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IRS is stepping up efforts to suppress fraud in the tax credit program

Sabir Ansary — Fri, 22 Mar 2024 18:39:15 +0000

The software was called ‘Tax Bandits’. The scheme, run from a California prison, attempted to fraudulently claim more than half a billion dollars in tax refunds.

The method was known: incorrectly claiming the tax credit.

The IRS said Friday it was stepping up its efforts to root out such cases of fraud as it tries to safeguard taxpayers’ money, but it acknowledged that without congressional intervention, the agency would remain inundated with potentially unjustified claims.

One of the most brazen cases of alleged fraud in the program emerged in February, when federal agents announced charges against the ringleader of an operation led by Kristopher Thomas, a former gang member already in prison for murder. He was charged outside the jail along with seven co-conspirators, including his mother, who helped carry out the scheme, authorities said.

The joint investigation of the FBI and the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation Unit was convened “Operation Fraud Street Mafia.” It involved intercepted calls and text messages exchanging information about fake companies while using the money they earned to live luxuriously – even flying to a party in Las Vegas on a private jet.

The alleged plot is perhaps the most egregious example of the abuse of tax breaks created during the pandemic crisis to keep companies and their workers afloat. Since its inception in 2020, a new sector of tax preparation companies has emerged just to process claims for the Employee Retention Tax Credit, which allows companies to collect up to $26,000 for each employee on the payroll.

But the program is riddled with fraud, with many of those tax preparation companies tricking companies into applying for tax breaks they don’t qualify for. As a result, the program has cost the federal government billions more than originally estimated.

Taxpayers can continue to apply for the tax credit through 2025, but the IRS halted the program last September so it could clear a backlog of claims and ramp up audits. Lawmakers in Congress have negotiated tax legislation that would end the program early, potentially saving the federal government about $80 billion, but an agreement has yet to be reached.

The IRS said Friday that since it temporarily stopped accepting new applications for the credits last fall and offered taxpayers a chance to withdraw their claims, it has safeguarded more than $1 billion in federal tax revenue. However, the agency warned that the program remains a problem and that it still has about a million unprocessed claims.

“We remain deeply concerned about the widespread abuse related to these claims that have harmed small businesses,” Daniel Werfel, the IRS commissioner, said in a statement.

Wally Adeyemo, the deputy finance minister, urged lawmakers on Friday to end the tax credit program.

“Congress must act to protect the interests of American taxpayers and honest small businesses and give the IRS the tools needed to tackle fraud,” he said.

Since last September, 1,800 companies have withdrawn claims totaling $251 million. The IRS said it also caught 12,000 companies in the past six months that filed more than 22,000 claims that were improper, resulting in fines of $572 million.

The pot of seemingly unlimited amounts of pandemic relief money prompted tax firms to launch an advertising campaign to convince companies to apply for the credits, earning them lucrative commissions.

In Mr. Thomas’s case, court documents showed that he and his associates filed approximately 300 payroll tax returns claiming more than $550 million in refunds, much of it tied to the employee retention tax credit.

Officials said the returns were for “fake business entities, real businesses with inflated wages and employee numbers, and businesses that were defunct at the time the payroll tax returns were filed.” Much of the money they requested was not returned because the IRS suspected fraud.

The case showed a striking level of recklessness. At some point in 2023, Mr. Thomas was caught talking to his mother in a recorded prison about her concerns that the federal government would realize what they were doing, officials said.

According to the complaint, Mr. Thomas downplayed these concerns, saying they would likely be told, “You owe us this back and you need to pay it back whenever you can,” which would be the “33rd of Neveruary.”

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Blatant benefit fraud stole UC even though she inherited £400,000

Jeffrey Bailey — Mon, 18 Mar 2024 12:56:52 +0000

A SHAMELESS charity cheat stole Universal Credit while scouting a new home with a secret inheritance pot worth £400,000.

Mother-of-three Amber Marshall received the huge sum after the ‘unexpected’ death of her estranged father three years ago.

