The Justice Department launched a probe Thursday into multiple women’s prisons across California and Maine, where transgender-identifying men have been accused of rape and making other sexual advances toward female inmates. 
The investigation from the Justice Department will look at whether the states violated the constitutional rights of the imprisoned women with their policies of allowing men to be placed in women&#8217;s prisons. One of the prisons under scrutiny is the Central California Women’s Facility in Madera County, where a man who served time at the facility was charged with raping a female inmate. 
“Keeping men out of women’s prisons is not only common sense – it’s a matter of safety and constitutional rights,” said Attorney General Pam Bondi. “The Trump Administration will not stand by if governors are facilitating the abuse of biological women under the guise of inclusion.”
At the Maine Correctional Center in Windham, a 27-year-old man named Andrew Balcer, <a href="https://apps1.web.maine.gov/cgi-bin/online/correctionssearch/detail.pl?mdoc_number1=156589">serving</a> 40 years for murdering his parents, is currently housed at the women’s unit. State <a href="https://apps1.web.maine.gov/cgi-bin/online/correctionssearch/detail.pl?mdoc_number1=156589">records</a> list him as “female” and standing 6’1’’ tall and 310 pounds. The man has been accused of forcibly kissing incarcerated women and offering to impregnate them, <a href="https://www.sunjournal.com/2026/03/04/women-say-they-are-being-harassed-by-transgender-inmate-at-maine-prison/">according</a> to the Sun Journal. 
<div id="attachment_1067567" style="width: 431px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1067567" class="wp-image-1067567 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/Screenshot-2026-03-27-at-9.52.34-AM-421x576.png" alt="" width="421" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/Screenshot-2026-03-27-at-9.52.34-AM-421x576.png 421w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/Screenshot-2026-03-27-at-9.52.34-AM-219x300.png 219w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/Screenshot-2026-03-27-at-9.52.34-AM.png 578w" sizes=" (max-width: 421px) 100vw, 421px" />Maine Government.</div>
In a case out of Madera County, California, a 53-year-old man named Tremaine Carroll was charged with rape after he was placed at the Central California Women’s Facility. A fellow inmate was found to be pregnant, and two other women also accused him of rape.
&#8220;After his first cellmate became pregnant and was moved to Los Angeles, two other cellmates of his had complained that he had raped them, so we have filed rape charges against this inmate,&#8221; <a href="https://abc7chicago.com/post/pronoun-use-center-rape-case-involving-former-chowchilla-central-california-womens-facility-prisoner-tremaine-carroll/15696730/">said</a> District Attorney Sally Moreno in December 2024.
The case is still working its way through the court system, but court officials have mandated that female pronouns be used for Carroll. Court records indicate that Tremaine has had a number of different lawyers and is in the process of getting a new lawyer appointed by the county from an outside legal firm.  
Thanks to a law sponsored by far-Left state Senator Scott Wiener and <a href="https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=201920200SB132">signed</a> by Governor Gavin Newsom, at least 45 males who identify as transgender have been <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/california-dems-vote-to-keep-male-sex-offenders-in-female-prisons">transferred</a> into female prisons since the law was implemented in September 2020. Last year, state Democrats rejected a proposal to keep male sex criminals out of female prisons. 
“California’s Transgender Respect, Agency, and Dignity Act has provided none of these qualities to the female inmates of state prisons who have been forced to share space with biological men who are violent felons,” said First Assistant United States Attorney Bill Essayli of the Central District of California. “Our Constitution protects women from having their civil rights violated by harmful state legislation wrapped in the language of ‘equity’ and ‘progress.’”
The California Institution for Women in San Bernardino County is also being scrutinized.  
&#8220;Despite the Department of Justice&#8217;s claims, this is yet another politically motivated, predetermined investigation designed to target states that stand up to the Trump Administration and its abuses,&#8221; <a href="https://www.newscentermaine.com/article/news/local/justice-department-investigates-prison-housing-policies-maine-california/97-f2623a63-f421-4c62-a899-17b138fb2d8b">said</a> Democratic Maine Governor Janet Mills. 
Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon said her office will ensure that women are protected from male inmates. 
“Under my leadership, the Civil Rights Division will not allow women incarcerated in jails or prisons to be subject to unconstitutional risks of harm from male inmates,” she said. “These investigations will uncover whether the dangerous national trend of housing men in women’s prisons has resulted in violations of women’s constitutional rights.”

