Senate Democrats are inviting an anti-gambling activist who was disbarred after stealing nearly $2 million from clients to finance his own gambling habit, still owes nearly all that money, and appears to falsely represent himself as a therapist, to testify on integrity in sports. 
Harry Levant, a self-styled gambling addiction expert who has become the go-to expert for the campaign against legalized betting, is a Democrat witness for a congressional hearing to weigh the social costs of legalized sports betting. Levant’s own history, however, raises serious questions about whether he belongs in front of Congress as a neutral authority at all.
Levant, now director of gambling policy at the Public Health Advocacy Institute (PHAI), has become a favored media source for outlets eager to highlight the dangers of online wagering. He has appeared in major national publications and alongside lawmakers pushing federal restrictions on sports betting, often presenting himself as a reformed addict turned counselor and public health advocate.
But Levant’s public rehabilitation story omits a key fact: he is a disbarred former attorney who pleaded guilty to stealing nearly $2 million from his own legal clients to finance his gambling addiction. His victims reportedly included a family member and a double amputee. 
&#8220;My world crumbled in May of 2014 when I was informed that all my money no longer existed,” a victim of Levant <a href="https://whyy.org/segments/after-dodging-jail-in-theft-of-2m-lawyer-back-in-court-for-lagging-on-restitution/">told</a> a judge. “I will never forgive Mr. Levant for what he has done to me. He needs to be punished and pay for what he has done.”
Though he avoided prison after facing dozens of criminal charges, court records <a href="https://ujsportal.pacourts.us/Report/CpDocketSheet?docketNumber=CP-51-CR-0012640-2014&amp;dnh=oz%2FCyF06OFNZ596KkWz7wA%3D%3D">reviewed</a> by The Daily Wire show he still owes roughly $1.9 million in restitution more than a decade later. Public records indicate he has maintained access to high-end housing while making only minimal monthly payments to the victims he defrauded. At the current payment rate ordered by the court, full repayment would take 316 years.
Levant now publicly markets himself as a “therapist” and “gambling counselor,” offering in-person services in Philadelphia and telehealth sessions online. Yet available state licensing databases in both Pennsylvania and Massachusetts do not appear to show an active professional counseling license under his name. 
In a phone interview, Levant said he doesn’t run a therapy practice.
“I host a coaching program, not a therapy practice. I host group coaching,” Levant said. “If someone in the group needs therapy, I refer them to a licensed therapist.”
Despite this, Levant’s website still <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20260518235643/https://www.harrylevant.com/about">describes</a> him as a “mental health therapist” and contains a page titled <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20260518235537/https://www.harrylevant.com/gambling-counseling">“Therapy,”</a> where he says, “I offer a comprehensive approach to therapy,” invites visitors to “become a patient,” and advertises “in-person services in the Philadelphia area and virtual telehealth services for all ages.”
Levant added that he is “very upfront” that his use of the title “Dr.” refers to his doctorate in law and public policy from Northeastern University, which is consistent with his public biography.
Levant also said he continues his “restitution payment each month,” but did not comment on the amount. He remains under court-ordered restitution stemming from the theft case and said he is “in full compliance with those obligations,” according to an email from PHAI Executive Director Mark Gottlieb, who described himself as Levant’s supervisor. 
Gottlieb wrote to The Daily Wire to “memorialize” Levant’s answers in his phone interview with The Daily Wire, emphasizing the organization’s awareness of the questions surrounding his criminal history’s pertinence on his current work.
Regarding the “therapy” claims, Gottlieb said he stopped treating patients after moving to Massachusetts because he would need new state licensure to continue practicing there. Gottlieb said PHAI had kept Levant “very very busy” and that he had not yet completed that licensing process, adding, “I’m quite sure he will be treating individual patients again soon.” 
He said Levant had been treating patients in Pennsylvania through mid-2025 at Ethos Treatment, but 
That history matters because Levant is not merely a recovering addict sharing a personal testimony. He is now positioned as an expert witness before the United States Senate while simultaneously helping build a legal and political campaign against the sports betting industry that could generate significant financial benefit for his organization and its allies.
Levant and colleagues at PHAI recently incorporated a nonprofit called <a href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/the-family-and-friends-of-gamblers-ffog-is-launched-to-advocate-for-comprehensive-public-health-regulation-of-the-online-gambling-industry-the-ffog-movement-will-officially-begin-with-lifting-the-fog-day-on-november-6th-in-wa-302599936.html?tc=eml_cleartime">Families and Friends of Gamblers</a>, which seems to be laying the groundwork for mass litigation against gambling companies. The model resembles the public-health litigation strategy used against “Big Tobacco” in the 1990s — not coincidentally, one of Levant’s close collaborators, Richard Daynard, helped architect that litigation. 
If successful, the effort could create an enormous legal payday for the advocacy ecosystem Levant now inhabits.
That creates an obvious conflict: the same man testifying before lawmakers about the alleged public harms of sports betting is also involved in efforts that may directly profit from expanded legal action against the industry.
None of this means Congress should ignore the issue of gambling addiction, but it does raise a straightforward question: why is the Senate relying on a witness whose professional brand, political advocacy, and personal financial interests all depend on portraying sports betting as a national crisis — and one whose own past includes defrauding vulnerable people to sustain the very addiction he now monetizes as an expert?

