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Chicago man sentenced to over 5 years in prison for COVID relief fraud scheme

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:41:10 GMT

CHICAGO — A Chicago man will spend over 5 years in prison for his role in a $2.9 million COVID relief fraud scheme.A spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Northern District of Illinois said 41-year-old Quamdeen Amuwo participated in a months-long scheme in 2020 to defraud the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program, which was intended to provide loan assistance and grants to help small businesses recover from the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Amuwo, who was convicted on twelve wire fraud counts in June, led and organized a scheme involving the submission of several applications for loans on behalf of businesses that he and others purportedly owned, but the applications contained false statements and misrepresentations about the purported owners, employees, revenues, costs and dates of establishment. Actor Christian Oliver, 2 daughters die after plane crashes into ocean Amuw...

President Biden speaks on the eve of the anniversary of the Jan. 6th attack

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:41:10 GMT

Saturday marks three years since the January 6th attack on the U.S. Capitol.  President Joe Biden spoke in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania on the eve of the anniversary warning voters that democracy is on the line in this year's presidential election.This is President Biden’s first campaign speech of the year, where he narrowed in on GOP frontrunner, former president Donald Trump, warning what could happen if he is re-elected.Biden took direct aim at the former president for his role in the January 6th attack on the U.S. Capitol.“He told a crowd to fight like hell and all hell was unleashed,” he said.The president says what should have been a peaceful transition of power turned into an unprecedented attack on our democracy.“Trump’s mob wasn’t peaceful protests. It was a violent assault,” he added.U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland vowed to continue prosecuting the people accused of storming the Capitol.“On that day, officers were punched, tackled, and tased as they defended the C...

Naked man arrested after doing 'cannonball' into Bass Pro Shop tank in Alabama: police

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:41:10 GMT

LEEDS, Ala. (WIAT) – A man crashed his car outside a Bass Pro Shop in Alabama, stripped naked and plunged into the giant aquarium inside the store Thursday night, police said.According to Leeds Police Department Police Chief Paul Irwin, police responded to the Bass Pro Shop, located at 5000 Bass Pro Blvd, just before 9 p.m.Irwin said the man had “intentionally struck a pole” in the parking lot with his family in the car. He then ran inside, took off his clothes and did a “cannonball” leap into the aquarium and then stood under a waterfall. He left the water to yell at two officers, then dove back into the aquarium, police said. Father still looking for answers in his son’s murder, 23 years later The man eventually climbed over the side of the aquarium and fell to the concrete floor below. Police then apprehended him, the news site Al.com reported.“It’s very unfortunate that people like this aren’t receiving the treatment they need,” Irwin said.The man was taken into custody and is...

AG Garland pledges to reduce "all crime" after stats show drop in violent crime

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:41:10 GMT

WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) – The Department of Justice is pledging to do even more to reduce all crime after new FBI statistics showed a drop in violent crime across the country."This department and our state and local partners will not rest until every community in our country is safe from the scourge of violent crime,” Attorney General Merrick Garland said.While FBI data shows crimes like murder, rape and aggravated assault are down, the outlier remains property crime.  Car theft alone jumped more than 7% in 2022.During their first press conference of the year Garland and his Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco vowed to enhance their strategy."…that means more joint federal state and local to target violent criminals in putting more cops on the beat,” Monaco said. "This is not a time to relax on our efforts, we have so much more to do,” Garland said.They say bipartisan gun legislation signed by President Joe Biden in 2022 is helping local and federal law enforcement track and prevent gu...

Suspect wanted in connection with east Austin apartment complex mail theft

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:41:10 GMT

Editor’s note: The above video shows KXAN’s morning headlines for Friday, Jan. 5, 2024.AUSTIN (KXAN) -- The Austin Police Department is looking for a suspect wanted in connection with a mail theft that happened at an east Austin apartment complex on Wednesday.Police said the alleged mail theft happened shortly before 4 a.m. at an apartment complex mail room in the 2400 block of Aldrich Street, according to a news release from APD.In images provided by police, the suspect was seen using a mail master key to open all mail boxes, where he "stole a large amount of mail."He was described by police as:BlackApproximately 20 years oldLast seen wearing a black hoodie, black jeans, Nike gray tennis shoes, and a pink bine capThe Austin Police Department is looking for a suspect wanted in connection to a mail theft that happened at an east Austin apartment complex. | Courtesy APDAnyone with any information should submit their tip anonymously through the Capital Area Crime Stoppers Program by vi...

