Bail for former attorney accused of embezzling R6m from RAF
A 43-year-old former attorney, who was arrested for allegedly embezzling money from the Road Accident Fund (RAF), was granted R10 000 bail by the Tzaneen Magistrate's Court, according to the Nation.....»»
Death of inmate infested with lice, feces called homicide
The lawyer of the family of a Black inmate who died from an apparent malnutrition and dehydration at the Atlanta jail in September called his death a homicide. Ben Crump, the famed civil rights attorney who has taken up numerous cases of police abuse of African Americans, also accused jail authorities of severely neglecting the medical needs of 35-year-old Lashawn Thompson who was suffering from schizophrenia. “For 93 days, there was severe neglect of a mentally ill citizen. So it makes it clear this was not a natural death. This was a homicide,” Crump said. The statements were issued after Roger Mitchell, a medical examiner hired by Thompson’s family, reported the cause of his death on Monday. In September, the official Fulton County, Georgia coroner only called the cause of his death “undetermined.” Thompson, a Black man who was homeless, was arrested on 12 June 2022 while sleeping in a park outside an Atlanta childcare center. 'For 93 days, there was severe neglect of a mentally ill citizen. So it makes it clear this was not a natural death. This was a homicide.' He had an outstanding theft warrant but was jailed for “assault,” allegedly spitting on law enforcement officers. He stayed in jail because he could not make the bail payments required for release. For the first two months of his incarceration, Thompson was in good condition, according to Mitchell’s report. The jail’s mental health provider on 27 July reported him in a clean cell, living normally, healthy, and taking his medicine for bipolar and schizoaffective disorders. But Mitchell said that for the next 43 days there were “minimal” records on his care, and no record of him receiving his drugs between 11 August and his death. When Mitchell was able to examine his body days after his death, he found Thompson suffered from malnutrition and dehydration, had lost 18 percent of his body weight, and had an extensive and severe body lice infestation. The post Death of inmate infested with lice, feces called homicide appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Bail for former attorney accused of embezzling R6m from RAF
A 43-year-old former attorney, who was arrested for allegedly embezzling money from the Road Accident Fund (RAF), was granted R10 000 bail by the Tzaneen Magistrate's Court, according to the Nation.....»»
Lebanon court orders ex-car boss Ghosn out of Beirut home: official
A Lebanese judge has decided to evict former Nissan boss Carlos Ghosn from his luxury home, a judicial official said Saturday, four years after an investment firm accused him of "trespassing". Ghosn, who took up residency in the Beirut property after fleeing prosecution in Japan in 2019, appealed the ruling on Friday, the official added. A spokesperson for Ghosn confirmed he had appealed. Ghosn and his wife must "vacate the property... within a month", according to a copy of the decision seen by AFP and dated 16 October. The home with pink walls in the Lebanese capital's upscale Ashrafieh neighborhood is worth some $19 million and is registered to Lebanese company Phoinos Investment, the judicial official said, requesting anonymity as they were not authorized to speak to the media. Phoinos initiated the legal action in 2019 and has accused Ghosn of "trespassing on private property and living in the home without legal basis", the official added. According to the court document, Ghosn said the company was affiliated with Nissan and that "the property was purchased... for his residence, and there is a signed agreement with Nissan that grants him the right to reside" there. Ghosn occupied the home "according to a contractual relationship linking... Ghosn and Nissan", the decision said. However, the end of that relationship and the plaintiff's wish to retake the property invalidates "the legal basis" of his occupancy, it added. In a written statement to AFP, a Ghosn spokesperson said documents that had been unavailable for prior hearings in the cast would support his appeal. "He will now be able to present all the documents held up in Japan that he was unable to secure on time," the statement said. Ghosn, the former chairman and chief executive of the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi alliance, was arrested in Japan in November 2018 on suspicion of financial misconduct, before being sacked by Nissan's board in a unanimous decision. He jumped bail late the following year and made a dramatic escape from Japan hidden in an audio-equipment box, landing in Beirut, where he remains an international fugitive. Ghosn has always denied the charges against him, arguing they were cooked up by Nissan executives who opposed his attempts to more closely integrate the firm with French partner Renault. Japan and France have sought his arrest, but Lebanon does not extradite its citizens, and judicial authorities have slapped a travel ban on Ghosn, who holds Lebanese, French, and Brazilian nationality. The post Lebanon court orders ex-car boss Ghosn out of Beirut home: official appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Ivanka Trump ordered to testify in father’s fraud trial
The New York judge presiding over Donald Trump's civil fraud trial ordered his daughter Ivanka on Friday to testify in the case. Ivanka Trump, 41, was initially named in the lawsuit against Trump and his two eldest sons brought by New York's attorney general but was eventually dropped as a defendant. Trump and his sons Don Jr and Eric are accused of inflating the value of the real estate of the Trump Organization for years to obtain more favorable bank loans and insurance terms. Judge Arthur Engoron dismissed an attempt by Trump's attorneys to quash a subpoena issued to Ivanka Trump by Attorney General Letitia James but gave her until November 1 to appeal the decision. Ivanka Trump served as a senior advisor to her father, the frontrunner for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, while he was in the White House but has kept a low profile since he left office. She abandoned her roles in the Trump Organization in January 2017, when her father became president and she and her husband, Jared Kushner, both took up posts in his administration. Before that, Ivanka Trump was an executive vice president of the Trump Organization and was notably in close contact with one of the group's biggest lenders, Deutsche Bank, according to the attorney general's office. The 77-year-old Trump and his sons are also expected to testify at some point during the trial being held in Manhattan. The former president does not risk going to jail, but James is seeking $250 million in penalties and the removal of Trump and his sons from management of the family real estate empire. Trump has repeatedly denounced the trial as a Democratic witch hunt intended to derail his 2024 White House bid. The post Ivanka Trump ordered to testify in father’s fraud trial appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Fashion mogul categorically denies serial rapes accusations