MixCollage-27-Mar-2026-10-32-AM-6603

DOJ Demands Answers After Women Housed With Hulking Transgender Murderer

DOJ Takes Action As Female Prisoners Housed With Transgender Murderer

California

Department of Justice

Harmeet Dhillon

Maine

Pam Bondi

Transgender

Trump Administration

The Justice Department has reportedly agreed to pay President Donald Trump’s former National Security Adviser, Michael Flynn, roughly $1.2 million to settle a lawsuit over his prosecution during the Russia collusion investigation. 
The settlement, <a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.flmd.411523/gov.uscourts.flmd.411523.72.0.pdf">announced</a> Wednesday, resolves a malicious prosecution case Flynn filed in Florida against the DOJ. Flynn argued that FBI agents entrapped him during the investigation, which found no evidence that the Trump campaign colluded with Russia in the 2016 presidential election. 
“Today, after ten years of fighting, I have reached a settlement agreement with the United States Government in my case regarding the Russian Hoax FBI lawfare against me,” Flynn said in a statement. “Nothing can fully compensate for the hell that my family and I have endured over these many years — the relentless attacks, the destruction of reputations, the financial ruin, and the profound personal toll inflicted upon us all. No amount of money or formal resolution can erase the pain caused by a prosecution that should never have been brought.”
A Justice Department spokesman called the settlement an &#8220;important step in redressing&#8221; the &#8220;historic injustice.&#8221; 
&#8220;This Department of Justice will continue to pursue accountability at all levels for this wrongdoing. Such weaponization of the federal government must never be allowed to happen again,” the spokesman said. 
The DOJ did not disclose the exact settlement amount. The New York Times reported it at $1.25 million, while the Associated Press reported it as $1.2 million.
Flynn was charged during Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia investigation and pleaded guilty in 2017 to lying to FBI agents about a phone call with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak. He later sought to withdraw his plea, arguing he had been misled by federal agents. Trump pardoned Flynn in November 2020.
Flynn&#8217;s attorney, Jesse Binnall, said the agreement reflects acknowledgment that his client &#8220;was seriously wronged.&#8221;
“General Flynn is an American hero and he and his family should have never been put through this hell,” said Binnall. “That they had the courage to stand firm and fight back against the extremists in the Mueller investigation should be a testament to the strength of American character.”

ReAwaken America Tour

Michael Flynn Gets Payout As Justice Department Addresses ‘Historic Injustice’

Donald Trump

Michael Flynn

Robert Mueller

Russia

Russia Collusion Hoax

Nine defendants in the anti-ICE Prairieland Detention Center riot last Independence Day in Texas were convicted in federal court on Friday.
The defendants were convicted on a range of charges including rioting, “providing material support to terrorists,” “conspiracy to use and carry an explosive,” and &#8220;using and carrying an explosive&#8221; in the North Texas Antifa Cell attack that left a local police officer shot in the neck.
In a <a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndtx/pr/antifa-cell-members-convicted-prairieland-ice-detention-center-shooting" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a>, FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock described the incident as a “coordinated attack” on the facility where illegal immigrants were being held before deportation from the United States.
Two individuals were also convicted of “conspiracy to conceal documents.”
According to the Department of Justice, Benjamin Song was considered the attack’s “leader,” who gave out firearms and recruited people for the effort. Song was convicted of attempted murder of federal officers for the “unlawful attempt to kill with malice aforethought the Alvarado Police Officer” and for unlawful discharging of a firearm in “the attempted murder of two correctional officers and an Alvarado Police Officer,” as he was the one who shot the officer in the neck.
Song successfully fled the scene but was arrested on July 15, 2025, while law enforcement arrested most of the other individuals involved “shortly after,” the DOJ <a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndtx/pr/antifa-cell-members-convicted-prairieland-ice-detention-center-shooting">said</a>.
Song could face up to life behind bars, with a minimum of 20 years, according to a Department of Justice press release. Seven of the individuals could get 10-60 years in prison, and Daniel Rolando Sanchez Estrada could be sentenced to up to 40 years in prison.
“These guilty verdicts and convictions rightly reflect the vicious, armed attack that these Antifa cell members planned and executed against law enforcement and detention center officers on the night of July 4 last year,” U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould said in a statement.
“Their terrorist acts, attempted murder, vandalism, and explosives launched at a detention facility were a far cry from some peaceful protest or First Amendment expression. Because of the prompt action of first responders that night and tenacious work of our law enforcement partners in tandem with the prosecutors in my office, sixteen people have been brought to justice for these violent acts and their attempts to conceal them. We will continue in this mission to hold others accountable who perpetrate such violence and fund these ANTIFA groups in the Northern District of Texas.”
Notably, the attackers used &#8220;monikers&#8221; in group chats to plan the riot. The attackers also used fireworks and committed acts of vandalism, including spray-painting “F*ck You Pigs” on a building.

Portland Antifa

America’s First Antifa Terrorism Trial Just Reached A Verdict

Antifa

Courts

Crime

Immigration

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

Texas

U.S.