Marshall pleaded guilty to two misdemeanors for failing to report a change in circumstancesCredit: Facebook

The 47-year-old was receiving both Universal Credit and housing benefit when she heard about her father in 2021.

But when the sale of her late father’s house went through, she received a £400,000 windfall and decided not to inform Medway Council and the Department of Work and Pensions.

By the time Marshall’s secret came out, she had claimed more than £10,000 in benefits, while spending hundreds of thousands of pounds on a new home and spoiling friends and family.

Maidstone Crown Court heard that Gillingham-based Marshall had just £5,000 left of her inheritance in January 2023.

The fraudster pleaded guilty to two offenses for failing to report a change in circumstances between September 2021 and May 2022, reports KentOnline.

Marshall’s lawyer, Amelia Norman, said: “She was entitled to benefits, received the money unexpectedly as part of an inheritance and essentially buried her head in the sand in terms of informing the authorities.”

It was said in court that Marshall still receives benefits of £590 a month, but after paying for basic needs he is left with about £60.

As it stands, she has repaid the amount of Universal Credit she received, but the outstanding housing benefit will be paid as part of a payment plan.

Although she was spared prison, Marshall was given an 18-month community order with 30 rehabilitation activity requirements and 120 hours of unpaid work.

Judge Gareth Branston told Marshall: “I do not underestimate the impact of losing a parent, even if you have been out of touch for years.

From €450 tax reduction to changes in child benefit, what the budget means for YOUR finances

‘But it must have been clear that the authorities had to know about the inheritance and you admitted in your pleas that you were dishonest.’

REVEALED: BRITAIN’S BENEFITS FOR FRAUDERS

Benefit fraud is a costly crime that takes valuable money out of the hands of those who really need it, and over the years several criminals doing this have emerged in Britain.

Benefits cheat Ethel McGill has pocketed £750,000. the heartless pensioner claimed her father was still alive so she could steal his war pension after his death in 2004.

Her 20-year plan finally came to an end when investigators caught her trotting around and driving after she claimed she was in a wheelchair.

McGill was jailed for five years and eight months in July 2019 – with a further eight months added the following year for failing to repay her ill-gotten gains.

Elsewhere, Michelle Hanney, 51, was defrauded of more than £33,000 after claiming she could barely walk and had to use a wheelchair to get outside.

But the Rotherham fraudster was discovered after she shared photos on Facebook walking her horse and even getting into the saddle.

She was sentenced to 12 months’ community service after pleading guilty to fraudulent activity between May 2021 and August 2022.

Finally, Claire Finney, 41, falsely claimed she was a single mother so she could claim additional child tax credits, universal credit, housing benefit and income support.

But the mother actually lived with her longtime partner Joseph Perry during her five-year plot to steal money.

She used £97,028.24 of taxpayers’ money to enjoy five-star luxury holidays with her family in Cyprus.

This comes after reports of gangs using Photoshop to defraud the Department for Work and Pensions of £8.5 billion in 2022.

The scammers had edited themselves into screenshots of Google Maps in an attempt to outsmart the anti-fraudsters.

And The Sun revealed that more than 7,000 Brits who don’t qualify for social housing have been caught making their way onto waiting lists.

Since 2020, government scammers have uncovered £26.4 million worth of housing fraud.

The criminal activity, detected by the Cabinet Office’s National Fraud Initiative, took place as queues for English social housing topped one million.

Marshall pocketed more than £10,000 in benefits before she was discoveredCredit: Facebook

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K Kavitha sentenced to 7-day custody in Delhi liquor fraud case; BRS protests in Telangana

Sabir Ansary — Sat, 16 Mar 2024 14:13:15 +0000

K Kavitha, the daughter of former Telangana Chief Minister and BRS supremo K Chandrashekar Rao (KCR), was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) from her residence in Banjara Hills in Hyderabad on Friday evening.

BRS leader K Kavitha waves to supporters as the Enforcement Directorate detains her in Delhi’s alleged excise case at BRS MLC K Kavitha’s residence in Hyderabad on Friday. (ANI photo)

Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leader K Kavitha was sent to 7-day custody by a special court in Delhi on Saturday in connection with an alleged money laundering case related to the alleged Delhi excise policy ‘scam’.

