U.S. prosecutors have reportedly opened a criminal investigation into whether disgraced FTX founder <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/sam-bankman-fried" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sam Bankman-Fried</a>, a prolific Democrat, committed financial crimes that led to the collapse of the company last month.
The New York Times <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/07/business/ftx-sbf-crypto-market-investigation.html?searchResultPosition=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> that the investigation is centered around examining if Bankman-Fried &#8220;steered the prices of two interlinked currencies, TerraUSD and Luna, to benefit the entities he controlled, including FTX and Alameda Research, a hedge fund he co-founded and owned.&#8221;
Federal prosecutors and officials at the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) are also investigating if Bankman-Fried broke the law by transferring FTX’s customer funds to Alameda, the report said.
The same entities were already investigating whether the company broke money laundering laws long before the company&#8217;s public collapse, Bloomberg News <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-11-21/us-prosecutors-opened-probe-of-ftx-months-before-its-collapse?leadSource=uverify%20wall" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>.
<a class="c-link" href="https://get.dailywire.com/readers-pass/read-only-v2?utm_campaign=dwplus&amp;utm_medium=editorial&amp;utm_source=dwsite&amp;cid=dwplus&amp;mid=z&amp;xid=0&amp;_gl=1*v9j40z*_ga*MTE3MDIyNDM4Ni4xNjU4MzQzNjQx*_ga_CZKR9ZYKJP*MTY3MDQ1NjgzMS40NzAuMS4xNjcwNDU3MDE2LjYwLjAuMA.." target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="https://get.dailywire.com/readers-pass/read-only-v2?utm_campaign=dwplus&amp;utm_medium=editorial&amp;utm_source=dwsite&amp;cid=dwplus&amp;mid=z&amp;xid=0" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true" aria-describedby="sk-tooltip-54730">TIRED OF THE LEGACY MEDIA’S BIAS CONTROLLING THE NARRATIVE AND OBSCURING THE TRUTH? JOIN US.</a>
FTX, which is headquartered in the Bahamas, was <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/30-year-old-billionaire-loses-entire-fortune-overnight-as-his-bahamas-based-cryptocurrency-empire-implodes" target="_blank" rel="noopener">launched</a> in 2019 and had accrued more than one million users by 2022. Users suddenly demanded $6 billion in withdrawals after an article published by CoinDesk revealed last month that the two arms of Bankman-Fried’s cryptocurrency empire, FTX and Alameda Research, had significant overlap on their balance sheets in the form of the cryptocurrency FTT, which FTX invented.
The disheveled 30-year-old went from boasting a $15.6 billion net worth to having “no material wealth” over the span of approximately two days.
When asked late last month during an interview with CNBC’s Andrew Ross Sorkin at the Dealbook Summit whether he had ever lied during his time at FTX, Bankman-Fried <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/sam-bankman-fried-on-whether-he-lied-there-are-certainly-times-when-i-was-a-marketer-for-ftx">responded</a>, “I don’t know of times when I lied, I think, look, there are certainly times when I was acting as a, um, as a representative, as a marketer for FTX.”
“I didn’t ever try to commit fraud on anyone,” Bankman-Fried <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2022/11/30/former-ftx-ceo-sam-bankman-fried-says-i-didnt-ever-try-to-commit-fraud.html?utm_term=Autofeed&amp;utm_medium=Social&amp;utm_content=Main&amp;utm_source=Twitter#Echobox=1669846399" target="_blank" rel="noopener">claimed</a>. “I saw it as a thriving business and I was shocked by what happened this month.”
This is a breaking news story; refresh the page for updates.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/breaking-maxine-waters-not-planning-on-subpoenaing-sam-bankman-fried-to-testify-on-ftx-collapse-report">Maxine Waters Not Planning On Subpoenaing Sam Bankman-Fried To Testify On FTX Collapse: Report</a>

OPED-BANKMANFRIED-STYLE-COMMENTARY-TB

Federal Prosecutors Open Criminal Investigation Into Disgraced FTX Founder Sam Bankman-Fried, Report Says

Bitcoin

Crime

Cryptocurrency

Sam Bankman-Fried

U.S.

A <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/russia" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Russian</a>-backed Ukrainian politician faces up to 30 years in prison for fraudulently buying property in California.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/ukraine" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ukranian</a> politician Andrii Derkach was charged with seven criminal counts in an indictment unsealed on Tuesday. Derkach was previously sanctioned for trying to influence the 2020 elections, law enforcement officials said in a <a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-edny/pr/russian-intelligence-agent-charged-fraud-and-money-laundering-connection-purchase-and" target="_blank" rel="noopener">press release</a>. Derkach allegedly bought two properties in Beverly Hills in violation of the sanctions, and used a complex financial scheme to hide his involvement.
“Kremlin-backed Ukrainian politician and oligarch, Andrii Derkach, was sanctioned for his efforts to influence the 2020 U.S. Presidential election on behalf of the Russian Intelligence Services,&#8221; Michael J. Driscoll, Assistant Director-in-Charge of the FBI&#8217;s New York Field Office said in a statement.
“While participating in a scripted Russian disinformation campaign seeking to undermine U.S. institutions, Derkach simultaneously conspired to fraudulently benefit from a Western lifestyle for himself and his family in the United States,” Driscoll added. “The FBI will continue to use all the tools at its disposal to identify Russian intelligence operations, disrupt Russian information laundering networks, and bring to justice those who seek to engage in criminal conspiracies to undermine the integrity of U.S elections and evade U.S. sanctions.&#8221;
<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="https://get.dailywire.com/readers-pass/read-only-v2?utm_campaign=dwplus&amp;utm_medium=editorial&amp;utm_source=dwsite&amp;cid=dwplus&amp;mid=z&amp;xid=0&amp;_gl=1*v9j40z*_ga*MTE3MDIyNDM4Ni4xNjU4MzQzNjQx*_ga_CZKR9ZYKJP*MTY3MDQ1NjgzMS40NzAuMS4xNjcwNDU3MDE2LjYwLjAuMA.." target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="https://get.dailywire.com/readers-pass/read-only-v2?utm_campaign=dwplus&amp;utm_medium=editorial&amp;utm_source=dwsite&amp;cid=dwplus&amp;mid=z&amp;xid=0" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true" aria-describedby="sk-tooltip-54730">TIRED OF THE LEGACY MEDIA’S BIAS CONTROLLING THE NARRATIVE AND OBSCURING THE TRUTH? JOIN US.</a>
According to the indictment, the scheme began in 2013. Derkach and an unnamed co-conspirator concocted a plot to purchase and mantain two luxury condominiums in Beverly Hills. To hide his interest in the properties, the oligarch used a corporate nominee — a company that holds assets in place of an individual — a multi-level complex of shell companies based in California, and several accounts with American banks and brokerages.
Derkach then wired nearly $4 million to the nominee corporation from Latvian and Swiss bank accounts that belonged to companies registered in the British Virgin Islands. The corporation then paid $3.2 million in cash for the properties, and placed the remaining $800,000 into a brokerage account the company maintained, which was used to pay expenses on the properties.
But Derkach obscured his involvement from the institutions the money was placed in, so he prevented the companies from transferring money into sanctioned accounts, and instead caused them to conduct transactions with blocked funds and for the benefit of the condominiums, which were also blocked under the sanctions.
Derkach is charged with conspiracy to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Acts (IEEPA), bank fraud conspiracy, money laundering conspiracy, and four counts of money laundering. He remains at large. If convicted, Derkach could face up to 30 years in prison.
In the meantime, the DOJ said it was conducting a civil asset forfeiture to seize the properties and the remaining funds in the bank and brokerage accounts.
Derkach has been a member of the Verkhovna Rada, the Ukranian Parliament. Originally from the city of Dnipro in Eastern Ukraine, Derkach was a member of the pro-Russia Party of Regions, formerly the governing party in Ukraine from 2010 until the Maidan Revolution in 2014. Derkach was sanctioned by the Treasury Department in September 2020. According to the press release, Derkach was “an active Russian agent for over a decade, maintaining close connections with the Russian Intelligence Services&#8221; as part of an effort to influence the 2020 election.
The DOJ conducted the investigation in conjunction with KleptoCapture, an interagency law enforcement task force created to enforce the U.S. sanctions imposed on Russian actors in response to the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/ukraine-russia-war" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Russian invasion of Ukraine</a>.