Scammers in Southeast Asia couldn&#8217;t hide behind their online profiles last week when the Royal Thai Police arrested 21 people in Bangkok as part of an international crackdown on scam centers targeting Americans.
Meta, the parent company of Facebook, teamed up with the FBI, the Department of Justice&#8217;s Scam Center Strike Force, and Thai authorities to disrupt the networks. The company disabled 150,000 accounts tied to the scam operations.
In videos shared with The Daily Wire, armed Thai officers are seen going door to door, questioning individuals before placing suspects in handcuffs and taking them into custody. The arrests showcase the expanding effort by law enforcement to dismantle global cybercrime operations, a priority highlighted in a recent executive order signed by President Donald Trump.
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On March 6, Trump signed an executive order on &#8220;Combating Cybercrime and Fraud,&#8221; directing federal agencies to prioritize prosecutions of cyber fraud and strengthen coordination to prevent, disrupt, investigate, and dismantle scam-center networks.
&#8220;This operation is a testament to how sharing information and coordinating our efforts can make real progress in disrupting this criminal activity at its source,&#8221; said Chris Sonderby, Meta&#8217;s vice president and deputy general counsel. &#8220;Our work to combat scams is never done, and we will continue to invest in technology and partnerships to stay ahead.&#8221;
The recent operation in Asia follows a December cybercrime sting in which Meta joined the FBI, Homeland Security, the U.S. Secret Service, and other agencies to share information on scam networks. That effort resulted in the removal of 59,000 accounts from Meta platforms and six arrest warrants.
Chinese criminal groups run many scam farms operating across Southeast Asia. The region has become a hub for Chinese-linked social media scammers who have stolen tens of billions of dollars from Americans in just the past few years.
The U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission, an independent body that provides recommendations to Congress, wrote in a 2025 <a href="https://www.uscc.gov/research/chinas-exploitation-scam-centers-southeast-asia">report</a> that “the spread of China-linked scam compounds in Southeast Asia is fueling corruption and violence, promoting human trafficking, [and] undermining the ability of governments in the region to control what happens in their territory.”
Massive scam farms have set up shop in countries such as Thailand, Myanmar, and Cambodia, the Associated Press <a href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/why-southeast-asias-online-scam-industry-is-so-hard-to-shut-down">reported</a>. The foreign operations often target Americans with fraudulent cryptocurrency investment schemes, fake work-from-home jobs, and “task scams,” which promise high commissions but require victims to pay upfront fees.
According to the <a href="https://news.un.org/en/story/2023/08/1140187">United Nations</a>, around 120,000 people are being forced to work for online scam farms in Myanmar, and another 100,000 people are being used as forced labor for the scam industry in Cambodia. Workers are often forced to send scam messages for 12 to 16 hours a day, according to the Associated Press.
The development of artificial intelligence has also aided social media scammers and their ability to target more Americans, <a href="https://www.uscc.gov/research/protecting-americans-china-linked-scam-centers-update-emerging-trends">according</a> to the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission. The commission warned that AI enables scammers to “increase the sophistication of scams,” which can “make it difficult for even the most discerning potential victims to distinguish fact from fraud.”
In addition to using global law enforcement partnerships to battle online crime, a Meta spokesman told The Daily Wire that the company has added extra security measures for its users to fight the elusive scammers. This month, Meta plans to launch an advanced AI-powered scam detection tool for Messenger, allowing users to submit suspicious messages for review.
Meta is also testing a feature that will alert users of potentially suspicious friend requests, such as those from accounts with no mutual connections. On WhatsApp, which is owned by Meta, users will receive alerts if an attempt to link their account to another device seems suspicious, a tactic scammers sometimes implement to hijack accounts.
&#8220;These operations cause real harm,&#8221; Meta said in a statement. &#8220;They upend lives, destroy trust, and are deliberately designed to avoid detection and disruption. The work to protect people against scammers is never done, and requires ongoing collaboration with partners across the tech industry and law enforcement to ensure a safer experience for everyone online.&#8221;

Thai Police arrest social media scammers

WATCH: How Facebook Teamed Up With The Trump Admin To Bust Scammers In Thailand

WATCH: Trump DOJ Teams Up With Meta, Thai Police To Bust Scammers Stealing From Americans

China

Facebook

scams

Social Media

The Justice Department announced Monday that it may have reached a settlement in its antitrust lawsuit against Ticketmaster and parent company Live Nation Entertainment.
Though nothing is confirmed yet, the DOJ announced in Manhattan federal court that the case was likely nearing a conclusion after the term sheet was signed on Thursday, per the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/livenation-antitrust-justice-department-0a6ef66f497e5f626096de753bfff8ce">Associated Press</a>.
An unnamed official told the outlet that the terms included Live Nation paying a fine of up to $280 million and divesting some properties to allow for more competition in the ticket sales industry. The official said the settlement was a “win-win for everybody.”
Certain states were allegedly not on board with the proposed terms, however, and Judge Arun Subramanian called the terms “entirely unacceptable.”
New York Attorney General Letitia James said in a statement that the settlement “fails to address the monopoly at the center of this case.” 
“My attorney general colleagues and I have a strong case against Live Nation, and we will continue our lawsuit to protect consumers and restore fair competition to the live entertainment industry,” she said, adding that she preferred to move forward with the trial.
Washington State Attorney General Nick Brown has a similar take, saying, “[the] case against Live Nation is strong, and the state coalition is committed to holding the company accountable for its illegal behavior, protecting consumers and restoring competition to this market,” the outlet noted.
The lawsuit was originally filed in 2024 under the Biden administration, as WSJ <a href="https://www.wsj.com/us-news/law/live-nation-reaches-settlement-in-federal-antitrust-case-9f0c6fb7">reported</a>. About 40 states came together to sue the entertainment company.
U.S. Justice Department lawyer David Dahlquist summarized the charges during opening statements last Tuesday, as The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/doj-opens-landmark-antitrust-trial-against-ticketmaster-calls-concert-ticketing-broken">reported</a>.
“This case is about power, the power of a monopolist to control competition,” Dahlquist said. “Today, the concert ticket industry is broken.”
Attorney David Marriott, who is representing Live Nation, said it wasn’t so. “We’ll let the numbers do the talking. We do not have monopoly power,” he said in response.
The complaint alleges that the company engages in “anticompetitive conduct” that results in higher fees, fewer opportunities for artists, and limited ticketing options. The filing occurred after the infamous 2022 incident when Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour pre-sale tickets caused the Ticketmaster site to crash, with thousands of fans — and bots — swarming the site all at once.
This Taylor Swift incident led to congressional hearings beginning in January 2023.
Ticketmaster was founded in 1976 and merged with Live Nation in 2010. Over the years, the company has clashed with fans and artists, with many accusing the company of having predatory prices. The rock band Pearl Jam testified before Congress on the issue all the way back in 1994, but their efforts ultimately led nowhere.