Finnish-Canadian fashion mogul Peter Nygard, on trial in Toronto for alleged serial rapes, categorically denied any sexual misconduct as he wrapped up several days of defense testimony on Friday. The 82-year-old founder of Nygard International has pleaded not guilty to charges of sexually assaulting four women and a 16-year-old girl in Canada's largest city between 1988 and 2005. In court, defense attorney Brian Greenspan asked Nygard how he could firmly reject the allegations given that he could not recall dealings with any of his accusers. "The type of allegations that were said and were described is the type of conduct that I know that I have never done, I never would do," Nygard replied. On the stand, he also disputed elements of the complainants' testimonies including that he attended a Rolling Stones concert with one of them, offered an emergency birth control pill to a girl after allegedly raping her, or called another from a plane to arrange a date. Nygard said he didn't own a private jet in the late 1980s and said phones on commercial aircraft "in those years, to my recollection, were almost nonexistent. In other words, you couldn't even do that." He took issue also with characterizations of him as "always being with young women. Well, well, it isn't true." He pointed to a one-time travel companion in the late 1980s who was six years older than him, as an example. The prosecution has accused Nygard of having used his "power and status as a wealthy fashion designer to lure and sexually assault young women." Nygard is to face cross-examination next week. He also faces sexual assault charges in Quebec and Manitoba, as well as extradition to the United States, where he has been accused of raping dozens of women and girls, racketeering and trafficking. The post Fashion mogul categorically denies serial rapes accusations appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Dozens U.S. states sue Meta
Dozens of American states on Tuesday accused Facebook and Instagram owner Meta of profiting “from children’s pain,” damaging their mental health and misleading people about the safety of its social media platforms. In total, more than 40 states are suing Meta, though some opted to file in local courts rather than join in the federal case. Meta has exploited young users by creating a business model designed to maximize time they spend on the platform despite harm to their health, the joint lawsuit filed in federal court in California claimed. “Kids and teenagers are suffering from record levels of poor mental health and social media companies like Meta are to blame,” New York Attorney General Letitia James in a statement announcing the suit. The suit urges the federal court to order Meta to stop manipulative tactics and pay hefty financial penalties along with restitution, according to James. Meta said it was “disappointed” by the suit and that the states were not working with the array of social media companies to create age-appropriate standards. Meta maintained that it has developed more than 30 tools in its apps to support teenage users, and made it easier for parents to “shape” online activity. The Silicon Valley tech firm contended it is disappointing that attorneys general have singled out Meta instead of seeking industry-wide solutions given the popularity of rivals including TikTok, YouTube and Snap. Social media can also be a place where young people struggling with other issues in their lives go to find support of community, Meta maintained. The post Dozens U.S. states sue Meta appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
2 Koreans wanted for telecom, wire fraud arrested
Two fugitives were captured by the Bureau of Immigration (BI) after being sought by South Korea and the US for their involvement in fraud-related operations. BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco confirmed the arrests of the two South Korean fugitives, who were identified as Kwon Junyoung, 38, and Seok Jongmin, 48. The two were arrested last Saturday in Brgy. Cuayan, Angeles City, Pampanga, by the BI Fugitive Search Unit (BI-FSU) operatives. Tansingco said that the operation was conducted in collaboration with the South Korean authorities, government intelligence groups, and the Angeles City Police Station. According to the South Korean authorities, Kwon is wanted for telecommunications fraud in South Korea, while Seok is wanted in Texas for engaging in wire fraud, money laundering, and identity theft. The BI chief said that as the BI board of commissioners has already issued summary deportation orders against them, soon they will be deported to face the crime they committed. Tansingco added that their names were also placed on the bureau’s blacklist of undesirable aliens, so they are now banned from re-entering the Philippines, the BI chief added. According to information obtained from Interpol's National Central Bureau (NCB) in Manila, the Suwon District Court in Korea issued an arrest order for Kwon on 12 December 2019. Authorities claimed that Kwon was part of a telecom fraud syndicate operating in Dalian, China, that used voice phishing to call random victims. Based on reports, the callers impersonated investigators from the Seoul Central Prosecutor's Office in order to harass the victims and trick them into transferring money to the syndicate's accounts. In contrast, the NCB revealed that Seok is the subject of an arrest warrant issued by the US district court in Western Texas. He is accused of conspiring to commit wire fraud, three counts of wire fraud, conspiring to commit money laundering, and three counts of aggravated identity theft. Seok is accused of working with other suspects to gain access to the websites of the US Departments of Defence and Veterans Affairs using thousands of US military veterans' stolen personal identification information (PII), depriving the victims of their benefits. The BI-FSU also reported that Seok was arrested after posting bail at the Angeles City regional trial court, where he was charged with robbery and extortion, and will be transferred to the BI’s facility in Bicutan, Taguig. While Kwon will remain in the custody of the Angeles City police due to his ongoing local case, he will continue to be under the BI’s legal custody for deportation proceedings. The post 2 Koreans wanted for telecom, wire fraud arrested appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Suit charges crypto firms with billion-dollar fraud
