, Ecuador, Austin , Texas, Ecuadorian, United Nations, United Kingdom, Quito, Southwark, London’s, Australia

☆ A Chinese takeaway worker who had 61,000 bitcoin worth $1.8 billion seized by police found guilty of money laundering
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-21 | by ( George Glover | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

In 2021, police seized 61,000 bitcoin from digital wallets linked to the Chinese takeaway worker. AdvertisementA former Chinese takeaway worker was found guilty of a money laundering offense after police discovered that she'd converted bitcoin worth billions into cash and big-ticket items including jewelry and properties in Dubai. The case unfolded after police seized 61,000 bitcoin from digital wallets linked to Wen in 2021. The crypto haul, which was worth £1.4 billion ($1.8 billion) then and would now be valued at $3.8 billion, the CPS said. AdvertisementWhen challenged, the woman said she'd made the money legitimately through bitcoin mining, and later claimed her employer gave her 3,000 bitcoin then worth about £15 million.

Persons: Jian Wen, Wen, —, Prosecutors, Cash, Jian, CPS Wen, she'd, Andrew Penhale, Adrian Foster Organizations: Service, Southwark Crown, CPS, UK . Police Locations: London, Dubai, Southwark, Leeds, China

☆ Julian Assange makes last-ditch attempt in UK court to avoid extradition to the US
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-20 | by ( Lauren Said-Moorhouse | Claudia Rebaza | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +14 min

LEON NEAL/AFP/Getty Images Assange attends a seminar at the Swedish Trade Union Confederation in Stockholm on August 14, 2010. LEON NEAL/AFP/Getty Images Assange and his bodyguards are seen after a news conference in Geneva, Switzerland, in November 2010. FABRICE COFFRINI/AFP/Getty Images Assange, on the balcony of the Ecuadorian Embassy, holds up a United Nations report in February 2016. Carl Court/Getty Images Assange speaks to the media in May 2017, after Swedish prosecutors had dropped their investigation of rape allegations against Assange. Jack Taylor/Getty Images Assange was seen for the first time in months during a hearing via teleconference in Quito, Ecuador, in October 2018.

Persons: London CNN — Julian Assange’s, Priti Patel, Assange, Julian Assange, Jack Taylor, LEON NEAL, BERTIL ERICSON, FABRICE COFFRINI, Carl Court, Geoff Caddick, Oli Scarff, CARL COURT, Leon Neal, Philip Toscano, Ricardo Patino, Frank Augstein, David Paul Morris, John Stillwell, Mike, Pompeo, Maria Sol Borja, Chelsea Manning, Alastair Grant, Daniel Leal, Elizabeth Cook, Assange’s, Edward Fitzgerald, ”, “, ” Fitzgerald, Fitzgerald, Assange “, ” Mark Summers, Stella, Julia Hall, Rebecca Vincent, ” Vincent, Nick Vamos, “ It’s, Vamos Organizations: London CNN, WikiLeaks, European, of Human Rights, Ecuadorian, Guardian, Getty, Swedish Trade Union Confederation, St, Paul's, Court, British, Ecuadorian Embassy, Oxford Union Society, Ecuadorian Foreign, Southwest Festival, Bloomberg, United Nations Human Rights, United, United Nations, CIA, CNN, Army, Ecuador, Southwark Crown, Metropolitan Police, US Justice Department, Eastern, of, Department, US, UK’s, Media, Foreign Press Association, Amnesty, International Campaigns, US Espionage, Peters & Peters, Prosecution Service Locations: United States, British, Belmarsh, Queensland, Australia, Westminster, London, Afghanistan, AFP, Stockholm, Iraq, Geneva, Switzerland, Sweden, Ecuador, Austin , Texas, Ecuadorian, United Nations, United Kingdom, Quito, Southwark, America, of Virginia, Guantanamo, Australian, Europe, UK’s

☆ Ex-Goldman Sachs analyst found guilty of insider dealing
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-15 | by ( ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

London — A former Goldman Sachs analyst was convicted Thursday of using inside information to buy shares in listed companies and make more than 140,000 pounds ($175,650). Mohammed Zina, 35, was employed by Goldman Sachs International, a subsidiary of the bank, in London. A Goldman Sachs spokesperson said: “Mohammed Zina betrayed the trust we placed in him, and his misuse of client information was in direct contradiction of our values. Prosecutor Peter Carter told jurors at the start of the trial that Mohammed Zina had used “private, confidential, price-sensitive information” to invest on the stock exchange. He said the internal policies of Goldman Sachs strictly forbid any use of confidential information acquired by the investment bank or its employees.