DOJ: Russian-Backed Ukrainian Oligarch Bought Two California Condos, Used Convoluted Scheme To Get Around U.S. Sanctions

Russian-Backed Ukrainian Oligarch Bought Two California Condos, Used Convoluted Scheme To Get Around U.S. Sanctions, DOJ Says

California

Department of Justice

Fraud

Russia

Ukraine-Russia War

World

Serious mismanagement, &#8220;bureaucratic incompetence,&#8221; and bad policy contributed to the death of a former <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/fbi" target="_blank" rel="noopener">FBI&#8217;s</a> Most Wanted fugitive.
According to a <a href="https://oig.justice.gov/sites/default/files/reports/23-007_0.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">report</a> from the Department of Justice Inspector General, the federal Bureau of Prisons grossly mishandled the transfer of former mob boss James &#8220;Whitey&#8221; Bulger from the Coleman federal prison in Florida to the Hazelton prison in West Virginia. Bulger, who was placed on the FBI&#8217;s Most Wanted list in 1999 until his arrest in 2011, was <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/three-men-indicted-in-connection-to-prison-murder-of-boston-crime-boss-james-whitey-bulger" target="_blank" rel="noopener">murdered</a> by three Hazleton inmates who allegedly <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/inmates-suspected-of-involvement-in-murder-of-james-whitey-bulger-were-allegedly-aware-of-his-prison-transfer" target="_blank" rel="noopener">knew of his arrival in advance</a>.
&#8220;The fact that the serious deficiencies we identified occurred in connection with a high-profile inmate like Bulger was especially concerning given that the BOP would presumably take particular care in handling such a high-profile inmate’s case,&#8221; the Inspector General&#8217;s office wrote. &#8220;We found that did not occur here, not because of a malicious intent or failure to comply with BOP policy, but rather because of staff and management performance failures; bureaucratic incompetence; and flawed, confusing, and insufficient policies and procedures. In our view, no BOP inmate’s transfer, whether they are a notorious gangster or a non-violent offender, should be handled like Bulger’s transfer was handled in this instance.&#8221;
According to BOP records cited in the report, Bulger had suffered from atrial fibrilation since his arrest in 2011; he was regarded as a medical care level 3 inmate, requiring a high standard of medical care. But while bureaucrats within the BOP discussed his transfer, the then 89-year-old Bulger was kept in a cell by himself in a &#8220;Special Housing Unit&#8221; away from the general population for eight months. The IG report claimed that this placement led him to tell a psychologist during a Suicide Risk Assessment that he had &#8220;lost the will to live&#8221; and ask to be placed in the general population at Hazelton.
<a href="https://get.dailywire.com/readers-pass/read-only-v2?utm_campaign=dwplus&amp;utm_medium=editorial&amp;utm_source=dwsite&amp;cid=dwplus&amp;mid=z&amp;xid=0" target="_blank" rel="noopener">TIRED OF THE LEGACY MEDIA’S BIAS CONTROLLING THE NARRATIVE AND OBSCURING THE TRUTH? JOIN US.</a>
Furthermore, the final paperwork for his transfer went against the clear direction of the Bureau&#8217;s Chief of Health Programs, and placed him in a facility with a lower standard of medical care. Worse than that, the decision to lower his care level &#8220;was actually based on a plausible interpretation of BOP guidelines, and we therefore determined that the guidelines themselves were flawed and lacked clarity,&#8221; the report stated.
On top of the medical concerns, the IG report found that the Bureau of Prisons woefully mishandled the transfer itself.
Due to standard Bureau procedures, more than 100 officials were aware of Bulger&#8217;s transfer in advance. Hazleton personnel spoke openly about Bulger&#8217;s arrival, against BOP policy, which in turn led to a large number of inmates being aware of Bulger&#8217;s transfer before it even happened, exposing him to a risk of imminent harm, while making it impossible for the IG to identify which employees were responsible.
The BOP also did not take appropriate steps to reduce the risk of harm. Bureau policy did not require the transfer to be assessed by a &#8220;BOP Senior Intelligence Designator&#8221; beforehand. Several BOP employees told the Inspector General that they had no idea of Bulger&#8217;s notoriety, neither was his notoriety a consideration in decisions about his transfer.
The IG report did not conclude malicious intent, but the IG concluded that policies should be more considerate of security risks when transferring a high-profile inmate like Bulger.

