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New York Post
15 hours ago
- New York Post
Illinois landlord who killed 6-year-old Palestinian-American, injured his mother in hate crime stabbing dies in prison
A landlord jailed for decades after he attacked a Palestinian American boy and his mother has died. Three months ago, Joseph Czuba was sentenced to 53 years behind bars for the attack. He was found guilty in February of murder, attempted murder and hate-crime charges in the death of Wadee Alfayoumi and the wounding of the boy's mother, Hanan Shaheen. The 73-year-old Czuba targeted them in October 2023 because of their Islamic faith and as a response to the war between Israel and Hamas, which started days earlier. 6 Joseph Czuba, who was convicted of murdering a Palestinian American boy and injuring his mother, has passed way at the age of 73. AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast, File 6 Czuba attacked Wadee Alfayoumi, 6, and his mother Hanan Shaheen days after the Oct. 7 attacks in Israel in 2023. Facebook / Hanan A Shaheen Czuba died Thursday in the custody of the Illinois Department of Corrections, according to a statement from the Will County Sheriff's Office. Ahmed Rehab, the executive director of Council on American-Islamic Relations' Chicago office, said in a statement on Saturday that 'this depraved killer has died, but the hate is still alive and well.' Evidence at trial included harrowing testimony from Shaheen and her frantic 911 call, along with bloody crime scene photos and police video. Jurors deliberated less than 90 minutes before handing in a verdict. 6 Czuba was sentenced to 53 years in prison for murder, attempted murder and hate-crime charges. WILL COUNTY STATE ATTORNEY/AFP via Getty Images 6 Czuba targeted the mother and child for their Muslim faith in response to the terror attacks in Israel. Family Handout The family had been renting rooms in Czuba's home in Plainfield, about 40 miles from Chicago when the attack happened. Central to prosecutors' case was harrowing testimony from the boy's mother, who said Czuba attacked her before moving on to her son, insisting they had to leave because they were Muslim. Prosecutors also played the 911 call and showed police footage. Czuba's wife, Mary, whom he has since divorced, also testified for the prosecution, saying he had become agitated about the Israel-Hamas war, which had erupted days earlier. 6 Wadee's father Odai Alfayoumi leaving Will County Courthouse in Joliet, Ill., following Czuba's sentencing on May 2, 2025. Felix Sarver/The Herald-News via AP 6 Mourner's carrying Wadee's coffin at his funeral at at Parkholm Cemetery on Oct. 16, 2023. Photo byPolice said Czuba pulled a knife from a holder on a belt and stabbed the boy 26 times, leaving the knife in the child's body. Some of the bloody crime scene photos were so explicit that the judge agreed to turn television screens showing them away from the audience, which included Wadee's relatives. The attack renewed fears of anti-Muslim discrimination and hit particularly hard in Plainfield and surrounding suburbs, which have a large and established Palestinian community. Wadee's funeral drew large crowds, and Plainfield officials have dedicated a park playground in his honor.


New York Post
a day ago
- New York Post
AI-fueled crypto scams are booming, up 456% — and no one is safe, expert warns
Crypto crooks are getting bolder — and now, they sound just like your mom. Global crypto scams soared 456% between May 2024 and April 2025 — becoming increasingly reliant on AI-generated voices, deepfake videos and phony credentials to fleece unsuspecting victims, blockchain intelligence firm TRM Labs' Ari Redbord told The Post after testifying before Congress last Tuesday. 'These scams are highly effective, as the technology feels incredibly real and familiar to the victim,' Redbord said. Advertisement 4 TRM Labs' Ari Redbord, who testified before Congress last week, says scammers are now using AI-generated voices and deepfake credentials to mimic loved ones and steal crypto. Igor Faun – 'We've seen cases where scammers use AI to replicate the voice of a loved one, tricking the victim into transferring money under the guise of an urgent request.' And the threat is exploding — especially in high-density cities like New York, Miami and Los Angeles, he added. In June, New York officials froze $300,000 in stolen cryptocurrency and seized more than 100 scam websites linked to a Vietnam-based ring that targeted Russian-speaking Brooklynites with fake Facebook investment ads. Advertisement Meta shut down over 700 Facebook accounts tied to the scam. Investigators say the group used deepfake BitLicense certificates and moved victims onto encrypted apps like Telegram before draining their wallets. 4 Even crypto pros aren't safe — MoonPay's CEO and CFO were conned into wiring $250,000 to a scammer pretending to be a Trump inauguration insider. Igor Faun – Advertisement Some New Yorkers lost hundreds of thousands of dollars — and it's not just everyday joes getting targeted. Even crypto insiders are falling for it. Florida-based crypto firm MoonPay saw its CEO Ivan Soto-Wright and CFO Mouna Ammari Siala duped into wiring $250,000 in crypto to a scammer posing as Trump inauguration co-chair Steve Witkoff, according to a recent Department of Justice complaint. And that's just the tip of the iceberg. Globally, fraudsters swiped more than $10.7 billion in 2024 through crypto cons — including romance scams, fake trading platforms and 'pig-butchering,' where scammers build fake relationships before draining victims' accounts, Redbord said. Advertisement In the US, Americans filed nearly 150,000 crypto-related fraud complaints in 2024, with losses topping $3.9 billion, according to the FBI. But the real number is likely much higher. 