Category: News
Somali Fallout: US Treasury Will Pay Snitches Up To 30% On Fraud, Money Laundering Prosecutions
Somali Fallout: US Treasury Will Pay Snitches Up To 30% On Fraud, Money Laundering Prosecutions
On the heels of all that Somali fraud in Minnesota, the US Treasury Department on Friday launched a new portal where people can report suspected fraud, money laundering and sanctions violations.
Snitchin’ Bubbles from The Wire
According to officials, tips should be submitted with supporting documents. “FinCEN’s Office of the Whistleblower is accepting tips involving violations and conspiracies related to the Bank Secrecy Act, U.S. sanctions programs, and several other laws critical to safeguarding the U.S. financial system and national security. “
Individuals who voluntarily provide information about such violations or conspiracies to commit violations may be eligible for awards if the information they provide leads to a successful enforcement action by the Department of the Treasury (Treasury) or the Department of Justice (DOJ) that results in monetary penalties exceeding $1,000,000, and the requirements in 31 U.S.C. § 5323 and its implementing regulation are otherwise met. A copy of the statute is available here. -FINCEN
How much are we talking about? Between 10-30% “of what has been collected of the monetary sanctions imposed in the action or related actions,” and it’s got to be north of $1 million.
“President Trump has been clear that Americans have a right to know that their tax dollars are not being diverted to fund acts of global terror or to fund luxury cars for fraudsters,” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said, adding that whistleblowers may receive financial rewards.
“At Treasury, we follow the money. We did it with the mafia, we have done it with the cartels, and we’re doing it with the Somali fraudsters,” he added. “We are going to offer whistleblower payments to anyone who wants to tell us the who, what, when, where, and how this fraud and money laundering has occurred.”
Bessent told CNBC‘s “Squawk Box” “It’s going to be a great way to ferret out waste, fraud and abuse,” adding “We’re setting up a website and we will be giving rewards up to 10% to 30% of the fines that we levy.”
Minnesota has seen a series of large-scale fraud schemes targeting state-administered federal programs, including child nutrition (Feeding Our Future), housing stabilization services, autism/early intervention (EIDBI), and other Medicaid-funded services. The largest single case, Feeding Our Future, involved a $250 million COVID-era scam where largely Somalian defendants submitted fake meal claims and invoices for nonexistent food distribution, with proceeds funding luxury purchases, real estate, and overseas transfers.
Wider probes into 14 high-risk Medicaid programs (totaling ~$18 billion spent since 2018) estimate that half or more may be fraudulent, pushing overall losses potentially into the billions; additional schemes in personal care assistance, home/community-based services, and substance-use programs have added hundreds of millions more. Many operations involved Somali-run nonprofits, providers, or shell companies that billed for undelivered or fabricated services, though the Feeding Our Future “mastermind” (Aimee Bock) was not Somali. Suspected fraud has extended to child-care/daycare centers (sparked by a late-2025 viral video alleging $30–100 million in overbilling) and other providers, prompting active FBI/DOJ investigations into dozens of centers.
Meanwhile, the Trump administration has focused on Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and his state, including its Somali community of up to 80,000 – alleging fraud dating to 2020 by some nonprofit groups which were backed by federal programs administering the state’s childcare and other social services programs.
The IRS is also launching a dedicated fraud task force focused on targeting the misuse of funding by 501(c)(3) tax-exempt entities, Reuters reports.
Tyler Durden
Fri, 02/13/2026 – 15:40
Court briefs: Bail in drug robbery death, rape plea rejected
Third man granted bail in teen’s ‘17 drug robbery death
A third man was granted bail Thursday in a teen’s 2017 drug robbery death.
Anthony Triplett Jr., 27, is charged with murder, attempted murder and robbery. Charges were unsealed in July just before he got out of prison for another fatal shooting.
Court filings show his bond was reset to $100,000, or $10,000 cash surety. A pretrial conference is Feb. 27.
In court documents, defense lawyer Russell Brown argued the only evidence tying Triplett was co-defendant Augustus “Gus” Johnson’s statement to former Detective James Bond, saying who was there.
Johnson, in trying to get a lower sentence by cooperating, had a “motivation to lie,” the lawyer wrote.
Both Johnson and co-defendant Marcell Ellison were granted bail in the case, which has been pending for years.