Taylor Swift

Ticketmaster Case Sparked By Taylor Swift Ticket Meltdown Enters Key Stage

Lawsuit

Music

New York

Ticketmaster

The Justice Department moved Friday to block a lawsuit from Missouri challenging the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for allowing the abortion drug mifepristone to be shipped through the mail. 
A <a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.moed.224112/gov.uscourts.moed.224112.293.1.pdf">filing</a> from the DOJ argued that allowing the suit to move forward would inhibit a safety study on the abortion pill being conducted by the Trump administration. Missouri and several other Republican-led states have asked a judge to block a COVID-era policy that relaxed regulations for dispensing the abortion pill. 
“Missouri, Kansas, and Idaho are not the only plaintiffs to have challenged the current conditions of use for mifepristone,” the Justice Department wrote. “Given this widespread debate over the safety of mifepristone, FDA has concluded that the best path forward is for the agency to undertake its review based on all the evidence before the agency.”
The filing asked the judge to put the lawsuit on hold while the FDA reviews the Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (REMS) for mifepristone or dismiss the case altogether. It comes as pro-life <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/republican-voters-want-action-on-mail-order-abortion-pill-as-midterms-loom?author=Leif+Le+Mahieu&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Republican+Voters+Want+Action+On+Mail-Order+Abortion+Pill+As+Midterms+Loom">advocates</a> and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/serious-crisis-hawley-says-congress-must-act-to-combat-rising-abortion-rates?author=Leif+Le+Mahieu&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=%E2%80%98Serious+Crisis%E2%80%99%3A+Hawley+Says+Congress+Must+Act+To+Combat+Rising+Abortion+Rates">lawmakers</a> have called for the Trump administration to crack down on mail-order abortion pills. 
Last year, FDA Administrator Marty Makary and Health and Human Services Director Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said that they initiated the REMS review. The study has yet to be released, and pro-life lawmakers and advocates have grown impatient as abortions continue to increase in states where medication abortion is banned due to an influx of outside pills. 
A spokesman for the Justice Department told The Daily Wire that the intent of the filing was to allow the FDA to oversee drug policy, not the federal court system. 
“In this filing, the Department of Justice requested more time from the court for the FDA to complete its review of mifepristone REMS,” the spokesman said. “As the Supreme Court recognized in a unanimous ruling less than two years ago, it is the role of the FDA – not the federal courts – to evaluate drug safety data and impose appropriate precautions.”
The filing from the DOJ dismisses concerns from pro-life states that FDA policies allow abortionists to ship pills into their states. The department said that states “remain free to make and enforce their pro-life policies” and that the federal government is not “standing in the way of Intervenor Plaintiffs enforcing their abortion laws against out-of-state prescribers of mifepristone.”
The filing <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/fda-claims-mail-order-abortion-policies-are-not-preventing-states-from-protecting-the-unborn">mirrors another</a> one from January, where the DOJ asked a judge not to grant a request from Louisiana also seeking to block the FDA&#8217;s abortion pill mailing policy.
Data <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/despite-dobbs-more-babies-are-still-being-aborted-in-the-united-states">indicate</a> that tens of thousands of abortions are still happening in states like Texas, where medication abortion is banned. While Attorney General Ken Paxton has attempted to penalize abortionists accused of shipping pills into the state, New York has so far refused to cooperate due to shield laws put in place for abortionists. 
The Friday filing was condemned by Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America President Marjorie Dannenfelser, who has been a vocal critic of the Trump administration’s handling of medication abortion. 
“The pro-life movement has very simple demands,” she said. “There should be no place on the market for drugs meant to poison and kill innocent human beings – but at the very least, this administration can and should take them out of the mail. This is no more or less than the policy of the first Trump administration.”
The Justice Department spokesman told The Daily Wire the department remains “committed to advancing President Trump’s pro-life agenda, including through dismissing criminal prosecutions and civil lawsuits against peaceful pro-life advocates targeted by the previous administration, and using the FACE Act to protect pro-life pregnancy centers.”

