9/25/2024: FTX Accomplice Sentenced
PLUS: Assassination Update; Billions of Streams; and Harry’s Paperwork
Today is Wednesday, September 25, 2024.
It is the 269th day of the year.
97 days remain.
WHAT’S ON TAP
A resolution to the weekend’s bull bust and more ominous news for the American housing market. Details in HIT LIST.
BENNIFER may have found a buyer for their Beverly Hills mansion and the MOWRY twins are feeling the distance. More in SHOWBIZ.
RYAN MURPHY defends his “Monsters” series and ZAK BAGANS gets some more creepy stuff. Details in CASTING CALL.
KIM is always in mom mode. More in KARDASH.
The group suing to release PRINCE HARRY’s visa paperwork endures another court defeat. Details in ROYALS.
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HIT LIST
Here’s the latest on the second assassination attempt on former President DONALD TRUMP:
— In a Tuesday press conference, Attorney General MERRICK GARLAND said agents have been working “around the clock” to investigate the latest assassination attempt on Trump. Garland said those efforts yielded the evidence to bring enhanced charges against the suspect, Ryan Routh, beyond the initial gun charges.
— Other evidence unearthed shows that Routh searched for a route from Florida to Mexico, suggesting his intent to flee. He also had six cell phones and a passport on his person. [via Morning Martini]
— Routh’s son has been charged with possessing child pornography. The FBI reportedly discovered the evidence while searching his apartment in “an investigation unrelated to child exploitation,” according to court filings — suggesting they found it as part of the investigation into his father. So far no plea has been entered. [via USA Today]
— Prosecutors have charged a 64-year-old Idaho man, Warren Jones Crazybull, for making nine threatening phone calls to Mar-a-Lago beginning on July 31. According to court filings, Crazybull said, “I am going to down him personally and kill him.” He was arrested on August 1, indicted August 20, and faces trial October 28. He has pleaded not guilty to one count of threatening a former president. [via NBC News]
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CAROLINE ELLISON has been sentenced to two years in prison for her role in the massive FTX crypto fraud.
Soon after the exchange’s collapse in November 2022, Ellison began cooperating with investigators and before the year was out pleaded guilty to wire fraud and conspiracy charges. She ran the hedge fund at the center of the controversy and dated SAM BANKMAN-FRIED for a while.
In return, prosecutors urged the judge to take into account her “extraordinary” and “very timely” cooperation. Even the federal Probation Department urged no jail time and three years of supervised release instead. And for his part, Judge LEWIS KAPLAN said during sentencing, “I’ve seen a lot of cooperators in 30 years. I’ve never seen one quite like Ms. Ellison.”
Ellison cried throughout the sentencing hearing, where she faced a maximum of 110 years behind bars. [via The Verge]
BY THE WAY: SEAN COMBS is being held in the same section of New York City Jail as SAM BANKMAN-FRIED. This area is specifically used to detain people who require special protection.
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GOOD NEWS: Houses got more affordable in August.
BAD NEWS: The median national home price is $433,101. Meanwhile, the typical American household earns just shy of $84,000 a year, well shy of the $115,454-a-year annual income needed to afford such a house, assuming a 15% down payment and spending no more than 30% of gross income every month.
Prices still rose 3% year over year, but a recent downtick in mortgage rates slightly softened the market. [via Redfin]
SPEAKING OF HOUSING PRICES: Since taking office as President of Argentina late last year, JAVIER MILEI has overseen significant deregulation of the country’s price controls. In those short nine months, rental supply in Buenos Aires increased over 170% and real rent prices are down 40%. [via WSJ]
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FOLLOW UP: The last of the eight rodeo bulls that got loose over the weekend has been caught.
Seven were quickly rounded up after getting out of an enclosure in a mall parking lot for a rodeo show, but the last eluded authorities. Late Monday night, it was found near US Highway 1 in North Attleboro, Massachusetts.
A missing pet-tracking company used a drone to track it down, then alerted authorities, who were able to lasso the beast and lead it into a trailer. [via Associated Press]
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At just 16-years-old, Erick Kilburn Jr. holds two Guinness World Records: the largest feet and the largest hands of a living teenager.
