Astor family name ‘used to dupe businessman in $416m loan scam'
That very reputation appears to have been used by an alleged fraudster to deprive a Mexican billionaire of more than $416 million in shares, according to extraordinary allegations made in courts in Britain and Monaco.
The case stems from when a business called Astor Asset Management 3 offered to lend Ricardo Salinas $113.8 million. The tycoon, who believed the company was 'owned by the wealthy Astor family', agreed to offer up $416.3 million in shares of his company Grupo Elektra as collateral.
Salinas's executives were told they would be discussing the deal with Thomas Mellon, who was described in
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Independent
an hour ago
- The Independent
Things to know about the indictment against the New Orleans mayor
Months before New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell was set to leave office because of term limits, she has been indicted in what prosecutors allege was a yearslong scheme to conceal a romantic relationship with her bodyguard. Prosecutors say bodyguard Jeffrey Vappie was being paid as if he was working when he and Cantrell were really alone in apartments and visiting vineyards, hiding their communication by sending encrypted messages through WhatsApp and then deleting them. Although the pair have said their relationship was strictly professional, the indictment described it as 'personal and intimate.' The first female mayor in New Orleans' 300-year history has been charged with conspiracy, fraud and obstruction. Vappie was already facing charges of wire fraud and making false statements. He has pleaded not guilty. A grand jury returned an 18-count indictment Friday that added Cantrell to the case. The City of New Orleans said in a statement that it was aware of the indictment and that the mayor's attorney was reviewing it. Cantrell hasn't sent out a message on her official social media feed on X since July 15, when she said the city was experiencing historic declines in crime. She and her remaining allies have said that she has been unfairly targeted as a Black woman and held to a different standard than male officials. Here are things to know about the mayor and the indictment: Vineyard trips and alone time with bodyguard The indictment paints a detailed picture of Cantrell and her bodyguard traveling to vineyards and spending time alone in apartments at the same time it says Vappie was being paid as if he was working. Vappie reminisced in a WhatsApp exchange cited in the indictment about joining Cantrell in Scotland in October 2021, saying that was 'where it all started.' Cantrell had told local reporters she needed a security detail 'due to COVID,' saying her travel accommodations were 'a matter of safety, not of luxury.' The following year, instead of Cantrell attending a conference in Miami, authorities said the pair rendezvoused on Martha's Vineyard. Vappie's travel to the island was covered by the city to attend a separate conference. 'The times when we are truly (traveling) is what spoils me the most,' the mayor wrote to him that month. That same year, they also visited several California wineries, according to the indictment. After a 'trusted staff member' posted a photo of the three of them on social media, one of Cantrell's associates asked them to remove it. They met in an apartment while Vappie claimed to be on duty, and Cantrell arranged for him to attend 14 trips, Acting U.S. Attorney Michael Simpson said. The trips, he added, were described by her as times 'when they were truly alone.' In all, New Orleans taxpayers paid more than $70,000 for Vappie's travel, Simpson said. The pair used WhatsApp for more than 15,000 messages, including efforts to delete evidence, make false statements to FBI agents, 'and ultimately to commit perjury before a federal grand jury,' he said. A turbulent second term as mayor Cantrell, a Democrat, won a historic election in 2017 by portraying herself as a candidate for the people and not of the city's political class. Her mayoral tenure started strong with her securing tens of millions of dollars for city infrastructure improvements and taking decisive steps during the pandemic. There wasn't strong opposition to her 2021 election for a second term. But it was around that time that the wheels started to come off her administration. After Hurricane Ida pounded south Louisiana in 2021, residents were left without trash collection for weeks, while crime rates were surging. Meanwhile, Cantrell drew criticism for taking first-class trips abroad at the city's expense, violating a policy that requires city employees to use cheaper fares. She eventually agreed to repay the difference. A WVUE television investigation also found she was using a city-owned apartment as a part-time residence. Cantrell survived a recall campaign launched in 2022 by disgruntled Black Democrats and largely funded by wealthy white Republicans. She is also among more than 100 people brought up on corruption charges in Louisiana in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, which devastated New Orleans two decades ago, said Rafael Goyeneche, a former prosecutor who is president of the Metropolitan Crime Commission, a watchdog group that provided photographs and information to federal authorities in the latest case. New Orleans' long history of corruption cases Although Cantrell is New Orleans' first mayor to be charged while in office, this is far from the first corruption case to impact the city. 'Public corruption has crippled us for years and years,' Simpson said. 'And this is extremely significant.' In 2014, former New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin was sentenced to a decade in prison for bribery, money laundering, fraud and tax crimes. The charges relate to actions during his two terms as mayor from 2002 to 2010. He was released early in 2020 during the pandemic. In 2022, Rodney J. 'Jack' Strain, a former Louisiana sheriff, was sentenced to 10 years in prison for a federal bribery conviction. He also received four life sentences for earlier convictions for raping boys. After serving five terms, he admitted he used his authority as sheriff to steer profits from a $1 million work-release contract to himself, his family and two deputies. G. Thomas Porteous Jr., a federal judge from New Orleans, was impeached and removed from the bench after the U.S. Senate in 2010 determined he took money from attorneys and bail bondsmen and lied in a personal bankruptcy filing, among other offenses. He never faced criminal charges as a result of the probe, which ran from 1999 to 2007. He died in 2021.
