Disgraced former NFLPA boss reportedly used union funds for jaunts at strip clubs
In a new report from ESPN, the outlet revealed that an NFLPA-appointed investigator looking into Howell Jr.'s questionable decisions as leader of the union received some interesting expense reports and documents recently. The reports and receipts showed proof that Howell Jr. used money from the association to fund nights out at multiple strip clubs.
An NFLPA-funded jaunt last year was discovered when a union finance worker noticed the nearly $800 bill he charged for a car service. The cost wasn't for a long drive. It was for the driver to wait eight hours at an address in Miami Gardens. The worker then looked up the location and discovered it was Tootsie's Cabaret in Miami Gardens, FL. A 76,000-square-foot strip club that bills itself as the world's largest gentleman's club that is 'full nude and No. 1 rated.'
A year later, expense reports showed he and two NFLPA employees used union funds for a trip to an Atlanta strip club, Magic City. The visit that occurred during the union's summit in February saw the trio allegedly charge over $2,000 on NFLPA accounts.
'According to the expense report, the purpose of the strip club outing: 'Player Engagement Event to support & grow our Union,'' ESPN reported.
The employees reviewing the report flagged the reports and receipts to the travel department for further review. The head of the department then forwarded the documents union lawyers for a deeper look at, according to sources the outlet spoke with.
Howell Jr. abruptly resigned from his post this week following weeks of criticism over his leadership, as well as a serious conflict of interest. The former attorney was working as a part-time consultant for the Carlyle Group, an NFL-approved private equity firm seeking minority ownership in NFL franchises.
Also Read:: Highest paid NFL players 2025: Highest paid NFL quarterbacks, highest paid players by position
Related Headlines
'1 Percent Chance': Pirates Reporter Shares Bleak Take on Paul Skenes Extension Prospects
Yankees Expected 'To Get After It' Before Trade Deadline: 6 Blockbuster Trade Targets, Including Chris Sale
Top MLB reporter: Teams Will 'Laugh At' Luis Robert Jr. If He Makes This Demand
Did Kyle Schwarber's All-Star Game Heroics Drive Up His Price With Free Agency Looming?
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Newsweek
25 minutes ago
- Newsweek
Braves Blockbuster? Atlanta Ace Could Be Valuable Trade Deadline Piece
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The Atlanta Braves should be very aggressive sellers at the trade deadline. With a few days to go, Atlanta could be looking to cut ties with more than a handful of its best players. FanSided's Christopher Kline recently suggested the Braves could cut ties with ace Chris Sale despite a lack of hard evidence that Atlanta is looking to do so. ATLANTA, GA - JULY 15: Jacob deGrom #48 of the Texas Rangers and Chris Sale #51 of the Atlanta Braves talk before the MLB All-Star Game at Truist Park on July 15, 2025 in Atlanta,... ATLANTA, GA - JULY 15: Jacob deGrom #48 of the Texas Rangers and Chris Sale #51 of the Atlanta Braves talk before the MLB All-Star Game at Truist Park on July 15, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia. More Matthew Grimes Jr./"All the reporting around Chris Sale suggests that Atlanta will pick up his $18 million club option for next season and run it back. That is reasonable. Sale won the NL Cy Young award in 2024 and he was a frontrunner yet again this season before an unfortunate rib injury," Kline wrote. "And yet, Sale is also 36 years old, with a long and troubling history of injuries far worse than a broken rib. It is more than fair to wonder if Atlanta is best served by selling high. "Sale, even hurt and even at his advanced age, would return a huge haul for the Braves. Contenders would line up around the block to add arguably the best left-handed arm in the National League. Sale's résumé has few equals in MLB and he's still throwing absolute gas in his 'old' age. He should be back for the playoffs in October, so this injury (in theory) is only a temporary setback." Let's be clear. The Braves haven't shown any indication that they're looking to trade Sale, but it's reasonable to speculate. Atlanta has all the pieces to compete next year if the right moves are made, but it would be very easy for their front office to be blown away by an offer from the Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Yankees or Boston Red Sox. These teams have solid farm systems and a huge need for an ace. At the end of the day, it's unlikely, but that doesn't mean it's impossible. More MLB: Mets Cut Ties With Mark Vientos To Land $13 Million Ace In Hypothetical Trade
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
UPS Withholds Outlook on Market Upheaval After Mixed Quarter
