1 killed in plane crash at Ottawa Executive Airport
A man was killed in a plane crash at Ottawa Executive Airport on Sunday morning. (June 29, 2025)
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TechCrunch
an hour ago
- TechCrunch
Mexican drug cartel hacker spied on FBI official's phone to track and kill informants, report says
In 2018, a hacker hired by the Mexican Sinaloa drug cartel run by the infamous kingpin Joaquín 'El Chapo' Guzmán spied on the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City with the goal of identifying 'people of interest' for the cartel to target and kill, according to a new U.S. government watchdog report. On Friday, the Department of Justice's Office of the Inspector General revealed the incident as part of a published report auditing the FBI's efforts to counter surveillance with the goal of protecting 'its employees, investigations, and operations.' The report said the 2018 incident happened while the FBI was working on the investigation that would eventually lead to the arrest of El Chapo. At the time, according to the report, someone connected to his cartel tipped off the FBI that the criminal organization had hired a hacker. The hacker 'offered a menu of services related to exploiting mobile phones and other electronic devices,' and was able to observe people going in and out of the U.S. Embassy in Mexico's capital, according to the report, including the FBI assistant legal attaché, a federal agent who works overseas along with local law enforcement authorities. Somehow — the report does not detail exactly how — the hacker was 'able to use' the official's mobile phone number to 'obtain calls made and received, as well as geolocation data, associated with' the official's phone. According to the FBI, the hacker also accessed Mexico City's camera system to follow the attaché through the city and 'identify people' who the attaché met with, read the report. 'According to the case agent, the cartel used that information to intimidate and, in some instances, kill potential sources or cooperating witnesses,' the report added. Techcrunch event Save $450 on your TechCrunch All Stage pass Build smarter. Scale faster. Connect deeper. Join visionaries from Precursor Ventures, NEA, Index Ventures, Underscore VC, and beyond for a day packed with strategies, workshops, and meaningful connections. Save $200+ on your TechCrunch All Stage pass Build smarter. Scale faster. Connect deeper. Join visionaries from Precursor Ventures, NEA, Index Ventures, Underscore VC, and beyond for a day packed with strategies, workshops, and meaningful connections. Boston, MA | REGISTER NOW When reached for comment, the FBI referred questions to the Department of Justice, which did not respond to a request for comment. For years, Mexico has been at the bleeding edge of surveillance and hacking capabilities, on both sides of the drug war. On the side of the law, for more than a decade now, multiple local and federal law enforcement agencies in Mexico have spent millions of dollars to use spyware made by Hacking Team and later NSO Group to go after cartels, but also activists and journalists. On the criminal side, the Sinaloa cartel used encrypted phones, which are specially crafted devices designed to minimize the risk of surveillance by stripping it of core functionalities, and by adding encrypted communications technologies. According to a VICE News investigation, Mexican cartels were tapping a security software used by local government agencies 'to locate and disappear rivals and hide their crimes.' Earlier in 2015, Motherboard reported that local cartels employed 'a hacker brigade' to build and manage their own communications networks. Later in 2017, Motherboard revealed that a hacker working for the Sinaloa cartel helped authorities track down and arrest the elusive cartel's lieutenant, Dámaso López Núñez. The hacker had originally been hired by the cartel in 2014 to try to hack into the high-security Altiplano Federal Penitentiary, where El Chapo was being held at the time.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Sean 'Diddy' Combs trial live updates: Jury begins deliberating verdict in sex trafficking case
Jury deliberations began Monday in the sex trafficking trial of Sean 'Diddy' Combs. Judge Arun Subramanian delivered instructions to the 12-member panel that will now decide his fate. The 55-year-old hip-hop mogul is facing five criminal counts: one count of racketeering conspiracy; two counts of sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion; and two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution. Combs has pleaded not guilty. If convicted, he could face life in prison. Jurors heard closing arguments last week. Federal prosecutors say that for decades, Combs abused, threatened and coerced women to participate in drug-fueled marathon sexual encounters called "freak offs" and used his business empire, along with guns, kidnapping and arson, to control his victims. The prosecution rested its case after presenting over a month of graphic testimony from nearly three dozen witnesses. The defense rested without calling anyone — including Combs — to the witness stand. 'The defendant used power, violence and fear to get what he wanted,' U.S. Attorney Christy Slavik said during closing arguments. 'He thought that his fame, wealth and power put him above the law.' 'That stops now,' Slavik added. 'It's time to hold him accountable. It's time for justice. And it's time to find him guilty." Marc Agnifilo, Combs's lead defense attorney, argued that Combs is a 'swinger' and a drug abuser guilty of past domestic violence, but not the 'leader of a criminal enterprise' as prosecutors portrayed him. 