Daily Mail
4 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Human rights watchdog warns police to rethink 'heavy-handed' Palestine protest clampdown amid fears it could have a 'chilling' effect on free speech
Britain's human rights watchdog has warned against the 'heavy-handed policing' of Palestine protests amid fears it could have a 'chilling' effect on free speech. The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has written to Home Secretary Yvette Cooper and Met Police commissioner Sir Mark Rowley to remind them that the 'right to protest is a cornerstone of any healthy democracy'. The letter, from EHRC chairwoman Baroness Kishwer Falkner, said the notion that a peaceful demonstration could attract disproportionate police attention 'undermines confidence in our human rights protections'. Baroness Falkner said any interference with protest rights 'must be lawful and assessed case-by-case'. She added: 'Heavy-handed policing or blanket approaches risk creating a chilling effect, deterring citizens from exercising their fundamental rights to freedom of expression and assembly through fear of possible consequences. 'This concern extends beyond those directly affected by police engagement to the broader health of our democracy, because the perception that peaceful protest may attract disproportionate police attention undermines confidence in our human rights protections.' The letter, from EHRC chairwoman Baroness Kishwer Falkner, said the notion that a peaceful demonstration could attract disproportionate police attention 'undermines confidence in our human rights protections' Baroness Falkner also raised concerns about 'reports of police engagement with individuals participating in forms of protest that are not linked to any proscribed organisation'. The commission referenced a report by the Guardian newspaper about a woman said to have been threatened with arrest under the Terrorism Act for holding a Palestinian flag and signs saying 'Free Gaza' and 'Israel is committing genocide'. The woman was reportedly told by police that her demonstration in Canterbury, Kent, in July expressed views supportive of Palestine Action, an organisation which has been banned by the Government. The woman said neither of her signs mentioned Palestine Action and that she had told police she did not support any proscribed organisations. Kent Police confirmed it had 'received correspondence from a legal firm representing a person spoken to by officers in Canterbury on July 14 2025' after the Guardian reported the woman is taking legal action against the force. The EHRC said Government and police authorities must 'ensure that all officers receive clear and consistent guidance on their human rights obligations' when it comes to protests. 'This guidance should ensure that the appropriate balance is maintained between public safety and the protection of essential human rights,' Baroness Falkner added. Palestine Action was proscribed by the UK Government in July, with the ban meaning that membership of, or support for, the group is a criminal offence punishable by up to 14 years in prison, under the Terrorism Act 2000. More than 500 people were arrested last weekend on suspicion of displaying an item in support of a proscribed group, as demonstrations took place in central London. Downing Street has described Palestine Action as 'violent' and said it has committed 'significant injury' as well as criminal damage, adding that evidence and security assessments shared in closed court supported its proscription. Palestine Action said Downing Street's accusations were 'false and defamatory' and 'disproven by the Government's own intelligence assessment'. Asked for their response to the EHRC letter, the Home Office referred to Ms Cooper's previous statement about last week's march, in which she said: 'The right to protest is one we protect fiercely but this is very different from displaying support for this one specific and narrow, proscribed organisation.' The Metropolitan Police declined to comment when asked for their response to the letter. It comes after a chaotic London march last Saturday saw more than a staggering 500 activists arrested - bringing the total to over 700 since July 7, when the group was proscribed. During a day of mayhem and farce, Left-wing protesters swamped London's Parliament Square on August 9 in support of the organisation, which was proscribed by the Government last month as