(Bloomberg) -- United Parcel Service Inc. declined to provide earnings guidance as it struggles to get a handle on volatility in the market, underscoring the challenges for the courier's effort to reconfigure its network and revitalize its business. Budapest's Most Historic Site Gets a Controversial Rebuild San Francisco in Talks With Vanderbilt for Downtown Campus Can This Bridge Ease the Troubled US-Canadian Relationship? Trump Administration Sues NYC Over Sanctuary City Policy An Abandoned Art-Deco Landmark in Buffalo Awaits Revival The company said Tuesday that it would not give a revenue or operating profit forecast for the full year 'given the current macro-economic uncertainty.' UPS offered limited predictions around capital expenditures and dividend payments in 2025, and said it still expects $3.5 billion in expense reductions from its ongoing turnaround plan. The hazy outlook suggests a rebound remains out of reach and extends the uncertainty around UPS' business after the company said in April it wouldn't update prior expectations. While many companies suspended guidance early this year due to volatility stemming from President Donald Trump's trade policies, a number of those outlooks have been restored more recently. 'The overall US economy demonstrated continued resilience, but our sector, specifically the US small package market, was unfavorably impacted by US consumer sentiment that was near historic lows,' Chief Executive Officer Carol Tomé said on a conference call to discuss quarterly results. The Atlanta-based courier is struggling to recapture the volume it experienced during the early years of the pandemic, when consumers turned to online shopping while stuck at home. The comedown, exacerbated for UPS by the threat of a union strike that sent some customers to rival firms, has proven stubborn thanks to weak demand across the economy. The company is also grappling with deep-rooted issues such as too much unprofitable volume and high cost structures. Adjusted earnings in the second quarter were $1.55 a share, UPS said in a statement, narrowly missing the $1.56 average of analyst estimates compiled by Bloomberg. Package revenue $14.08 billion was better than expected. UPS shares fell 6.6% as of 9:36 a.m. in New York, the most intraday since April 3. The stock tumbled 19% this year through Monday's close, while the S&P 500 Index gained 8.6%. 'Sentiment was decidedly negative heading into' earnings, wrote JPMorgan analyst Brian Ossenbeck. 'The results and lack of guidance will do little to change that at this point.' To solve some of its woes, UPS has said it's excising more than half of its Amazon business, which represented as much as 11.8% of UPS' total revenue last year. As it pulls away from its largest customer, UPS is focusing on shipments that bring in higher margins than low-value e-commerce parcels. To reorient around smaller volumes, UPS is closing and consolidating facilities and automating them, as well as reducing headcount. Earlier this month the company offered its first-ever voluntary separation agreement to full-time union drivers. The offer includes $1,800 per year of service with a minimum payout of $10,000 for drivers to leave the company. The buyout reflects the unprecedented moment that UPS finds itself in. After more than a century of continual growth, the company is now seeking to slim down its delivery network, and with it, its ranks. While UPS focuses on internal efficiencies, there is less the company can do about trade policies affecting its business. New tariffs, especially the end of the de minimis exemption allowing certain imports into the country duty-free, hit the company's most profitable trade lane, reducing average daily volume between the US and China by 35%, a bigger hit than the company had expected, Chief Financial Officer Brian Dykes said on a conference call with analysts. Another miscalculation adding to UPS' costs in recent months was the decision to break away from a partnership with the US Postal Service in which the company handed off packages to the agency for pricey last-mile deliveries. UPS brought those deliveries in house this year, and found that the cost was higher than expected. Tomé told analysts Tuesday that the company has 'reengaged' with the Postal Service, coinciding with new leadership at the agency. (Updates shares, adds CEO, analyst comments from the fourth paragraph.) Burning Man Is Burning Through Cash It's Not Just Tokyo and Kyoto: Tourists Descend on Rural Japan Everyone Loves to Hate Wind Power. Scotland Found a Way to Make It Pay Off Cage-Free Eggs Are Booming in the US, Despite Cost and Trump's Efforts Elon Musk's Empire Is Creaking Under the Strain of Elon Musk ©2025 Bloomberg L.P. Error while retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