New York's attorney general on Thursday filed a lawsuit accusing cryptocurrency firms Gemini and Genesis with fraud that wound up costing investors more than a billion dollars. Gemini Trust Company, created by twin brothers Tyler and Cameron Winklevoss of early Facebook fame, misled investors about the risk of putting money into a program that involved loans that at one point were concentrated in Sam Bankman-Fried’s Alameda research trading firm, according to the suit. "Investors around the country lost more than a billion dollars because they were fed blatant lies that their money would be safe and grow if they invested it in Gemini Earn," New York attorney General Letitia James said in a release. Gemini offered people the chance to lend cryptocurrencies in exchange for high returns via a Gemini Earn program, according to the suit. Those loans included some to digital currency services platform Genesis, which in turn lent cryptocurrency to other players in the industry. But the bankrupcy of Bankman-Fried's Alameda Research and its FTX platform last year triggered panic in the market. Bankman-Fried is currently on trial in New York, facing fraud charges of his own. Unable to honor massive withdrawal requests, Genesis filed for bankruptcy in January. "Gemini hid the risks of investing with Genesis and Genesis lied to the public about its losses," James said. According to documents published at that time, Gemini loans to Genesis tallied some $765 million. Gemini was founded by the Winklevoss twins, who were made famous by the film "The Social Network" about the birth of Facebook. In a post at X, formerly known as Twitter, Gemini contended that the lawsuit confirms that the exchange and its users were "victims of a massive fraud and systematically lied to" by Genesis. "Blaming a victim for being defrauded and lied to makes no sense and we look forward to defending ourselves against this inconsistent position," Gemini said in the post. James accused Gemini of deceiving more than 230,000 investors. Her lawsuit also argues that former Genesis chief executive Soichiro Moro and Genesis parent company DCG with trying to conceal the massive losses. The litigation seeks to have Gemini, Genesis and DCG banned from New York's financial investment industry and pay restitution to investors who lost money. DCG defended itself in a post at X, saying it did nothing illegal. "I am shocked by the baseless allegations in the attorney general's complaint and intend to fight these claims in court," DCG founder and chief executive Barry Silbert said in the post. The post Suit charges crypto firms with billion-dollar fraud appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Woman arrested for disrupting Trump trial
disrupting Donald Trump’s civil fraud trial after she approached the former United States president in the courtroom and saying she wanted to “assist him,” a court spokesperson said. The woman, who was not identified, was “safely escorted” out of the Manhattan courtroom by officers and has been charged with contempt and immediately placed on administration leave pending an investigation, spokesperson Lucian Chalfen said. The woman “disrupted the proceedings,” Chalfen said in a statement. She was “stopped by court officers before she got near Mr. Trump or any of the attorneys or other litigants,” the spokesperson said, adding that “none of the parties were ever in any danger.” Trump did not seem concerned by the incident, and appeared to only learn of it when speaking to reporters later. “Who got arrested? We don’t know anything about it,” he said. “You know who should be arrested?” he asked. “The attorney general should be arrested. For what she’s doing.” New York’s attorney general Letitia James has accused Trump, his sons Eric and Don Jr. and other executives of the Trump Organization of colossally inflating the value of their real estate assets in order to receive more favorable bank loans and insurance terms. The post Woman arrested for disrupting Trump trial appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
6 police in Navotas teen slay surrender
The six dismissed police officers implicated in the death of 17-year-old Jerhode “Jemboy” Baltazar in a case of mistaken identity have voluntarily surrendered to the authorities in Quezon province, Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group chief Maj. Gen. Romeo Caramat Jr. said yesterday. Caramat said that six dismissed cops namely Executive Master Sgt. Roberto Dioso, Cpl. Edmard Blanco, Pat. Benedict Mangada, and Staff Sgts. Gerry Maliban, Antonio Bugayong, Jr., and Nikko Esquillon, all formerly assigned to the Navotas City police station, voluntarily surrendered around 5 p.m. Wednesday at CIDG Quezon Provincial Field Unit, Camp Guillermo Nakar, Lucena City, Quezon. Caramat said the suspects who voluntarily surrendered themselves in CIDG Quezon PFU are now undergoing the booking process and documentation for proper disposition as all accused are not entitled to bail. The Navotas City Regional Trial Court has ordered the arrest of six dismissed police officers implicated in the death of Baltazar in a case of mistaken identity last August In an order dated 3 October and made public Wednesday, RTC Branch 286 Judge Pedro Dabu Jr. said the court found probable cause to issue a warrant of arrest against Executive Master Sgt. Roberto Dioso, Cpl. Edmard Blanco, Pat. Benedict Mangada, and Staff Sgts. Gerry Maliban, Antonio Bugayong Jr. and Nikko Esquillon. “Considering that the accused stand charged with murder, they are not entitled to bail as a matter of course,” the order added. Navotas City prosecutors filed the murder complaint against the suspects on 15 September. The National Capital Region Police Office earlier approved the Philippine National Police-Internal Affairs Service’s recommendation to dismiss the respondents from the service over the killing of Baltazar. On 2 August, the police officers launched a pursuit operation against a murder suspect when they chanced upon Baltazar, who was then onboard a boat. They then commanded Baltazar and his companion to surrender. However, the victim jumped into the river, prompting law enforcers to fire resulting in his death. The police officers later admitted that Baltazar was not the suspect they were looking for but a certain Reynaldo Bolivar. The post 6 police in Navotas teen slay surrender appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