'He did not do the things he's charged with,' Agnifilo told jurors. 'He did what he did. But he's going to fight to the death to defend himself from what he didn't do.' Follow the live blog below for the latest updates culled from various reporters and news organizations in the courtroom, including the Associated Press, New York Times, CNN, USA Today and the BBC. Judge Arun Subramanian is reading aloud lengthy instructions to the jury on how the law applies to each of the charges. Combs is facing five criminal counts. Here is a rough breakdown of those counts and the maximum sentence he's facing for each. Combs has been charged with sex trafficking two former girlfriends — Cassie Ventura and a woman who testified under the pseudonym 'Jane.' Prosecutors allege Combs forced them to participate in the marathon sexual encounters with male escorts, which amounted to "commercial sex acts." Life in prison Prosecutors say Combs arranged for the transport of male escorts who were paid for sex with Ventura and Jane across state lines. 15 years in prison Combs has been accused of 'conspiring with others to conduct and participate in the affairs of an enterprise through a pattern of racketeering activity.' Prosecutors allege that Combs conspired with members of his business empire, including assistants and bodyguards, to commit crimes. To convict, the jury must find that Combs agreed with at least one other member of the alleged criminal enterprise to commit two of eight underlying crimes within 10 years of each other. Life in prison In addition to Combs's family members, including his mother and five of his children, members of the mogul's defense team were seen arriving early at the courthouse in lower Manhattan. Defense attorney Marc Agnifilo, carrying a brown messenger bag, waved off questions from reporters as he walked in. There's also a large media presence, as expected, as jury deliberations are set to begin. Judge Arun Subramanian reminded the jury that to find Combs guilty, the government needs to have proved Combs was guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Subramanian defined "reasonable doubt" as doubt someone could feel after reviewing all of the presented evidence in a court case as to whether everything is 100% authentic and true. Combs's verdict must be found beyond a reasonable doubt, meaning the jury, after reviewing the evidence, hearing the testimonies and listening to the prosecution's arguments, must feel entirely confident that the defendant is either guilty or not guilty without any second thoughts. Subramanian reminded the jurors that they will be examining two kinds of evidence in this case: direct testimony from witnesses and whether the witnesses who testified are actually credible. "There is no magic formula," Subramanian told the group. After receiving the instructions from Judge Arun Subramanian, the 12 jurors will meet to deliberate the case. The jury, which is made up of eight men and four women, must unanimously decide whether Combs is guilty or not guilty on each of the five counts he's charged with. If the jurors cannot unanimously agree on one or all of the counts, they are encouraged to continue deliberating. However, if it seems nearly impossible for the group to agree — which is called a hung jury — it goes back to Subramanian, who has to decide whether to declare a mistrial. Sean Combs's sons, Quincy and Christian, and his eldest daughters Jessie, Chance and D'Lila, arrived at the Manhattan courthouse this morning, alongside Combs's mom, Janice. Christian, 27, released a song under his rapper name "King Combs" with Ye, the artist formerly known as Kanye West, on Friday called "Diddy Free." It features a chorus with the lyrics 'Ain't goin' sleep till we see Diddy free.' Judge Arun Subramanian will be giving the jury instructions before it begins deliberations. The pre-scripted instructions for the jury are expected to take over an hour for Subramanian to read. Last week, Subramanian said the jury will determine its own schedule for the deliberations. After defense attorney Marc Agnifilo wrapped up his four-hour closing argument on Friday, Subramanian told the legal teams he was going to emphasize to the jury that its focus should be on whether the prosecution actually proved each charge with evidence. Last week, the jurors heard lengthy closing arguments by the prosecution and the defense teams. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christy Slavik argued in her closing argument on Thursday: Combs was the "leader of a criminal enterprise" who forced former girlfriends like Cassie Ventura and "Jane" to participate in drug-fueled sex marathons with escorts called "freak offs" and "hotel nights." Slavik revisited Ventura and Jane's testimonies for the jury, where they both claimed to be victims of physical and sexual abuse. "It is time to hold him accountable; it is time for justice," Slavik said. "And it's time to find him guilty." Combs's lead defense attorney, Marc Agnifilo, presented the defense's closing argument on Friday, arguing the government's charges against Combs were inaccurate: While Combs personally used drugs and was guilty of domestic violence, he was not the "leader of a criminal enterprise" nor did he "do the things he's charged with." Ventura and Jane were part of a "swingers" lifestyle, which is why they participated in the "freak offs." "He sits there innocent," Agnifilo said. "Return him to his family, who have been waiting for him." Judge Arun Subramanian is on the bench. He will give jurors instructions this morning before they start their deliberations in the case.