Against his better instincts, a 20-year-old man went to a Gary apartment complex on Nov. 2, 2017, to sell 1.5 ounces of marijuana to Johnson, his then-Hammond Walmart co-worker, charges allege. It was a setup.
The man ended up seriously wounded and his friend, Diego Serna, 16, of Hammond, was killed.
At the Marquette Apartments, 405 South Huntington St., as the marijuana dealer approached Johnson’s car, Triplett came up behind him and fired four shots, charges state. Ellison also fired shots. Johnson told police he was the getaway driver, documents state.
Bond, the case’s original detective, was indicted in 2024 in a federal child porn case. It has since been reassigned to a different investigator.
Triplett was sentenced in a different criminal case to a 10-year split term in 2021 after pleading guilty to reckless homicide in the April 25, 2019, death of 14-year-old Arion Lilly.
The teen was leaving a barber shop when he was shot by a stray bullet. Triplett said he was fleeing another car shooting at him and didn’t mean to hit the boy.
Chicago man gets 67 years for East Chicago child molesting
A Chicago man was sentenced Thursday to 67 years for molesting a teen in East Chicago.
Hakeem Pittman, 30, was convicted last month of three counts of Level 1 child molesting and one count of Level 5 felony sexual misconduct with a minor.
During the trial, Deputy Prosecutor Jessica (Arnold) Woodward told jurors that Pittman and the victim bonded over Xbox, anime and her trust in him.
Defense lawyer Roseann Ivanovich argued there was no DNA, medical documents, or “geo-tracking” of Pittman’s cell phone.
Court documents alleged Pittman groomed the girl, starting with a “Truth or Dare” game that grew sexual, asking her to perform sex acts. Later, he texted her to start having sex.
Over time, he told her to delete scores of texts over a dozen times, the prosecutor said. The victim later testified she kept a lot of them, later texting her mom screenshots to tell her what had been happening.
Court records show he plans to appeal.
Rape plea deal rejected
Judge Gina Jones rejected a Gary man’s plea deal this week in a rape case.
Court records show the plea agreement would have given Corey Jones 18 months probation for pleading guilty to strangulation.
Filings show a woman accused him of raping her in a senior apartment bathroom after she declined to perform a sex act with an older man there for $10.
He allegedly choked and raped her Nov. 3 in a third-floor apartment at the Gary Housing Authority’s Al Thomas Senior High Rise on the 100 block of W. 11th Avenue.
A status hearing is March 11.
Griffith man charged with breaking into home, strangling woman
A Griffith man could face a trial in April for allegedly breaking into a woman’s Griffith home and strangling her.
Myles Hagle, 34, was charged with burglary, a Level 1 felony; aggravated battery, a Level 3 felony; burglary, a Level 4 felony; domestic battery, a Level 5 felony; strangulation, a Level 6 felony; and four misdemeanors.
Griffith Police responded June 25, 2025, to the 100 block of Lafayette Street for a reported burglary. A woman reported Hagle strangled her.
The victim told police that Hagle violated a no-contact order.
He kicked down her back door, and they argued before he started to strangle the woman.
“Did you really just knock me out,” she said.
You “deserved a lot more,” he replied.
The woman said she had video-called a relative just before the incident. She screamed for the relative to call the police as Hagle began to attack her. He fled the home.
Police arrested Hagle in a traffic stop.
The woman alleged a similar incident happened a few days before, but she was afraid to call the police.
Officers noted a mix of injuries that appeared to be days apart, including a black eye, bruises and marks on her neck. Hagle denied involvement to police.
“I can’t sit here and say with a straight face that she wouldn’t do that…to herself,” he said, according to court records.
Lake Station man charged with child molesting
A Lake Station man charged last summer faces decades in prison for molesting a girl.
Miguel Sanchez, 43, is charged with five counts of child molesting.
He has pleaded not guilty.
Lake Station Police wrote the victim said Sanchez molested her three times. He offered her cash or to buy McDonald’s afterwards, records show.
His next hearing is March 11.
Couple charged in Hammond child neglect
A couple was charged last month with child neglect in Hammond.
Saki Davenport, 21, of Chicago, is charged with domestic battery resulting in serious bodily injury to a person less than 14 years old and neglect of a dependent resulting in serious bodily injury.
He is still in custody. His bail was reset to $10,000 cash on Feb. 9.