6 cops in teenage slay ordered arrested
The Regional Trial Court of Navotas City has ordered the arrest of six policemen charged with a non-bailable case of murder for the killing of teenager Jerhode “Jemboy” Baltazar last 2 August. The order was issued last Tuesday, 3 Oct. by Judge Pedro T. Dabu Jr. of RTC Branch 286. Ordered arrested were PSSg. Gerry S. Maliban, PSSg. Antonio B. Bugayong Jr., PEMS. Roberto D. Balais Jr., PSSg. Nikko PInes C. Esquillon, PCpl. Edmar Jade S. Blanco and Pat. Benedict D. Mangada — all members of the Navotas City police station. Judge Dabu in his order said “the Court finds probable cause to issue a warrant of arrest against all the above-named accused to place them under the custody of the law in order not to frustrate the ends of justice.” “Considering that the accused stand charged with murder, they are not entitled to bail as a matter of course,” the judge also said. The Department of Justice filed the murder charges before the RTC last Monday, 2 October. Record showed that Baltazar was fishing when he was shot dead last 2 August in Barangay NBBS Kaunlaran in Navotas City. In fending off responsibilities, the policemen claimed that they were conducting follow-up operations against robbers when they mistook the victim as one of the suspects. The post 6 cops in teenage slay ordered arrested appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Republican hardliners oust US House speaker in historic vote
Kevin McCarthy was axed Tuesday as speaker of the US House of Representatives in a brutal, historic rebellion by far-right Republicans furious at his cooperation with Democrats. The maneuver laid bare the chaotic levels of infighting among Republicans heading to the 2024 presidential election almost certainly led by Donald Trump, who is making history of his own as the first former or serving president to be the target of multiple criminal indictments. The first ouster of a speaker in the House's 234-year history was supported by only a handful of right-wing Republican hardliners. However, the House was almost evenly divided and with Democrats joining eight rebel Republicans rather than riding to McCarthy's rescue, he had no way to survive. The 58-year-old former entrepreneur -- who did not comment as he left the chamber -- had sparked fury among conservatives when he passed a bipartisan stopgap funding measure at the weekend backed by the White House to avert a government shutdown. Florida conservative Matt Gaetz, who forced the removal vote, gambled that he could oust McCarthy with just a few Republicans, helped by Democrats loath to bail out a speaker who only recently opened a highly politicized impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden. Republicans were warned by their leadership about plunging the party "into chaos" but Gaetz, who has repeatedly complained about McCarthy failing to honor agreements made with conservatives, retorted: "Chaos is Speaker McCarthy." "The reason Kevin McCarthy went down today is because nobody trusts Kevin McCarthy," he added after the vote. "Kevin McCarthy has made multiple contradictory promises, and when they all came due, he lost." Democrats, too, had no love for McCarthy, pointing to his decision to renege on a deal with Biden on spending limits agreed earlier this year in high-stakes talks over the federal budget. Biden issued a statement through his press secretary after McCarthy's overthrow urging the House to quickly choose a replacement, arguing that the urgent challenges facing the country "will not wait." 'Pigsty of incompetence' The New Democrat Coalition, a bloc of pro-business Democratic lawmakers, described McCarthy as "simply not trustworthy." And Congressional Progressive Caucus chairwoman Pramila Jayapal, a leading leftist, vowed to let Republicans "wallow in their pigsty of incompetence" rather than rescue McCarthy. The tussle came just days after the House and Senate passed a measure to avert a costly government shutdown -- both with big bipartisan majorities -- by extending federal funding through mid-November. Conservatives were furious, seeing their chances dashed by forcing massive budget cuts. They accused McCarthy of a flip-flop, saying he'd promised an end to hastily prepared stopgap legislation, hammered out with the support of the opposition, and a return to budgeting through the committee process. The writing was on the wall after Democratic House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries encouraged his members to oust McCarthy. Every Democrat then joined 11 rebel Republicans to reject a preliminary motion that would have blocked the final ouster vote. With McCarthy out, a temporary speaker put the House into recess until a permanent replacement is elected. Republicans will gather at 6:30 pm (2230 GMT) to discuss putting up a candidate for a vote to be the new speaker -- and it is not out of the question that McCarthy could be nominated for a return to the role he just lost. It took 15 rounds of balloting for the Californian to win the gavel in January, but the fight demonstrated that he has the support of most of the party, and he could try to persuade the rank-and-file to rally behind him once more. Alternatively, he may bow out. This could set up a showdown among his lieutenants -- most likely House Majority Leader Steve Scalise and House Majority Whip Tom Emmer. But Republican hopefuls may shy from taking on what looks like a poisoned chalice in which the hard-right faction will continue to exercise control from the sidelines. Trump -- who is facing 91 felony indictments and was in court Tuesday in New York as a defendant in a civil fraud trial -- berated Republicans on his social media platform for "always fighting among themselves." Tellingly, though, he offered no support for McCarthy. The post Republican hardliners oust US House speaker in historic vote appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Trump business empire under threat as New York fraud trial opens