Sports Betting Apps As Online Gambling Expands In US

Anti-Gambling ‘Expert’ Set To Brief Senate On ‘Integrity’ Owes Millions To Victims He Defrauded

Congress

Crime

gambling

Politics

Theft

Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-FL.) resigned from Congress on Tuesday, just hours before the House Ethics Committee was set to issue a recommendation on whether she should be expelled.
The resignation, which takes effect immediately, follows the bipartisan ethics panel finding that Cherfilus-McCormick committed <a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-ethics-cherfilusmccormick-516fe4e2159beda8c8576c736547b53d">25 ethics violations</a>, including breaking campaign finance laws. In November 2025, the <a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/south-florida-congresswoman-charged-stealing-5-million-fema-funds-and-making-illegal">Department of Justice</a> indicted the congresswoman for allegedly stealing $5 million in federal disaster relief funds to finance her campaign.
&#8220;This was not a fair process,&#8221; Cherfilus-McCormick <a href="https://x.com/CongresswomanSC/status/2046649247408288135?s=20">said in a statement.</a> &#8220;The Ethics committee refused my new attorney&#8217;s reasonable request for time to prepare my defense. By going forward with this process while a criminal indictment is pending, the Committee prevented me from defending myself.&#8221;
&#8220;I will not stand by and pretend this has been anything other than a witch hunt,&#8221; she added.
Last week, a federal judge in Miami postponed Cherfilus-McCormick&#8217;s criminal fraud trial until February 2027, citing a <a href="https://foxbaltimore.com/news/nation-world/florida-congresswoman-sheila-cherfilus-mccormick-5-million-criminal-case-delayed-until-february-2027-wire-fraud-money-laundering-crime-congresswomans-brother-edwin-cherfilus">trove of evidence</a> still under review.
Cherfilus-McCormick is the third House member to resign since April 13. Former representatives Eric Swalwell (D-CA) and Tony Gonzales (R-TX) resigned following sex and misconduct scandals.
Congresswoman Beth Van Duyne (R-TX), who was a local representative for 12 years, described a disconnect between Washington elites and everyday Americans.
&#8220;People know where you shop. They know where you eat. They know where your kids go to school. They know where you go to church. And I would just never think to do some of this stuff,&#8221; Duyne said in an interview with The Daily Wire on Tuesday. &#8220;The further away you get, I guess, from your constituents, the more you think you can get away with it.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<a href="https://t.co/u1lLBxfrI6">pic.twitter.com/u1lLBxfrI6</a>
— Congresswoman Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (@CongresswomanSC) <a href="https://twitter.com/CongresswomanSC/status/2046649247408288135?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 21, 2026</a></blockquote>
This is a breaking news story. Stay with The Daily Wire as more details unfold.

Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick

Democrat Accused Of Stealing Millions In FEMA Funds Resigns From Congress

Democrat

FEMA

Suspects have been arrested over the brazen jewelry heist at the Louvre, just as one of them was about to fly out of France, the Paris prosecutor said on Sunday.
Two men in their 30s and originally from the capital&#8217;s Seine-Saint-Denis suburb &#8211; which includes some of the country&#8217;s most deprived areas &#8211; were detained on Saturday evening, according to Le Parisien newspaper, which first broke the story.
They were known to French police and one of the suspects was about to fly to Algeria from Charles de Gaulle airport, the newspaper said.
There was no indication on Sunday that any of France&#8217;s stolen crown jewels had been recovered.
Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau did not say how many people were arrested or give any more details about them. In a statement, she deplored the fact that information about their arrest was leaked.
&#8220;This revelation can only hinder the investigative efforts of the 100 or so mobilised investigators, both in the search for the stolen jewelry and for all the perpetrators. It is too early to provide any specific details,&#8221; Beccuau said.
Interior Minister Laurent Nunez, under public pressure to deliver results a week to the day after the robbery, congratulated investigators in a tweet, but gave no more detail.
Four hooded thieves made off with eight precious pieces worth an estimated $102 million from the Louvre&#8217;s collection on October 19, exposing security lapses at the world&#8217;s most-visited museum.
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They broke in using a crane to smash an upstairs window during opening hours and escaped on motorbikes.
News of the robbery reverberated around the world, prompting soul-searching in France over what some regarded as a national humiliation.
The stolen treasures included a tiara and an earring from the jewelry of Queen Marie-Amélie and Queen Hortense from the early 19th century.
The crown of Empress Eugenie, the wife of Napoleon III, was found damaged outside the museum. The thieves apparently dropped the piece, made of gold, emeralds and diamonds, as they made their getaway.
Built in the late 12th century, the Louvre Palace used to be the official residence of the kings of France, until Louis XIV abandoned it for Versailles. It was turned into a museum for the royal art collection in 1793, four years after the French Revolution.
Its huge collection of masterpieces, including the Mona Lisa and the Venus de Milo statue, brought in 8.7 million visitors last year.
(Reporting by Michel Rose and Kate Entringer; editing by Aidan Lewis, Mark Heinrich and Andrew Heavens)

Louvre Museum

Suspects In Louvre Jewel Heist Arrested Near Paris

France

Paris

Robbery

World

A North Carolina woman is being celebrated after a video clip of her physically detaining a suspected pickpocket in Venice went viral on social media.
In the video, Christina Cadieu Greene can be seen holding onto a teenager’s ponytail and refusing to let go for just under an hour until law enforcement arrived.
Greene’s daughter Karis McElroy shared the video and later posted a longer explanation on TikTok. She said that Greene and her husband were walking in a crowded area when they noticed three girls getting close to them. When the couple arrived at their Airbnb, they realized Greene’s purse containing her passport, Apple AirPods, credit cards, and cash was missing. 
The North Carolina resident decided to use Find My Friends to locate the AirPods and the suspected thief.
“She was frantic trying to get this back. Her and my stepdad immediately started tracking her purse through her AirPods on Find My Friends and they were able to track it down back to those three girls because my mom already knew, like, these people must have been it,” McElroy said in the video.
Once she tracked down the girls, she grabbed one by the hair. This inspired a second accomplice to flee the scene while the third girl stood by her friend. Greene did not let go of her hair even as the girl struggled and screamed at her. 
“You stole my purse with my passport in it,” she told the teen. “You are not getting away. I&#8217;m not stopping, kid. You are not getting away. I have eight kids, you don&#8217;t get to me.”
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McElroy shared a screenshot of a text thread from her mom on the post that said, “Something just came over me and I was so angry, and I went after them and grabbed the youngest of the three by the ponytail and wrapped my hand around the ponytail and would not let go.”
“One girl stayed [and] another one ran off. I ended up holding her by her ponytail with it wrapped around my hand for 50 minutes. She would be screaming at me, cussing at me, and I would scream back and tug harder on her hair. I would pull her down and I would pull her up with her hair.”
Greene said the crowd was cheering “because pickpockets are so bad in this area.”
“The man who runs the Airbnb was wonderful. He came out and called the police, but [it] still took a long time for the police to get there. When the police got there, I released the girl and the [other] one with her went crazy. They were insane,” McElroy said. “They started kicking and fighting with police to get away.”
Greene said one of the girls swung her bag with a metal water bottle in it, which injured her face. “I was bleeding pretty bad. I had a gash on my head and it was running down my face,” she said.
Meanwhile, the third accomplice who had run away with the bag had returned it to a United States liaison office at the airport to avoid being prosecuted. Greene did get her bag back, minus $200 in cash and the AirPods that helped her track it down in the first place.
<blockquote class="tiktok-embed" cite="https://www.tiktok.com/@karismcelroy/video/7539305072782626078" data-video-id="7539305072782626078" data-embed-from="oembed" style="max-width:605px; min-width:325px;">
<section> <a target="_blank" title="@karismcelroy" href="https://www.tiktok.com/@karismcelroy?refer=embed">@karismcelroy</a> 
Replying to @kennedy STORY TIME <a title="pickpocketing" target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/pickpocketing?refer=embed">#pickpocketing</a> <a title="foryoupage" target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/foryoupage?refer=embed">#foryoupage</a> 
 <a target="_blank" title="♬ original sound - karis" href="https://www.tiktok.com/music/original-sound-7539305136381463327?refer=embed">♬ original sound &#8211; karis</a> </section>
</blockquote>
 <script async src="https://www.tiktok.com/embed.js"></script>
&nbsp;
Per <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-15017655/You-messed-wrong-mom-Daughter-US-tourist-held-ponytail-14-year-old-pickpocket-50-MINUTES-reveals-brilliant-way-tracked-thief-Venice-crowds.html">The Daily Mail</a>, the two underage suspects were arrested and released on bail.