Washington Post
2 hours ago
- Washington Post
5 takeaways from the Diddy trial as jury deliberates ahead of a verdict
NEW YORK — Jury deliberations have begun in the trial of Sean 'Diddy' Combs, the music producer turned modern-day Gatsby whose federal racketeering and sex-trafficking case has drawn global attention since it began on May 12. Combs, 55, faces one count of racketeering conspiracy, two counts of sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion and two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution. If convicted on the most serious of these charges, he faces a maximum sentence of life in prison. Outside the courtroom, the trial became a global source of fascination, with the courthouse swarmed by tourists and TikTokers, survivors of sexual abuse and 'Free Puff' proponents. The proceedings were crashed by a heckler and Ye, the rapper formerly known as Kanye West. Combs's mother, Janice, and his adult children maintained a steady show of support. In closing arguments, prosecutors argued that Combs was a man who 'would not take no for an answer,' relying on power, violence, fear and an inner circle of employees to carry out alleged crimes. To be found guilty of racketeering conspiracy, Judge Arun Subramanian said Combs needed to conspire to commit two illegal acts from a list of eight categories, including distributing drugs for his many 'freak-off' parties. Two former girlfriends of Combs, Casandra 'Cassie' Ventura and a single mother testifying under the court-approved alias 'Jane,' claimed they were coerced into having sex with male escorts and plied with drugs at these parties, which were sometimes filmed. Ventura, Jane and the escorts were willing participants in these meticulously organized sexual activities, the defense team argued. Lead defense attorney Marc Agnifilo said in his closing arguments that prosecutors overreached by applying racketeering conspiracy, 'one of the most serious, complicated, comprehensive statutes on the books,' to what was essentially 'personal-use drugs and threesomes.' Beyond the specific charges in the case, certain themes have emerged from 28 days of testimony. Here's what to know: Endless sexting, flight bookings, hotel arrangements, candles, baby oil, drugs, meals. Testimony and evidence shown ad nauseam at this trial reveal just how extraordinary and involved Sean 'Diddy' Combs's sex life was and how central it was to his existence. Combs and his staff prepared extensively for his freak-offs — which sometimes took the hip-hop mogul away from his regular life for days at a time. Planning these encounters was a group effort, requiring Combs, his staff and his girlfriends to book male escorts, procure drugs and stock up hotel rooms to ensure Combs would be happy and undisturbed for the duration. Prosecutors revealed that federal agents found around 900 bottles of lubricant in his Los Angeles mansion alone, and that he had freak-off supplies in his hotel room when he was arrested in New York in September. All of it points to a person completely preoccupied with a particular sexual fantasy and the women who would play their part in it. The defense has characterized Combs as a swinger, voyeur and homemade porn enthusiast. 'I'm under the impression this is a popular thing nowadays,' Combs's lawyer Agnifilo said during closing arguments. Endless sexting, flight bookings, hotel arrangements, candles, baby oil, drugs, meals. Testimony and evidence shown ad nauseam at this trial reveal just how extraordinary and involved Sean 'Diddy' Combs's sex life was and how central it was to his existence. Combs and his staff prepared extensively for his freak-offs — which sometimes took the hip-hop mogul away from his regular life for days at a time. Planning these encounters was a group effort, requiring Combs, his staff and his girlfriends to book male escorts, procure drugs and stock up hotel rooms to ensure Combs would be happy and undisturbed for the duration. Prosecutors revealed that federal agents found around 900 bottles of lubricant in his Los Angeles mansion alone, and that he had freak-off supplies in his hotel room when he was arrested in New York in September. All of it points to a person completely preoccupied with a particular sexual fantasy and the women who would play their part in it. The defense has characterized Combs as a swinger, voyeur and homemade porn enthusiast. 