Delhi Special Judge MK Nagpal Rouse Avenue Court sent Kavitha to ED custody till March 23 on a plea filed by the central probe agency seeking remand of the BRS leader in the case.

ED ignored SC’s directions: Kavitha’s counsel

Defending Kavitha, senior advocate Vikram Chaudhari and advocate Nitesh Rana told the judge that her arrest was “illegal” while also accusing the federal probe agency of ignoring the Supreme Court’s directions in arresting the BRS MLC.

Kavitha’s counsel claimed that the Supreme Court had directed the ED not to take coercive action against the BRS leader before hearing her plea against the summons the agency had served on her on March 19.

“It is a dark day when orders of the SC are violated, when an officer thinks he/she is above the law,” the court counsel said.

Enough evidence against Kavitha: ED

However, the ED said it has not made any statement before any court, including the Supreme Court, that no coercive action will be taken against K Kavitha.

“There is enough evidence, witness statements against K Kavitha in the case,” the ED told the court.

The agency also accused Kavitha of destroying evidence in the case.

“We have called several witnesses to confront K Kavitha,” the agency told the court.

K Kavitha arrest

K Kavitha, daughter of former Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao (KCR), was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) from her residence in Banjara Hills in Hyderabad on Friday evening.

The agency has produced Kavitha before the special court and sought ten days’ detention for her. However, the court remanded her in custody only till March 23.

Speaking to reporters while appearing in court, Kavitha, 46, called her arrest illegal and asserted: “We will fight the matter in court.”

BRS ranks protest in Telangana

Meanwhile, BRS workers and supporters protested across Telangana on Saturday against the “illegal” arrest of K Kavitha.

“BRS held protests across Telangana against the illegal arrest of K Kavitha,” BRS said in a post on X.

#WATCH | BRS leaders stage a protest in Malkajgiri over the ED’s arrest of party leader K Kavitha in a Delhi excise policy case pic.twitter.com/T0LNhx6Klt

— ANI (@ANI) March 16, 2024

The party also accused the BJP-led NDA government of misusing central agencies.

The protesters called Kavitha’s arrest illegal, waved black flags and wore black clothing
their necks and pulled out rallies and squatted on roads.

Holding banners reading ‘We stand with Kavithakka’, ‘Stop illegal arrests immediately’ and ‘The stubborn attitude of the central government must end’, the BRS workers raised slogans against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP .

#WATCH | Nizamabad: BRS party cadres are staging a state-wide protest over the arrest of BRS MLC K Kavitha in connection with the Delhi excise money laundering case. pic.twitter.com/ej4qULK4cn

— ANI (@ANI) March 16, 2024

The protesters also burned Prime Minister Modi’s effigy at some places.

(With PTI inputs)

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‘Bling Bishop’ who bragged about ties to Eric Adams has been convicted of fraud

Sabir Ansary — Mon, 11 Mar 2024 23:22:31 +0000

Lamor Whitehead, a Brooklyn pastor known as the “bling bishop” for his ostentatious luxury assets, was convicted Monday in Manhattan federal court of defrauding a parishioner and trying to extort a businessman, while bragging about his ties to Mayor Eric Adams.

Mr. Whitehead, 45, was found guilty on five charges, including wire fraud, attempted extortion and lying to the FBI. Prosecutors said Mr. Whitehead, who had previously been convicted of identity theft, had lied and threatened to force his victims to hand over money. him money, and misrepresented his relationship with the mayor.

“He lied about access, he lied about influence, he lied about everything,” prosecutor Derek Wikstrom said in his closing argument.

The government said Mr. Whitehead persuaded the parishioner, Pauline Anderson, to invest about $90,000 of her retirement savings with him — and then spent the money on car payments and goods from Louis Vuitton and Foot Locker. Other charges relate to his interactions with Brandon Belmonte, who ran an auto body shop in the Bronx. Mr. Whitehead tried to force Mr. Belmonte to lend him $500,000 while promising access to Mr. Adams, prosecutors said.