UPS Volume Takes A Hit On Tariff-Induced Weakness, Withholds Annual Outlook
United Parcel Service Inc. (NYSE: UPS posted second-quarter results Tuesday that beat revenue expectations but narrowly missed the consensus earnings estimate, as the shipping giant continues to navigate a complex global trade environment. The Atlanta-based logistics giant posted adjusted earnings per share of $1.55, narrowly missing the consensus estimate of $1.57. Revenue was $21.2 billion, beating the expected $20.87 billion. Operating profit for the quarter totaled $1.8 billion, or $1.9 billion on an adjusted basis. The adjusted consolidated operating margin rose to 8.8%, up from 8.2% in the first the U.S. Domestic segment, revenue fell 0.8% year over year to $14.08 billion, driven by lower package volumes. The adjusted operating margin remained steady at 7% compared to last year's quarter. The International segment generated $4.49 billion in revenue, up 2.6% from a year ago, fueled by a 3.9% increase in average daily volume. However, the adjusted operating margin fell to 15.2%, down from 18.9% a year earlier. Supply Chain Solutions revenue dropped 18.3% to $2.65 billion, mainly due to the prior-year divestiture of freight brokerage unit Coyote. Still, the segment's adjusted operating margin improved to 8%, from 7.5% in the second quarter of 2024. For the first half of 2025, UPS reported operating cash flow of $2.67 billion and free cash flow of $742 million. The company reported a 6.1% increase in GAAP cost per piece to $12.18, or $12.12 on an adjusted basis, up 5.6% year over year. U.S. daily volume declined to 16.6 million packages. View more earnings on UPS 'We are making meaningful progress on our strategic initiatives,' said CEO Carol Tomé, praising UPS employees for navigating a 'dynamic and evolving trade environment.' The company is undergoing a multi-year transformation effort to streamline its operations and cost structure. Transformation 2.0, Fit to Serve, and Network Reconfiguration programs include workforce reductions, technology upgrades, and facility closures. UPS expects to save $3.5 billion through these initiatives in 2025, with $400 million to $650 million in related expenses. Key Takeaways From Earnings Call During the earnings conference call, the CEO of UPS highlighted several key factors impacting the company's performance. A significant point of discussion was the China to U.S. trade lane, which UPS is actively monitoring. The CEO noted that a year-over-year drop in average daily volume in this lane was directly attributed to the increased tariffs and the elimination of de minimis exceptions. UPS CFO noted that U.S. trade policy changes during the quarter resulted in a 34.8% decline on the China to U.S. lane in May and June, a figure described as 'higher than we expected.' Furthermore, the CEO reportedly addressed the domestic U.S. market, stating that the U.S. small package market was unfavorably impacted by U.S. consumer sentiment that was near historic lows. This indicates a broader economic headwind affecting consumer spending and, consequently, package delivery volumes within the United States. UPS said that its low-cost Ground Saver product experienced a significant year-over-year volume drop of 23%. This decline was partly attributed to fewer Amazon delivery reductions, suggesting a shift in Amazon's delivery strategies impacting UPS's Ground Saver service. Regarding the ongoing relationship with Amazon, the CFO stated an expectation to accelerate the pace of Amazon volume decline to approximately 30% year-over-year in each of the third and fourth quarters. Looking ahead, the CEO also commented on the upcoming peak season, noting that customers have not yet shared their peak season plans. This delay is likely due to uncertainty over U.S. trade policies. Outlook Due to ongoing macroeconomic uncertainty, UPS withheld revenue and profit guidance for 2025. However, the company reaffirmed key financial targets, including $3.5 billion in cost savings from its ongoing network reconfiguration and Efficiency Reimagined initiatives. Capital expenditures remain projected at $3.5 billion, while dividend payments are expected to total $5.5 billion, subject to board approval. Share buybacks of $1 billion have already been completed. Price Action: UPS shares are trading lower by 5% at $96.50 premarket at last check Tuesday. Read Next:Photo via Shutterstock Up Next: Transform your trading with Benzinga Edge's one-of-a-kind market trade ideas and tools. Click now to access unique insights that can set you ahead in today's competitive market. Get the latest stock analysis from Benzinga? UNITED PARCEL SERVICE (UPS): Free Stock Analysis Report This article UPS Volume Takes A Hit On Tariff-Induced Weakness, Withholds Annual Outlook originally appeared on © 2025 Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