James ‘Whitey’ Bulger Mugshot

DOJ IG: Mismanagement, ‘Bureaucratic Incompetence,’ Bad Policy Contributed To Prison Murder Of Former Most Wanted Fugitive ‘Whitey’ Bulger

Mismanagement, 'Bureaucratic Incompetence,' Bad Policy Contributed To Prison Murder Of Former Most Wanted Fugitive 'Whitey' Bulger, DOJ Inspector General Finds

Inspector general

Murder

Prison

Police in Moscow, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/idaho" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Idaho</a>, are searching for the occupant(s) of a newly identified vehicle that they say may have critical information about the murders of four college students last month at the University of Idaho.
It’s been more than two weeks since Kaylee Goncalves, 21; Ethan Chapin, 20; Xana Kernodle, 20; and Madison Mogen, 21, were murdered in their off-campus residence — and police still have not named any suspects or found the murder weapon.
&#8220;Detectives are interested in speaking with the occupant(s) of a white 2011-2013 Hyundai Elantra, with an unknown license plate,&#8221; investigators said in a statement. &#8220;Tips and leads have led investigators to look for additional information about a vehicle being in the immediate area of the King Street residence during the early morning hours of November 13th.&#8221;
&#8220;Investigators believe the occupant(s) of this vehicle may have critical information to share regarding this case,&#8221; the statement continued. &#8220;If you know of or own a vehicle matching this description, or know of anyone who may have been driving this vehicle on the days preceding or the day of the murders, please forward that information to the Tip Line.&#8221;
<a class="c-link" href="https://get.dailywire.com/readers-pass/read-only-v2?utm_campaign=dwplus&amp;utm_medium=editorial&amp;utm_source=dwsite&amp;cid=dwplus&amp;mid=z&amp;xid=0" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="https://get.dailywire.com/readers-pass/read-only-v2?utm_campaign=dwplus&amp;utm_medium=editorial&amp;utm_source=dwsite&amp;cid=dwplus&amp;mid=z&amp;xid=0" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true" aria-describedby="sk-tooltip-54730">TIRED OF THE LEGACY MEDIA’S BIAS CONTROLLING THE NARRATIVE AND OBSCURING THE TRUTH? JOIN US.</a>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
An interesting update just now from police investigating the University of Idaho killings: They want the public&#39;s help in finding who was in a white Hyundai Elantra (2011-13) that was in the neighborhood around the time of the murders. <a href="https://t.co/VOXGf25Saa">pic.twitter.com/VOXGf25Saa</a>
&mdash; Mike Baker (@ByMikeBaker) <a href="https://twitter.com/ByMikeBaker/status/1600627881188921344?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 7, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
“We remain consistent in our belief that this was a targeted attack, but investigators have not concluded if the target was the residence or if it was the occupants,” police said in <a href="https://www.ci.moscow.id.us/DocumentCenter/View/24808/12-01-22-Moscow-Homicide-Update" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a press release</a> last week.
When the homicides were first reported, police said in press releases that, in addition to being a targeted attack, there was no ongoing threat to the community. On November 16, however, Moscow Police Chief James Fry <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/idaho-police-reverse-course-now-cannot-say-that-there-is-no-threat-to-the-community-in-case-of-four-murdered-students" target="_blank" rel="noopener">acknowledged</a> that there may be a threat to the community since the police still did not have a person of interest connected to the slayings.
Authorities have also <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/idaho-police-further-clarify-what-they-mean-by-targeted-attack-in-murder-of-four-university-of-idaho-students" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> they do not believe that the two surviving roommates — who apparently did not hear the killings take place — are involved in the crimes. They also do not believe a man observed in surveillance video outside a food truck visited by Goncalves and Mogen the night of the murders was involved, nor was a driver who drove the women home.
Ashe Schow contributed to this report.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/police-uncover-incident-that-may-involve-the-stalker-one-of-idaho-murder-victims-told-her-parents-about" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Police Uncover Incident That May Involve The Stalker One Of Idaho Murder Victims Told Her Parents About</a>

US-NEWS-CMP-IDAHO-SLAIN-STUDENTS-ID

Police Seek Occupants Of Newly Identified Vehicle In Case Of 4 Murdered Idaho Students

Idaho

Law Enforcement

Ramesh “Sunny” Balwani, 58, the former president of the fraudulent biotech company Theranos, was sentenced to nearly 13 years in prison on Wednesday for fraud.
Prosecutors originally recommended Balwani receive at least 15 years in prison, which would be a longer sentence than what Elizabeth Holmes, the founder and face of Theranos, received in October, NBC News <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/business/business-news/former-theranos-executive-sunny-balwani-sentenced-fraud-conviction-rcna60512">reported</a>.
Theranos rose to fame on promises of quick and easy blood tests for hundreds of conditions based on just a drop of blood. The company raised millions of dollars from high-profile donors including Bill Gates and Henry Kissinger. Though the company was lauded by the Obama administration, with then-Vice President Joe Biden touring the company as part of a publicity stunt, a series of investigative articles from The Wall Street Journal’s John Carreyrou revealed the company was lying about its underlying technology.
While Holmes was the face of the company, hailed in the media for being a female tech entrepreneur, Balwani oversaw the company’s labs and ensured faulty test results would be ignored.
<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="https://get.dailywire.com/readers-pass/read-only-v2?utm_campaign=dwplus&amp;utm_medium=editorial&amp;utm_source=dwsite&amp;cid=dwplus&amp;mid=z&amp;xid=0" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="https://get.dailywire.com/readers-pass/read-only-v2?utm_campaign=dwplus&amp;utm_medium=editorial&amp;utm_source=dwsite&amp;cid=dwplus&amp;mid=z&amp;xid=0" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">TIRED OF THE LEGACY MEDIA’S BIAS CONTROLLING THE NARRATIVE AND OBSCURING THE TRUTH? JOIN US.</a>
“Mr. Balwani knew that Theranos was not generating, and would not generate, any meaningful revenue by being honest with people,” said U.S. Attorney Jeff Schenk, according to NBC. “So he chose a different path.”
At her trial, Holmes argued that she was simply a young, naïve, and ambitious woman who relied on the wrong people to get her company started. When Holmes actually testified, however, she presented herself the way she had done to investors when Theranos was still operating — as an expert about her company and its technology.
Holmes also tried to blame Balwani for abuse, as the two were romantic partners while operating Theranos. Text messages between the two, however, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/texts-between-theranos-founder-elizabeth-holmes-and-ex-boyfriend-cast-doubt-on-her-abuse-claims">showed a loving relationship,</a> although Balwani had a reputation for treating employees poorly.
In his documentary, “The Inventor,” filmmaker Alex Gibney revealed that while Balwani was considered a tyrant to those who worked for him, he was deferential to Holmes and always appeared supportive of her.
Other texts show Holmes and Balwani apparently discussing how to undermine the claims from two Theranos whistleblowers — Tyler Shultz and Erika Cheung. The two also discussed how they would respond to reporting from Carreyrou, who months later published a damning article showing that Theranos’ machines could not perform the blood tests they claimed. Carreyrou’s reporting revealed that Theranos was lying about its capabilities and using traditional blood analyzers to run most of its blood tests.
Balwani <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/former-theranos-president-points-fingers-back-at-elizabeth-holmes-during-fraud-trial">pointed the finger</a> back at Holmes at trial, saying that she founded and built Theranos and thus carried most of the blame.