Persons: Goldman Sachs, Mohammed Zina, SoftBank, Zina, “ Mohammed Zina, Steve Smart, Suhail Zina, Clifford Chance, Peter Carter Organizations: London, Goldman, Goldman Sachs International, Prosecutors, Tesco Bank, UK Financial, Authority, Southwark Crown Locations: London, British, Southwark

☆ Madagascan President's Ex-Aide Offered Influence for Bribes, London Jury Told
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-06 | by ( Feb. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

By Sam TobinLONDON (Reuters) - Madagascan President Andry Rajoelina's ex-chief of staff offered to use her influence to obtain bribes from precious stone miner Gemfields in exchange for help with lucrative mining rights, prosecutors told a London court on Tuesday. Romy Andrianarisoa, 47, is accused of seeking substantial payments from Gemfields between 2021 and 2023 to help the company expand its business into Madagascar. Prosecutor Alex Leach told jurors at Southwark Crown Court that Andrianarisoa was, at the time of the alleged offending, a "trusted adviser" to Rajoelina. At the meeting, Andrianarisoa "made it clear she had direct influence on the president", Leach added. He said Gemfields later approached Britain's National Crime Agency (NCA) after it became clear Andrianarisoa and her associate Philippe Tabuteau were seeking a bribe.

Persons: Sam Tobin LONDON, Andry Rajoelina's, Romy Andrianarisoa, Andrianarisoa, Alex Leach, Leach, Sean Gilbertson, Gemfields, Britain's, Philippe Tabuteau, Tabuteau, Sam Tobin, Bernadette Baum Organizations: Southwark Crown, Crime Agency, NCA, Gemfields Locations: London, Gemfields, Madagascar, Southwark, Tabuteau

☆ Goldman Sachs analyst used inside information for profit, London court told
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-30 | by ( Sam Tobin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, Nov 30 (Reuters) - A former Goldman Sachs (GS.N) analyst used confidential information to make more than 140,000 pounds ($176,800) from shares in listed companies, prosecutors told a London court on Thursday. Prosecutor Peter Carter said the brothers "used information which they should not have used – because it was private, confidential, price-sensitive information – to gamble effectively, to invest on the stock exchange". He told the jury that Goldman Sachs' internal policies strictly forbid any use of confidential information acquired by the investment bank or its employees. "To breach a confidence or to use confidential information improperly or carelessly would be unthinkable," the policy says. Carter said the policy was clear that employees are not allowed to use confidential information "other than for your work at (Goldman Sachs) and nothing else".

Persons: Goldman Sachs, Mohammed Zina, Zina, Suhail Zina, Clifford Chance, Mohammed, Peter Carter, Carter, Sam Tobin, Bill Berkrot Organizations: Goldman, Goldman Sachs International, Arm Holdings, Southwark Crown, Tesco Bank, Thomson Locations: London, Southwark

☆ Ex-F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone pleads guilty to tax fraud charge
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-12 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Former Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone arrives at Southwark Crown Court in London, where he is charged with fraud by false representation over an alleged failure to declare £400 million of overseas assets to the Government. Ex-Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone pleaded guilty in a London court on Thursday to one count of fraud for making dishonest representation to Britain's tax authority. The 92-year-old appeared at Southwark Crown Court and pleaded to one count of fraud by false representation, just over a month before he was due to stand trial. Prosecutors said Ecclestone made untrue or misleading representations to HM Revenue and Customers at a July 2015 meeting, when he said he "established only a single trust" in favour of his daughters. Ecclestone, accompanied by his wife Fabiana, spoke only to confirm his name and to enter his plea.