Standing at 6-foot-10, the Michigan teen wears a size 23 in men’s shoes and his hands measure 9.13 inches. For reference, the average adult male wears an 8 ½ to 9 size shoe and has an average hand size of 7.4 inches.
Kilburn Jr.’s story made the rounds, catching the attention of Under Armour, Reebok, and SHAQUILLE O’NEAL, who provided the high schooler with several pairs of shoes -- saving his family thousands of dollars.
Now, Kilburn Jr. pays it forward through the Big Shoe Network, a nonprofit organization founded by his mother, focused on helping individuals who struggle to find clothes and shoes in their size. [via The Guardian]
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BREAKUPS
RIC FLAIR and his wife WENDY BARLOW are splitting up after six years of marriage and 13 years together.
He announced the news on social media, praising their time together and thanking her for supporting him through his 2017 health crisis.
This was Flair’s fifth marriage.
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SICK BAY
Hall of Fame QB BRETT FAVRE revealed yesterday that he has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, a degenerative nervous system disorder that causes part of the brain to deteriorate and affects movement.
He made the announcement during an appearance before the House Ways and Means Committee on Tuesday, while speaking about concussion drugs.
A study from 2020 found that a single concussion increases the risk of developing Parkinson’s disease by 57% -- Favre says he has had “thousands” throughout his football career.
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BY THE NUMBERS
📈 The DOW gained 83 points (0.2%) to close at 42,208 on Tuesday. The S&P gained 14 points (0.25%) to close at 5,732 and the NASDAQ increased 100 points (0.56%) to close at 18,074.
🛢 WEST TEXAS INTERMEDIATE closed at $71; BRENT CRUDE at $74.
⛽ The national average price of a GALLON OF GAS was $3.21 on Tuesday.
₿ BITCOIN ticked up Tuesday, trading around $64,200 Tuesday.
🛩 There were more than 1,770 FLIGHTS delayed within, into, or out of the United States on Tuesday and more than 55 such cancellations.
💰Tonight’s POWERBALL drawing will be for a $223 million jackpot or a $112.2 million cash payout.
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SHOWBIZ NEWS
ARTEM CHIGVINTSEV will not be charged following his domestic violence arrest.
After reviewing the evidence prosecutors decided not to pursue criminal charges.
As previously reported, Artem was arrested for felony domestic violence in August following an altercation with estranged wife NIKKI GARCIA.
Nikki has since filed for divorce and is seeking full custody of their 4-year-old son, Matteo. [via Us Magazine]
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BEN AFFLECK and JENNIFER LOPEZ may have found a buyer for their Beverly Hills mansion.
Insiders say a couple from New Jersey made a $64 million offer on the place, and it was recently accepted. The couple has since pulled out of the deal, but sources claim they are still interested.
The offer isn’t great as Ben and Jen bought the place for $61 million last year and then put several more millions into renovations.
Meanwhile, celebrity divorce lawyer LAURA WASSER is handling the separation of assets. Remember, there was no prenup. [via TMZ]
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THE WEEKND broke the record for most songs to hit 1 billion streams on Spotify, taking the top spot from DRAKE.
The two artists were tied at 17 songs each, but with the title track from The Weeknd’s fourth studio album, “After Hours,” he is now sitting at 18 songs with 1 billion streams.
Also, The Weeknd’s hit song “Blinding Lights” remains the most-streamed song on Spotify with almost 4.5 BILLION streams. [via Billboard]
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Twin sisters, actresses TIA MOWRY and TAMERA MOWRY-HOUSLEY are not as close as they used to be.
“I feel and wish that my sister and I were still close and I could pick up the phone and call her,” Tia told Entertainment Weekly. “But that’s just not where we are right now.”
The topic came up as part of a bigger conversation about Tia’s new show, “Tia Mowry: My Next Act.”
Tamera did not respond to EW’s request for comment on the matter. [via EW]
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CASTING CALL
RYAN MURPHY isn’t phased by ERIK MENENDEZ’s thoughts on how he and his brother, LYLE, were portrayed in the Netflix series, “Monsters: The Erik and Lyle Menendez Story.”
“I think it's interesting that he’s issued a statement without having seen the show,” Murphy told Entertainment Tonight.