In the defense’s closing arguments, Declan Murray, one of Mr Whitehead’s lawyers, compared criminal trials to the process of buying a house. He accused the government of – the house, in this analogy – being poorly built and infested with termites.

But the jury was not swayed by the defense.

Mr Whitehead’s sentencing is set for July 1.

Mr. Whitehead had considered Mr. Adams, 63, a former Brooklyn borough president, a mentor. The younger man tried to follow in his footsteps and launched a bid to become Brooklyn borough president in 2021. But Mr. Adams would not support Mr. Whitehead — and even admonished him for using his name in a “misleading” campaign ad, according to text messages shown by prosecutors during the trial.

Mr Murray responded that Mr Whitehead had only said he could get a meeting with Mr Adams “faster than most people” – and that statement, he claimed, was true. But prosecutors also showed other messages from Mr Whitehead to Mr Adams in early 2022 that went unanswered.

That was an eventful year for Mr. Whitehead. In May, he was in the news when he reportedly tried to negotiate the surrender of a man who fatally shot a Goldman Sachs employee on a Q train in broad daylight.

In July, three masked gunmen robbed Mr. Whitehead and his wife of expensive jewelry during a service at his church, Leaders of Tomorrow International Ministries, which was located above a Haitian restaurant in Canarsie, Brooklyn. The service was streamed live and the video made news across the country.

He was subsequently arrested in December. The U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York said at the time that the case was being investigated by the office’s Public Corruption Unit.

A 2023 superseding indictment added a charge stemming from a $250,000 loan Mr. Whitehead took out for his company, Anointing Management Services LLC. Prosecutors said he forged bank documents for the filing, claiming the company had annual sales of $6 million. The indictment stated that Mr. Whitehead also used forged bank statements to purchase his spacious home in Paramus, NJ.

“The numbers are made up,” Mr. Wikstrom said.

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Princess Anne says governments and organizations have a ‘duty’ to protect citizens from fraud as she delivers speech at London summit

Sabir Ansary — Mon, 11 Mar 2024 03:36:30 +0000

The Princess Royal has called for action against the ‘far-reaching impact of fraud on ordinary people around the world, especially those least equipped to defend themselves’.

Speaking at a summit in London this evening, Anne, 73, said how the crime “undermines the foundations of trust and integrity… and tarnishes the reputation of companies of all sizes”.

She implored that tackling the problem of fraud would not be a “simple challenge”, but stressed that both governments and private organizations have a “duty to protect citizens from it”.

“That requires a joint effort from the private sector and civil society,” the king’s sister added.

“Hopefully we strive together to create a future where the dignity and well-being of every individual is protected from exploitation.”

The Princess Royal has called for action against the ‘far-reaching impact of fraud on ordinary people around the world’

Anne added that ‘sometimes the key lies with the fraudsters themselves not taking their crime seriously’.

‘Fraudsters need to better understand how much damage can be done in this way.’

She was speaking at a pre-Global Fraud Summit reception at Guildhall in London.

Anne was sophisticated as ever in an all-blue ensemble for the occasion. She paired an azure blue dress with a floral print jacket, which appeared to come with a matching scarf.

The Princess Royal opted for simple black heels and styled her hair in a signature style. She wore black gloves and clutched an indigo clutch.

For a pop of color, the late Queen Elizabeth’s only daughter applied some bright lipstick.

She mingled with some of the attendees at the event, laughing sportily and enjoying conversation.

Home Secretary James Cleverly also attended the event and said: ‘Fraud is often overlooked. It often happens invisibly, often in a way that the victim is not aware of.

Speaking at a summit in London this evening, Anne, 73, said how the crime “undermines the foundations of trust and integrity… and tarnishes the reputation of companies of all sizes”.

She implored that tackling the problem of fraud would not be a “simple challenge”, but stressed that both governments and private organizations have a “duty to protect citizens from it”.

