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Founder of student aid startup Frank pleads not guilty to fraud

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:41 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — With an indictment and a not-guilty plea, the fraud case against the founder of a student loan assistance startup company that J.P. Morgan Chase acquired for $175 million two years ago took a step toward trial on Monday in a New York court.Charlie Javice, 31, entered the plea through her lawyer to an indictment returned late last week in Manhattan federal court charging her with conspiracy, wire fraud and bank fraud.The Miami Beach, Florida, resident who founded Frank appeared at a remote proceeding in which her face and the faces of defense lawyers and prosecutors were projected onto a video screen before U.S. Magistrate Judge Gabriel Gorenstein. He said her next appearance was scheduled for June 6 before a judge who would preside over a trial.Javice, who is free on $2 million bail, is charged with tricking JPMC into buying her company by producing data to make it seem like Frank had over 4.25 million customers when it had fewer than 300,000 clients. At the time of ...

Corrections employee arrested for bringing drugs into jail where she worked

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:41 GMT

An employee with the Miami-Dade Corrections & Rehabilitation Metro West Detention Center was arrested after, police said, she had been smuggling drugs into a local correctional facility. The suspect, 39-year-old Junell Raquel Bess, was caught following an investigation that uncovered her secret scheme.According to officials, a tip led investigators to suspect Bess, a part-time Financial Specialist at Jackson Memorial Hospital, of giving an inmate drugs for personal use and for selling to fellow prisoners. As the investigation continued, officials discovered that Bess was getting paid for her operation. Officers eventually tracked her down and made the arrest.Bess is facing multiple charges. Director Alfredo “Freddy” Ramirez stressed that it’s their duty to thoroughly investigate any questionable behavior by employees at Miami-Dade County facilities. “We gotta make sure everyone acts professionally and sticks to Miami-Dade County’s core values,”...

Germany, Hungary spar as tensions mount over blocked Ukraine aid

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:41 GMT

Germany and Hungary quarreled Monday during a foreign ministers’ meeting in Brussels over the role a controversial Hungarian bank is playing in Russia’s war in Ukraine, according to four diplomats familiar with the exchange.The bank, OTP, has become a focal point for officials in recent days as Hungary is refusing to approve more EU military aid for Ukraine until Kyiv removes the company from a “war sponsors” list it maintains. Diplomats also say the dispute is delaying new Russia sanctions. When Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó reiterated Budapest’s stance on Monday during the closed-door gathering, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock shot back, according to the diplomats, who spoke anonymously to describe the exchange. They said she cited unspecified reports that OTP recognizes the Russian-occupied territories of Luhansk and Donetsk — contravening international law — and has extended credit lines to Russian soldiers. Hun...

Officials: Danvers officer’s firearm accidentally went off while responding to swatting call, prompting larger response at St. John’s Prep

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:41 GMT

Authorities say that an officer’s firearm accidentally went off while police were responding to what turned out to be a “swatting” hoax call at St. John’s Preparatory School in Danvers on Monday.Massachusetts State Police say no threats were found after state and local police were called to the Catholic, all-boys school for what was initially a report of an active shooter. In a message entitled “Report of an Active Shooter on Campus,” the Catholic, all-boys school stated on its website that authorities were investigating and that students and staff were sheltering in place on Monday afternoon.The initial message stated:“There has been a report of an active shooter on campus at Benjamin Hall. Danvers and State police are on site. Students, Faculty, and Staff are sheltering in place. We will further provide updates as soon as possible.”By 2:20 p.m., Massachusetts State Police provided an update, stating that after both troopers ...

Suspect in deadly shooting in Mansfield appears in court

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:41 GMT

A 22-year-old man appeared in court Monday facing charges in connection with a deadly shooting in Mansfield over the weekend. Authorities said officers responded to a 911 call reporting a shooting on Church Street in Mansfield on Saturday. On scene, officials said they found a 23-year-old Mansfield man with multiple gunshot wounds. The man, identified as Samuel P. Waters, was pronounced dead at the scene, according to the Bristol District Attorney’s Office. On Monday, heartbroken friends remembered Waters as they came to court, coming face to face with his accused killer, William O’Brien, of Manchester-By-The-Sea. “It was terrible,” one person said. “Seeing that man just gave me anxiety.” O’Brien pleaded not guilty. Prosecutors, meanwhile, said O’Brien was wearing body armor and confessed to the crime after the shooting. “He indicated to police that he apologized for killing Sam and made other statements to the effect that he had just killed someone,” s...