Persons: Bernie Ecclestone, Prosecutors, Ecclestone, Fabiana Organizations: Formula, Southwark Crown, Government . Ex, Revenue Locations: Southwark, London

☆ Bernie Ecclestone: Ex-F1 boss spared jail after admitting tax fraud
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-12 | by ( Story Reuters | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Reuters —Ex-Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone was spared an immediate prison sentence on Thursday after he pleaded guilty to misleading Britain’s tax authority about overseas assets worth more than 400 million pounds ($492 million). Ecclestone has also agreed a civil settlement with HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC), under which he will pay 652.6 million pounds covering tax, interest and penalties for 18 tax years between 1994 and 2022, prosecutor Richard Wright said. The 92-year-old appeared at London’s Southwark Crown Court and pleaded guilty to one count of fraud by false representation, just over a month before he was due to stand trial. Belinda Jiao/ReutersJudge Simon Bryan gave Ecclestone a 17-month prison sentence suspended for two years, meaning he will only go to jail if he commits another criminal offense during that time. His lawyer Montgomery had noted at a previous hearing in January that Ecclestone was charged shortly after he made “unpopular” comments about Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Persons: Reuters —, Bernie Ecclestone, Ecclestone, Richard Wright, Belinda Jiao, Simon Bryan, Clare Montgomery, Ecclestone “, ” Ecclestone, Andrew Penhale, ” Richard Las, “, Elizabeth Cook, Bryan, Mr Ecclestone, Montgomery, Vladimir Putin Organizations: Reuters, HM Revenue, Customs, Southwark Crown, HMRC, Brabham, Crown Prosecution Service Locations: Southwark, Singapore

☆ Ex-F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone spared jail after admitting tax fraud
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-12 | by ( Sam Tobin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Ecclestone has also agreed a civil settlement with HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC), under which he will pay 652.6 million pounds covering tax, interest and penalties for 18 tax years between 1994 and 2022, prosecutor Richard Wright said. The 92-year-old appeared at London's Southwark Crown Court and pleaded guilty to one count of fraud by false representation, just over a month before he was due to stand trial. Ecclestone gave an unintelligible response to reporters as he left the court and got into a waiting Range Rover. Richard Las, chief investigation officer and director of the Fraud Investigation Service at HMRC, said Ecclestone had "lied to HMRC". The decision also states that Ecclestone paid around 250 million pounds in income and capital gains tax to HMRC between 1999 and 2017.

Persons: Bernie Ecclestone, Belinda Jiao, Ecclestone, Richard Wright, Simon Bryan, Clare Montgomery, Andrew Penhale, Richard Las, Bryan, Mr Ecclestone, Montgomery, Vladimir Putin, Sam Tobin, William James, Alex Richardson, Susan Fenton Organizations: Formula, Southwark Crown, HM Revenue, Customs, HMRC, Crown Prosecution Service, Thomson Locations: Southwark, London, Britain, Singapore

☆ Teen hacked Uber, Revolut and Grand Theft Auto maker, London jury finds
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

LONDON, Aug 23 (Reuters) - A teenage member of the Lapsus$ hacking group was on Wednesday found to have hacked Uber (UBER.N) and fintech firm Revolut then blackmailed the developers of best-selling videogame Grand Theft Auto after a trial at a London court. Arion Kurtaj, 18, embarked on a solo cyber crime spree in September 2022, first targeting Revolut before hacking Uber two days later. The teen then hacked Rockstar Games and threatened to release the planned Grand Theft Auto sequel's source code in a Slack message sent to all Rockstar staff. Kurtaj had previously hacked and blackmailed Britain's biggest broadband provider BT Group (BT.L) and mobile operator EE in 2021 and later chip maker Nvidia Corp (NVDA.O) in February 2022. The jury on Wednesday found Kurtaj committed 12 offences, including three counts of blackmail, two counts of fraud and six charges under the Computer Misuse Act.