Anne added that ‘sometimes the key lies with the fraudsters themselves not taking their crime seriously’

Anne was sophisticated as ever in an all-blue ensemble for the occasion. She paired an azure blue dress with a floral print jacket, which appeared to come with a matching scarf

‘Victims may feel too ashamed to do anything about it, perhaps because they feel like they are foolish and that they somehow deserve what happened to them.

“This is the first time we are formally meeting internationally to work on how we fight fraud, how we prevent fraud and how we bring fraudsters to justice.

‘The main reason for actually getting together physically is that this is an opportunity to exchange notes, exchange ideas, exchange business cards and phone numbers.

“I’ve always said if you’re not networking, you’re not working, so please, please, take this opportunity to connect.”

The Princess Royal opted for simple black heels and styled her hair in a signature style. She wore black gloves and clutched an indigo clutch. For a pop of color, the late Queen Elizabeth’s only daughter applied some bright lipstick

Home Secretary James Cleverly also attended the event and said fraud is ‘often an overlooked crime’

Pictured: Home Secretary James Cleverly speaking at a Pre-Global Fraud Summit reception at Guildhall

Last week, the Princess Royal paid tribute to the ‘extraordinary’ Rob Burrow at a Rugby League reception to honor the community for their work to raise money for motor neurone disease.

Anne, who looked sophisticated in a chic red coat, appeared cheerful as she spoke on stage and chatted to Rob, 41, and his wife Lindsey at the event at Headingley Stadium in Leeds.

Anne praised the “most extraordinary example of Rob Burrow himself and Kevin Sinfield in raising awareness of a truly devastating diagnosis.”

In conversation with the BBC News Lindsey Burrow, Rob’s wife, said: ‘It’s a huge honor for Rob to be here today with the rugby community, with people who have supported him since his diagnosis.

She added: ‘A very special day and I know he will be very grateful for all the support.’

Speaking about her conversation with Princess Anne, she added: “She just asked us about the MNDA [Motor Neurone Disease Association] and how they supported us as a family.

‘She was talking to the children about having time off from school. Very down to earth, she was sweet.

“She talked about the fundraising Rob and Kevin had done. That’s why Rob told his story, to help people who had no voice and to increase awareness. People now know what MND is.’

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Anurag Kashyap makes strong statements and calls 90% of feminist filmmakers ‘fraud’

Sabir Ansary — Fri, 08 Mar 2024 16:10:10 +0000

Anurag Kashyap discussed feminist and socialist filmmakers and suggested that 90% of them are fraudulent.

Anurag Kashyap, during a recent conversation at an event in Kolkata, found himself in a controversial discussion when he shared his views on feminist filmmakers. According to a report by Outlook India, the director did not mince his words and said that majority of feminist filmmakers are fraudsters. The filmmaker stated: “I strongly believe that every filmmaker should have the right to make any kind of film.”

As the conversation continued, the filmmaker said, “I know most of the filmmakers personally, even the most problematic ones. There are two types of commercial filmmakers, the people behind films like KGF and Salaar. There are opportunists and people who are very honest and just want to make money and make hit films.’

He continued, “But the filmmakers who appear to be feminists, socialists, revolutionaries… Let me tell you, 90% of them are fraudsters. They are all posing. After so many years of trying to bring together so many independent filmmakers, I’ve come to the conclusion that independent filmmakers are the worst. Because they just put each other down and call each other names. What is the difference between the so-called intelligent people and the so-called fools? The fools are united. The ‘intelligent’ people are busy pulling each other down.”

Meanwhile, on the work front of Anurag Kashyap, Kennedy was the director’s latest venture, starring Sunny Leone and Rahul Bhat. The film was selected as the closing film for the 14th edition of the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (IFFM). The film was shown on closing night in Melbourne on August 20 the previous year. Before that, the film was shown at the Cannes Film Festival, where it received a standing ovation from the audience for seven minutes.

Anurag is known for directing some of the most iconic films including Gangs Of Wasseypur, Kennedy, Dev D, Black Friday, Ugly and others.