Venice

North Carolina Mom Of 8 Goes Viral For Holding Ponytail Of Italian Pickpocket For 1 Hour

Italy

North Carolina

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem&#8217;s handbag, containing about $3,000 in cash, her DHS badge, passport, and other sensitive items, was <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2025/04/21/politics/homeland-security-kristi-noem-purse-stolen/index.html">reportedly</a> stolen by a man wearing a medical mask at a Washington, D.C. restaurant on Sunday night.
Noem confirmed the incident on Monday while attending the White House Easter Egg Roll, but indicated that the matter remains unresolved.
Secret Service agents reviewed security camera footage at the Capitol Burger restaurant, which showed an unknown white male wearing a surgical mask stealing her unattended bag before quickly exiting the establishment.
Other stolen contents include Noem&#8217;s driver&#8217;s license, apartment keys, medication, makeup, and blank checks.
A DHS spokesperson <a href="https://www.newsweek.com/why-kristi-noem-had-3000-cash-purse-when-it-was-stolen-2062146">told</a> Newsweek that Noem had such a large amount of cash on hand to &#8220;treat her family to dinner, activities, and Easter gifts.&#8221;
&#8220;We can confirm this occurred last night. Her entire family was in town including her children and grandchildren,&#8221; DHS said.
A law enforcement source confirmed that the Secret Service has initiated an investigation to trace any potential unauthorized use of Noem&#8217;s financial instruments.
“This is a security breach that actually has high consequences, and it needs immediate and further review by the Secret Service and DHS, and other law enforcement partners,” former Secret Service agent Jonathan Wackrow told CNN.
“If necessary, the Secret Service will need to make operational changes on how they deal with these types of private events moving forward,” Wackrow said.
He added that Noem remains “at higher risk for targeted threats, both by foreign and domestic actors, and just her public profile alone makes her a symbolic target.”

Connecticut Democrats And Survivors And Families Of Gun Violence Victims Mark 12th Anniversary Of Sandy Hook School Shooting

Kristi Noem’s Purse — With DHS Badge, Passport, $3,000 Cash Inside — Stolen

Kristi Noem

Restaurant

U.S.

Washington D.C.

A woman who previously worked as the director of finance and operations for Habitat for Humanity in Central South Carolina has been sentenced for stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from the federal government.
Ashley Clark Ingram, 35, was sentenced last month to two years in federal prison after she pleaded guilty to theft of government funds, the U.S. Department of Justice<a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-sc/pr/former-nonprofit-finance-director-sentenced-theft-government-funds"> announced</a> in February.
“Evidence presented to the court showed that while employed as the director of finance and operations for Habitat for Humanity, Ingram applied for an employee retention tax credit for retaining employees during the COVID-19 pandemic from the IRS on behalf of Habitat for Humanity, but without the knowledge of the nonprofit,” the DOJ said. “Ingram then received checks totaling $388,550.75 from the United States Treasury and deposited the funds into a Habitat for Humanity account that she controlled then transferred the money from the Habitat for Humanity account into her own bank accounts.”
“In total, Ingram misappropriated approximately $514,672.37 from Habitat for Humanity and the United States Government,” the DOJ added.
U.S. District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis sentenced Ingram to two years in prison, followed by two years of court-ordered supervision. She was also ordered to pay “a remaining balance” of $30,165.47 to Habitat for Humanity, as well as a $10,000 fine and a $100 special assessment fee. Ingram had already paid back nearly all of the money she stole.
Ingram pleaded guilty last June to the theft, the South Carolina Daily Gazette <a href="https://scdailygazette.com/2025/02/11/sc-habitat-for-humanity-worker-sentenced-to-2-years-in-prison-for-nearly-500k-theft/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>.
“There’s a terrible irony in this case,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Matthews said, according to the outlet. “She stole money from an organization that helps people get housing of all things.”
Habitat for Humanity’s interim executive director, Emily Fernald, told the Gazette that Ingram’s crimes weren’t just about the money but the “reputation of our organization.”
Because of Ingram’s theft, 16 families in South Carolina saw their home construction delayed as the charity dealt with financial issues. The homes were still being built, but the work slowed, and the charity lost donors.
“They have to overcome what you did,” Judge Lewis said before sentencing Ingram.
Ingram’s attorney claimed she stole the money because of her personal financial struggles. Her husband had lost his job, and they lived in an unsafe neighborhood. She wanted to escape and used some of the stolen money to buy a new house.
But as Fernald said, many of the people who seek out Habitat for Humanity face similar problems.
“These are folks who worked extremely hard to get where they are in life,” she said, according to the Gazette. “But they’re not stealing. They’re not lying.”