His girlfriend, Shontay Haywood, 22, was charged last month with neglect of a dependent resulting in serious bodily injury.
She hasn’t been apprehended. When arrested, she is ordered held on a $4,000 cash bond.
Doctors at the University of Chicago Comer Children’s Hospital called the Indiana Department of Child Services after a 2-year-old girl was transferred April 8, 2025, with a fractured rib, liver damage and “unexplained” bruises, marks and scars.
The child lost 20% of her weight – or 6 pounds – since her last pediatrician appointment in November 2024.
Haywood told police that a dog at school did it. Investigators learned her current boyfriend, Saki Davenport, hit and shoved Haywood, who was pregnant with another child.
Eventually, Haywood admitted she returned home in March 2025 with Davenport hitting the 2-year-old as if “she was a boy,” records show.
Davenport told police he kicked the child in her ribs after she left her room, charges state.
Haywood denied the girl was molested since she “walks normal,” filings show.
Davenport’s next hearing is Feb. 20.
mcolias@post-trib.com
Rennes, sin entrenador, sorprende al líder PSG y acaba con su mala racha en la Ligue 1
RENNES, Francia (AP) — Rennes, sin entrenador, sorprendió al líder de la Ligue 1, Paris Saint-Germain, al vencerlo 3-1 en casa y puso fin a una racha de cinco partidos sin ganar el viernes.
El equipo local despidió al técnico Habib Beye el lunes después de que las buenas sensaciones del inicio de temporada parecieran desvanecerse, y partía como clara víctima ante el PSG, que llegó a Bretaña tras ganar sus últimos siete compromisos de liga.
Pero Rennes estrelló un balón en el poste al inicio y obtuvo recompensa por su arranque confiado a los 33 minutos. El mediocampista jordano Mousa Al-Tamari se lanzó al frente en un contraataque y encontró el espacio suficiente entre dos defensas, al borde del área, para colocar con rosca un magnífico gol de apertura.
El PSG se metió en el partido, pero se mostró dubitativo de cara al arco, y Esteban Lepaul duplicó la ventaja de Rennes a mitad del segundo tiempo. El prolífico centro delantero se elevó más que todos para conectar un potente cabezazo que superó a Matvey Safonov y firmó su 11mo gol de la temporada.
El exjugador de Rennes Ousmane Dembélé descontó para el PSG dos minutos después, pero Breel Embolo restableció la ventaja de dos goles del equipo local a los 81, cuando culminó otro contraataque.
El PSG se mantuvo en la cima de la tabla, pero Lens, segundo clasificado, puede arrebatarle el liderato si vence a Paris FC el sábado.
Rennes superó a Lille y subió al quinto puesto.
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Deportes en español AP: https://apnews.com/hub/deportes
Brazil Proposes National Bitcoin Reserve, Targets 1 Million BTC Over Five Years
Brazil Proposes National Bitcoin Reserve, Targets 1 Million BTC Over Five Years
Authored by Micah Zimmerman via BitcoinMagazine.com,
Brazilian lawmakers have reintroduced a bill to create a national Strategic Sovereign Bitcoin Reserve, known as RESBit, proposing the gradual acquisition of one million bitcoins over five years.
The bill, presented by Federal Deputy Luiz Gastão (PSD/CE), outlines a comprehensive framework to integrate Bitcoin into the country’s financial strategy and diversify national reserves.
The proposed legislation establishes several guidelines for RESBit.
First, the plan calls for a gradual accumulation of at least 1,000,000 BTC over five years.
It prohibits the sale of bitcoins seized by Brazilian judicial authorities, ensuring that these assets remain within public control.
The bill also allows for the collection of Brazil’s federal taxes in Bitcoin and offers incentives for public companies to engage in Bitcoin mining and storage.
Transparency is a central feature of the proposal. The bill mandates public disclosure of RESBit’s bitcoin holdings through internet-based platforms, enabling auditing by the public.
It emphasizes secure storage of digital assets using technologies such as cold wallets, multisignature wallets, and other internationally recognized mechanisms.
In addition, the legislation permits temporary holdings of spot ETFs backed by bitcoin in the reserve portfolio, subject to urgent and limited circumstances.
If approved, Brazil could join a small group of countries actively holding Bitcoin at a national level, potentially surpassing major holders like the United States and China.