“Monsters” follows the circumstances leading up to the murder of Erik and Lyle’s parents, JOSE and KITTY MENENDEZ. The brothers were convicted of the crime in 1989. [via ET]
EDITOR’S NOTE: For more on this crime and the brothers’ current status be sure to check out our Saturday True Crime roundup – only for Top Shelf Premium subscribers.
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More than 5.3 million viewers have tuned in to watch HBO’s “The Penguin” since its debut on September 19.
That puts it above the final season premiere of “Succession” (4.9 million) and the second season premiere of “The White Lotus” (4.1 million).
It has also made it the biggest 4-day audience for a new series on Max since “The Last of Us” premiered in January 2023. [via Variety]
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LADY GAGA is releasing a companion album for “Joker: Folie a Deux,” titled “Harlequin,” this Friday.
In the forthcoming musical sequel to 2019’s “Joker,” Gaga plays Harley Quinn, starring opposite JOAQUIN PHOENIX as the Joker.
It is due out October 4. [via THR]
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In a recent interview for the 30th anniversary of “The Shawshank Redemption,” director FRANK DARABONT revealed that TIM ROBBINS actually “crawled through a river of [poop] and came out clean on the other side,” for his character’s infamous escape scene.
“They had to dam the creek to get the water level up and pour sterilizing stuff in there so Tim wouldn’t get some horrible disease,” he continued.
In the movie, Robbins plays Andy Dufresne, a man wrongly convicted of murdering his wife and incarcerated at Shawshank Prison. He stars opposite MORGAN FREEMAN, who plays a fellow inmate. [via Daily Beast]
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“Ghost Adventures” star ZAK BAGANS recently added the remains of notorious serial killer SAMUEL LITTLE to his haunted Las Vegas Museum.
Bagans also received Little’s portfolio of hand drawn portraits of his victims, and his prison belongings from the time of his death, including shoes, hygiene items and an art kit.
The items were given to Bagans by biographer JILLIAN LAUREN, who wrote Little’s biography, “Behold the Monster: Confronting America’s Most Prolific Serial Killer.” When he died in 2020, he named Lauren his sole beneficiary as he had no family.
With 93 victims (that he confessed to), Little is one of the most prolific serial killers in U.S. history. [via Daily Mail]
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Over 100 pieces from the show “Friends” sold over the weekend, in an auction dubbed, “The One with the 30-Year Anniversary Auction.”
The big ticket item was a replica of the orange couch from Central Perk, where the gang often hung out. It sold for $29,500, significantly more than the $2,000 it was expected to go for.
Other items include, the Geller Cup Trophy from Season 3, which sold for $9,100, and a top worn by Chandler Bing (MATTHEW PERRY) went for $6,500.
Purchases were made by fans from more than 30 countries, including Australia, France, Ireland and South Korea. [via People]
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THE DAILY KARDASHOPUS
To put her mind at ease, KIM KARDASHIAN makes sure her kids travel with a slew of “trusted” nannies and security -- even while visiting their dad, YE.
The Sun reports that the mom-of-four is strict about keeping the kids’ routine on track, including “what time they go to bed, what they eat, when they eat, how much sugar they have [...] exactly where they go and how crowded those places are.”
The report comes after Kim reportedly voiced concern over her ex-husband’s often erratic behavior -- and his wife, BIANCA CENSORI’s scandalous outfits. [via The Sun]
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WE’LL NEVER BE ROYALS
The public won’t get a look at PRINCE HARRY’s visa paperwork after one group’s efforts to review the records.
Their legal effort began following the publication of Harry’s memoir “Spare,” in which he detailed his extensive drug use. Typically, admitted drug users are forbidden from receiving authorization to stay in the country.
In his ruling, the judge says, “the public does not have a strong interest in disclosure of the duke’s immigration records.”
A rep for the group seeking the records says he will continue the court battle. [via BBC]
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DAY OF THE YEAR
National Daughter Day
Better Breakfast Day
World Pharmacists Day
National Roadkill Day
National Lobster Day
World Dream Day
National One-Hit Wonder Day
National Psychotherapy Day
National Comic Book Day
National Cooking Day
Binge Day
National Quesadilla Day
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ON THIS DATE
1639 - The first printing press in America is set up in Cambridge, Massachusetts Bay Colony under the guaranty of Harvard College.