Texas RB Jonathon Brooks declares for NFL Draft

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:41:10 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — After his tremendous season was cut short by a knee injury, third-year running back Jonathon Brooks will enter the NFL Draft.Multiple media reports Thursday said Brooks had decided to declare, and then he confirmed on Friday via social media.MORE THAN THE SCORE: Stay up to date on sports stories like these, and sign up for our More than the Score sports newsletter at kxan.com/newsletters"My 3 years at this university have been an amazing journey, from going 5-7 to making the CFP," his letter began. "I just want to thank God for the opportunity he has blessed me with. I also want to thank my coaches over the past 3 years, friends and family for molding me into the man I am today."He specifically honored Texas running backs coach Tashard Choice, thanking him for "believing in me and giving a young kid from Hallettsville a chance to show the world what he can do." PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Texas RB Jonathon Brooks honors father’s memory with every touchdown for No. 3 Longhor...

Three days of sunshine

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:41:10 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Rain began last night in the Hill Country and spread across the entire area overnight. The day dawned with rain lingering along and east of 35. It ended prior to 9 a.m. Most rain totals averaged .10" to .50". One of the rain gauges at La Grange picked up .93". Rain gauges around Johnson City and Stonewall measured around .60". The area is left with sunshine for the rest of the day and for the weekend. Highs will be in the low to mid 60s this afternoon, then the upper 50s to low 60s Saturday and Sunday.The first weekend of 2024 will be bright and mildSunday afternoon will also be breezy with southeast winds gusting to near 20. Wind speeds will increase significantly Sunday night with gusts between 25 and 35 mph. As the next cold front approaches the winds will come out of the southwest. Gusts will increase up to around 35 to 45 mph.Incredibly strong wind gusts before and after Monday's cold frontThe front will pass late Monday night. Forecast gusts overnight Monday t...

‘Night Swim’ review: Horror flick stays afloat, but for only so long

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:41:10 GMT

You learn not to expect that much from a horror movie being released the first week of the year, when theater auditoriums continue to draw folks with higher-profile movies that hit on or around Christmas Day.However, “M3GAN” — a tale of an artificial intelligence designed for children going epically out of control — arrived in that window last year with a fun mix of scares and laughs.That provided hope that “Night Swim” — an offering from the “M3GAN” triad of Universal Pictures, Atomic Monster and BlumHouse washing into theaters this week — would be similarly entertaining.But while “Night Swim” stays afloat for a while, it drowns in its third act.The problem isn’t that “Night Swim” — written and directed by Bryce McGuire, who based it on his 2014 short film of the same name and shares the story credit with Rod Blackhurst — eschews the mildly campy tone that worked well for “M3GAN.” After all, a haunted backyard swimming pool is, as you come to observe, deadly serious business. But t...

‘Society of the Snow’ review: Bayona returns to disaster drama in stellar form

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:41:10 GMT

Already dramatized in the 1993 movie “Alive,” the struggle of those who initially survived the 1972 crash of Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571 in the Andes mountains to remain among the living gets a gripping and emotionally compelling new telling in “Society of the Snow.”Landing on Netflix this week, the latter hits several of the major story beats of its three-decades-old predecessor: the crash, the rationing of food, the work to repair a radio and, of course, the debate over the morality of a choice they ultimately will have to make to stay alive for an indeterminate amount of time after concluding a rescue isn’t coming anytime soon.It even begins by establishing, through narration, the duality of the saga, as did “Alive.”“Some say it was a tragedy,” says Numa Turcatti (Enzo Vogrincic), whose voice is a recurring presence throughout the film. “Others call it a miracle.”“Society of the Snow” is the first film from Spanish director J.A. Bayona since 2018’s underwhelming “Jurassic Worl...

Vikings at Lions picks: Expect more of the same, which is another Vikings loss

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:41:10 GMT

Members of the Pioneer Press sports staff who cover the Vikings forecast Sunday’s game against the Lions in Detroit:DANE MIZUTANILions 31, Vikings 14Suddenly it feels like the Vikings are in danger of falling by the wayside in the NFC North. This will be a big offseason for general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah.JOHN SHIPLEYLions 37, Vikings 23Say this for Nick Mullens, the guy is fearless, possibly to a fault, but he and the receivers will put some points on the board. Problem is, Jared Goff and the Lions will score more.CHARLEY WALTERSLions 30, Vikings 17Lions full of confidence heading to the playoffs, Vikings’ season ends in pieces.Related ArticlesMinnesota Vikings | The rest of the NFC North is ascending. Where do the Vikings fit into the equation? Minnesota Vikings | Vikings at Lions: What to know ahead of Week 18 matchup Minnesota Vikings | The Loop NFL Picks: Week 18 Minnesota Vikings | Vikings quarterback Nick Mul...