Other countries like Brazil exploring Bitcoin reserves
Quite famously, El Salvador holds the mantle as the ‘world’s first country’ with a strategic Bitcoin reserve, reporting over 7,560 Bitcoin under President Nayib Bukele’s program.
Despite scaling back mandatory Bitcoin acceptance under IMF agreements, the government has maintained regular purchases, citing long-term financial sovereignty and reserve diversification. The National Bitcoin Office now splits holdings across multiple addresses to bolster security and transparency.
The Central American nation’s approach has inspired policymakers worldwide. In the United States, the BITCOIN Act of 2025 proposed somewhat of a federal strategic Bitcoin reserve, while several states, including New Hampshire and Arizona, have passed or proposed laws allowing portions of public funds to be invested in digital assets.
President Trump’s March 2025 executive order further directed federal agencies to explore Bitcoin accumulation from seized assets without new taxpayer costs.
In Europe, the Czech National Bank has a similar allocation in bitcoin, while Switzerland sees a citizen-led initiative proposing a constitutional mandate for Bitcoin holdings.
Hong Kong, Ukraine, and Pakistan are also exploring frameworks to hold Bitcoin at the national level, with Pakistan pledging never to sell its future reserves.
Tyler Durden
Fri, 02/13/2026 – 15:20
Housecleaner accused of stealing credit card from Chesterton house
A Chicago-area woman who was working as a housecleaner at a Chesterton home faces multiple fraud charges that accuse her of stealing a credit card from the residence and then engaging in its unauthorized use.
Haley A. Cline, 29, of Steger, Illinois, is charged with four Level 6 felony charges of fraud and four Class A misdemeanor charges of fraud.
Cline worked for an agency that performs house cleaning services.
A man who lives on Springdale Street in Chesterton had hired the agency, which sent Cline to his house. The man kept a Capital One credit card that had been returned to him by his ex-wife on the premises, a probable cause statement filed in Porter Superior Court says.
On Jan. 20, the man reported to the Chesterton Police that the credit card was missing and there were four unauthorized transactions on the account that occurred the day before at Aldi, Dollar General and Jewel-Osco stores in Chicago-area suburbs. The transactions totaled $199.92, court records show.
The man provided surveillance video that captured the license plate of the vehicle, which was traced to Cline.
One of the suspect transactions was at the Dollar General in Steger, where Cline lives. Jewel-Osco reviewed their surveillance tapes from their Chicago Heights store — where the credit card was used twice — and identified Cline, the court record said.
Lt. Justin Frever of the Chesterton Police Department used a recorded line to contact Cline on Jan. 27. She initially denied knowing anything, but later admitted that she used a credit card that she had taken from a Chesterton residence, the court record shows.
Cline stated she was “hard up for cash” and only used the credit card for grocery items. She admitted her actions were wrong, the court record said.
The victim stated that he still wanted to press charges. A review of Cline’s criminal history revealed a prior conviction for theft on Feb. 8, 2021, out of Cook County, Illinois.
Cline posted a surety bond and is scheduled for a hearing on Feb. 18 in Porter Superior Court 1.
Jim Woods is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
Afternoon Briefing: EPA delays coal ash cleanup at northwest Indiana sites
Good afternoon, Chicago.
The Trump administration says it’s revoking more federal grant dollars in Illinois — this time for electric vehicle charging stations. On the chopping block in Illinois is a $100 million grant to the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency for electric vehicle charging stations and a $3.6 million grant to the secretary of state’s office, the White House’s Office of Management and Budget said.
The White House confirmed it was rescinding a total of more than $943 million in U.S. Department of Transportation funds for Illinois, Colorado, California and Minnesota, all of which are led by Democrats.
Here’s what else is happening today. And remember, for the latest breaking news in Chicago, visit chicagotribune.com/latest-headlines and sign up to get our alerts on all your devices.
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The hyperboloid cooling tower at the Northern Indiana Public Service Co. Michigan City Generating Station sits next to Lake Michigan on Sept. 16, 2025. (Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune)
EPA delays coal ash cleanup at northwest Indiana sites
A new U.S. Environmental Protection Agency delay will affect coal ash sites nationwide, including two in northwest Indiana. Read more here.