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Former Trump CFO Allen Weisselberg pleads guilty to perjury in the ex-president’s civil fraud case

Sabir Ansary — Mon, 04 Mar 2024 20:27:08 +0000

Prosecutors accused Weisselberg of lying under oath in the case over allegations that Trump lied about his wealth in financial statements provided to banks and insurance companies.

New York: Allen Weisselberg, the former chief financial officer of Donald Trump’s company, pleaded guilty Monday in New York to perjury in connection with his testimony in the ex-president’s civil fraud case. Weisselberg, 76, pleaded guilty to two counts of perjury and will be sentenced to five months in prison — what would be his second stint behind bars after 100 days last year in an unrelated tax fraud case.

The pleas related to testimony he gave during a July 2020 deposition in New York Attorney General Letitia James’ case against Trump, but on Monday he also admitted in court, without pleading guilty, that he witness stand had lied during the former president’s civil fraud trial last year. fall.

Prosecutors accused Weisselberg of lying under oath in the case over allegations that Trump lied about his wealth in financial statements provided to banks and insurance companies. “Allen Weisselberg looks forward to putting this situation behind him,” his attorney Seth Rosenberg said in a statement.

After The New York Times reported last month that Weisselberg was in negotiations to plead guilty to perjury, Judge Arthur Engoron, who presided over the fraud trial, ordered attorneys to provide details related to the Times report.

Trump is appealing Engoron’s judgment, ordering him to pay more than $454 million in fines and interest for providing fraudulent information about the value of his assets based on years of financial data.

Weisselberg’s new criminal case comes just weeks before Trump is set to stand trial on separate charges that he falsified company records. That case involves allegations that Trump falsified company records to cover up hush money payments made during the 2016 campaign to bury allegations that he had extramarital sexual encounters. Trump has pleaded not guilty and denies wrongdoing.

Former Trump lawyer and fixer Michael Cohen has said Weisselberg played a role in orchestrating the payments, but he has not been charged in that case, and neither prosecutors nor Trump’s lawyers have indicated they will have him as a witness to call to action. That process starts on March 25.

Weisselberg’s case is separate from the criminal case that Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg filed against Trump last year.

Weisselberg previously served 100 days in jail last year after pleading guilty to evading taxes on $1.7 million in off-the-book compensation from the Trump Organization. He is still on probation. He had no criminal record before that.

He left New York City’s infamous Rikers Island in April, days after Trump was indicted in his hush-money criminal case in New York.

Under that plea deal, Weisselberg was required to testify as a prosecution witness when the Trump Organization went on trial for helping executives evade taxes. He did so carefully, laying out the facts of his own involvement in tax dodging, but taking care not to implicate Trump and telling jurors that his boss was unaware of the scheme.

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Trump makes baseless claims about immigration and voter fraud

Sabir Ansary — Sun, 03 Mar 2024 01:08:22 +0000

Fresh off his trip to the southern border earlier this week, former President Donald J. Trump baselessly suggested Saturday that President Biden had “smuggled” violent anti-American forces across the border.

At a rally in Greensboro, N.C., Mr. Trump — who has been charged with conspiracy to defraud the United States as part of the 91 felony counts he currently faces in four separate criminal trials — alleged broadly and without evidence that the U.S. border policy Mr. Biden amounted to a “conspiracy to overthrow the United States of America.”

Mr. Trump has previously suggested without evidence that Democrats were encouraging migrants to cross the border illegally to register them to vote. On Saturday, he told the crowd in Greensboro that he believed Biden was “giving aid and comfort” to America’s foreign enemies.

He went on to frame this year’s election as a matter of “whether the foreign militaries that Joe Biden smuggled across our border will be allowed to stay or whether they will be told to get out of here and go back home.”

Mr. Trump has often blamed the surge of migrants at the border on Mr. Biden and Democrats, who he says are too lenient on those who cross illegally. But there is no evidence to support the claim that Mr. Biden trafficked migrants across the border.