4 A Vietnam-based ring targeted Brooklyn's Russian-speaking community with fake BitLicenses and phony Facebook accounts before vanishing with hundreds of thousands. Igor Faun – 'Only around 15% of victims actually report these crimes,' Redbord said, citing shame, fear and distrust in law enforcement — particularly among older adults and immigrant communities. One of these scammers go-to tools? Crypto ATMs — especially those tucked inside New York delis and convenience stores. Illicit use at these kiosks is more than twice as high as in the broader crypto market, Redbord said. Victims are often directed to scan a QR code and deposit cash, instantly converting it to crypto before the funds disappear. As the scams rage on, Washington is starting to bring order to the Wild West of crypto. 4 Officials say the real number of crypto scam victims is far higher than reported, as shame and fear keep many from coming forward. Igor Faun – House lawmakers wrapped up 'Crypto Week' last Thursday by passing the first-ever comprehensive cryptocurrency legislation — a trio of bills focused on regulating stablecoins, trading platforms and digital asset infrastructure. Advertisement Even so, Redbord advised, common sense is the best defense. 'If something feels too good to be true — especially unsolicited investment advice — it almost always is,' he said. 'Verify the platform. Confirm identities. And when in doubt, report it — whether to IC3, Chainabuse or your local authorities.'

Los Angeles Times
2 days ago
- Los Angeles Times
Hong Kong police offer rewards for tips leading to the arrest of 19 overseas activists
HONG KONG — Hong Kong police announced rewards for information leading to the arrest of 19 overseas-based activists for their roles in what they called a subversive organization abroad, accusing them of violating a national security law imposed by Beijing. Police said in a statement Friday that the group, Hong Kong Parliament, aimed to promote self-determination and establish a 'Hong Kong constitution,' alleging it was using illegal means to overthrow and undermine China's fundamental system or usurp the institutions in power in Hong Kong or Beijing. At the request of the police, the city's court issued arrest warrants for activists Elmer Yuen, Johnny Fok, Tony Choi, Victor Ho, Keung Ka-wai and 14 others. They are alleged to have organized or participated in an election abroad for the Hong Kong Parliament, as well as setting up or becoming members of the group. According to a Facebook statement by the group on June 30, its election drew some 15,700 valid votes through mobile app and online voting systems. It said the candidates and elected members came from various regions, including Taiwan, Thailand, Australia, the U.S., Canada and Britain. While the group calls itself Hong Kong Parliament, its electoral organizing committee was founded in Canada and its influence is limited. Police already offered 1 million Hong Kong dollars, or about $127,400, for information leading to the arrest of Yuen, Ho, Fok and Choi when previous arrest warrants were issued against them. For the other 15, rewards of 200,000 Hong Kong dollars were offered, and residents were urged to provide information about the case or the people. 'The investigation is still ongoing. If necessary, police will offer bounties to hunt down more suspects in the case,' police said. They also called on the wanted activists to stop their activities, saying that they hoped they 'will take this opportunity to return to Hong Kong and turn themselves in, rather than making more mistakes.' Yuen said in a Facebook Live broadcast that the election was not quite successful in drawing active participation, and that the police campaign would help the group rally support for the resistance movement. 'It helps us with a lot of advertising,' Yuen said. During the live chat with Yuen, Sasha Gong, another activist targeted by the bounties, accused Hong Kong of becoming a police state. She said she is a U.S. citizen and would report her case to the American authorities and lawmakers. Over the last two years, Hong Kong authorities have issued arrest warrants for various activists based overseas, including former pro-democracy lawmakers Nathan Law and Ted Hui. Authorities also canceled the passports of some of them under a recent security law introduced to the city last year. The moves against overseas-based activists have drawn criticism from foreign governments, especially given the former British colony was promised that its Western-style civil liberties and semi-autonomy would be kept intact for at least 50 years when it returned to Chinese rule in 1997. U.K. Foreign Secretary David Lammy and Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said in a joint statement that the warrants and bounties on people living in Britain are 'another example of transnational repression,' and that the act encourages reckless behavior on U.K. soil. In March, the United States sanctioned six Chinese and Hong Kong officials who it alleged were involved in 'transnational repression' and acts that threaten to further erode the city's autonomy. Beijing and Hong Kong contend that the national security laws were necessary for the city's stability. Hong Kong police have maintained that the Beijing-imposed law applies to permanent residents in Hong Kong who violate it abroad. In retaliation for the U.S. move, China in April said it would sanction American officials, lawmakers and leaders of nongovernmental organizations who it says have 'performed poorly' on Hong Kong issues. Leung writes for the Associated Press.