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Toni Preckwinkle calls for charges against federal immigration agents in local shootings
Murder suspect was previously fired after Momence bar owner reported him for stealing, Kankakee County prosecutors say
A variety of chocolates are sold from the “Wall of Chocolate” at Hotel Chocolat in Lakeview on Feb. 12, 2026. (Eileen T. Meslar/Chicago Tribune)
There’s no vacancy at Hotel Chocolat, but plenty of hot chocolate at the growing Chicago-based British import
Looking for a romantic getaway this Valentine’s Day? You might check into the Hotel Chocolat, a British chocolatier that last year made Chicago its home base in the new world. Read more here.
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Cubs pitcher Cade Horton signs autographs after participating in a discussion during the Cubs Convention at the Sheraton Grand Chicago Riverwalk on Jan. 17, 2026. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune)
What we learned at Chicago Cubs camp, including starter Cade Horton having ‘a lot to prove’ in Year 2
Cade Horton’s vision for his next step forward as a big-league starting pitcher sounds simple. The Cubs right-hander wants to repeat a 2025 performance that saw him record a 2.67 ERA in 118 innings to earn a second-place finish for the National League Rookie of the Year award. Read more here.
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Violin soloist Himari performs alongside the Chicago Symphony Orchestra at Symphony Center on Feb. 12, 2026. (Chris Sweda/Chicago Tribune)
Review: Another prodigy has taken the classical world, and the CSO, by storm. Is that a good thing?
This week’s Chicago Symphony soloist, the Japanese violinist Himari, is, at just 14, enough of a sensation to get a one-name billing like Beyoncé or Madonna. Read more here.
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U.S. Border Patrol officers walk along a street in Minneapolis, Jan. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Adam Gray)
Judge dismisses charges against men accused of assaulting ICE officer in Minneapolis shooting case
The dismissal follows a string of high-profile shootings involving federal immigration agents where eyewitness statements and video evidence have called into question claims made to justify using deadly force. Dozens of felony cases against protesters accused of assaulting or impeding federal officers have also crumbled. Read more here.
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Murder suspect was previously fired after Momence bar owner reported him for stealing, Kankakee County prosecutors say
The man accused of killing Courtney Drysdale “execution-style” had previously worked with the rural Momence bar owner and was fired after she caught him stealing money from the business, Kankakee County prosecutors revealed in court this week.
Courtney Drysdale, 30, was shot to death at the bar she owned in Momence in Kankakee County. (Hailey Gershon)
At the hearing, Julius E. Burkes Jr., 47, of Hammond, was ordered detained pending trial. He faces charges of first-degree murder, robbery and unlawful possession of a weapon by a felon in the Feb. 2 shooting death of Drysdale, a 30-year-old mother remembered as a “beautiful person” by her friends.
Prosecutors argued that Burkes posed a “significant threat to the safety and well-being of our community.” He has a prior murder conviction from Cook County in 1995, prosecutors noted. He was also accused of breaking into the residence of a former girlfriend in December.
“He traveled across state lines to commit this crime,” prosecutors said. “He planned it out, wearing a face covering and gloves in an attempt to conceal his identity, attempting to conceal his location by placing his phone into airplane mode … and executed a young female at close range by shooting her twice in the head.”
Surveillance footage recovered from The Line, the bar Drysdale owned in Momence near the Illinois/Indiana state line in Kankakee County, showed the moments leading up to her death, prosecutors said.
Drysdale opened the bar at 11 a.m. and about five minutes later, a white BMW sedan pulled into the parking lot. A man, who prosecutors believe to be Burkes, enters the bar and removes a gun from the right pocket of his jacket. He’s wearing a bright yellow jacket and head-and-neck covering, prosecutors said.
Inside the bar, Burkes points the gun at Drysdale and orders her to remove items from the cash register and office area. He then appears to order her to sit on the bar floor.
At 11:13 a.m., the footage showed Burkes shooting Drysdale one time in her head “execution-style” and her body collapsing to the floor. Prosecutors said Burkes began to walk away but came back 15 seconds later, reached over the bar and shot her a second time in the head. He then leaves the scene.
Officers found Drysdale at the bar just before noon, and she was pronounced dead at the scene. An autopsy confirmed her cause of death to be two gunshot wounds to the head, prosecutors said.
Numerous anonymous callers identified Burkes after police released photos of the gunman to the public, prosecutors said.