Habitat For Humanity

Former Habitat For Humanity Official Sentenced After Stealing Thousands From Govt

Former Habitat For Humanity Finance Director Sentenced After Stealing Thousands From Government

South Carolina

NFL star QBs Joe Burrow and Tua Tagovailoa addressed the recent burglaries affecting players in the league following a string of break-ins over the last month during games.
On Wednesday, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/cincinnati-bengals">Cincinnati Bengals</a> QB Burrow spoke to <a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DDd__FLJluQ/?igsh=NjZiM2M3MzIxNA%3D%3D">members of the press</a> after he became the latest athlete to have his home broken into while he was on a road trip with his team.
“Obvioulsy, everybody has heard what has happened,” Burrow said at a press conference. “I feel like my privacy has been violated in more ways than one and way more is already out there than I would want out there and that I care to share.”
It came after the Hamilton County’s Sheriff’s Office confirmed to <a href="https://www.wlwt.com/article/joe-burrows-house-broken-into-report-during-football-game/63148465">WLWT</a> that Burrow’s $7.5 million Ohio home was burglarized and ransacked during Cincinnati’s 27-20 win over the Cowboys in Texas on Monday.
The outlet reported that a 911 call came in from a woman whose daughter was staying at the QB’s home, saying, “Someone is trying to break into the house right now.”
“My daughter is there. This is Joe Burrow’s house,” the mom added. “She is staying there. He’s at the football game. She’s wondering what she should do, if she should be hiding, or if she should go outside. She said someone was in the house.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
🎥 Amidst the recent security concerns around NFL players’ houses, Tua Tagovailoa reveals he has hired personal security
“Just let that be known, they are armed… I hope if you decide to go to my house, you think twice.” (<a href="https://twitter.com/MiamiDolphins?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MiamiDolphins</a>) <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GoFins?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GoFins</a> <a href="https://t.co/v3wpWfAETH">pic.twitter.com/v3wpWfAETH</a>
— FinsXtra (@FinsXtra) <a href="https://twitter.com/FinsXtra/status/1866940165949714599?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 11, 2024</a></blockquote>
A second 911 call came from the person staying at Burrow’s house, saying, “Someone broke into my house. It’s like completely messed up.”
Following Burrow&#8217;s burglary, <a href="https://x.com/FinsXtra/status/1866940165949714599?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1866940165949714599%7Ctwgr%5Edd6ed6c61d5f75922167fd258fb39fa3eb5c6a36%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fsports.yahoo.com%2Ftua-tagovailoa-says-he-has-personal-security-amid-string-of-break-ins-at-nfl-residences-150854034.html">Miami Dolphins QB Tagovailoa</a> warned criminals to “think twice” before hitting his home.
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&#8220;We got personal security to take care of all of that. When we&#8217;re on the road, we&#8217;ve got someone with my wife, got someone also at the house, surveying the house,&#8221; Tagovailoa said.
&#8220;So I hope that if you decide to go to my house, you think twice,&#8221; he added, noting his security is armed.
The NFL recently issued a security alert to players and teams following two other break-ins at the homes of Kansas City Chiefs players <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/patrick-mahomes">Patrick Mahomes</a> and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/travis-kelce">Travis Kelce</a>.
In a memo obtained by the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/nfl-security-alert-burglaries-mahomes-kelce-960075221367266fbee98f711a74c094">Associated Press</a>, the league said homes of professional athletes have become “increasingly targeted for burglaries by organized and skilled groups.”
The memo labeled the transnational crime rings “well-organized, sophisticated,” and urged the players to safeguard valuables and avoid publicly sharing check-ins on social media or any information about their homes and any luxury items they might own, <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/cincinnati-bengals-qb-joe-burrow-home-burglary-rcna183666">NBC News</a> noted.
Officials noted that the homes are specifically being targeted when players are at their games.
A South American crime ring is believed to be the culprit in at least the Chiefs burglaries, the <a href="https://nypost.com/2024/12/10/sports/joe-burrows-home-broken-into-during-mnf-in-another-athlete-robbery/">New York Post </a>reported.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/nfl-star-qbs-home-broken-into-while-hes-playing-monday-night-football-game" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NFL Star QB’s Home Broken Into While He’s Playing Monday Night Football Game</a>