Jury Reaches Verdict In Criminal Trial Of Former Theranos President Sunny Balwani

Ex-Theranos Exec Sunny Balwani Sentenced To Nearly 13 Years In Prison

Ex-Theranos Executive Sunny Balwani Sentenced 

Business

Elizabeth Holmes

Technology

Theranos

Former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried accumulated an impressive number of high-profile celebrity brand ambassadors for his <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/cryptocurrency" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cryptocurrency</a> empire, but he was especially dogged in his devotion to securing a nod from <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/taylor-swift" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Taylor Swift</a>.
FTX filed for <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/30-year-old-billionaire-loses-entire-fortune-overnight-as-his-bahamas-based-cryptocurrency-empire-implodes" target="_blank" rel="noopener">bankruptcy</a> after users discovered that the company was likely intertwined with Alameda Research, a trading firm controlled by Bankman-Fried. Among other aggressive marketing efforts, FTX solicited a number of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/from-brady-to-shaq-here-are-the-celebrities-who-lost-big-on-the-ftx-implosion" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cultural icons</a> to participate in advertisements featuring the exchange platform; Taylor Swift could have joined the ranks of Golden State Warriors point guard Steph Curry and celebrity investor Kevin O’Leary, as well as Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady and supermodel ex-wife Gisele Bündchen.
The singer-songwriter and the digital asset startup neared the late stages of negotiating a $100 million sponsorship deal that never came to fruition, according to a <a href="https://www.ft.com/content/2b0601e2-d371-404d-8531-227f11d4a83f" target="_blank" rel="noopener">report</a> from the Financial Times. Discussions included a ticketing scheme based on digital certificates known as non-fungible tokens (NFTs). According to one unnamed employee, Bankman-Fried is “a fan of Tay Tay.”
Fellow executives disapproved of the idea and questioned the value of previous celebrity marketing efforts. “No one really liked the deal. It was too expensive from the beginning,” one person familiar with the negotiation told the outlet. “That’s front of the soccer jersey level prices.&#8221;
<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="https://get.dailywire.com/readers-pass/read-only-v2?utm_campaign=dwplus&amp;utm_medium=editorial&amp;utm_source=dwsite&amp;cid=dwplus&amp;mid=z&amp;xid=0" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="https://get.dailywire.com/readers-pass/read-only-v2?utm_campaign=dwplus&amp;utm_medium=editorial&amp;utm_source=dwsite&amp;cid=dwplus&amp;mid=z&amp;xid=0" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true" aria-describedby="sk-tooltip-54730">TIRED OF THE LEGACY MEDIA’S BIAS CONTROLLING THE NARRATIVE AND OBSCURING THE TRUTH? JOIN US.</a>
Swift may have dodged a legal bullet even as she dodged her unlikely fan. Brady, O’Leary, and other former celebrity ambassadors are the subject of a class-action lawsuit claiming that they <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/tom-brady-steph-curry-other-celebrities-sued-for-pushing-ponzi-scheme-ftx" target="_blank" rel="noopener">participated</a> in a “fraudulent scheme” against unsophisticated investors. The lawsuit contended that the brand ambassadors, many of whom received equity stakes in the company, neglected to perform “any due diligence” before marketing FTX to the public, adding that their failure to disclose “the nature, scope, and amount of compensation they personally received” in exchange for promoting FTX is “a violation of the anti-touting provisions of the federal securities laws.”
Another <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2022/12/07/sam-bankman-fried-lobbied-for-taylor-swift-deal-as-ftx-bled-cash.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">report</a> from CNBC showed that Bankman-Fried was incredibly determined to cut a deal with Swift, who recently <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/taylor-swift-finally-breaks-silence-after-eras-tour-ticket-fiasco" target="_blank" rel="noopener">made headlines</a> for crashing Ticketmaster as millions of fans tried to purchase seats for her next tour. Three individuals close to FTX told the outlet that Bankman-Fried ignored his lieutenants’ admonitions to refrain from the sponsorship deal, despite the company’s worsening business environment.
Bankman-Fried, who <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/left-of-center-media-accepted-millions-from-democrat-donor-and-disgraced-crypto-wunderkind-sam-bankman-fried" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cultivated a public image</a> as an unkempt and easygoing young executive, was reportedly “insular” in his leadership style, blaming underlings for his mistakes when angry and lecturing dissenting employees, according to CNBC. The would-be wunderkind allegedly ignored messages from top executives if he disagreed with them and avoided face-to-face confrontations. He lived in a luxury penthouse in the Bahamas with a handful of FTX employees who may have been part of a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/amphetamine-fueled-polycule-or-undersexed-group-of-nerds-inside-ftxs-bahamas-culture" target="_blank" rel="noopener">romantic network</a> called a “polycule.”
The 30-year-old former billionaire told CNBC that he disagrees with the description of his leadership style, but did not offer comment on his desire to collaborate with Swift. “Partnerships were an area that was more contentious and on the margin I originally was in favor and ultimately started pushing back on new ones,” he remarked.
FTX emerged three years ago as an overnight success. Headquartered in the Bahamas and incorporated in Antigua and Barbuda, multiple leaders within the cryptocurrency empire <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/here-are-the-democrats-and-republicans-who-received-campaign-cash-linked-to-bankrupt-crypto-empire-ftx" target="_blank" rel="noopener">donated extensively</a> to Democratic and Republican campaigns. Bankman-Fried was the second-largest contributor to the Biden campaign during the 2020 election cycle and the sixth-largest overall contributor during the recent midterm elections.