Persons: Revolut, Arion Kurtaj, Kurtaj, Sam Tobin, William James Our Organizations: Rockstar Games, Rockstar, Southwark Crown, BT Group, Nvidia Corp, Computer, Thomson Locations: London, Southwark

☆ Actor Kevin Spacey acquitted of all nine sexual offence charges in London trial
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-26 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

U.S. actor Kevin Spacey was found not guilty on Wednesday by a jury at a London court of committing historical sex offences against four men. The 64-year-old Oscar-winner was acquitted of nine charges, including sexual assault, causing a person to engage in sexual activity without consent, and causing a person to engage in penetrative sexual activity. Spacey began to cry in the dock when the not guilty verdicts were returned by the jury. During the four-week trial at Southwark Crown Court, jurors were told by prosecutors that the actor had aggressively groped three of the men in incidents between 2004 and 2013 in Britain, when he was working at London's Old Vic theatre. The fourth said Spacey performed oral sex on him while he was passed out in the Hollywood star's London apartment.

Persons: Kevin Spacey, Oscar, Spacey Organizations: Southwark Crown, London's Old, Hollywood Locations: Southwark, Britain, London

London CNN —Oscar-winning actor Kevin Spacey has been cleared of all charges after a four-week trial in London on claims of sexual assault. Spacey thanked the jury after it cleared him following 12 hours and 26 minutes of deliberation across three days. The complainant said that one time, Spacey acted so forcefully it “took his breath away.” Spacey denied this ever happened. Spacey invited him to his London apartment two weeks later and sexually assaulted him, the man alleged. The complainant alleged that he had been drugged by the actor, and said he woke up to Spacey performing a sexual act on him.

Persons: London CNN — Oscar, Kevin Spacey, Spacey, “, ”, Christine Agnew, ” Spacey, Spacey “, Patrick Gibbs KC, Anthony Rapp Organizations: London CNN, Hollywood, Southwark Crown, Old, “, Netflix, Media, PA Media Locations: London, Southwark, New York

Spacey, tried under his full name Kevin Spacey Fowler, said in evidence that the case against him was weak, and that the incidents, if they had occurred at all, were consensual. [1/4]Actor Kevin Spacey leaves Southwark Crown Court after he was found not guilty on charges related to allegations of sexual offenses, in London, Britain, July 26, 2023. Spacey became one of several prominent names in entertainment to face allegations of sexual misconduct during the #MeToo movement. The court also heard evidence from singer Elton John and his husband David Furnish, who gave evidence by videolink from Monaco as part of Spacey's defence. Reporting by Michael Holden and Sam Tobin; editing by Kate Holton, Christina Fincher and Nick MacfieOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Spacey, Kevin Spacey, Oscar, Kevin, Kevin Spacey Fowler, Susannah Ireland Spacey, Anthony Rapp, Buzzfeed, Rapp, Vic, Val Kilmer, Judi Dench, Elton John, David, videolink, Patrick Gibbs, Michael Holden, Sam Tobin, Kate Holton, Christina Fincher, Nick Macfie Organizations: London's Old, Southwark Crown, REUTERS, WORLD, Thomson Locations: London, Southwark, Spacey's London, Britain, U.S, Monaco

☆ Jury out in actor Kevin Spacey's London sexual offences trial
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-24 | by ( Sam Tobin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

LONDON, July 24 (Reuters) - The jury in U.S. actor Kevin Spacey's sexual assault trial in London retired to consider their verdicts on Monday. Spacey, 63, is standing trial at Southwark Crown Court on nine charges of sexual offences against four men between 2004 and 2013 in Britain, where he worked from 2003 as artistic director of London's Old Vic theatre. Three of the four accusers have said Spacey aggressively groped them. The fourth says Spacey sexually assaulted him and then performed oral sex on him while he was passed out in Spacey's flat. Spacey has pleaded not guilty to all the charges and suggested in evidence that his accusers were either lying or reimagining consensual sexual encounters.

Persons: Kevin Spacey's, Spacey, London's, groped, Mark Wall, Sam Tobin, Michael Holden Organizations: Southwark Crown, Thomson Locations: London, Southwark, Britain

☆ London judge orders confiscation of $130 mln from Nigerian ex-governor Ibori
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-21 | by ( Estelle Shirbon | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Ibori, who is in Nigeria, said he would appeal against the confiscation order, one of the largest imposed on an individual in recent British legal history. Ibori was governor of oil-producing Delta State from 1999 to 2007 and was extradited from Dubai to Britain in 2011. Judge David Tomlinson, delivering the confiscation order at Southwark Crown Court, said Ibori should pay the sum immediately or face an eight-year jail sentence. Spokespersons for Nigerian President Bola Tinubu did not immediately respond to requests for comment on whether the Nigerian government would cooperate with the British authorities in enforcing the confiscation order. The confiscation process took over a decade after Ibori's conviction because of lengthy court delays and legal wrangling in London.