Chiefs-Dolphins-1

‘Think Twice’: NFL Star Quarterbacks Address Recent Burglaries

'Think Twice': NFL Star Quarterbacks Address Recent Burglaries

Cincinnati Bengals

Kansas City Chiefs

Miami Dolphins

Sports

Florida Governor <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/ron-desantis" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ron DeSantis</a> signed legislation on Tuesday that further cracks down on retail theft, porch piracy, and inciting looting through social media.
DeSantis took a swipe at Democrat-controlled areas, which have seen the largest uptick in the aforementioned crimes, saying that Florida was &#8220;pretty much doing the opposite of what a lot of states like California and New York have done.&#8221;
The governor noted that coordinated retail theft and looting was being organized through social media, with companies reporting a $112 billion loss in 2022.
Despite the explosion in crime in places like California, New York, and Washington, D.C., Florida has seen a 30% decrease in shoplifting since DeSantis took office in 2019, the governor&#8217;s office said.
The bill that DeSantis signed into law, HB 549, institutes the following, according to his office:
HB 549 institutes the following:
<ul>
<li>A third-degree felony, punishable up to 5 years in prison, if criminals commit retail theft with five or more individuals.</li>
<li>A second-degree felony, punishable up to 15 years in prison, if criminals commit retail theft with five or more individuals and use social media to solicit others to participate in the theft.</li>
<li>A first-degree felony, punishable up to 30 years in prison, if a criminal commits retail theft with a firearm or with two or more prior convictions of retail theft.</li>
<li>The ability to charge a felony for multiple retail thefts occurring in the span of 120 days, which is an increase from 30 days.</li>
<li>Theft of property in an amount less than $40 is a first-degree misdemeanor.</li>
<li>A subsequent violation is a third-degree felony.</li>
<li>Theft of property valued at $40 or more is a third-degree felony.</li>
</ul>
“Florida is taking another step to distinguish ourselves from lawless jurisdictions and keep our residents and businesses safe,” said DeSantis. “If you steal in Florida, we will catch you and we will prosecute you.”
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
TODAY: Governor DeSantis signed a bill to crack down on retail theft &amp; porch piracy in Florida🎯👇 
&#8220;If you order something and they leave it at your front door, when you come home from work or you bring your kids over from school, that package is gonna be there. And if it&#8217;s not… <a href="https://t.co/25qQfO3kI5">pic.twitter.com/25qQfO3kI5</a>
— Christina Pushaw 🐊 🇺🇸 (@ChristinaPushaw) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChristinaPushaw/status/1777723717209952487?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 9, 2024</a></blockquote>

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks at a press conference in

DeSantis Signs Bill To Further Crack Down On Retail Theft, Porch Piracy, And Inciting Looting On Social Media