Collage Maker-07-Dec-2022-03.17-PM

Sam Bankman-Fried Was A ‘Fan Of Tay Tay,’ Badly Wanted Her To Sign $100 Million Marketing Deal With FTX

Sam Bankman-Fried Wanted Taylor Swift As A Brand Ambassador

Money

Taylor Swift

The parents of Gabby Petito, who was allegedly murdered by her boyfriend, Brian Laundrie, are suing Steven Bertolino, the attorney of Laundrie’s parents, claiming he knew their daughter was dead when he publicly stated that the Laundrie family hoped “that the search for Miss Petito is successful and that Miss Petito is reunited with her family.”
On July 2, 2021, Gabby Petito left New York with her fiancé, Brian Laundrie. They took a road trip to Colorado and Utah.  On August 12, a park ranger from Utah’s Arches National Park <a href="https://dailywire.com/news/park-ranger-warned-gabby-petito-of-toxic-relationship-urged-her-to-find-another-path-before-disappearance/">warned</a> Gabby Petito that her relationship with her fiancé Brian Laundrie appeared “toxic” and urged her to “find another path.” The last time Petito was seen alive was on August 27 at a Jackson Hole, Wyoming restaurant. On August 30, a text was sent from her phone: “No service in Yosemite.” On September 19 human remains matching her description were found at Spread Creek campground. The FBI <a href="https://dailywire.com/news/breaking-fbi-confirms-body-found-in-wyoming-is-gabby-petito-rules-death-a-homicide/">confirmed</a> that the body was hers and they ruled the cause of death to be a homicide.
But prior to the discovery of Gabby Petito’s body, on September 14, 2021, Bertolino released a statement in which he said:
<blockquote>
This is understandably an extremely difficult time for both the Petito family and the Laundrie family. It is our understanding that a search has been organized for Miss Petito in or near Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming. On behalf of the Laundrie family it is our hope that the search for Miss Petito is successful and that Miss Petito is re-united with her family. On the advice of counsel the Laundrie family is remaining in the background at this juncture and will have no further comment.
</blockquote>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
NEW: Statement from Attorney Steven Bertolino for the family of Brian Laundrie, boyfriend of missing 22 year old Gabby Petito via <a href="https://twitter.com/WFLAAllyson?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@WFLAAllyson</a> <a href="https://t.co/Y7tgn8mDd5">https://t.co/Y7tgn8mDd5</a> <a href="https://t.co/AeorQEGWnp">pic.twitter.com/AeorQEGWnp</a>
&mdash; Justin Schecker (@WFLAJustin) <a href="https://twitter.com/WFLAJustin/status/1437850775066234881?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 14, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The new lawsuit <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11509477/Gabby-Petitos-parents-sue-Brian-Laudries-parents-LAWYER-Steven-Bertolino.html">claims</a> of Laundrie’s parents, “When they did choose to speak, it was through statements issued by Steven Bertolino. It is believed that at the time the September 14, 2021 statement was issued, the Laundries and Steven Bertolino knew that Gabby Petito was deceased, and that under those circumstances, the statement was insensitive, cold-hearted and outrageous.”
In June 2022,  Bertolino told <a href="https://www.newsnationnow.com/us-news/gabby-petito-missing-case/laundrie-lawyer-no-regrets-about-handling-of-petito-case/">NewsNation</a>, “What I knew, or what Chris and Roberta knew, we did not have to disclose, to any third party, and specifically to law enforcement, or the Petito family. &#8230; I did everything the right way. We have no regrets. The parents did everything the right way, and they have no regrets.”

Gabby Petito’s Hometown Of Blue Point, Long Island Mourns Her Death

Gabby Petito’s Parents Sue Laundrie Family Lawyer: He Knew She Was Dead

Gabby Petito's Parents Sue Laundrie Family Lawyer: He Knew She Was Dead

Brian Laundrie

Gabby Petito

Lawyer

The niece of former Republican New Jersey Governor Chris Christie allegedly hurled racial insults at Latino passengers on a Spirit Airlines flight in New Orleans in late November before violently attacking multiple police officers who were trying to get her to leave the jetway after she was kicked off the flight.
Shannon Epstein, Christie&#8217;s 25-year-old niece, allegedly asked several Latino families if they were &#8220;smuggling cocaine&#8221; on the flight and used a &#8220;guttural term,&#8221; according to a gate agent who spoke with law enforcement, the New York Post <a href="https://nypost.com/2022/12/06/chris-christie-niece-shannon-epstein-hurled-racial-slurs-on-plane/">reported</a>. The plane was forced to return to the gate after taking off so Epstein could be kicked off the flight, which reportedly increased her anger.
Epstein allegedly became violent toward the police officers on the jetway bridge and invoked her uncle and former President Donald Trump.
“Do you know who I am? I’m Chris Christie’s daughter and you’re so f***ed. You will lose your job over this s***. I know Donald Trump,&#8221; she allegedly said.
<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="https://get.dailywire.com/readers-pass/read-only-v2?utm_campaign=dwplus&amp;utm_medium=editorial&amp;utm_source=dwsite&amp;cid=dwplus&amp;mid=z&amp;xid=0" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="https://get.dailywire.com/readers-pass/read-only-v2?utm_campaign=dwplus&amp;utm_medium=editorial&amp;utm_source=dwsite&amp;cid=dwplus&amp;mid=z&amp;xid=0" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true" aria-describedby="sk-tooltip-35071">TIRED OF THE LEGACY MEDIA’S BIAS CONTROLLING THE NARRATIVE AND OBSCURING THE TRUTH? JOIN US.</a>
Police say that she displayed &#8220;unusual strength&#8221; as she fought off police officers and &#8220;had white foam coming from the sides of her mouth,&#8221; leading authorities to asses that her behavior was consistent with someone who has consumed drugs and alcohol.
“By this time tomorrow you will both be in jail. What the f*** did I do? I’m a lesbian. Is that it? Do you want put your d*** in me? That’s it, isn’t it. That’s what this is all about? You want to put your d*** in my mouth, don’t you? You’re so f***ed, you a**hole,” she said. &#8220;Do you guys think I have cocaine in my p****?&#8221;
She allegedly bit one officer so hard that it broke the skin on his arm and “tore the skin away.” Another officer <a href="https://nypost.com/2022/12/06/inside-chris-christies-niece-shannon-epsteins-violent-plane-meltdown/">said</a> that she &#8220;punched me, kicked me, spit in my face, and twisted as she attempted to free herself from my grip.&#8221;
In total, six law enforcement officers received treatment for injuries.
Police were forced to handcuff her to a wheelchair to move her off the jetway and to the airport security office.
Epstein paid bail of $10,750 and was released on the same day the alleged incident took place. She is scheduled to return to Jefferson Parish for court on January 23, 2023.
The Daily Wire has <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/chris-christies-niece-accused-of-biting-and-injuring-cops-during-airplane-argument">reached out</a> to Spirit Airlines for more information. No statement has been made at this time. Christie, a 2016 Republican presidential candidate, has not commented on the alleged altercation.
A growing number of incidents regarding unruly passengers has occurred over the past two years, many in connection with mask-wearing requirements on airplanes during COVID restrictions. In 2021, 1,099 unruly passenger cases were documented but the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), with numbers dropping but still high, with 767 so far in 2022.
Bryan Del Monte, president of The Aviation Agency, said last year that he supports Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian’s call for a national “no-fly” list for unruly passengers, though the idea has not moved forward. Bastian said Delta had banned at least 1,900 people for mask-related issues alone. The airline also says it increased self-defense training for flight attendants and front-line employees.
Dillon Burroughs contributed to this report.