A combative Donald Trump appeared in a New York court on Monday to face civil fraud charges, denouncing the case as a "sham" intended to torpedo his campaign to retake the White House. The fraud trial, one of several legal battles against the 77-year-old Trump, could potentially see the former president barred from doing business in New York state. "This has to do with election interference, plain and simple," Trump said as he arrived for the opening day of what could be a three-month trial. "What we have here is an attempt to hurt me in an election." New York Judge Arthur Engoron has already ruled that Trump and his sons Eric and Don Jr committed fraud by inflating the value of the real estate and financial assets of the Trump Organization for years. New York Attorney General Letitia James is now seeking $250 million in penalties and the removal of Trump and his sons from management of the family empire. "Justice will prevail," James told reporters before delivering opening arguments. "No matter how powerful you are, no matter how much money you think you may have, no one is above the law," she said. Trump, arriving in court, denounced the case as a "scam" and a "witchhunt." "It's a sham," he said. "My financial statements are phenomenal." Trump is scheduled to appear before a federal judge in Washington on March 4, 2024 on charges of trying to overthrow the results of the 2020 presidential election won by Democrat Joe Biden. Trump will then be back in New York state court, this time on charges of paying hush money to a porn star, and later in a Florida federal court, where he is accused of mishandling classified documents after leaving office. Finally, he will also have to answer to state charges in Georgia, where prosecutors say Trump illegally tried to get the southern state's 2020 election results changed in his favor. 'Major blow' In the New York case, Engoron ruled that Trump, his two eldest sons and other Trump Organization executives lied to tax collectors, lenders and insurers for years in a scheme that exaggerated the value of their properties by $812 million to $2.2 billion between 2014 and 2021. The judge revoked the business licenses that allowed the Trump Organization to operate some of its New York properties. Actually enforcing such penalties would be "a major blow to Donald Trump's ability to do business in the state of New York going forward," Will Thomas, a professor of business law at the University of Michigan, told AFP. Trump -- who made his reputation and fortune as a real estate mogul in the 1980s -- could eventually lose control over many of his company's flagship properties, such as his 5th Avenue Trump Tower in Manhattan. According to James, a Democrat, Trump's own apartment in that building is among the spaces that were fraudulently overvalued -- it was listed as three times bigger than its true size. Another Manhattan building, at 40 Wall Street, was overvalued between $200-$300 million in financial disclosures, James alleges. Trump's luxury Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida -- the site of the classified documents drama -- and several other Trump Organization golf clubs also appear in James's complaint. Trump has repeatedly dismissed the New York civil allegations, calling James, who is Black, "racist," and labeling Engoron "deranged." There are likely to be dozens of witnesses called to testify at the trial, including Trump himself and three of his children, Eric, Don Jr and his oldest daughter Ivanka. Trump's former lawyer Michael Cohen -- now an outspoken critic of the former president -- and officials from Trump-linked financial institutions are also expected to appear. The post Trump business empire under threat as New York fraud trial opens appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Ombudsman fails to pin Napoles for plunder
The Sandiganbayan yesterday convicted Janet Lim Napoles of nine counts of corruption of a public official, but acquitted her of plunder over the so-called “pork barrel fund scandal.” Likewise found guilty of nine counts of direct bribery by the Sandiganbayan’s Fifth Division was former Association of Philippine Electric Cooperatives Partylist Rep. Edgar Valdez. The convictions were in relation to the misuse of lawmakers’ Priority Development Assistance Fund or PDAF. Napoles and Valdez were each sentenced to imprisonment of two years and four months up to six years and one day, and were each meted out a fine of P26,996,700. The cases stemmed from the charges of plunder filed by the National Bureau of Investigation and the Office of the Ombudsman, which alleged that five lawmakers, including Valdez, channeled their PDAFs to Napoles’ fake non-government organizations in exchange for kickbacks. According to the information filed by the Ombudsman, Valdez received P56 million in kickbacks from Napoles. The amount was over the P50-million threshold for the crime of plunder. Lacking evidence Former senators Juan Ponce Enrile, Ramon Revilla Jr. and Jinggoy Estrada, as well as former representative Rizalina Seachon-Lanete, were among the other lawmakers accused of plunder in connection with the pork barrel scam. Revilla was acquitted in 2018 but the cases against the others are still pending before the Sandiganbayan. Enrile, Estrada and Seachon-Lanete were granted bail. The dispositive portion of the Sandiganbayan’s ruling said the evidence to prove plunder against Napoles and Valdez was lacking. “The Court finds accused Edgar de Leon Valdez and Janet Lim Napoles not guilty of plunder due to insufficient evidence proving that they had, through conspiracy, amassed, accumulated, and or acquired at least 50 million pesos of PDAF funds through kickbacks and/or commissions,” the decision read in part. Valdez was allowed to post bail in 2016 after the Fifth Division said the prosecution was only able to prove that Valdez received P2.6 million, and not P56 million, in kickbacks from a foundation belonging to Napoles, who was dubbed the “pork barrel queen.” The division rejected Napoles’ request for the court to accept her belatedly filed memorandum that cited whistleblower Benhur Luy’s testimony in a different graft case, where he allegedly acknowledged that the funds in this case were not from PDAF. The 108-page Sandiganbayan decision was per curiam, meaning, not one justice from the anti-graft court’s Fifth Division penned the ruling. The per curiam