There is also no evidence that Democrats encouraged the surge of migrants at the border to illegally register them to vote, one of many claims Mr. Trump has made as he promoted widespread and often debunked claims of voter fraud in his country . the 2020 elections.

Mr. Trump repeated these claims of fraud at the Greensboro rally.

He said Republicans needed to guarantee a turnout in November so large it was “too big to manipulate,” reviving his claim that the only way Democrats could win this year was if they cheated. And his campaign spread to the crowd with signs reading “Too Big to Rig.”

But Mr Trump also appeared to link his predictions about voter interference to the migrant crisis, accusing Mr Biden and his allies of trying to “collapse the American system, overturning the will of actual American voters and establish a new power base that will give them control for generations.”

The border crisis has worsened during the Biden administration. Republicans have accused Mr. Biden of being negligent on this issue, arguing that his promises to roll back Mr. Trump’s tough border policies have led to the continued influx.

Democrats have pointed to a wave of migration around the world. And Mr. Biden has blamed Republicans for trying to block bipartisan efforts to address the issue, including a bill in Congress that would have significantly addressed border crossings. Republicans defeated the bill at Trump’s insistence.

During his campaign, Trump has increasingly warned of threats he believes are damaging to traditional American values. The former president typically relies on the language of war to describe the border crisis, which he describes as an invasion.

On Thursday, Mr. Trump visited Eagle Pass, Texas, where Governor Greg Abbott has sent the Texas National Guard to patrol the border. After receiving a briefing on the state’s efforts, Mr. Trump said the migrants “look like warriors to me,” adding that “something is going on — it’s bad.”

During his speech on Saturday, Trump again painted those crossing the border with a broad brush, saying they came from “mental institutions and mental institutions” or were former prisoners sent across the border by leaders of other countries sent. to land.

And he again rattled off a number of crimes allegedly committed by migrants, stoking fear and portraying Democrats as ignoring crime and disorder. But border officials, including some who worked for Trump, have said most migrants crossing the border are members of vulnerable families fleeing poverty and violence.

Mr. Trump plans an extreme expansion of his anti-immigration policies if he wins the 2025 election, including what he calls the “largest domestic deportation operation” in American history.

A new Trump administration would build massive camps across the United States to detain undocumented immigrants. And Mr Trump would reintroduce a Covid-era policy that would deny asylum claims on the grounds that migrants carry diseases such as tuberculosis.

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Haldwani violence: ‘Mastermind’ Abdul Malik, woman booked for fraud, criminal conspiracy; 78 Held so far

Sabir Ansary — Fri, 23 Feb 2024 00:28:15 +0000

Four more rioters were arrested, taking the total number of arrests so far to 78 in the violence that broke out on February 8 following the demolition of an illegal madrasa at Banbhoolpura in the Haldwani area of Uttarakhand.

Nainital District Magistrate Vandana Singh inspects the violence-hit area of Banbhoolpura in Haldwani on February 15. (ANI photo)

Haldwani violence: A fresh case of fraud and criminal conspiracy was registered on Thursday against six people, including ‘mastermind’ Abdul Malik and his wife, in connection with the Haldwani violence, police said.

Four more rioters were arrested, taking the total number of arrests so far to 78 in the violence that erupted on February 8 following the demolition of an illegal madrasa in Banbhoolpura, they said.

Malik and his wife Safia are among the six persons arrested for criminal conspiracy and fraudulently using a dead man’s name for illegal conspiracy, construction and transfer of land, Nainital SSP Prahlad Narayan Meena said.

The suspects have been charged with masterminding a criminal conspiracy to deceive the government ministries and the court based on false affidavits, he said.

They have been booked under sections 120B (criminal conspiracy), 417 (cheating) and 420 (cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property) of the IPC, he told reporters.

Earlier, three FIRs were registered in connection with the incident.

A lookout notice was earlier issued against Malik and his son Abdul Moid and their properties in the city were seized.

Malik had built the illegal madrasa and strongly opposed its demolition, police said.

His wife had even filed an objection in court against the demolition notice issued by the municipal corporation.