During the search, police also spoke with the bar’s former owner, who said Burkes worked at the business, which was then called Kavalier’s Bar, from 2017 to 2019. Burkes was fired after Drysdale, who was an employee at the time, reported to the owner that he had stolen money, prosecutors said.
Police then located a white BMW that matched the characteristics of the vehicle shown in the surveillance footage and was traveling near The Line at the time of Drysdale’s death. Burkes’ former girlfriend told investigators she had sold the car to him, and his current girlfriend confirmed he drives it, prosecutors said.
His girlfriend also told officers that the yellow jacket the gunman is wearing in the surveillance footage matches the one Burkes was issued by his employer. She said he deposited $751 cash into her account on the day Drysdale was murdered, prosecutors said.
Cell phone records also showed Burkes traveling from his Indiana home toward The Line Bar and back again, prosecutors said. When he was within four miles of the bar, investigators believe he turned the phone off or placed it into airplane mode.
About 26 hours after the shooting, Burkes was arrested at his Hammond home in connection with the slaying. In an interview with police, Burkes admitted that he previously worked at the bar but denied that he was the gunman in the video. He claimed he was dropping his child off in Indiana at 9 a.m. and then went home and watched a movie.
Drysdale’s friends remembered her as loving, funny and an amazing mother. She started at the bar as a bartender and was then promoted to manager before purchasing it a few years ago. She leaves behind a 12-year-old daughter and a fiancé of five years. She planned to get married over the summer.
“If a person could be gold,” friend Hannah Rhanor told the Tribune, “it was her.”
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/13/murder-suspect-was-previously-fired-from-momence-bar/
Acusan de asesinato a hombre de Arizona tras caída de helicóptero en persecución policial
Por MATTHEW BROWN
Un jurado investigador acusó a un hombre de Arizona de dos cargos de homicidio cometido en el curso de un delito grave y de decenas de cargos más derivados de la caída de un helicóptero de seguridad pública, en la que murieron el piloto y un agente durante un tiroteo entre el acusado y la policía, informaron las autoridades el viernes.
La policía indicó que Terrell Storey, de 50 años, disparó contra agentes desde varias azoteas en un vecindario residencial de Flagstaff durante casi dos horas la noche del 4 de febrero. Fue capturado aproximadamente al mismo tiempo que ocurrió el choque del helicóptero y fue hospitalizado por heridas de bala que no ponían en peligro su vida.
Los fallecidos son el paramédico de la patrulla Hunter Bennett, de 28 años, y el piloto Robert Skankey, de 61.
En la acusación no se especifica si Storey disparó contra el helicóptero con el rifle semiautomático que usaba, según la policía. La causa del choque sigue bajo investigación de las autoridades federales.
El fiscal del condado de Coconino, Ammon Barker, señaló el viernes que prevé que Storey comparezca para la lectura de cargos el 23 de febrero, pero declinó hacer más comentarios sobre los hechos del caso.
En la acusación se identifica como víctimas a 25 agentes del orden que acudieron a la escena y a personas que habitan viviendas de la zona.
La acusación suma 60 cargos penales, entre ellos, los dos cargos de homicidio cometido en el curso de un delito grave por las muertes de Bennett y Skankey. Otros cargos incluyen agresión agravada, allanamiento de morada, conducta desordenada e imprudencia temeraria.
Storey seguía hospitalizado el viernes, informó Jon Paxton, del departamento de policía del condado de Coconino.
Permanece detenido con una fianza de 5 millones de dólares y está representado por la Oficina del Defensor Público del condado de Coconino. The Associated Press dejó un mensaje de voz a la defensora pública Jennifer Stock.
El enfrentamiento que derivó en la caída del helicóptero comenzó cuando los agentes respondieron a una llamada por violencia doméstica, según el jefe de policía de Flagstaff, Sean Connolly.
Connolly explicó que, mientras los agentes hablaban con la víctima en el jardín delantero, Storey les disparó desde la parte trasera de la vivienda con un rifle semiautomático. Se produjo un prolongado intercambio de disparos, y el sospechoso iba “saltando de techo en techo” en el vecindario mientras disparaba contra los agentes, agregó el jefe policial.
La tripulación del helicóptero había desempeñado un papel habitual, ayudando a los agentes en tierra. Antes de estrellarse, la aeronave realizaba un recorrido de regreso hacia la escena del tiroteo cuando redujo la velocidad hasta casi quedar suspendido, a unos 300 metros (1.000 pies) sobre la cima de una colina, según datos públicos de la ruta de vuelo.