decision was signed by Associate Justice and Division Chairperson Rafael Lagos, and Associate Justices Maria Theresa Mendoza-Arcega and Maryann Corpus-Mañalac. Previous acquittals Napoles attended through videoconference, while Valdez was physically present in court on Monday morning. Napoles is currently serving prior convictions. Last May, the Sandiganbayan First Division acquitted Napoles of graft in 16 PDAF cases. Napoles and Revilla were charged with the crimes in 2014. In 2018, the court ruled in favor of Napoles and against Revilla in the plunder case. In 2021, after filing a demurrer to evidence in both graft instances, Revilla was exonerated. The court ruled that the liability of the accused could no longer be determined because they were included in the plunder case for which they were already prosecuted. The charges of plunder against Revilla, his former political officer Atty. Richard Cambe, and Napoles also constituted graft because they were based on “predicate acts,” the court said. The resolution was written by Associate Justice Geraldine Faith Econg and adopted by Division chairperson Efren dela Cruz and Associate Justice Arthur Malabaguio. Same proof “This fact became even more apparent after the presentation of the same testimonial and documentary evidence in both cases,” the resolution read. Those acquitted in that case were Gondelina Amata, Ofelia Ordoez, Sofia Cruz, Evelyn Sucgang, Francisco Figura, Ma. Rosalinda Lacsamana, Marivic Jover, Consuelo Lilian Espiritu, Victor Roman Cacal and Maria Ninez Guanizo. Dennis Cunanan, Gregoria Buenaventura, Rhodora Mendoza, Evelyn de Leon, Laarni Uy and Jocelyn Piorato were found guilty and sentenced to prison terms ranging from 6 to 8 years, and were permanently barred from holding public office. Cambe, Eulogio Rodriguez and Emmanuel Alexis Sevidal had their cases dropped after they passed away. Still another case Napoles was found guilty of two charges of graft and two counts of malversation in another batch of PDAF proceedings involving the late Davao del Sur representative Douglas Cagas. The Sandiganbayan 2nd Division observed in a ruling released on 19 May 2023, that the Anti-Money Laundering Council report corroborated the evidence of whistleblower Luy, who claimed that Napoles owned and controlled the NGOs implicated in the PDAF scam. The post Ombudsman fails to pin Napoles for plunder appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
US sues eBay for selling products that harm environment
The US Justice Department sued eBay on Wednesday for allegedly selling restricted pesticide products and devices that defeat motor vehicle emission controls. The complaint against the online marketplace was filed on behalf of the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in a federal court in New York. It accused the San Jose, California-based company of selling hundreds of thousands of products in violation of the Clean Air Act (CAA) and other environmental protection legislation. "The complaint filed today demonstrates that EPA will hold online retailers responsible for the unlawful sale of products on their websites that can harm consumers and the environment," Assistant EPA Administrator David Uhlmann said in a statement. US Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim said "laws prohibiting the sale of products that harm human health and the environment apply to e-commerce retailers just as they do to brick-and-mortar stores." According to the complaint, eBay has sold more than 343,000 devices which defeat motor vehicle pollution emission controls and at least 23,000 unregistered, misbranded or restricted-use pesticide products. In a statement, eBay said it would "vigorously defend itself" against the charges. "We dedicate significant resources, implement state-of-the-art technology and ensure our teams are properly trained to prevent prohibited items from being listed on the marketplace," the company said in a statement. "Indeed, eBay is blocking and removing more than 99.9 percent of the listings for the products cited by the DOJ, including millions of listings each year." The post US sues eBay for selling products that harm environment appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
JPMorgan Chase to pay $75 mn to settle Epstein-linked sex trafficking suit
JPMorgan Chase announced Tuesday that it will pay $75 million to settle a US Virgin Islands' (USVI) lawsuit that accused the bank of facilitating Jeffrey Epstein's sex trafficking ring. The big US bank, which previously reached a $290 million settlement with Epstein's victims, also announced an agreement with former JPMorgan executive Jes Staley for an undisclosed sum. These cases together resolve the bank's remaining litigation over its embarrassing long-running association with the late Epstein. The agreement with the USVI came a few weeks ahead of a scheduled trial in New York that likely would have bruised both sides. While the USVI accused JPMorgan of turning a "blind eye" to Epstein's conduct due to profit concerns, the bank levied essentially the same charge against USVI, saying the government helped Epstein obtain visas that allowed him to bring victims to the island. The settlement, which must be approved by a US court, includes $30 million to support USVI charitable organizations, $25 million to enhance USVI law enforcement to combat human trafficking and $20 million in attorneys' fees. JPMorgan did not admit liability as part of the settlement, but the "firm deeply regrets any association with this man, and would never have continued doing business with him if it believed he was using the bank in any way to commit his heinous crimes," the bank said in a statement. "JPMorgan believes this settlement is in the best interest of all parties," the bank said. The USVI had originally sought $190 million in damages for the bank's role in enabling Epstein's sex crimes, including in the Virgin Islands, where he had a residence. The USVI said JPMorgan "knowingly, negligently, and unlawfully provided and pulled the levers through which recruiters and victims were paid and was indispensable to the operation and concealment of the Epstein trafficking enterprise," according the original complaint. Bank hits back The bank hit back forcefully, saying in a May legal filing that the USVI government was "complicit in the crimes of Jeffrey Epstein." Under a "quid pro quo" relationship with top USVI officials, Epstein "gave them advice, influence, and favors," JPMorgan said in the filing. "In