Meanwhile, four more rioters were arrested for the violence on Thursday.

On a viral video showing cash being distributed among people in the riot-hit area in Haldwani, the SSP said the people distributing cash were members of a Hyderabad-based NGO.

Investigations have revealed that some people from NGO ‘Hyderabad Youth Courage’ distributed money, he said.

“The origin of the funds and the amount that is paid out are examined. Appropriate action will be taken by police and other concerned departments,” Meena said.

On February 8, violence broke out during the demolition of an illegally built madrasa in Banbhoolpura area, with locals throwing stones and petrol bombs at municipal workers and police, forcing many police personnel to take refuge at a police station, which the crowd then turned on. firework.

According to the police, six rioters were killed and more than a hundred, including police personnel and media workers, were injured in the violence.

(Only the headline has been reworked by India.com. The copy is from an agency feed)

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Highlights from the decision in Trump's fraud case

Sabir Ansary — Sat, 17 Feb 2024 05:09:17 +0000

The judge who cut a broad line through Donald J. Trump's personal and corporate coffers on Friday, ordering him to pay a fine in his civil fraud case that will total more than $450 million, was both cutting and colorful in his characterization of the behavior of the former president.

The judge, Arthur F. Engoron, an unconventional lawyer who presided over the trial, wrote a detailed 92-page legal decision that incorporated lyrical descriptions of Trump's statements and actions into the legal analysis supporting his decision.

There are folk aphorisms. There are Biblical references to sin. There's Bernie Madoff. And there's even an 18th century poet.

The judge, a former taxi driver and music teacher, is an unlikely opponent of Trump, who has repeatedly labeled him a Democratic stooge and criticized his family and his law clerk.

Here are some notable passages from the decision.

My mistake? Not so much

The English poet Alexander Pope (1688-1744) first stated: 'To err is human, to forgive is divine.' The suspects apparently think differently. After about four years of investigation and lawsuits, the only mistake (unintentional, of course) they acknowledge is tripling the size of the Trump Tower Penthouse, which cannot be disputed. Their complete lack of remorse and remorse borders on pathological. They are only accused of inflating the value of assets to make more money. The documents prove this time and time again. This is a venial sin, not a mortal sin. The suspects did not commit murder or arson. They didn't rob a bank at gunpoint. Donald Trump is not Bernard Madoff. Yet the defendants are unable to admit the error of their actions. Instead, they adopt a “See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil” attitude that is belied by the evidence.

Trump and corporate crimes: it's not his first rodeo

In considering the need for continued injunctive relief, this court is aware that this action is not the first time that the Trump Organization or its related entities have engaged in corporate misconduct. The more evidence there is of defendants' continued propensity to commit fraud, the greater the need for the court to impose stricter enforcement measures. This isn't the defendants' first rodeo.

Trump on the witness stand

Overall, Donald Trump rarely responded to questions asked, and he frequently gave long, irrelevant speeches on issues well outside the scope of the trial. His refusal to answer questions directly or in some cases at all seriously compromised his credibility.

What Trump knew and what Trump did

Donald Trump was aware of many of the key facts underlying several material fraudulent misstatements in the SFCs: he was aware that he had been deprived of the right to use Mar-a-Lago as anything other than a social club, and nevertheless continued to appreciate it. as if it could be used as a single-family home; he was aware that the triplex apartment in which he, a real estate mogul and self-proclaimed expert, lived for decades was not 30,000 square feet, but actually 10,996 square feet; he was aware that he had no control over the importance of the Vornado partnership, even though he represented it as “cash”; he was aware that he had permission to build only 500 private homes in Aberdeen, despite claiming he had permission for 2,500; and he was aware that 40 Wall Street was operating at a deficit, despite having net operating income of $64 million.

As Eric Trump testified, Donald Trump sat at the top of the Trump Organization pyramid until 2017. Donald Trump claimed to “know more about real estate than other people” and to be “more expert than anyone else.” He repeatedly falsified company information with the intent to commit fraud.

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