Latest news with #Fox26Houston
New York Post
3 days ago
- New York Post
Ex-Houston DA reveals sick twist in Jocelyn Nungaray murder case as concerns about successor's soft-on-crime agenda grow
One of the illegal migrants accused of raping and killing little Jocelyn Nungaray and dumping her body in a Houston bayou allegedly raped another victim before the youngster's vicious slaying, the former district attorney revealed — as she expressed concerns with her successor's lax prosecution style. During Democrat Kim Ogg's investigation into the 12-year-old's barbaric murder a year ago, a woman came forward claiming that Franklin Jose Pena Ramos sexually assaulted her while she was vacationing in Costa Rica, the former DA told Fox 26 Houston Thursday. 3 Johan Jose Martinez-Rangel, 22, and Franklin Pena, 26, were both charged with capital murder. Houston Police Department Ogg has known about the rape allegation since late last year as she began pursuing the death penalty against the alleged killers before she left her post. She said she felt compelled to come forward now because she's 'very concerned about the decisions' the new Democratic DA, Sean Teare, has been making that include dismissing multiple cases. A spokesperson for Teare's office didn't immediately respond to The Post's request for comment. 3 Jocelyn Nungaray was killed on June 16, 2024. Gofundme 'I think it's important for the public to get the final say. Do they deserve death for the rape and murder of Jocelyn? Or should they spend their life in the penitentiary?' said Ogg. Ogg said she fears 'some backdoor deal' being 'done in the quiet of the night and a long time after people have forgotten the horror of this case. 'I just want people to remember Jocelyn, and I want them to hear and make a decision about the evidence,' she added. The unidentified victim came forward to Ogg's office after spotting pictures of Pena on television following the June 16, 2024, murder. The woman said Pena attacked her while she was on vacation in Costa Rica, but that authorities there 'did nothing' when she reported it to them. 3 Alexis Nungaray speaks about her daughter Jocelyn, who was allegedly murdered by two illegal migrants from Venezuela last June. AP Jocelyn's mother, Alexis Nungaray, wasn't surprised by the latest revelation in the case, saying she 'always felt … that this was never their first time, especially Pena.' 'To just know that this happened to another woman, it hurts my heart. A piece of me shatters a little bit,' she said. 'I pray that no other woman has had to look in his eyes while they have their vulnerability taken from them, but if there are any others, I pray that they have the courage and the strength to come forward and help shed light on an open case,' she said.
Time of India
14-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Senator Ted Cruz proposes $1,000 federal investment account for every US newborn
File photo: Senator Ted Cruz (Picture credit: AP) US Senator Ted Cruz has introduced the Invest America Act , a new proposal aimed at boosting long-term financial security for Americans by giving every newborn child in the US a $1,000 investment from the federal government at birth. The money would be placed in a private, tax-advantaged account that tracks the S&P 500 index. According to a press release cited by Fox News, 'each Invest America account will be open to contributions from individuals, family members, friends, and businesses up to $5,000 annually.' These accounts would grow tax-deferred, with withdrawals allowed after the child turns 18 and taxed only at the capital gains rate. Cruz believes the measure could help transform how future generations build wealth. 'Every child in America will have private investment accounts that will compound over their lives, enhancing the prosperity and economic participation of the vast majority of Americans,' he said, adding that it would be remembered as a 'landmark achievement' of the Republican-led Congress. The launch of the Invest America Act comes amid growing national concern over the $36.2 trillion US federal debt . While some critics may raise questions about cost, around 3.6 million babies were born in the US in 2024, meaning the initial investment would cost roughly $3.6 billion annually, reported Fox 26 Houston. Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning For Working Professionals. BITS Pilani WILP Apply Now Undo The initiative gained momentum after a related pilot programme appeared in the House Ways and Means Committee's markup of tax reform legislation. Dubbed MAGA accounts , short for Money Accounts for Growth and Advancement, the pilot would make the $1,000 federal contribution available only to children born between 2024 and 2028, and only if they are aged 8 or younger. 'What is powerful is enabling every child in America to have an investment account and a stake in the American free enterprise system,' Cruz said, as reported by Semafor. The House Ways and Means Committee is set to review the broader legislative package, nicknamed 'The One, Big, Beautiful Bill,' on Tuesday. The inclusion of MAGA accounts in that bill is seen as a major win for Cruz and his supporters. If passed, the Invest America Act could create a new path for childhood financial literacy and investment, a move Cruz believes will secure 'fundamental and transformative changes for the financial security and personal freedoms of American citizens for generations,' as per Fox 26 Houston.