'I'm under the impression this is a popular thing nowadays,' Combs's lawyer Agnifilo said during closing arguments. Both Ventura and Jane said they followed a freak-off 'script' laid out by the hip-hop impresario, who they say gave them drugs such as ecstasy and GHB, which made them more compliant while also keeping them awake. Both testified that a freak-off wouldn't end until Combs decided. Both told Combs they found the experiences degrading and shameful, but they said they ultimately felt compelled to participate because of the love they felt for him — and the specific ways he manipulated them. Ventura alleged years of brutal physical abuse surrounding the freak-offs. Jane said Combs discouraged her from using condoms with men she had sex with and alleged that Combs once forced her to perform oral sex on a man immediately after a physical fight in which he gave her a black eye and welts. Some aspects of their stories feel novel, even challenging, when compared with traditional notions of sex trafficking and its imagery of desperate, vulnerable women unwittingly ending up in isolated sexual servitude while trying to escape poverty or war-torn countries. Theirs was a world of red carpets, designer bags and yacht trips. Combs's defense pointed out that both women not only expressed enthusiasm for the sex encounters, but seemingly also had the means and opportunity to leave. The jury in Combs's criminal trial will be tasked with picking through these details and deeper issues of intent and consent when determining whether the defendant made these women, through force, fraud or coercion, participate in commercial sexual encounters across two decades. Both Ventura and Jane said they followed a freak-off 'script' laid out by the hip-hop impresario, who they say gave them drugs such as ecstasy and GHB, which made them more compliant while also keeping them awake. Both testified that a freak-off wouldn't end until Combs decided. Both told Combs they found the experiences degrading and shameful, but they said they ultimately felt compelled to participate because of the love they felt for him — and the specific ways he manipulated them. Ventura alleged years of brutal physical abuse surrounding the freak-offs. Jane said Combs discouraged her from using condoms with men she had sex with and alleged that Combs once forced her to perform oral sex on a man immediately after a physical fight in which he gave her a black eye and welts. Some aspects of their stories feel novel, even challenging, when compared with traditional notions of sex trafficking and its imagery of desperate, vulnerable women unwittingly ending up in isolated sexual servitude while trying to escape poverty or war-torn countries. Theirs was a world of red carpets, designer bags and yacht trips. Combs's defense pointed out that both women not only expressed enthusiasm for the sex encounters, but seemingly also had the means and opportunity to leave. The jury in Combs's criminal trial will be tasked with picking through these details and deeper issues of intent and consent when determining whether the defendant made these women, through force, fraud or coercion, participate in commercial sexual encounters across two decades. Several witnesses at this trial who were part of Combs's inner circle have expressed a cultlike adoration of the Bad Boy Records founder, crediting him with opening up their worlds and uplifting them. Former assistant George Kaplan described Combs as 'a god among men' on the stand — even as he said he was horrified to witness Combs's violence. Others painted a picture of a charismatic figure as capable of breaking people down as he was building them up. Working for Combs meant being available for him at all hours, according to the testimony of his former staff. One former assistant, using court-approved alias 'Mia,' said she once had to stay up for five days without sleep. Another former assistant, Capricorn Clark, said she was hooked up to a lie-detector test in a 'dilapidated' building for five consecutive days to test her loyalty. 'He used to say that he wants us to move like SEAL Team Six,' former assistant Brendan Paul said of his boss's lofty expectations. Combs's duality was especially apparent to his ex-girlfriends. Ventura, who described being a 'fan' of his music, recalled how special she felt receiving personal attention from this larger-than-life figure when she was an emerging pop star. But after signing a 10-album contract with Bad Boy Records, Ventura felt Combs stifled her career, forcing her to record 'hundreds' of songs that were never released and, ultimately, making marathon-length freak-offs her 'job.' Several witnesses at this trial who were part of Combs's inner circle have expressed a cultlike adoration of the Bad Boy Records founder, crediting him with opening up their worlds and uplifting them. Former assistant George Kaplan described Combs as 'a god among men' on the stand — even as he said he was horrified to witness Combs's violence. Others painted a picture of a charismatic figure as capable of breaking people down as he was building them up. Working for Combs meant being available for him at all hours, according to the testimony of his former staff. One former assistant, using court-approved alias 'Mia,' said she once had to stay up for five days without sleep. Another former assistant, Capricorn Clark, said she was hooked up to a lie-detector test in a 'dilapidated' building for five consecutive days to test her loyalty. 