President Trump Signs Order Establishing White House Great American Recovery Initiative

DOJ Makes New Move In Court Fight Over Abortion Pill

Justice Department Moves To Block Red State Lawsuit Over Abortion Pill

Abortion

Abortion Drug

Pro-Life Movement

A landmark antitrust trial against Live Nation began this week in New York with the Department of Justice seeking to prove that the entertainment company, which owns Ticketmaster, maintains an illegal monopoly over the concert ticket industry.
U.S. Justice Department lawyer David Dahlquist summarized the charges during opening statements on Tuesday, per the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/live-nation-ticketmaster-antitrust-trial-ecfd6cb3e77459412584ed002653bc8f">Associated Press</a>. 
“This case is about power, the power of a monopolist to control competition,” Dahlquist said. “Today, the concert ticket industry is broken.”
Attorney David Marriott, who is representing Live Nation, said it wasn’t so. “We’ll let the numbers do the talking. We do not have monopoly power,” he said in response.
The complaint alleges that the company engages in &#8220;anticompetitive conduct&#8221; that results in higher fees, fewer opportunities for artists, and limited ticketing options. 
Per <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/business/business-news/live-nation-ticketmaster-antitrust-trial-doj-what-to-know-rcna261400">NBC News</a>, Live Nation controls 400 musical artists and owns or controls 265 concert venues in North America. 
“Through interconnected agreements associated with Live Nation’s various roles as ticketer, promoter, artist manager, and venue owner,” the complaint states. “Live Nation has created a feedback loop that pushes ticketing and ancillary fees higher while allowing Live Nation to be on all sides of numerous transactions and thereby double-dip from the pockets of fans, artists, and venues.”
This trial, expected to last six weeks, came about after a 2024 lawsuit alleged that Live Nation unfairly dominated concert ticketing and promotion, leaving no room for competitors. The filing occurred after the infamous 2022 incident when Taylor Swift&#8217;s Eras Tour pre-sale tickets caused the Ticketmaster site to crash, with thousands of fans and bots swarming the site all at once.
This Taylor Swift incident led to congressional hearings beginning in January 2023.
“To have a strong capitalist system, you have to have competition. You can’t have too much consolidation. Something that unfortunately for this country — as an ode to Taylor Swift, I will say — we know all too well,” Minnesota Democrat Sen. Amy Klobuchar said at the time, as The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/twitter-loses-it-over-senators-quoting-taylor-swift-songs-at-ticketmaster-hearing">reported</a>.
Ticketmaster began in 1976 and merged with Live Nation in 2010. Over the years, the company has been at odds with fans and artists at various points, with many accusing the company of having predatory prices. The rock band Pearl Jam testified before Congress on the issue all the way back in 1994, but their efforts ultimately led nowhere.
Marriott argued during the trial’s opening day that the company supports the music industry and is “all about bringing joy to people’s lives.”
He also said the amount of revenue Ticketmaster and Live Nation rake in is highly exaggerated, as AP noted.

DOJ Opens Landmark Antitrust Trial Against Ticketmaster, Calls Concert Ticketing ‘Broken’

Ticketmaster Antitrust Trial Begins Today, DOJ Says Concert Ticket Industry Is 'Broken'

Entertainment

Authorities arrested more than two dozen additional people for their alleged participation in an anti-ICE mob that stormed a Minnesota church service last month. 
Attorney General Pam Bondi said that 26 more people had been arrested over the incident at Cities Church in St. Paul on January 18, where dozens of people showed up and screamed at congregants during a Sunday morning worship service over accusations that one of the pastors on staff worked for ICE. The protest was streamed live by former CNN host Don Lemon, who claimed he was engaging in independent journalism. 
Multiple left-wing activists have already been arrested over the protest. A judge on Friday unsealed an indictment charging 30 additional people with conspiracy against the right of religious freedom at a place of worship. They were also charged with attempting to interfere with congregants exercising their First Amendment rights. 
“At my direction, federal agents have already arrested 25 of them, with more to come throughout the day,” Bondi said on X. “YOU CANNOT ATTACK A HOUSE OF WORSHIP. If you do so, you cannot hide from us — we will find you, arrest you, and prosecute you. This Department of Justice STANDS for Christians and all Americans of faith.”
Those charged included Aziza Mohammed Aboud, Max Richard Adamson, Michael Walker Beute, Ezra Chaim Pye Blumenfeld, Shane Ryan Bollman, Kelly Ann Carey, Monique Cassandra Cullars-Doty, Tiffany Lynn Dunlap, Andrew Jared Edwards, Rachel Rose Goligoski, Amelia Cristin Hansa, Ariel Hauptman, Krista Erin Hogan, Heather Danae Lewis, Danielle Andrea Matthias, Catie Anne Michaelson, Eric Ryan Michaelson, David Anthony Okar, Jarmel James Perry, Cheryl Ann Persigehl, Emmar Monike Pineda-Moreno, Spencer Michael Rodriguez-Bocanegra, Katherine Elizabeth Shaw, Satara Diann Strong Allen, Charles Lee Swenson, Robyn Elise Swenson, Thomas Matthew Tier, Lee Elizabeth Wiedeman Tuggle, John Donald Vergin, and Mark David Weinfurter.
The indictment alleges that two of the defendants, Chauntyll Louisa Allen and Satara Diann Strong Allen, “conducted reconnaissance” around the church on January 17, took video of the area, and made preparations for the next day’s takeover. 
The indictment says that another defendant, Nekima Levy Armstrong, &#8220;interrupted the service with loud declarations about the church harboring a “Director of ICE” and indicating that the time for Judgement had come, and other defendants joined in by yelling and blowing whistles in a takeover attack on the Church, all of which quickly caused the situation in the Church to become chaotic, menacing, and traumatizing to Church members.” 
Another defendant, William Scott Kelly, told young kids at the church that their parents were Nazis, according to the indictment. “Do you know your parents are Nazis? They’re going to burn in hell,” he said, prosecutors allege. 
The indictment said that Lemon, who was <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/don-lemon-arrested-by-feds-for-role-in-minneapolis-church-protest">arrested</a> last month over his participation, positioned himself in front of one of the church’s exit doors and “physically obstructed” congregants from leaving to ask them questions about immigration policy.