Florida

Ron DeSantis

Sen. <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/john-fetterman" target="_blank" rel="noopener">John Fetterman</a> (D-PA) blasted the woke notion of “squatter’s rights” during an interview late this week where he again went against the grain in his party by signaling support for law enforcement.
“Squatters have no rights,” Fetterman <a href="https://nypost.com/2024/04/06/us-news/fetterman-blasts-squatters-violent-crime-i-am-not-woke/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> the New York Post&#8217;s Jon Levine. “How can you even pretend that this is anything other than you’re just breaking the law?”
“I am not woke,” Fetterman said, noting that he has always &#8220;tried to push back against that,&#8221; including when he was the mayor of the small Pennsylvania town of Braddock.
“It’s wild that if you go away on a long trip, for 30 days, and someone breaks into your home and suddenly they have rights,” he sad. “This is crazy. Like if somebody stole your car, and then they held it for 30 days, then somehow you now have some rights?”
Fetterman said that the Democrats&#8217; soft-on-crime policies led to the murder of New York Police Department Detective Jonathan Diller, adding that if the suspect is convicted, he &#8220;should spend the rest of his life and in prison, and never have an opportunity to get out.”
Diller, a husband and father who had served three years on the force, was shot in the stomach while making a traffic stop in late March in Queens. The suspect in the shooting was identified as 34-year-old Guy Rivera, who was sitting in the passenger seat of the car pulled over by Diller when he allegedly pulled out a handgun and fired at the officer. Rivera had 21 prior arrests and was released from prison in 2021 after serving five years for criminal possession of a controlled substance, according to the Post. He was also in prison from 2011 to 2014 for first-degree assault.
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“If you have those kinds of established records, it doesn’t serve any greater goal to allow people that are offending, offending, offending and allow them to not be held accountable,” Fetterman said. “We have to be very smart and aggressive on crime.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
NEW from me
I took <a href="https://twitter.com/SenFettermanPA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SenFettermanPA</a> to 3x Michelin star restaurant Eleven Madison Park in New York City
Story TK TK <a href="https://t.co/bMIxtNUKln">pic.twitter.com/bMIxtNUKln</a>
&mdash; Jon Levine (@LevineJonathan) <a href="https://twitter.com/LevineJonathan/status/1776591291553358215?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 6, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/desantis-destroys-squatters-rights-in-florida-this-isnt-california-and-new-york" target="_blank" rel="noopener">DeSantis Destroys ‘Squatter’s Rights’ In Florida: This Isn’t ‘California And New York’</a>

John Fetterman Sept 26

Fetterman Blasts Squatters Trying To Steal People’s Homes: ‘Squatters Have No Rights’

General

Homelessness

John Fetterman

A <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/venezuela" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Venezuelan</a> illegal alien who encouraged other illegal aliens to try to steal people&#8217;s homes through squatting is now facing potential federal firearm charges.
Leonel Moreno, who was recently <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/ice-busts-venezuelan-illegal-alien-who-urged-illegals-to-take-over-americans-homes" target="_blank" rel="noopener">arrested</a> by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials, illegally entered the U.S. in April 2022.
The New York Post reported that internal federal documents obtained by the publication shows the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) has been in contact with immigration officials and is considering bringing federal charges against him.
&#8220;The exact charges are not known, but sources said they would likely be brought under a section of the Gun Control Act which prohibits those on parole from possessing, shipping, transporting or receiving firearms or ammunition,&#8221; the report said.
Moreno posted videos on social media of him at firearms stores holding firearms, asking his followers which one they liked the best, and saying that he could buy them in stores.
John Fabbricatore, a former ICE field office director in Denver, said, &#8220;Charges under [Gun Control Act section] 922.g are a serious matter and can result in significant legal consequences for Moreno.&#8221;
“This should be a warning to any illegal aliens that possessing a firearm unlawfully will result in criminal charges and hopefully lead to a conviction,” he added.
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While there is no proof that he ever purchased a firearm at a store, Peter Forcelli, former special agent for the ATF, told the publication that the ATF is likely seeking charges because &#8220;he’s an illegal alien in possession of a firearm that was transported across state lines,&#8221; the report said.
“Based on the fact that he’s advocating going into people’s homes and taking them over is incredibly concerning,” Forcelli said.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/ice-busts-venezuelan-illegal-alien-who-urged-illegals-to-take-over-americans-homes" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ICE Busts Venezuelan Illegal Alien Who Urged Illegals To Take Over Americans’ Homes</a>

US-MUSIC-POLITICS-HINCKLEY

Venezuelan Illegal Alien Who Advocated Squatting In Homes Is Facing Potential Gun Charges: Report