It printed some of the first books in the New World, including “The Freeman’s Oath,” a pledge taken by every man over the age of 20 who owned a house and wanted to be a citizen of the Massachusetts Bay Colony.
The press would remain in continuous use for 150 years.
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1789 - Congress passes 12 amendments to the country's new constitution, which are sent to the state legislatures for ratification. Ten of the surviving 12 amendments are known today as the Bill of Rights.
The first failed amendment dealt with adjusting the number of citizens each US Congressman represented, and provided for a minimum of 200 representatives in the House.
The other amendment would eventually pass -- in 1992. It said that Congressmen could not vote themselves a pay raise until a new Congress was elected.
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1804 - The Lewis and Clark expedition comes upon some hostile Teton Sioux Indians. This is soon after departing from St. Louis.
Chief Black Buffalo demanded some form of gift or tribute before the crew could pass. His warriors also tried to sneak off with some of the Americans' boats.
A tense shouting match and standoff ensued -- but eventually the Chief stood his men down. The Americans enjoyed a couple days of the Indians' hospitality before departing.
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1878 - British physician Charles Drysdale suggests smoking tobacco could have harmful health effects in an article printed in the Times of London.
By his estimation, 15 million British Pounds were spent on tobacco annually and called the habit a "retrograde influence."
Years earlier, Drysdale would write that smoking caused extreme heart palpitations.
The next year, he published a book called “Tobacco and the Diseases It Produces.”
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1894 - President Cleveland pardons Mormons who had ever engaged in polygamous relationships.
This came four years after the leader of the Church of Latter-Day Saints adjusted the organization's stance on permitting marriage between more than two people.
Afterward, the government poured resources into monitoring Mormons, to catch those still engaging in unlawful marriages.
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1970 - “The Partridge Family” premieres on ABC.
The show was born from the success of “The Monkees,” a TV program whose fictional band became a very real and very successful one.
The production company hired five child actors without marked singing talent.
The fictional Partridge family’s first song "I Think I Love You" became a huge hit on the show. It did in the real world too -- but the actors on the show weren't the real singers.
David Cassidy, who played Keith Partridge, achieved status as a teen pop idol in his own right.
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2002 - An unidentified object causes a strange explosion in a remote region of Siberia.
American missile defense satellites picked up on the detonation, which scientists concluded was a stray comet nucleus crashing to Earth.
By American measurements, the blast was between 0.2 and 0.5 kilotons -- but some Russians measured it near five kilotons; to put that in perspective, the bomb dropped over Nagasaki in World War II measured about 13 kilotons.
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2015 - Bruce Jenner becomes Caitlyn Jenner.
The gold medal decathlon winner officially changes gender from male to female.
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2018 - Bill Cosby is sentenced to three to 10 years in jail for sexual assault.
He is the first celebrity to be jailed in the #MeToo Era.
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2020 - Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg becomes the first woman to lie in state in the US Capitol in Washington DC.
She had passed away a week prior after a battle with pancreatic cancer.
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BIRTHDAYS
Bella Ramsey - actress, “Game of Thrones” & “The Worst Witch” - 21
Cade Cunningham - basketball player - 23
Antonia Gentry - actress, “Ginny & Georgia” - 27
Teddy Swims - R&B singer - 32
Rosalia - pop singer - 32
Donald Glover - actor, “Community” & “Atlanta” - 41
T.I. - rapper - 44
Chauncey Billups - basketball player - 48
Catherine Zeta-Jones - actress, “Chicago” & “Traffic” - 55
Will Smith - actor, “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” - 56
Scottie Pippen - basketball player - 59
Maria Doyle Kennedy - actress, “The Tudors” - 60
Mark Hamill - actor, “Star Wars” - 73
Michael Douglas - actor, “Wall Street” & “Traffic” - 80
Born On This Date
Jansen Panettiere - actor, “How High 2” - 1994 (d. 2023)
Christopher Reeve - actor, “Superman” - 1952 (d. 2004)
Barbara Walters - journalist - 1929 (d. 2022)
William Faulkner - author, “Sound & Fury” - 1897 (d. 1962)
Fletcher Christian - English sailor who led the mutiny on the HMS Bounty - 1764 (d. 1790)
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