Don Lemon, Nekima Levy-Armstrong

Bondi Charges Dozens In Church Takeover And Signals What Comes Next

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Don Lemon

Minnesota

St. Paul

A former U.S. Air Force fighter pilot was arrested Wednesday on allegations that he traveled to China to illegally train combat pilots with the People’s Liberation Army. 
The Justice Department<a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/former-us-air-force-pilot-arrested-providing-defense-services-chinese-military"> announced</a> that 65-year-old Gerald Eddie Brown, Jr. had been charged with providing and conspiring to provide defense services to Chinese military pilots without authorization in violation of the Arms Export Control Act. Brown was arrested in Jeffersonville, Indiana, and is expected to make his first court appearance on Thursday. 
“Gerald Brown, a former F-35 Lightning II instructor pilot with decades of experience flying U.S. military aircraft, allegedly betrayed his country by training Chinese pilots to fight against those he swore to protect,” said Assistant Director Roman Rozhavsky of the FBI’s Counterintelligence and Espionage Division. “The Chinese government continues to exploit the expertise of current and former members of the U.S. armed forces to modernize China’s military capabilities.”
The complaint accused Brown of beginning in August 2023 to conspire with foreign nationals to train People’s Liberation Army Air Force combat pilots. It said that Brown did not obtain the proper license from the State Department to train a foreign military. 
Brown served in the U.S. Air Force for 24 years. He commanded sensitive units with responsibilities that included oversight of nuclear weapons delivery systems. He led combat missions and served as a fighter pilot instructor, according to the Justice Department. Before he retired in 1996, he was known by the call sign &#8220;Runner.&#8221; Brown also worked for multiple defense contractors in recent years on flight training. 
The Justice Department said that Brown worked with Stephen Su Bin, a Chinese national who pleaded guilty back in 2016 for conspiring to hack into the computer systems of multiple defense contractors. 
Brown traveled to China in December 2023, where he allegedly answered questions about the Air Force. According to the complaint, he told a co-conspirator in a message upon landing in China that he now had &#8220;the chance to fly and instruct fighter pilots again!” He did not return to the United States until February 2026. 
“As an Air Force Officer, Brown took an oath to defend our Nation against all enemies foreign and domestic, he broke that oath, and betrayed the country, jeopardizing the safety of our servicemembers and allies,” said U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro for the District of Columbia. “We will hold Brown, and anyone conspiring against our Nation, accountable for their actions.”
The case against Brown was investigated by the FBI’s New York Field Office.

NASCAR Cup Series Daytona 500

He Served The U.S. Air Force For 24 Years. He’s Now Accused Of Training CCP Combat Pilots

