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
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
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
The US will provide cluster munitions to Ukraine as part of a new military aid package: AP sources
The Biden administration has decided to provide cluster munitions to Ukraine and is expected to announce on Friday that the Pentagon will send thousands as part of the latest military aid package for the war effort against Russia
1970-01-01 08:00
OceanGate announces suspension of exploration commercial operations after catastrophic Titan implosion
OceanGate offered tourists called mission specialists, the opportunity to travel on submersibles into the ocean's depths for $250,000 per passenger
1970-01-01 08:00
West Ham exploring Denis Zakaria loan deal; Gianluca Scamacca no closer to exit
West Ham will hold talks with Juventus over a potential loan deal for Denis Zakaria but have no interest in allowing Gianluca Scamacca to leave the club until a potential replacement is found.
1970-01-01 08:00
TikTok and 5 content creators ask federal judge to block Montana from banning app
TikTok and a group of five content creators who are suing the state of Montana over its first-in-the-nation law to ban the video sharing app are now asking a federal judge to block implementation of the law while the case moves through the courts
1970-01-01 08:00
Ukraine's Zelenskiy arrives in Prague to rally support ahead of NATO summit
By Jason Hovet and Robert Muller PRAGUE (Reuters) -Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy landed in the Czech capital Prague on Thursday
1970-01-01 08:00
Recent events that indicate Earth's climate has entered uncharted territory
Scientists say global heat that inched into worrisome new territory this week is a clear example of how pollutants released by humans are warming their environment
1970-01-01 08:00
Wembymania selling out Las Vegas, as Spurs rookie 'can't wait' for Summer League debut
Victor Wembanyama’s debut at NBA Summer League is Friday night
1970-01-01 08:00
How did Rudolph Farias III die? Rudy Farias' dad was a police officer in the traffic enforcement division
Rudy Farias' father Rudolph Farias III had recently been dismissed from his duties at the time of his death
1970-01-01 08:00