Skankey residía desde hacía mucho tiempo en Kingman, Arizona, y había sido contratado por el Departamento de Seguridad Pública de Arizona en mayo de 2021. Anteriormente sirvió en el Cuerpo de Marines de Estados Unidos y estaba casado y tenía cuatro hijos.
Bennett se graduó con honores de la Universidad Estatal de Arizona y fue el mejor egresado de su generación 2023 en la Academia de Aplicación de la Ley de Arizona. Fue transferido a una unidad de rescate aéreo en 2024 y meses después se casó con su novia de la secundaria, informaron las autoridades.
Barker afirmó en un comunicado en el que anunció la acusación que su oficina estaba “comprometida a llevar este caso adelante con la diligencia y el cuidado que requiere”.
Barker añadió: “Nuestros corazones siguen con las familias de Hunter Bennett y Robert Skankey, y con todas las familias afectadas por este incidente”.
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Esta historia fue traducida del inglés por un editor de AP con la ayuda de una herramienta de inteligencia artificial generativa.
Cuatro muertos en choque de avioneta en Colorado
DENVER (AP) — Cuatro personas murieron cuando una avioneta se estrelló el viernes en el norte de Colorado, cerca del centro de esquí Steamboat Springs.
Una avioneta Epic E1000 turbohélice de seis asientos, se estrelló alrededor de las 12:20 a.m. con cuatro personas a bordo, informó la Administración Federal de Aviación. Las cuatro personas murieron en el lugar, señaló el forense del condado Routt, Mitch Locke.
La aeronave se estrelló contra terreno montañoso en circunstancias desconocidas, según información preliminar, indicó la Junta Nacional de Seguridad en el Transporte.
Tanto la Administración Federal de Aviación como la Junta Nacional de Seguridad en el Transporte afirmaron que investigan el accidente.
El avión está registrado a nombre de ALS Aviation LLC en Franklin, Tennessee. Los registros empresariales de Tennessee no incluyen a una persona de contacto de la compañía.
___________________________________
Esta historia fue traducida del inglés por un editor de AP con ayuda de una herramienta de inteligencia artificial generativa.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/13/cuatro-muertos-en-choque-de-avioneta-en-colorado/
Rumors of a Taylor Swift appearance spike ticket sales for Pebble Beach Pro-Am
PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. — Taylor Swift boosted ticket sales to the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am without even being there.
Pebble Beach had an extra buzz Friday morning with rumors swirling in the cool Pacific breeze that Swift would be there to watch her fiancé, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, playing in the PGA Tour event that combines corporate CEOs and celebrities with golf’s best.
Alas, Swifties, it was just another pretty day at Pebble Beach.
It still was good news for the Monterey Peninsula Foundation, which runs the event. Tournament director Steve John said when Kelce was announced as playing in the pro-am, more than $60,000 in tickets were sold over the next 12 hours.
Swift is rumored to be in town, but she wasn’t at Spyglass Hill on Thursday, where Kelce was playing with pro partner Keith Mitchell along with Mackenzie Hughes and retired NFL quarterback Alex Smith.
No matter. Pebble Beach is the main attraction for the tournament that’s played on three courses, and John said about $21,000 in tickets for the second round were sold between 6:30 p.m. Thursday and 6:30 a.m. Friday, two hours before Kelce played.
More than 1,000 spectators lined the left side of the first fairway at Pebble Beach, but all they saw was Kelce hitting his tee shot to the right, into and out of the trees, and along the cart path (he made a par).
Sure, there was plenty of Chiefs gear in the crowd, one young girl wearing a Kansas City sweatshirt. The tournament has a long history of athletes over the years, including Ken Griffey Jr. playing in a group with Tiger Woods about 20 years ago. Roger Clemens once made a hole-in-one.
This, however, was clearly a Swift moment. Except that it wasn’t.
John and his tournament staff left nothing to chance. When he wasn’t busy responding to text messages — will she be there or not? — he had plans in place for security, for transportation across the course, even a secure suite overlooking the 18th green.
The big crowd — not the largest but more than usual — followed the Kelce group down the first few holes. They still had four hours left. They had hope.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/13/taylor-swift-rumors-pebble-beach/