a terrorist group. Hundreds held placards declaring 'I oppose genocide. I support Palestine Action' in deliberate 'idiotic' acts of law-breaking designed to overwhelm police resources and the courts. Later that day, the Metropolitan Police announced more than 360 people had been detained following the scenes of disorder - at an estimated cost of about £3million. However, in an update on August 10, the Met said the number of total arrests had skyrocketed to 532 - with 522 of these being for people allegedly displaying placards supporting the proscribed terror group. Protesters were accused of a 'colossal' waste of millions of pounds of taxpayers' money after seemingly getting deliberately arrested by officers. Yesterday, the Metropolitan Police announced that a further 60 people will be prosecuted for 'showing support for the proscribed terrorist group Palestine Action. Stephen Parkinson, Director of Public Prosecutions, said: 'The decisions that we have announced today are the first significant numbers to come out of the recent protests, and many more can be expected in the next few weeks. We are ready to make swift decisions in all cases where arrests have been made. The public has a democratic right to protest peacefully in this country, and I understand the depth of feeling around the horrific scenes in Gaza. 'However, Palestine Action is now a proscribed terrorist organisation and those who have chosen to break the law will be subject to criminal proceedings under the Terrorism Act. 'When protest conduct crosses the line from lawful activity into criminality, we have a duty to enforce the law. 'People should be clear about the real-life consequences for anyone choosing to support Palestine Action. A terrorism conviction can severely impact your life and career – it can restrict your ability to travel overseas and work in certain professions. 'I urge people to think very carefully about their actions at protests. Anyone who chooses to disobey the law will have to face the consequences.'
Daily Mail
4 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Terrifying moment police officer saves man's life after 'scary f***' 160mph chase that saw driver weaving through traffic and 'brake-checking' cops
This is the terrifying moment a police officer saved a man's life after a 'scary f***' 160mph chase. Shocking police dashcam footage captured wanted criminal Patrick Connors, 45, hurtling down the M1 and M69 in a powerful BMW 5 Series. Connors shot past cards on the busy motorways at a speed of 60mph, prompting one police officer to say in response: 'That was scary as ****.' Officers had started following Connors on February 19 as he was wanted for failing to appear in court for fraud charges in Wrexham, north Wales, in 2024. During the 20 minute pursuit, described by police as 'high risk', Connors ran a red light and sped along the hard shoulder of the motorway at 130mph. Then, while being chased by officers, he twice attempted to 'brake check' the police car by swerving across the middle and fast lane. Eventually, the fugitive was caught when he suddenly stopped the car in the fast lane before scrambling out and running towards the central barrier. The terrifying footage shows a quick-thinking officer begging Connors not to attempt to run across the opposite motorway, shouting: 'Don't go across the carriageway, you'll get killed. 'Don't do it buddy. Don't do it.' He then gestures to Connors, stating: 'Come here, come here, don't do it. Mate, come here. Just stay there'. The police officer behind the camera is then heard shouting 'help me' to other officers at the scene as he attempts to hold Connor's down. The officer, who tells Connors to 'just chill', then manages to grab his T-shirt and wrestle him to the ground before placing handcuffs on him. In response, Connors insists: 'I've got arthritis, you dragged me over the barrier mate', to which the officer then quips: 'Well you were jumping over the motorway barrier a minute ago. 'I didn't want you getting run over, I probably saved your life.' At Mold Crown Court this week, Connors, of Queensferry, Wales, admitted dangerous driving and failing to stop. The 45-year-old also admitting acquiring criminal property, dangerous driving and driving while disqualified. The court heard he gave false details to police and had previously used 17 aliases. He received a jail sentence of three years and was also banned from driving for five years.