exchange, they shielded and even rewarded him... looking the other way when he walked through USVI airports accompanied by girls and young women." US Virgin Islands Attorney General Ariel Smith said Tuesday the agreement would prevent human trafficking in the future. "This settlement is an historic victory for survivors and for state enforcement, and it should sound the alarm on Wall Street about banks' responsibilities under the law to detect and prevent human trafficking," Smith said. "We are proud to have stood alongside the survivors throughout this litigation, and this settlement reflects our continued commitment to them," Smith said. The USVI press release listed a number of "substantial commitments" by JPMorgan to combat human trafficking, including informing law enforcement of perpetrators and terminating customers' accounts if there is credible evidence of wrongdoing. But a JPMorgan spokesperson said the bank has not changed or fortified its policies due to the accord. "There are no new commitments. Our controls, compliance, risk, and other functions are always improving, and we are continually investing to become even better," said JPMorgan's Trish Wexler. "We have always worked closely with law enforcement to help combat human trafficking, and we will continue to look for ways to invest in advancing this important mission." The post JPMorgan Chase to pay $75 mn to settle Epstein-linked sex trafficking suit appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Trump committed fraud by inflating value of assets — judge
Donald Trump and his sons Eric and Don Jr. committed fraud by inflating the value of the real estate and financial assets of the Trump Organization for years, a New York judge ruled on Tuesday. The ruling by Judge Arthur Engoron is a setback for the former president ahead of a trial in the civil case due to begin on Monday. New York State Attorney General Letitia James has accused Trump and his two eldest sons of business fraud for allegedly submitting "grossly inflated" numbers to banks and insurers. The lawsuit asserts that they lied to tax collectors, lenders, and insurers for years in a scheme that routinely misstated the value of the organization's properties to enrich themselves. Trump's lawyers had asked the judge to throw out the case ahead of the trial by granting what is known as a summary judgment in his favor. James had also asked for a summary judgment, however, asking that Trump be found liable ahead of the trial and the judge sided with the attorney general. James is seeking $250 million in penalties and the removal of Trump and his sons from the management of the family real estate firm, the Trump Organization. James claims that Trump and associates submitted "grossly inflated" numbers to banks and insurers each year between 2011 and 2021 "to secure and maintain loans and insurance on more favorable terms." They allegedly fraudulently overvalued the net worth of Trump company assets by billions of dollars, resulting in "hundreds of millions of dollars in ill-gotten savings and profits." James has alleged that the overvaluation of Trump's assets was between $1.9 billion and $3.6 billion per year. Trump, the frontrunner for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, has denounced the case as a "witch hunt," calling James, who is a Democrat and Black, "racist." In January, the Trump Organization was fined $1.6 million by a New York judge in a criminal tax and financial fraud case. The 77-year-old twice-impeached Trump also faces federal criminal charges for the mishandling of classified documents and conspiracy charges for trying to overturn the 2020 election results. He also faces state charges for alleged hush money payments in New York and for pressuring state officials to overturn Joe Biden's 2020 presidential election victory in Georgia. Trump was also found liable in a civil trial in May for sexually abusing a one-time magazine columnist in 1996 and for defaming her in comments made last year. The post Trump committed fraud by inflating value of assets — judge appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
US federal judge, 96, suspended over ‘mental fitness’
The oldest US federal judge, at age 96, was suspended from her duties Wednesday over questions about her mental competency, in a case evoking the debate over elderly politicians like Joe Biden and Donald Trump. Pauline Newman, an appellate court judge since 1984, was accused by colleagues of working too slowly and of frequently appearing confused, agitated, and belligerent, which raised concerns of "disability," according to the ruling by the Judicial Council of the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. Interviews with staff "provided overwhelming evidence that Judge Newman may be experiencing significant mental problems including memory loss, lack of comprehension, confusion, and an inability to perform basic tasks," it said. Despite being given a reduced workload, Newman takes four times as long as other judges to issue opinions in cases before the court, it said. The council said that because Newman refused to accept being examined by a council-chosen neurologist and psychiatrist to judge her mental acuity, it was suspending her for one year, which could be extended if she still refused to cooperate. But Newman, who has been deprived of reviewing cases since April, has said the proceedings against her were conducted illegally and suggested they were the product of personal animosity from other judges. She backed her argument with the results of examinations by specialists she herself chose. "Judge Newman demonstrated no substantial emotional, medical, or psychiatric disability that would interfere with continuation of her longstanding duties as a judge," psychiatrist Regina Carney said. The case comes amid questions about the capabilities of an increasing number of elderly politicians -- President Joe Biden, 80, and rival Donald Trump, 77, among them -- to perform their duties. Born in 1927, Newman earned a PhD in chemistry from Yale and then became a patent law expert. In 1984 she was named to the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, a special court dealing with patent laws and government contracts. The ruling against her noted she had been called "the heroine of the patent system." Her attorney, Gregory Dolin of the New Civil Liberties Alliance, said the review of her case was stacked against her. "The bottom line is that Judge Newman did not get due process," he told AFP. He said personal animosities as well as ageism factored into the case. "It's easy to say she's 96, she's past her prime, even if it's not true," Dolin said. "Whatever you might say about some politicians in Washington, Judge Newman is not in that group," he added. The post US federal judge, 96, suspended over ‘mental fitness’ appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Biden’s son Hunter indicted on gun charges