Guns

Illegal Immigration

Venezuela

On Tuesday, the House of Representatives Rules Committee will prepare to vote on the Laken Riley Act, a bill which would require the secretary of Homeland Security to take into custody aliens who have been charged in the United States with theft.
Jose Antonio Ibarra, a 26-year-old illegal immigrant from Venezuela who has been named as the suspect in Laken Riley’s murder, was <a href="https://www.wsbtv.com/news/local/clarke-county/jose-diego-ibarra-court-documents-reveal-immigration-criminal-past-united-states/SPXOP242MNF3NPCCRCCB4DZSQU/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">arrested</a> in August 2023 by New York police after he was caught driving an unregistered car with a five-year-old inside. He was <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/us/brother-uga-murder-suspect-charged-green-card-fraud" target="_blank" rel="noopener">charged</a> in the Riley case with malice murder, felony murder, aggravated battery, aggravated assault, false imprisonment, and kidnapping after Riley’s body was found on February 22 near the University of Georgia’s Intramural Fields and Lake Herrick.
His brother Diego, who was arrested and charged with possessing a fraudulent green card on February 23, had been arrested in New York in September 2023 for driving under the influence without a license; in October 2023, he was arrested again for shoplifting.
“The Biden administration should not have released Laken Riley’s alleged murderer into the United States,” the bill, <a href="https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-118hr7511ih/pdf/BILLS-118hr7511ih.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">H.R. 7511</a>, states. “The Biden administration should have arrested and detained Laken Riley’s alleged murderer after he was charged with crimes in New York, New York, and Athens, Georgia; President Biden should publicly denounce his administration’s immigration policies that resulted in the murder of Laken Riley; and President Biden should prevent another murder like that of Laken Riley by ending the catch-and-release of illegal aliens, increasing immigration enforcement, detaining and removing criminal aliens, reinstating the Remain in Mexico policy, ending his abuse of parole authority, and securing the United States borders.”
House lawmakers are hoping to get the bill to the floor for a vote as soon as this week.
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The bill also would give the attorney general of a state or another authorized state officer, standing to bring an action against the Attorney General or Secretary of Homeland Security “alleging an action or decision by the Attorney General or Secretary of Homeland Security under this section to release any alien or grant bond or parole to any alien that harms such State or its residents.”

House Holds Hearing On Worldwide Threats To The Homeland

House Prepares ‘Laken Riley Act’: Would Require Homeland Security To Arrest Illegal Immigrants Charged With Theft

Department of Homeland Security

Laken Riley

U.S. House of Representatives

The eldest son of Rep. <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/lauren-boebert" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Lauren Boebert</a> (R-CO) was arrested this week in connection to a string of property thefts and vehicle trespasses, according to police.
The Rifle Police Department said that Tyler Jay Boebert, 18, was arrested on Tuesday afternoon over &#8220;a recent string of vehicle trespass and property thefts in Rifle.&#8221;
&#8220;Boebert is facing the following charges: four felony counts of Criminal Possession ID Documents &#8211; Multiple Victims, one felony count of Conspiracy to Commit a Felony, and over 15 additional misdemeanor and petty offenses,&#8221; police said. &#8220;This is an ongoing investigation, no further information will be released at this time.&#8221;
CBS News <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/lauren-boebert-son-arrested-tyler/?ftag=CNM-00-10aab7e&amp;linkId=341353928" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> that records from the Garfield County Jail showed that Tyler Boebert was being held on 22 charges. He was released after posting $1,250 bond and will next appear in court in early April.
&#8220;I love my son Tyler, who has been through some very difficult, public challenges for a young man and the subject of attention that he didn&#8217;t ask for,&#8221; Lauren Boebert said in a statement. &#8220;It breaks my heart to see my child struggling and, in this situation, especially when he has been provided multiple opportunities to get his life on track.&#8221;
&#8220;As an adult and father, Tyler will take responsibility for his actions and should be held accountable for poor decisions just like any other citizen,&#8221; she added.
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The incident comes as Lauren Boebert has had a lot going on in her personal life — mostly centering around her divorce from Jayson Boebert, to whom she was married for 17 years. Some of the drama has garnered media headlines.
Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) came to Boebert&#8217;s defense after the story about her son surfaced on Wednesday afternoon.
&#8220;This is a family in crisis and the recreational cruelty I see on social media needs to be out of bounds,&#8221; Fetterman said. &#8220;I know the impact this has on children. I&#8217;m calling for restraint because cruelty has substantial collateral damage. We can&#8217;t ever forget that they didn&#8217;t sign up for this.&#8221;

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