'He used to say that he wants us to move like SEAL Team Six,' former assistant Brendan Paul said of his boss's lofty expectations. Combs's duality was especially apparent to his ex-girlfriends. Ventura, who described being a 'fan' of his music, recalled how special she felt receiving personal attention from this larger-than-life figure when she was an emerging pop star. But after signing a 10-album contract with Bad Boy Records, Ventura felt Combs stifled her career, forcing her to record 'hundreds' of songs that were never released and, ultimately, making marathon-length freak-offs her 'job.' During the trial it emerged that Sean 'Diddy' Combs paid $100,000 to obtain what he thought was the only copy of a 2016 video showing him beating Ventura in a hotel hallway, according to the testimony of Eddy Garcia, a hotel security worker. When a copy of the original footage was released by CNN last year, it ignited outrage and shifted public opinion. Garcia also testified that he signed a nondisclosure agreement as part of the deal. It was also revealed that Combs paid $20 million to Ventura to settle her explosive 2023 sex-trafficking lawsuit, which spurred federal investigators to begin looking into the music producer. And Ventura's friend Kerry Morgan testified that she was paid $30,000 and signed an NDA after Combs allegedly assaulted her at Ventura's Hollywood Hills home in 2018. Prosecutors also argued that Combs entered into a $10,000 per month 'love contract' with Jane after she started pushing back about their 'hotel nights,' or freak-offs. Text messages show that when she later brought up the exploitive nature of their relationship, Combs responded by telling her to remember her beautiful home and smile (per his wishes, Combs also paid for her veneers). During the trial it emerged that Sean 'Diddy' Combs paid $100,000 to obtain what he thought was the only copy of a 2016 video showing him beating Ventura in a hotel hallway, according to the testimony of Eddy Garcia, a hotel security worker. When a copy of the original footage was released by CNN last year, it ignited outrage and shifted public opinion. Garcia also testified that he signed a nondisclosure agreement as part of the deal. It was also revealed that Combs paid $20 million to Ventura to settle her explosive 2023 sex-trafficking lawsuit, which spurred federal investigators to begin looking into the music producer. And Ventura's friend Kerry Morgan testified that she was paid $30,000 and signed an NDA after Combs allegedly assaulted her at Ventura's Hollywood Hills home in 2018. Prosecutors also argued that Combs entered into a $10,000 per month 'love contract' with Jane after she started pushing back about their 'hotel nights,' or freak-offs. Text messages show that when she later brought up the exploitive nature of their relationship, Combs responded by telling her to remember her beautiful home and smile (per his wishes, Combs also paid for her veneers). The sordid repeatedly sidled up to the sumptuous throughout the 28 days of testimony: Combs's drugs supply was kept at the ready in either a Louis Vuitton or Gucci pouch, members of his entourage noted. He had residences in New York, Los Angeles, Miami and the tony enclave of Alpine, New Jersey, where he kept safes stuffed with cash, jewelry and guns. Freak-offs were held within the rarefied confines of the Beverly Hills Hotel, the L'Hermitage and the Mandarin Oriental, among other luxury addresses. Combs frequently traveled by private jet. Combs's wealth — his fortune previously hovered around $300 million — was also on display in the courtroom. He has built a remarkably large team of high-profile attorneys from white-shoe firms, who have fought fiercely on his behalf. Alexandra Shapiro, for instance, is one of the country's top appellate lawyers. As his team argues his innocence, they're also simultaneously paving the way for an appeal, should Combs be convicted. Samantha Chery and Carla Spartos contributed to this report. The sordid repeatedly sidled up to the sumptuous throughout the 28 days of testimony: Combs's drugs supply was kept at the ready in either a Louis Vuitton or Gucci pouch, members of his entourage noted. He had residences in New York, Los Angeles, Miami and the tony enclave of Alpine, New Jersey, where he kept safes stuffed with cash, jewelry and guns. Freak-offs were held within the rarefied confines of the Beverly Hills Hotel, the L'Hermitage and the Mandarin Oriental, among other luxury addresses. Combs frequently traveled by private jet. Combs's wealth — his fortune previously hovered around $300 million — was also on display in the courtroom. He has built a remarkably large team of high-profile attorneys from white-shoe firms, who have fought fiercely on his behalf. Alexandra Shapiro, for instance, is one of the country's top appellate lawyers. As his team argues his innocence, they're also simultaneously paving the way for an appeal, should Combs be convicted. Samantha Chery and Carla Spartos contributed to this report.
