investigations19.065 min read
Secret $500M No-Bid White House Ballroom Contract Uncovered
12 days ago•Source: The Washington Post
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403.265 min•12 days ago
Ex-NBA Players Charged in Federal Gambling Fix Probe
Former Milwaukee Bucks forward Malik Beasley and ex-NBA center Ed Davis were indicted with four others in a federal gambling probe, accused of conspiring to fix Beasley’s on-court performance in several 2024 games so co-conspirators could place fraudulent wagers; Beasley allegedly took bribes to underperform, while Davis loaned him money to cover gambling debts. The six-defendant indictment also charges wire fraud conspiracy, bribery in sporting contests and money laundering conspiracy. Davis was arrested and will be arraigned in Brooklyn, while Beasley was not in custody as of Monday, part of a broader crackdown on insider betting in the NBA.
375.81 min•14 days ago
Grievances and online conspiracies fed the foiled UFC White House plot
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Mysterious memos and a guru behind Tulsi Gabbard's political ascent
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Internal estimate: $600M White House ballroom plan; taxpayers cover over half
An exclusive Washington Post report shows an internal contractor estimate of about $600 million to rebuild the East Wing into a large ballroom and bunker, with taxpayers funding more than half of the cost, contradicting Trump’s public claims that private donors would cover all costs and that no taxpayer money would be spent.
Agent Linked Epstein to Models Now Tries to Justify It
The Washington Post review shows Jeffrey Epstein cultivated a web of modeling-industry contacts who offered to bring women into his orbit after his 2009 jail release. One agent, Elkholy (now a musician), says he sought Epstein’s fashion connections for financial gain, highlighting how the modeling world became a recruitment channel and raising questions about accountability as he and others try to explain or justify their involvement.
Exposed bias in investigations: Read sues MSP and Canton PD over racist text messages
Karen Read filed a civil lawsuit against the Massachusetts State Police and Canton Police, alleging a “culture of bigotry” based on racist and misogynistic messages by two investigators involved in her boyfriend’s death case. The suit accuses the agencies of negligent hiring/training and seeks a jury trial and damages; one officer was fired and the other resigned amid misconduct allegations, while Read, who was acquitted in a separate murder trial, remains at the center of the case surrounding police culture and accountability.
Treasury pushes Trump portrait on $250 bill, triggering resistance and reassignment
The Washington Post reports that Trump administration officials pressed the Bureau of Engraving and Printing to design a $250 bill featuring Trump’s portrait—the first living person on U.S. currency in more than 150 years—despite the printing director’s resistance, who was reassigned last month. Staff were shown mockups of the note, and a designer described himself as a royal portrait artist who discussed the design with Trump, according to four current and former employees, making this an exclusive investigative look at the currency proposal.
White House plans to fast-track Triumphal Arch work using existing contract, bypassing bidding
Emails show the Trump administration planned to start work on the Triumphal Arch at Memorial Circle by piggybacking on an existing White House engineering contract, effectively bypassing a public bidding process; the arch’s proposal has sparked controversy and lawsuits over the contracting method and past contractor performance.
Shoreline clue unravels 1999 disappearance of Sonoma banker
Partial remains found on Salmon Creek Beach in 2022 have been identified as Walter Kinney, a Santa Rosa banker who disappeared in 1999, after investigators used genetic genealogy and GEDmatch to link the bones to Kinney and to earlier remains washed ashore in 1999; the case is notable for resolving a missing-person mystery twice with breakthrough help from the DNA Doe Project.
Dundon’s Subprime Past Faces Heat in Portland Arena Deal
ProPublica and Oregon Public Broadcasting report that incoming Portland Trail Blazers owner Tom Dundon was a key driver in Santander Consumer USA’s 2013 push to waive income-verification (POI) for car loans, a move regulators later described as predatory and harmful in a 2020 multistate settlement. New records connect Dundon to these tactics even after leaving Santander in 2015, while Oregon lawmakers consider about $870 million in public funding to renovate the Moda Center, prompting questions about taxpayer exposure given his regulatory history; Dundon did not comment ahead of the deal closing.
Cesar Chavez Faces Sex-Abuse Claims, Forcing Reevaluation of a Civil Rights Icon
The New York Times presents multiple accounts and hundreds of documents suggesting Cesar Chavez groomed and sexually abused girls who worked in the United Farm Workers movement, including a 13-year-old, over several years, prompting a reexamination of his legacy as a civil rights hero.
Son of Rob Reiner pleads not guilty in parents’ stabbing deaths
Nick Reiner pleaded not guilty to two counts of first-degree murder at a Los Angeles County Superior Court arraignment for the December stabbing deaths of his parents, Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner; prosecutors have not indicated whether mental health or drug issues will factor into his defense.
European Components Fuel Russia's Drones: Unraveling the Sanctions Loopholes
A transnational investigation traces Western components in Russia's Shahed/Geran-2 drones used against Ukraine, revealing how European, American, and Japanese parts are routed through third countries like China and Hong Kong to Russia despite export restrictions, enabling mass production and cross-border spillovers into EU airspace.