Think Pink: How Mattel Built Barbie’s Dreamhouse
The vivacious doll has held an expansive real estate portfolio since 1962, when her first (foldable) Dreamhouse was unveiled.
1970-01-01 08:00
'Peaky Blinders' says Ron DeSantis campaign video used footage of Cillian Murphy 'without permission'
The Twitter account for the Netflix series "Peaky Blinders" posted a message on Wednesday strongly disapproving of the use of footage of star Cillian Murphy as lead character Thomas Shelby in a Ron DeSantis campaign video targeting the LGBTQ+ community, from the account @Proudelephantus. The video was retweeted by the account @DeSantisWarRoom.
1970-01-01 08:00
California man admits to hiding mother’s death and collecting $830k in benefits
A California man pleaded guilty last week to hiding his mother’s death from the federal authorities for over 30 years, collecting more than $800,000 in benefits under her name. Donald Felix Zampach, 65, pleaded guilty to one count of money laundering and one count of Social Security fraud, according to the Justice Department. “This crime is believed to be the longest-running and largest fraud of its kind in this district,” US Attorney Randy Grossman said in a statement. “This defendant didn’t just passively collect checks mailed to his deceased mother. This was an elaborate fraud spanning more than three decades that required aggressive action and deceit to maintain the ruse.” All told, beginning in 1990, the Poway man collected $830,238. He could face up to 25 years in prison, though US sentencing guidelines suggest it will more likely be a sentence of 30 to 37 months. “He is overwhelmed with regret,” Knut Johnson, Zampach’s lawyer, told The New York Times. As part of his plea deal, Zampach will forfeit the benefit, pay restitution to various lenders, and turn over the home he took possession of in his mother’s name. The benefits scheme was an elaborate one, according to the DoJ. When Zampach’s mother was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, she left the US and returned to her native Japan, where she died in 1990 at age 61. Her son notified the US embassy in Tokyo of the death, but admitted to leaving blank a box for her Social Security number to avoid the government being aware of her passing, and he repeated this omission on forms for burial permits. Zampach kept up this ruse until September 2022, collecting his mother’s Social Security checks and payments from the Defense Finance Accounting Service, which pays survivors of military veterans. An audit of those over age 90 who hadn’t used their Medicare benefits helped reveal the California man’s scheme. This sort of fraud has happened in the past. In 2018, a Mexican man pleaded guilty to defrauding the government for even longer, spending 37 years collecting nearly $361,000 in government benefits after assuming the identity of a US citizen, according to The San Diego Union Tribune. In 2015, Dutch police learned that a man kept his dead mother’s body hidden for over two years and continued collecting her pension and social assistance payments. He was later caught and forced to repay 40,000 euros, according to 1 Limburg. Read More Real Housewives star Phaedra Parks reveals why she gave her son $150,000 for his 13th birthday Mastercard helping banks predict scams before money leaves customers’ accounts Vermont will pay $16.5M to settle lawsuits by foreign investors in fraudulent ski developments
1970-01-01 08:00
Blackstone, TPG vie for U.S. fund administrator Standish -sources
By Pablo Mayo Cerqueiro and Amy-Jo Crowley LONDON Buyout houses including Blackstone Inc. and TPG Inc. are evaluating
1970-01-01 08:00
3 76ers Summer League sleepers who could earn minutes this season
Let's forget about James Harden and free agency problems, 76ers fans. Instead, see who might earn regular season minutes this summer league.NBA fans rejoice. Because with Summer League officially underway, basketball is back. For fans, it's their first chance to see their team's l...
1970-01-01 08:00
Valorant Premier Ignition Stage Rewards
The Valorant Premier Ignition Stage offers free in-game rewards to players, including a Player Card, Gun Buddy, and Title, for playing in the tournament.
1970-01-01 08:00
Canada’s Record Wildfire Season Set to Worsen as Heat Builds
Canada is bracing for higher-than-normal wildfire activity to continue into August, as soaring temperatures and drought turn much
1970-01-01 08:00
Exclusive-Altria-backed cannabis producer Cronos explores sale -sources
By Anirban Sen NEW YORK Cronos Group Inc, the Canadian cannabis producer backed by cigarette maker Altria Group
1970-01-01 08:00
MLB standings based on record against winning teams
There's a difference between winning games and winning the games that matter. How do the MLB standings look when reoriented around record versus winning teams?In sports, good teams beat the bad teams. Great teams beat the good teams. As we look toward the All-Star break and the second half ...
1970-01-01 08:00
Andrew Tate loses appeal against house arrest in Romania as human trafficking case continues
Andrew Tate has lost an appeal against a court’s earlier decision to keep him under house arrest
1970-01-01 08:00
Wagner Group: Russian state media takes aim at Prigozhin
Piles of cash, weapons and a giant sledgehammer seen in pictures allegedly showing a raid on his home.
1970-01-01 08:00
'I want you dead': Survivors of El Paso shooting address gunman in court
Survivors of the 2019 shooting at a Walmart in El Paso, Texas, have addressed the attacker in court.
1970-01-01 08:00