Persons: James Ibori, Ibori, David Tomlinson, Bola Tinubu, Helen Taylor, Felix Onuah, William Maclean Organizations: Delta State, Southwark Crown, Delta, Thomson Locations: Britain, Nigeria, Nigerian, London, Dubai, Southwark, Delta State, Ibori, Ibori's, Abuja

☆ Convicted Nigerian politician Ibori faces huge UK confiscation order
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-20 | by ( Estelle Shirbon | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, July 20 (Reuters) - A London court should order the confiscation of more than 100 million pounds ($129 million) from Nigerian politician James Ibori, a convicted fraudster who spent years in prison in Britain, a state prosecutor told the court on Thursday. A former governor of oil-producing Delta State in southern Nigeria, Ibori was extradited in 2011 from Dubai to London, where he was charged with laundering a corruptly acquired fortune. He told Reuters by text message he planned to appeal against the confiscation order. In 2021, it returned 4.2 million pounds that had been confiscated from Ibori's ex-wife and his sister, who also served jail time for helping him launder money. ($1 = 0.7745 pounds)(This story has been corrected to say the judge made 'factual findings' not a 'confiscation order' after clarification from judge, in paragraph 6)Reporting by Estelle Shirbon; Editing by Alex RichardsonOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: James Ibori, fraudster, Ibori, David Tomlinson, Jonathan Kinnear, Bola Tinubu, Estelle Shirbon, Alex Richardson Organizations: Delta, Southwark Crown, Thomson Locations: Nigerian, Britain, Delta State, Nigeria, Dubai, London, Southwark, Ibori, Ibori's

☆ Elton John gives evidence by videolink at Kevin Spacey's London trial
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-17 | by ( Sam Tobin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/3] Actor Kevin Spacey walks outside Southwark Crown Court, as his trial over charges related to allegations of sex offences continues, in London, Britain, July 14, 2023. REUTERS/Hollie Adams/File PhotoLONDON, July 17 (Reuters) - Singer Elton John appeared by videolink in a London court on Monday to give evidence at Oscar-winning actor Kevin Spacey's sexual assault trial. Spacey, 63, has pleaded not guilty at London's Southwark Crown Court to 12 charges of sexual offences allegedly committed against four men in Britain between 2001 and 2013. The two-time Academy Award winner on Monday called John as a witness, with the British singer appearing by videolink from Monaco. Furnish told the court he remembered asking the complainant "how is the most handsome driver in London?

Persons: Kevin Spacey, Hollie Adams, Singer Elton John, videolink, Kevin Spacey's, Spacey, groped, John, Christine Agnew, John's, David, Sam Tobin, Michael Holden, Alex Richardson Organizations: Southwark Crown, REUTERS, Old, Thomson Locations: Southwark, London, Britain, London's Southwark, British, Monaco, Windsor

☆ Kevin Spacey tells London court sexual assault accusation is 'absolute bollocks'
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-14 | by ( Sam Tobin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Agnew suggested to Spacey that grabbing men by the crotch was "your MO, this is your trademark and this is what you do". 'ABSOLUTE BOLLOCKS'Agnew earlier asked Spacey about a complainant who alleges Spacey painfully grabbed his crotch like "a cobra" in the mid-2000s. Spacey asked: "Did he accuse me of grabbing his bollocks?" Spacey replied: "Money, money and then money." Spacey described his encounters with two of the other complainants as "consensual interactions", adding: "If they went further than they wanted, they didn't tell me."