US-ISRAEL-POLITICS-REPUBLICANS

New Details Emerge About Alleged Attack By Chris Christie’s Niece On 6 Cops After Getting Booted Off Flight: Report

Chris Christie

Louisiana

New Jersey

Authorities in <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/florida" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Florida</a> said Monday that they had arrested a 36-year-old male after a bystander caught him fornicating with a dog before fleeing and damaging the surrounding area, including a church nativity display.
Chad Mason of Orlando was arrested on various charges by Clearwater Police Department on Sunday evening, including sexual activity involving animals, two counts of lewd or lascivious exhibition, two counts of exposure of sexual organs, criminal mischief, and criminal mischief to a place of worship, police <a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=509104634583896&amp;set=a.222800456547650" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>.
Authorities said Mason was seen having sex with the dog, which according to <a href="https://www.fox13news.com/news/clearwater-pd-florida-man-had-sex-with-dog-in-front-of-people-damaged-church-property-mailbox" target="_blank" rel="noopener">local media</a> was described in the arrest affidavit as a goldendoodle. The dog was allegedly owned by someone Mason knew, and they had allowed him to take it for a walk in an apartment complex.
Police said Mason then proceeded to have sex with the goldendoodle in front of witnesses, which included adults and a juvenile under 16 years old.
&#8220;When he was confronted by someone at the apartment complex there, he ran from the scene and began to wreak havoc in the surrounding area,&#8221; police said.
Mason reportedly entered Northwood Presbyterian Church, knocked over a nativity display, broke several potted plants, and tossed children&#8217;s toys from the playground area before fleeing into a nearby neighborhood, where he destroyed a mailbox and attempted to steal a car.
Officers apprehended Mason at that point and later booked him into Pinellas County Jail.
Officials estimated about $400 in damages to the church, according to local media.
The New York Post <a href="https://nypost.com/2022/12/06/florida-man-busted-for-public-sex-with-dog-wrecking-church-nativity-scene/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> that Mason bonded out of jail and is scheduled to appear in court later this month.
Florida senators unanimously passed a <a href="https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2021/96/BillText/c2/PDF" target="_blank" rel="noopener">bill</a> in 2021 that increased penalties for bestiality from a first-degree misdemeanor to a third-degree felony and banned pornography depicting people having sex with animals, which would also result in a third-degree felony.
Those convicted of either offense could face up to five years or a permanent ban from owning, possessing, or controlling an animal or residing in the same household where an animal also lives.
Offenders are also prohibited from working or volunteering anywhere animals are present.
Criminal defense attorneys at <a href="https://www.muscalaw.com/criminal-defense/sex-crimes/bestiality#:~:text=The%20State%20of%20Florida%20has,an%20animal%20of%20any%20kind." target="_blank" rel="noopener">Musca Law</a> write that other penalties could include a prison term of up to one year and a $1,000 fine.
Democratic Sen. Lauren Book <a href="https://apnews.com/article/florida-legislation-child-abuse-bills-sexual-abuse-cee18beacaca0db094144ed25c99a025" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> The Associated Press that lawmakers passed the bestiality law after a criminal case near her South Florida district exemplified the link between animal abuse and child abuse.
Book said the case included a veterinarian suspected of abusing boys who was arrested and charged with possession of child pornography and the sexual abuse of animals in his care.
&#8220;This shocking case reinforces the fact that sexual abuse of animals is the number one predictor for the sexual abuse of children,&#8221; Book said.

Chad Mason (Clearwater Police Department)

36-Year-Old Florida Man Arrested After Caught Fornicating With Dog, Other Charges