David Ortiz hosts charity golf tournament in Newton

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:41 GMT

Baseball hall of famer David Ortiz was in Newton Monday alongside a group of other stars, hosting a charity golf tournament. Ortiz, along with former Bruins goaltender Tuukka Rask, Dropkick Murphys frontman Ken Casey, all joined others in taking to the green at Brae Burn Country Club as part of the David Ortiz Boston Heart Classic, which raises money to provide life saving heart surgeries and care for children both in New England and in the Dominican Republic. Speaking on Monday, Ortiz discussed the event’s mission.“Our goal is pretty much coming true, which is helping children to get their heart surgery done,” he said. “When you see all your boys showing up for something special like this, that tells you alot,” Ortiz continued.To date, the David Ortiz Children’s Fund has helped more than 13,000 children and provided over 13,000 lifesaving cardiac surgeries.

New Hampshire driver nearly maimed by debris while driving on I-93

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:41 GMT

A driver in New Hampshire was left shaken after a piece of debris came smashing through his windshield on I-93 North in Windham.“I could be dead,” Taylor Manning told 7NEWS.Manning said he was on his way home from work last week, driving in his Chevrolet Trailblazer on Wednesday afternoon when all of a sudden, the Manchester resident was nearly maimed.“There was a trash truck in front of me with a dumpster on its back,” Manning said. “All of a sudden, I see this street sign fly out from the dumpster and come flying towards me so quick.”The debris from the truck struck the windshield of Manning’s car, landing right above his head.“It was a decent size – it wasn’t a highway sign,” he explained. “Just big enough to really cause damage and possibly kill me.”The impact shattered his windshield, damaging some of the vehicle’s roof in the process.“I think it bounced off, but I think it would’ve ...

Celtics’ 3-0 deficit is surmountable to Red Sox great David Ortiz

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:41 GMT

NEWTON, Mass. (AP) — Even though the odds are against them, former Red Sox slugger and Hall of Famer David Ortiz isn’t giving up on the Boston Celtics.“Big Papi” knows no NBA team has recovered from an 0-3 deficit like the Celtics face in the Eastern Conference finals against the Miami Heat. It’s happened 149 times in league history and the team in front has won the series.Ortiz and the Red Sox faced seemingly insurmountable odds in 2004 when they trailed the rival New York Yankees 0-3 in the American League championship series. Not only did they come back, Boston won the World Series. It is the only team to do it in MLB history.Why not the Celtics?“Yeah, and there’d be no better time than this one for that happen,” Ortiz said in an interview with The Associated Press on Monday morning at his charity golf tournament. “If you do it in basketball, it’s got to be the same city. You know what I’m saying.”The 47-year-old Ortiz, who was enshrined into the Baseball Hall of Fame...

Minimal Rain Chances Ahead

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:41 GMT

Saturday brought much needed rain to the region, in fact it completely wiped out our rainfall deficit with many towns picking up 2″ or more of rain. After a sunny Sunday, more sunshine today, and another one on tap for tomorrow, pollen counts will be spiking back up after the recent rain. And there’s no other significant rain in the forecast, so there’s nothing to look forward to for pollen relief unfortunately. And while the rain was much needed Saturday, we need to keep it going to keep our numbers up. This week is not that week with sunshine basically all week long.The only shot at rain this week looks to be Wednesday evening and early overnight. It is just a few showers so it’s not enough to keep us in that technical water surplus. The showers won’t be widespread enough to provide any relief. And they won’t be heavy enough to account for a week of dry weather and sunshine.A few showers here and there would be perfect. Of course we don’t ...

Suspect ‘stands silent’ in slayings of 4 Idaho college students; judge enters not guilty pleas

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:41 GMT

By REBECCA BOONE (Associated Press)BOISE, Idaho (AP) — The suspect in the stabbing deaths of four University of Idaho students opted Monday to “stand silent” to murder charges, prompting the judge to enter not guilty pleas on his behalf ahead of a trial in which he could face the death penalty.The Nov. 13, 2022, killings stunned the rural community of Moscow, Idaho, and prompted many students to leave campus early, switching to remote learning for the remainder of the semester.Bryan Kohberger, 28, was arrested late last year and charged with burglary and four counts of first-degree murder in connection with with the slayings of Madison Mogen, Kaylee Goncalves, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin at a rental home near the University of Idaho campus.Kohberger declined to enter pleas in Latah County District Court, with his defense attorney Anne Taylor telling the judge that they were going to “stand silent” at this time. In response, 2nd District Judge John Ju...