Persons: Spacey, Kevin Spacey, groped, Christine Agnew, Agnew, Sam Tobin, Mark Heinrich Our Organizations: Old, Thomson Locations: London's Southwark, Britain, London, American, Oxford, England

☆ In U.K. Court, Kevin Spacey Denies Sexual Assault Charges
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-13 | by ( Alex Marshall | More About Alex Marshall | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Kevin Spacey told a British jury on Thursday that he was “a big flirt” who had what he characterized as gentle, touching and romantic encounters with a man who accused him of sexual assault. He always respected the man’s boundaries, Mr. Spacey said, adding that he felt “crushed” when the man accused him of assault. Mr. Spacey, 63, has pleaded not guilty to 12 charges relating to incidents that the prosecution says involved four men and occurred from 2001 to 2013. For most of that time, Mr. Spacey was the artistic director of the Old Vic theater in London. Sitting at the front of a courtroom at Southwark Crown Court and facing the jury, Mr. Spacey — who was wearing a gray suit, and light blue tie — was calm and occasionally joked with his legal representative, Patrick Gibbs.

Persons: Kevin Spacey, ”, Spacey, “, Tony, Old, Spacey —, Patrick Gibbs Organizations: Southwark Crown Locations: London, Southwark

CNN —Oscar-winning actor Kevin Spacey told a court in London Thursday in his ongoing sexual assault trial that he touched the complainant – who is one of four men who made allegations against the actor – in a “romantic and intimate” way. “He was funny and charming and flirtatious; over time we began … I’m assuming it was me … began to touch him in more romantic and intimate ways,” Spacey told London’s Southwark Crown Court. They include three counts of indecent assault, seven of sexual assault, one of causing a person to engage in sexual activity without consent, and one of causing a person to engage in penetrative sexual activity without consent. Court artist sketch by Elizabeth Cook of actor Kevin Spacey giving evidence at Southwark Crown Court, London. “I never thought that the (man) I knew would, I don’t know, 20 years later stab me in the back,” he said.

Persons: CNN — Oscar, Kevin Spacey, –, …, ” Spacey, London’s, Spacey, Elizabeth Cook, “, ” Organizations: CNN, Hollywood, London’s, Southwark Crown, Prosecutors, UK’s Press Association Locations: London, London’s Southwark, Southwark

☆ Kevin Spacey says he never groped victims, UK court hears
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-12 | by ( Michael Holden | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The accusers have said the 63-year-old had aggressively groped them or in one case performed oral sex while the complainant was passed out, with the prosecution describing him as a sexual bully. Spacey likewise said he could not remember the second accuser, an aspiring actor, who says he woke in the actor's London apartment to find he was being assaulted. "I'm certain that I did not attempt to perform oral sex on anyone who fell asleep in my apartment," Spacey's statement said, adding he had never performed oral sex on anyone who had not consented. His statement also said the man's lawyers had contacted him seeking a payment of more than 450,000 pounds. Spacey told police he was "baffled and deeply hurt" that the final accuser, a driver who says Spacey groped him about 12 times, had made his claims.

Persons: Kevin Spacey, Spacey, Michael Holden, Angus MacSwan Organizations: British, Southwark Crown, Thomson Locations: London, Southwark, Britain, New York, U.S, Oxford, England

☆ Teen hacked Uber, Revolut and Grand Theft Auto maker, London court hears
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-11 | by ( Sam Tobin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Arnd Wiegmann/File PhotoLONDON, July 11 (Reuters) - A teenage member of the Lapsus$ hacking group hacked Uber (UBER.N) and fintech firm Revolut then blackmailed the developers of best-selling videogame Grand Theft Auto, prosecutors have told a London court. Arion Kurtaj, 18, is said to have targeted Revolut and Uber in September 2022, accessing around 5,000 Revolut customers' information and causing nearly $3 million of damage to Uber. Prosecutors allege he hacked Rockstar Games days later and threatened to release the planned Grand Theft Auto sequel's source code in a Slack message sent to all Rockstar staff. Kurtaj later embarked on a solo cyber crime spree, Barry said, first targeting Revolut then Uber two days later before hacking Rockstar Games. He has previously pleaded guilty to two offences under the Computer Misuse Act and one count of fraud.

Persons: Arnd, Revolut, Arion Kurtaj, Uber, Kevin Barry, Kurtaj, Barry, Sam Tobin, Nick Macfie Organizations: Economic, REUTERS, Auto, Prosecutors, Rockstar, BT Group, Nvidia Corp, London's, BT, EE, Computer, Nvidia, Thomson Locations: Davos, Switzerland, London, Lapsus, London's Southwark

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