Animals

Florida

Sex Crimes

A New York City councilman is switching parties from Democrat to Republican.
Ari Kagan — a city councilman from Brooklyn who represents the 47th district — announced Monday that he is switching parties. Kagan also announced his intention to challenge Democrat Justin Brannan in next year&#8217;s general election in the newly-redrawn  district. Kagan said crime was one of the main reasons he decided to leave the Democrats.
“Over the last several years in my personal humble opinion, [the] Democratic Party in New York became moving to the left at such a speed that they could not even keep up,” Kagan said at a press conference on Monday, via <a href="https://www.amny.com/politics/brooklyn-ari-kagan-switching-gop-challenge-justin-brannan/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">amNY</a>. “And on issue after issue every year, every month, I started to feel that it’s not me leaving the Democratic Party, but [the] Democratic Party very quickly started to leave me. Especially on [the] most important issue of the day, public safety.”
“Every month I found myself like ‘what am I doing in the Democratic Party?’” he added. “In my own district, in southern Brooklyn, everywhere I knocked [on] the doors people saying ‘when are you switching to the Republican Party?”
Kagan specifically pointed out that the city&#8217;s criminal reforms and rising crime in the city were the main reasons he was switching parties. Specifically, he pointed to Democratic policy proposals like abolishing solitary confinement and eliminating landlords&#8217; ability to run criminal background checks on prospective tenants.
“I believe right now, the Democratic Party is doing everything possible in New York City to make everybody less safe,” he said. According to crime statistics from the NYPD, reported by <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/nypd-crime-stats-show-murder-rate-increases-as-overall-crime-drops-in-november" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Daily Wire</a>, crimes like burglary, grand larceny, and rape decreased by 14%, but other crimes increased. Felony assaults increased 3%; robberies increased 3.6%; car thefts increased by 9.4%; and 30 homicides were reported in the month of November, a 25% increase from the 25 murders reported in November 2021.
Kagan was elected to New York City Council in November 2021. His district represents the neighborhoods of Coney Island, Gravesend and Sea Gate. An immigrant from Belarus and the son of Holocaust survivors, Kagan came to the United States in 1993. He graduated from Baruch College and worked for comptroller John Liu and former Congressman Michael McMahon; he also worked as a journalist for Russian-language media in the city.
“We’re happy to have him as part of our conference,” Republican New York City Council minority leader Joe Borelli said at the press conference. “And I think he’ll do a great job serving the people of this district.”
Kagan&#8217;s party switcheroo comes as Republicans have begun to make serious inroads in Brooklyn. According to the <a href="https://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/us-elections-government/ny-ari-kagan-brooklyn-republican-council-20221205-e2r7wrmagnhkdalino6jkelwga-story.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">New York Daily News</a>, Republicans flipped three state assembly seats in south Brooklyn. Republican Nicole Malliotakis also won re-election in New York&#8217;s 11th Congressional District, by a larger margin than expected; her district encompasses both Kagan&#8217;s 47th district and Brannan&#8217;s 43rd.
According to the <a href="https://nypost.com/2022/12/05/new-lines-push-nyc-democrat-ari-kagan-to-gop/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">New York Post</a>, Governor Kathy Hochul edged out Republican Lee Zeldin in Bay Ridge in the 43rd district, but Zeldin beat her in other parts of the area. And in 2021, Republican Curtis Sliwa edged out NYC mayor Eric Adams in the 47th district.

Ari Kagan

NYC Councilman Ditches Democrats Over Crime, Switches To GOP

Democrat

New York City

Republican

Five women filed a lawsuit against actor and comedian <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/bill-cosby" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bill Cosby</a> in New York court on Monday regarding accusations of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/sexual-assault" target="_blank" rel="noopener">sexual assault</a>.
The lawsuit by actresses Lili Bernard and Eden Tirl, as well as Jewel Gittens, Jennifer Thompson, and Cindra Ladd names Cosby and media companies NBC Universal Media, Kaufman Astoria Studios, and The Carsey-Werner Company.
<p class="paragraph inline-placeholder" data-uri="archive.cms.cnn.com/_components/paragraph/instances/paragraph_71E4E73E-71A8-2551-4FC9-E7C9111A52B3@published" data-editable="text" data-component-name="paragraph" data-analytics-observe="off">“Each plaintiff was sexually assaulted and battered by defendant Bill Cosby in the same or similar manner when he used his power, fame, and prestige, including the power, fame and prestige given to him by [the] defendants … to misuse his enormous power in such a nefarious, horrific way,” the suit <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2022/12/06/entertainment/bill-cosby-lawsuit-ny/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reads</a>.
<p class="paragraph inline-placeholder" data-uri="archive.cms.cnn.com/_components/paragraph/instances/paragraph_2D6969EF-AED5-11E0-74C8-E7C9CDA311D3@published" data-editable="text" data-component-name="paragraph" data-analytics-observe="off">“Now, these five Plaintiffs have come forward to stand up for themselves and others, after they were sexually abused and assaulted by Bill Cosby,&#8221; it added.
<p data-uri="archive.cms.cnn.com/_components/paragraph/instances/paragraph_2D6969EF-AED5-11E0-74C8-E7C9CDA311D3@published" data-editable="text" data-component-name="paragraph" data-analytics-observe="off"><a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="https://get.dailywire.com/readers-pass/read-only-v2?utm_campaign=dwplus&amp;utm_medium=editorial&amp;utm_source=dwsite&amp;cid=dwplus&amp;mid=z&amp;xid=0" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="https://get.dailywire.com/readers-pass/read-only-v2?utm_campaign=dwplus&amp;utm_medium=editorial&amp;utm_source=dwsite&amp;cid=dwplus&amp;mid=z&amp;xid=0" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">TIRED OF THE LEGACY MEDIA’S BIAS CONTROLLING THE NARRATIVE AND OBSCURING THE TRUTH? JOIN US.</a>
<p data-uri="archive.cms.cnn.com/_components/paragraph/instances/paragraph_2D6969EF-AED5-11E0-74C8-E7C9CDA311D3@published" data-editable="text" data-component-name="paragraph" data-analytics-observe="off">Four of the allegations relate to alleged rape or sexual acts during the 1980s or 1990s when &#8220;The Cosby Show&#8221; aired on NBC. The fifth allegation accuses Cosby of raping Ladd in 1969.
<p data-uri="archive.cms.cnn.com/_components/paragraph/instances/paragraph_2D6969EF-AED5-11E0-74C8-E7C9CDA311D3@published" data-editable="text" data-component-name="paragraph" data-analytics-observe="off">Bernard, one of the women bringing the lawsuit against Cosby, was a guest actress on &#8220;The Cosby Show,” and first accused the actor in 2015. She would later file a lawsuit against Cosby in 2021.
<p data-uri="archive.cms.cnn.com/_components/paragraph/instances/paragraph_2D6969EF-AED5-11E0-74C8-E7C9CDA311D3@published" data-editable="text" data-component-name="paragraph" data-analytics-observe="off">The legal suit was filed under New York&#8217;s <a href="https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/governor-hochul-signs-adult-survivors-act" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Adult Survivors Act</a>, a new law that allows a one-year lookback for accusers to file civil claims of sexual assault, regardless of the statute of limitations. The new law took effect on November 24, six months after Governor Kathy Hochul signed it.
<p data-uri="archive.cms.cnn.com/_components/paragraph/instances/paragraph_2D6969EF-AED5-11E0-74C8-E7C9CDA311D3@published" data-editable="text" data-component-name="paragraph" data-analytics-observe="off">&#8220;The fight against sexual assault requires us to recognize the impact of trauma within our justice system,&#8221; Hochul said when signing the legislation. &#8220;I am proud to sign this legislation, which is part of our collective responsibility to protect one another and create an environment that makes survivors feel safe.&#8221;
<p data-uri="archive.cms.cnn.com/_components/paragraph/instances/paragraph_2D6969EF-AED5-11E0-74C8-E7C9CDA311D3@published" data-editable="text" data-component-name="paragraph" data-analytics-observe="off">Cosby spokesman Andrew Wyatt blasted the effort as a &#8220;frivolous&#8221; lawsuit.
<p data-uri="archive.cms.cnn.com/_components/paragraph/instances/paragraph_2D6969EF-AED5-11E0-74C8-E7C9CDA311D3@published" data-editable="text" data-component-name="paragraph" data-analytics-observe="off">“As we have always stated, and now America can see, this isn’t about justice for victims of alleged sexual assault, it’s ALL ABOUT MONEY,” Wyatt <a href="https://variety.com/2022/tv/news/bill-cosby-sexual-assault-lawsuit-new-york-1235451695/amp/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>. “We believe that the courts, as well as the court of public opinion, will follow the rules of law and relieve Mr. Cosby of these alleged accusations. Mr. Cosby continues to vehemently deny all allegations waged against him and looks forward to defending himself in court.”
<p data-uri="archive.cms.cnn.com/_components/paragraph/instances/paragraph_2D6969EF-AED5-11E0-74C8-E7C9CDA311D3@published" data-editable="text" data-component-name="paragraph" data-analytics-observe="off">The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/bill-cosby-found-liable-for-sexual-battery" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> that Cosby faced a civil suit in July. A Los Angeles jury found Cosby liable and awarded his accuser $500,000 in damages.
Judy Huth, now 64, had accused Cosby of sexually abusing her nearly 50 years ago when Cosby was in his mid-30s. Huth first filed suit seven years ago.
Last year, Cosby’s conviction after he was found guilty of drugging and molesting Temple University employee Andrea Constand was <a href="https://www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2021-06-30/explainer-why-bill-cosbys-conviction-was-overturned" target="_blank" rel="noopener">thrown out</a> and he was released from prison, where he had been incarcerated since 2018.