US President Joe Biden's son Hunter was indicted Thursday for illegally buying a gun when he was using drugs, casting a new shadow over his father's campaign for reelection next year. Hunter Biden, 53, was charged with two counts of making false statements when claiming on forms required for the 2018 gun purchase that he was not using drugs illegally at the time. A third charge said that, based on the false statements, he illegally possessed the gun during an 11-day period in October that year. If convicted on all three felony charges, Biden could in theory face 25 years in prison, though in practice they are seldom punished by any jail time. In attesting that he was not an unlawful user of drugs when he bought the Colt Cobra revolver, Biden "knew that statement was false," the Justice Department said. The indictment came two days after Republicans in Congress opened an impeachment probe against Democrat Joe Biden, alleging that when he was vice president he benefitted financially from his son's foreign business dealings. The legal troubles of Hunter Biden present a target for political rivals of his father, who is bidding for a second term in the White House. Hunter is a Yale-trained lawyer and lobbyist-turned-artist, but his life has been marred by alcoholism and crack cocaine addiction. Without offering any evidence, Republicans have accused Biden's Justice Department of protecting his son and have accused Weiss, a Republican appointee, of going easy on Hunter. Representative James Comer, a Republican from Kentucky who will be leading the impeachment inquiry, welcomed the filing of the gun charges, calling it a "very small start." "Mountains of evidence reveals that Hunter Biden likely committed several felonies and Americans expect the Justice Department to apply the law equally," Comer said. Twice-impeached former president Donald Trump reacted on his Truth Social platform. "This, the gun charge, is the only crime that Hunter Biden committed that does not implicate Crooked Joe Biden," he said. - Plea deal collapsed - But a leading Democrat, Keisha Lance Bottoms, ex-mayor of Atlanta and a former senior adviser to Joe Biden, questioned why Hunter had been charged. "Can anyone tell me how many people have been federally indicted for purchasing a gun while dealing with substance abuse issues?" Bottoms said on X, formerly known as Twitter. "I don't know the answer, but in my over 29 years as an attorney, I have never heard of it." The gun charges were filed by Justice Department special counsel David Weiss, who has been investigating Hunter Biden since 2018 over various allegations, mostly related to his overseas business deals. Two months ago a plea deal between Biden and Weiss, covering the gun charge as well as alleged tax violations, went sour. Biden agreed to plead guilty in federal court in Delaware to two minor tax charges. In exchange he was offered probation, as he had already paid what he owed the government along with penalties. Weiss agreed to suspend the felony gun charge if Biden completed "pretrial diversion," which often involves counseling or rehabilitation. But in a dramatic July 26 hearing, the deal collapsed over whether Biden would have been immune from any other charges also investigated by Weiss, including possible crimes related to his business dealings in Ukraine, China and elsewhere. The judge mentioned the possibility that Biden could be charged as having acted as a lobbyist for foreign governments without registering with the Justice Department. Three weeks later, after the deal collapsed, Weiss dropped the tax charges and said an indictment on the gun charge would come by the end of September. As the 2024 election race swings into gear, Republicans in the House of Representatives on Tuesday formally opened an impeachment inquiry against President Biden. They alleged, without offering hard evidence, that while vice president in 2015-2016, Biden intervened to protect an allegedly corrupt Ukrainian energy company, Burisma, where Hunter Biden sat on the board. Republicans allege Joe Biden and his family reaped large sums for helping Burisma. The post Biden’s son Hunter indicted on gun charges appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Malaysian court upholds ex-leader Najib’s audit tampering acquittal
A Malaysian court upheld on Tuesday the acquittal of jailed former prime minister Najib Razak on an audit tampering charge in the investigation into corruption at the 1MDB state wealth fund. Najib is serving a 12-year prison term on other graft charges related to the 1 Malaysia Development Berhad financial scandal. The plundering of the fund led to investigations around the world, including in the United States, Switzerland and Singapore, into the use of their financial systems to launder money. But Malaysia's Court of Appeal struck out the appeal by state prosecutors against the acquittal of the audit tampering charge after prosecutors did not submit documents in time, Najib's lawyer Mohamed Shafee Abdullah told AFP. "In this case, the prosecution evidently found no grounds for appeal, resulting in no petition being filed," he said in a statement. Najib, the 70-year-old leader of Malaysia for nine years until 2018, was acquitted in March after a Kuala Lumpur High Court judge ruled prosecutors failed to provide sufficient evidence that he had tampered with an audit report on scandal-racked 1MDB. That charge focused on allegations that Najib ordered a report by the government's official audit body on the 1MDB sovereign wealth fund to be altered in February 2016. Najib's co-accused, former 1MDB chief Arul Kanda Kandasamy, was also acquitted. The former Malaysian premier's acquittal from the tampering charge does not affect his current jail sentence and he faces dozens more charges that could lengthen that term. Najib's wife Rosmah Mansor was found guilty of graft in 2022 and sentenced to 10 years in prison. She remains on bail pending an appeal. The post Malaysian court upholds ex-leader Najib’s audit tampering acquittal appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»