Former Air Force Fighter Pilot Arrested For Training CCP Combat Pilots

Air Force

Military

Billionaire Microsoft co-founder and jet-setting philanthropist Bill Gates apologized to staffers at his foundation for his connection to pedophile Jeffrey Epstein and admitted to affairs with two Russian women, whom he assured were not victims of Epstein&#8217;s sex-trafficking scheme.
Gates fessed up to the affairs during a Gates Foundation town hall on Tuesday, and said that Epstein — whom he developed a relationship with beginning in 2011 — found out about the sexual encounters. Gates claimed, however, that his trysts with a Russian bridge player and a Russian nuclear physicist were not connected to Epstein&#8217;s trafficking scheme, The Wall Street Journal <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/bill-gates-apologizes-to-foundation-staff-over-epstein-ties-67f39ef5?gaa_at=eafs&amp;gaa_n=AWEtsqek1UOzXZu5KCDZ0mERHQSw6s9RBN3NcXzfpVds_SV5t0soStlD94LDanyajXI%3D&amp;gaa_ts=699e71fb&amp;gaa_sig=zguMEzSFfJW9zNlBErbyjEXXX-W6sN50DIaUq7Qv_c6u2p2RGor5qZCedkMLbQaMde-3UyR_95uRW8ddmeH2pQ%3D%3D">reported</a>.
“I did nothing illicit. I saw nothing illicit,” Gates told his staff, adding, “To be clear I never spent any time with victims, the women around [Epstein].&#8221;
“I did have affairs, one with a Russian bridge player who met me at bridge events, and one with a Russian nuclear physicist who I met through business activities,” he acknowledged.
In 2010, Gates met a Russian bridge player who was in her 20s. The young Russian woman was introduced to Epstein in 2013, according to The Wall Street Journal. Epstein reportedly paid for the woman to attend school for a software coding course, and in a 2017 email, the financier asked Gates to reimburse him.
The nuclear physicist with whom Gates admitted to having an affair previously worked at one of Gates&#8217; companies, but Gates did not say if the sexual relationship began while the physicist was under his employment, the Journal reported.
Gates told his staff during the town hall meeting that he traveled with Epstein multiple times, but &#8220;never stayed overnight&#8221; with the convicted pedophile and never visited Epstein&#8217;s infamous island.
Gates&#8217; apology comes after Epstein-related emails from 2013 released by the Justice Department hinted at Gates&#8217; affairs with the Russian women and suggested the trysts were illegally facilitated. One of the emails released by the Justice Department was a <a href="https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%2010/EFTA01965732.pdf">message</a> Epstein sent to himself that appears to be a draft of a resignation letter from Gates&#8217; former science adviser, Boris Nikolic. In the message, the writer admits to &#8220;facilitating &#8230; illegal trysts, with married women&#8221; and helping Gates &#8220;get drugs, in order to deal with the consequences of sex with russian [sic] girls.&#8221;
&#8220;In my role as his right hand I have been asked and wrongly acquiesced into participating in things that have ranged from the morally inappropriate, to the ethically unsound and have been repeatedly asked to do thing[s] that get near and potentially over the line into the illegal,&#8221; the message continues.
Last month, a representative for Gates said the claims made in the 2013 email &#8220;are absolutely absurd and completely false&#8221; and come from a &#8220;proven, disgruntled liar.&#8221;
&#8220;The only thing these documents demonstrate is Epstein’s frustration that he did not have an ongoing relationship with Gates and the lengths he would go to entrap and defame,” the Gates representative added.
According to Gates, Epstein only found out about the affairs because Nikolic told him. Nikolic told the Journal that the emails found on Epstein&#8217;s server “were not written on my behalf or at my request.”
Gates has not been accused of committing any crimes connected to Epstein or in relation to his sexual encounters with the Russian women.
The 2013 email also references a &#8220;severe marital dispute&#8221; between Gates and his then-wife, Melinda French Gates. The couple divorced in 2021, a process that began shortly after reports of Bill&#8217;s close relationship with Epstein began circulating in 2019.
Bill told his staff on Tuesday that he first met Epstein in 2011, three years after Epstein pled guilty to procuring a child for prostitution in 2008. Melinda first expressed concerns about his relationship with Epstein in 2013, but he continued to meet with the disgraced financier.
&#8220;To give her credit, she was always kind of skeptical about the Epstein thing,&#8221; Gates said of his ex-wife.
Gates claimed he was aware of an issue that limited Epstein&#8217;s ability to travel, but said that he didn&#8217;t bother to look into Epstein&#8217;s background.
&#8220;It was a huge mistake to spend time with Epstein,&#8221; the Microsoft co-founder added. “I apologize to other people who are drawn into this because of the mistake that I made.”

Bill Gates

Bill Gates Admits To Affairs With Russian Women — But Washes Hands Of Epstein’s Crimes

Jeffrey Epstein

Melinda Gates

Police in London arrested former British ambassador to the United States Peter Mandelson on Monday over accusations that he shared confidential information with deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Mandelson, who was Prime Minister Keir Starmer&#8217;s ambassador to the United States before he was fired in September 2025, was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office. 
“Officers have arrested a 72-year-old man on suspicion of misconduct in public office. He was arrested at an address in Camden on Monday, February 23 and has been taken to a London police station for interview,” a London police spokesman said. “This follows search warrants at two addresses in the Wiltshire and Camden areas.”
The arrest comes just days after British police <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/former-prince-andrew-arrested-over-epstein-files-faces-life-in-prison">arrested</a> former Prince Andrew in connection with his ties to Epstein. The disgraced ex-royal was also arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office, a crime that could be punished with life in prison. He was accused of sharing confidential trade secrets with Epstein. 
Mandelson has said he regrets his relationship with Epstein, but denies any wrongdoing.
The arrests follow the release of emails by the Justice Department that shed further light on Epstein&#8217;s relationships with the powerful British political figures.
Previous documents <a href="https://d3i6fh83elv35t.cloudfront.net/static/2025/09/Request-No.-1.pdf">released</a> by Democrats on the House Oversight Committee appeared to document a close relationship between Mandelson and Epstein. The documents include a note where Mandelson referred to Epstein as his “best pal” and included a photo of him wearing a bathroom and talking with Epstein. 
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-1048381" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Screenshot-2026-02-23-at-12.21.58-PM.png" alt="" width="945" height="619" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Screenshot-2026-02-23-at-12.21.58-PM.png 945w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Screenshot-2026-02-23-at-12.21.58-PM-300x197.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Screenshot-2026-02-23-at-12.21.58-PM-879x576.png 879w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Screenshot-2026-02-23-at-12.21.58-PM-768x503.png 768w" sizes=" (max-width: 945px) 100vw, 945px" /></div>
Mandelson also told Epstein, after his 2008 convictions for solicitation of prostitution and solicitation of a minor, that he stood with him. 
“I think the world of you and I feel hopeless and furious about what has happened,” Mandelson said. “I can still barely understand it. It just could not happen in Britain.”
The fallout from Mandelson’s ties to Epstein has rocked the British political world. Starmer’s chief of staff, Morgan McSweeney, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/chief-of-staff-falls-on-sword-as-party-turns-on-u-k-s-starmer-over-epstein-linked-appointee">resigned</a> after the release of the Epstein files by the Justice Department. McSweeney took responsibility for Starmer’s decision to install Mandelson as the U.K. Ambassador to the United States. 
Starmer has also faced calls to resign amid questions about his knowledge of the link between Mandelson and Epstein.

