Basketball Hall of Famer Chanty Bilips appearing in a Brooklyn courthouse this morning. This part of of course the bombshell story around mafia ties to illegal poker games. Contessa Brewers been following the story for us and has the latest.Contessa >> David, the most notable suspect here is Trailblazers coach and Hall of Famer Chanty Bips named with 30 others in a searing indictment that outlines a complicated illegal poker ring arranged by the mob that cheated players collectively out of millions of dolla ...

Allegations and Charges - Two Cleveland Guardians pitchers, Emanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz, are indicted on federal charges including conspiracy related to wire fraud and money laundering [1] - The players are accused of rigging pitches to allow bettors to profit in a scheme worth nearly $500 thousand [1] - Prosecutors allege the players telegraphed pitches to conspirators who bet on them and shared the winnings [2] Specific Incidents - In a game against the Red Sox in June 2023, Clase allegedly arranged to throw a pitch slower than 95 miles per hour, resulting in bettors winning $58 thousand [2] - Prosecutors claim Clase used his phone during games to communicate with bettors [3] - In one instance, bettors wagered on a parlay but lost when the batter swung at a pitch that was supposed to be a ball [4] Legal and Team Response - Ortiz was arrested in Boston and appeared in federal court [4] - Both players' attorneys assert their clients' innocence and express confidence in clearing their names [5][6] - MLB and the Guardians are cooperating with investigators and conducting their own investigation [6] - The US attorney claims the players defrauded online betting platforms and betrayed baseball [6]

Legal & Compliance - Arrest of individuals including former and current NBA players and coaches like Chanty Bilips, Damon Jones, and Terry Rosier [1] - Coordinated takedown across 11 states leading to over 30 arrests related to illegal gambling and sports rigging [2] - Charges include wire fraud, money laundering, extortion, robbery, and illegal gambling [3] - Involvement of La Cosa Nostra crime families such as Banano, Gambino, Genevesi, and Luchesi [2] Financial Impact - Tens of millions of dollars involved in fraud, theft, and robbery [3]

I'll just highlight some of the some of the details in the case and the FBI work and then you'll hear from the others. But as you now know, individuals such as Chanty Bilips, Damon Jones, and Terry Rosier were taken into custody today. Former current NBA players and coaches.What you don't know is that this is an illegal gambling operation and sports rigging operation that spanned the course of years. The FBI led a coordinated takedown across 11 states to arrest over 30 individuals today responsible for this ...

Joining us now, MSNBC Capitol Hill reporter Kevin Fry. Also with us, congressional correspondent for the New York Times, Michael Gold. He's one of the reporters who broke this story initially about all of Santos's lies.Kevin, first to you. What else are we hearing from Santos and does he actually have to pay that restitution back. >> Well, I mean, that remains an open question.He certainly seems to believe that he doesn't necessarily have to based on his comments you heard just within the last 24 hours or s ...

Tonight we are hearing for the first time from a controversial former congressman now out of prison after President Trump commuted his sentence. Steven Romo was following this and Stephen George Santos says he feels like he's getting a second chance. >> Yeah, healthy.Today we heard from Santos for the first time after his release from prison on Friday apologizing to the public and saying he wants President Trump to know he won't disappoint him. Santos was serving a 7-year federal sentence for convictions of ...

It was around 11:00 Friday night, according to his attorney, that former US Congressman George Santos walked out of this New Jersey federal prison, a free man. >> I'm going to fight my battle. >> His more than seven-year sentence commuted by President Trump.Santos was convicted of wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. Following those convictions, Santos saying this, >> "I know that my actions have caused disappointment, frustration, and a loss of faith in me. And for that, I'm truly sorry." But back in ...

Legal & Political Developments - Former Congressman George Santos was released from prison after President Trump commuted his seven-year sentence [1][2] - Santos served less than three months of his sentence after pleading guilty to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft [1] - Trump justified the commutation by comparing Santos's case to a controversy involving Senator Richard Blumenthal [2] Public Perception & Media Commentary - The case highlights the incentive structure of politics, where individuals may exaggerate or lie to gain attention [6][7] - Santos's actions and persona were seen by some as fitting a pattern of extravagance and dishonesty [4][5] - Media outlets anticipate Santos's potential return to politics [7][9] Allegations & Misrepresentations - Santos was found to have made false claims about his education, employment (Goldman Sachs and City Group), and religious background [5][6] - He also made false statements about his connection to 9/11 and involvement with charitable organizations [6] - Individuals he defrauded, who lost approximately 300 thousand, are unlikely to recover their money [3]

Politics & Law - President Trump commuted George Santos's sentence, who was serving a 7+ year sentence for wire fraud and ID theft [1] - John Bolton pleaded not guilty to 18 counts of mishandling classified information, potentially facing 10 years per count [16][17] - Prince Andrew is giving up his royal titles amidst ongoing outrage over his ties to Jeffrey Epstein [18][19] International Relations - President Zalinsky requested Tomahawk missiles from President Trump to aid Ukraine in the war with Russia, but President Trump was leaning against providing them [2][8] - President Trump is preparing for a second summit with Russia's Vladimir Putin, aiming to end the Ukraine war [3] - Tensions arose during President Trump's Alaska summit with Putin, where Putin rejected a ceasefire proposal [6] Crime & Safety - US conducted strikes on boats smuggling drugs, with a recent strike having two survivors in US custody [9][10] - A home robbery in Los Angeles was caught on camera, with thieves using walkie-talkies [21][22] - A kidnapping suspect in Philadelphia is being sought after chilling video surfaced [33][34] Social & Community - A high school volleyball team surprised their custodian with a car, raising over $9,000 with help from a local dealership [41][42][44] - A woman won $100,000 in a Powerball prize using numbers picked by Chat GPT [40]

Potential Bitcoin Reserve Increase - US government could add $14 billion in Bitcoin to national reserves following a major criminal indictment [1] - The seized Bitcoin, worth $14.4 billion, is already in US government custody [2] - If forfeiture is approved, the total Bitcoin reserve could climb to roughly 325,000 BTC, valued near $36 billion at current prices [3] Case Details - The Department of Justice (DOJ) filed a forfeiture complaint against 127,271 BTC tied to Chen Zhi, founder of Cambodia-based Prince Holding Group [1] - Zhi allegedly ran "pig butchering" investment scams that defrauded victims worldwide [1] - Zhi faces charges of wire fraud and money laundering conspiracy, with proceeds allegedly spent on luxury assets [2] Strategic Implications - This potential addition would mark one of the biggest inflows into the US crypto reserves since their creation in March under President Donald Trump's executive order [2] - The current reserve is estimated to hold around 198,000 BTC (≈ $22 billion) [3] - Washington is exploring other ways to grow its digital holdings, including swapping part of the US gold reserves for Bitcoin and budget-neutral purchases of BTC using existing federal assets [3][4]