Bill Cosby

Bill Cosby Sued By Five Women For Sexual Assault Under New State Law

Lawsuit

Sexual Assault

A group of House Republicans is asking for non-binary Biden official Sam Brinton to be fired over the alleged theft of a woman&#8217;s luggage at a Minneapolis airport.
Brinton, a nuclear engineer who claims to be the first non-binary, gender-fluid official in the White House, was arrested after allegedly taking another passenger&#8217;s suitcase and using it for a month before claiming it was taken by accident.
&#8220;As an appointed official, Sam Brinton represents both your Department and the United States,&#8221; the GOP <a href="https://files.constantcontact.com/647991c4801/bcc50571-b74c-484f-be6f-c58965867dde.pdf?rdr=true" target="_blank" rel="noopener">letter</a> read. &#8220;It is simply not possible for an individual to represent American values and simultaneously violate the felony laws of the land. Brinton’s actions, along with your Department’s lack of transparency when dealing with this matter, reflect poorly on the Department of Energy.&#8221;
The letter was signed by 16 Republican members of Congress, including Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ), who recently <a href="https://dailywire.com/news/andy-biggs-to-challenge-kevin-mccarthy-for-speaker-position/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced a bid</a> to challenge Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) for Speaker of the House.
<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus?utm_campaign=dwplus&amp;utm_medium=editorial&amp;utm_source=dwsite&amp;cid=dwplus&amp;mid=z&amp;xid=0" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus?utm_campaign=dwplus&amp;utm_medium=editorial&amp;utm_source=dwsite&amp;cid=dwplus&amp;mid=z&amp;xid=0" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">TIRED OF THE LEGACY MEDIA&#8217;S BIAS CONTROLLING THE NARRATIVE AND OBSCURING THE TRUTH? JOIN US AND SAVE 30%.</a>
Brinton is currently on leave from White House duties and has been since shortly after the arrest. The felony carries a penalty of up to five years in prison, a $10,000 fine, or both. The charge has led the Republican leaders to request a demand for Brinton&#8217;s resignation and a response to the letter by December 20.
&#8220;Therefore, we demand the resignation of Sam Brinton, and we implore you to set aside petty politics and appoint only the most qualified and dedicated individuals to influence America’s energy sector,&#8221; the letter concluded.
Minneapolis-St. Paul (MSP) International Airport authorities previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/gender-fluid-biden-admin-official-placed-on-leave-after-being-charged-with-felony" target="_blank" rel="noopener">confirmed</a> to The Daily Wire that an investigation involving Sam Brinton was underway.
The complaint claimed that Brinton left the airport in an Uber on September 16 and checked into the InterContinental St. Paul Riverfront hotel with the blue bag. Brinton returned to the same airport two days later and flew back to Washington, D.C., with the same bag.
The suitcase owner notified law enforcement that her bag was missing and listed the value of the luggage and contents at approximately $2,325.
Brinton was confronted by police almost a month later and initially denied taking the suitcase. Brinton soon changed the account, claiming the luggage was taken by mistake.
Brinton&#8217;s addition to the Biden administration has not been without controversy. Brinton previously opened up about being gender-fluid in a Yahoo Life interview after being hired.
“I can&#8217;t change my identity more than anyone can change intrinsic parts about themselves, but I can change my openness. And so I am given the opportunity to serve my country as I am, and that&#8217;s a really important aspect of my work — because I work on nuclear waste management, where transparency and honesty and trust building are so critical,” Brinton <a href="https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/sam-brinton-first-openly-genderfluid-person-federal-government-174428142.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> the outlet in October.
“So if I can&#8217;t be myself, it&#8217;s really hard to build those relationships. I&#8217;m proud to say that, yes, I get to be the first openly genderfluid person in this type of government service, but I won’t be the last,&#8221; Brinton added.

Sam Brinton

GOP House Members Urge Firing Of Non-Binary Biden Official Sam Brinton Over Alleged Theft

Biden Administration

Gender Identity

House Republicans

Menu