Mandelson

Former British Ambassador Arrested Over Epstein File Revelations

Former British Official Arrested Amid Epstein File Revelations

Epstein Files

Prince Andrew

United Kingdom

Illinois businessman Thomas Pritzker said Monday he was stepping down from his executive position at the Hyatt hotel corporation over his ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell. 
Emails released by the Justice Department show Pritzker corresponding with Epstein in the years after his 2008 convictions for solicitation of prostitution and solicitation of a minor. Pritzker is the cousin of Democratic Governor JB Pritzker and has been the executive chair of Hyatt for over two decades. 
“Good stewardship also means protecting Hyatt, particularly in the context of my association with Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell which I deeply regret. I exercised terrible judgment in maintaining contact with them, and there is no excuse for failing to distance myself sooner,” Pritzker said in a <a href="https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260216864815/en/Tom-Pritzker-Retires-as-Executive-Chairman-of-Hyatt-After-22-Years-of-Service-and-Will-Not-Stand-for-Reelection-to-Board-of-Directors">news release</a>. “I condemn the actions and the harm caused by Epstein and Maxwell and I feel deep sorrow for the pain they inflicted on their victims.”
In a letter to the Hyatt board on Monday, Pritzker said he would not seek to continue as executive chair after his term ends in June 2026. 
“When I look at my care for Hyatt, my respect for good governance and the focus that [my wife] and I have on our legacy, they all lead me to conclude that what is right for Hyatt and for me is that I retire as Executive Chairman of Hyatt effective immediately and not stand for reelection at our 2026 annual shareholder’s meeting,” he wrote in the letter. 
The announcement came after emails showed him corresponding with Epstein about a variety of topics. In one email from May 2012, Pritzker boasted to Epstein about attending an apparent dinner with high-ranking Chinese officials. 
“It was beyond awesome. I should have pushed you to go,” Pritzker <a href="https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%209/EFTA00712657.pdf">wrote</a>. “Hot sh*t in a cool place.”
Another email exchange from July 2012 included Pritzker <a href="https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%209/EFTA00629316.pdf">telling</a> Epstein, “Still at same coordinates. Took a bath this week,” and “more good news. Expect to take a bath again next week.”
Other emails included in the Justice Department Epstein files include emails between Epstein and his associates <a href="https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%2011/EFTA02441069.pdf">scheduling calls</a> and <a href="https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%2011/EFTA02246837.pdf">appointments</a> between Pritzker and Epstein. 
Hyatt praised Pritzker in a statement following his announcement. 
“Tom’s leadership has been instrumental in shaping Hyatt’s strategy and long-term growth, and we thank him for his service and dedication to Hyatt,” said Richard Tuttle, the chair of Hyatt’s nominating and corporate governance committee.
Over the years, Pritzker made significant <a href="https://www.fec.gov/data/receipts/individual-contributions/?contributor_name=Thomas+Pritzker">political contributions</a> to both Democratic and Republican political candidates, including former President Barack Obama, John McCain, Mitt Romney, Senator Cory Booker (D-NY), and Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR). 
The release of the Epstein files has led to a shakeup in the business and political world. 
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/keir-starmer-in-hot-seat-after-admitting-he-knew-appointee-was-close-to-epstein">faced pressure</a> after emails shed new light on the relationship between former U.S. Ambassador Lord Peter Mandelson and Epstein. Last week, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/top-obama-white-house-lawyer-out-at-goldman-sachs-after-cozy-uncle-jeffrey-emails-with-epstein?author=Leif+Le+Mahieu&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=SEE+IT%3A+‘Uncle+Jeffrey%2C’+Birthday+Wishes+And+‘Xo’+Emails+Rock+Obama-Era+Insider">Kathryn Ruemmler</a>, Obama’s longest-serving White House counsel, announced that she would be leaving Goldman Sachs after emails revealed her cozy relationship with Epstein.
The Trump administration has also <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-cabinet-secretary-confirms-he-visited-epsteins-island-with-wife-and-children-in-2012">faced questions</a> after Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick told senators last week that he visited Epstein’s Little Saint James Island with his wife and children in 2012.

MixCollage-17-Feb-2026-10-17-AM-917

Epstein Fallout Forces Top Hotel Exec To Leave — He’s JB Pritzker’s Cousin

'Terrible Judgement': Top Illinois Hotel Exec Exiting Position Over Epstein Ties

Ghislaine Maxwell

Illinois

JB Pritzker

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