Yahoo
23-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Houston couple fights — and wins — battle with Wells Fargo over $40,000 in fraudulent transactions
Jose Vasquez says he went online to check his Wells Fargo business account on Jan. 27 when he noticed something suspicious — a pending direct pay transfer for $20,000. He contacted the bank right away. "I said, 'Hey, please stop the transaction. It's still pending. I don't recognize it. I don't authorize this transaction," Jose told Fox 26 Houston in a story published Feb. 13. I'm 49 years old and have nothing saved for retirement — what should I do? Don't panic. Here are 5 of the easiest ways you can catch up (and fast) Nervous about the stock market in 2025? Find out how you can access this $1B private real estate fund (with as little as $10) Americans with upside-down car loans owe more money than ever before — and drivers can't keep up. Here are 3 ways to cut your monthly costs ASAP He says Wells Fargo informed him they wouldn't stop the transaction and instead let it hit the other account before opening an investigation. The following morning, Jose says he noticed another $20,000 transaction he didn't authorize. "The same thing happened last night, you guys got to stop it, another $20,000 in less than 24 hours," he said. Here's what happened to the couple's money, along with some tips for how to protect yourself from a similar fate. Jose and his wife, Amanda, who together own a Houston-area company called Grindstone General Contracting, contacted police to open a criminal investigation, according to Fox 26. The couple says authorities sent subpoenas to a bank in Alabama where the direct pay account was located and to Wells Fargo. They also sent affidavits to their bank detailing the fraud. A few days later, the couple says they were notified by Wells Fargo the bank's investigation determined there was no fraud. Both were left bewildered and unable to comprehend why the bank would allow a second transaction after being warned about the first one. "They're not hearing us out and they're not trying to understand," Amanda, exasperated, told Fox 26. "They're just protecting themselves." Read more: Gold just hit a historic high of $3,000/ounce on Trump's tariff moves — while US stocks got slaughtered. Here's 1 simple way to prevent more pain within minutes Even with police involved, according to the local broadcaster, it was up to Wells Fargo to determine the fate of the money. But in a follow-up report published March 13, we learned the bank decided to return $40,000 to their business account. The couple credits the media attention with facilitating the happy conclusion. "Because of people like you we are able to have a voice and a little bit of justice," Jose said. Fox 26 shared the following statement from Wells Fargo: "We take pride in serving small business owners and sincerely apologize to Mr. and Mrs. Vasquez for their experience. After completing a thorough additional review of this complex fraud case we are making our customer whole." Not everyone is going to be able to get a media outlet to help them get their money back when they suspect they're the victim of fraud, so it's important for everyone to take steps to try to protect themselves and respond to suspicious activity if it happens to you. One of the best ways you can keep your online accounts safe, according to the Federal Trade Commission, is to use a strong password. These are usually 16 characters or longer, have upper- and lower-case letters, and may include numbers and symbols. They're meant to be difficult to guess, which helps to ensure no one unauthorized accesses your accounts. Setting up two-factor authentication is another security step you should take. This adds an extra layer of security by requiring you to input a code on top of your login credentials to access an account. Most platforms will offer to send you this code via email or text message, but the most secure method is to use an authentication application on your smart phone. You should also keep your device's security software and browser software up-to-date to protect against vulnerabilities, encrypt your WiFi network to prevent unauthorized access, as it's the gateway to your devices, and lock both your computer and phone screens when not being used. The more difficult you can make it for criminals to access your account, the less likely there are to be problems. Signing up for alerts so you're notified of unusual account activity is also a good idea in case someone does access your account. If you do suspect or get alerted to fraudulent transactions, you should report them immediately. Once you provide notice to a bank or credit union about an authorized transaction, it generally has 10 business days to conduct an investigation and three business days to report its findings, per the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. The bank also must correct errors within a business day of determining they have occurred. Of course, the Vasquez family says they reported the transactions right away and still they were victimized. It can be difficult to prove your case in a digital world. But if you follow the tips above you should be able to limit your exposure to bad actors. Want an extra $1,300,000 when you retire? Dave Ramsey says this 7-step plan 'works every single time' to kill debt, get rich in America — and that 'anyone' can do it Rich, young Americans are ditching the stormy stock market — here are the alternative assets they're banking on instead Protect your retirement savings with these 5 essential money moves — most of which you can complete in just minutes This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind. Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
01-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Work-from-home scam has Houston senior worried about paying bills, homelessness
Work-from-home jobs can provide valuable income for people who are unable to work a traditional job. For Mildred Bedar, a Houston resident, her work-at-home position helped her pay the bills, until the company disappeared without sending her a paycheck. Bedar said she was hired to inspect shipments from Amazon, repackage them, and send the products to their final destination. She was supposed to be paid $2,900 for her work, with a bonus of $20 for every package that she handled. What she was ultimately paid, however, was nothing, putting her at serious risk of losing her home. Here's how she became a victim of a work-from-home scam. Bedar said she worked for the company that hired her for months, only to have the business vanish before her scheduled payday, leaving her in a bind. "I'll be homeless if I don't get that money," Bedar told Fox 26 Houston. "I'm a 68-year-old woman with her service dog out on the street or her car is not something I would think about." It's unlikely that Amazon shipping will come, however, because the Postal Service and the Better Business Bureau believe that Bedar had inadvertently been duped into a "reshipping scam." These scams involve products acquired illegally and are then laundered through multiple shipping steps to hide their origin. A spokesperson from the Better Business Bureau, Leah Napoliello, explained the scam and the unfortunate fallout for Bedar. "If she has not been paid and suddenly the business has gone dark — there's no evidence they're still operating — and there's no way to contact them to request payment, then that is very suspicious," Napoliello said. There's little Bedar can do to recover the promised paycheck, as the company was not a legitimate one in the first place. While Bedar is unlikely to get her money, others can learn from her experience and avoid work-from-home scams. Some red flags to watch out for that could suggest a job is not legitimate include: A company that expects a lot of work upfront before you get paid Pay that seems too good to be true for the expected work Companies that ask you to pay upfront to be considered for the job A business without a strong online presence, like a LinkedIn page or company website Getting hired without an in-person interview process in which you speak to someone via phone or Zoom Complaints about the company in online forums or online review sites If you spot any of these signs, you should move onto opportunities with a more reputable employer who is more likely to pay you. This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
Yahoo
07-02-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Thieves Are Stealing Ford Truck Taillights
Read the full story on The Auto Wire If you've had the misfortune of damaging your newer Ford truck's taillight, you already know just how expensive they can be. It seems thieves have realized this as well, because a new trend involves people just stealing the taillights right off F-Series trucks while they're right, they're not even bothering to take the whole truck and part it out. We've seen this kind of behavior before, but it appears the trend is growing in some areas, meaning it could spread nationwide soon. As reported by Fox26 Houston, Webster Police Department in the Harris County area has been dealing with 34 trucks pilfered of their taillights from September 2024 to January 2025. The total value of those taillights is reportedly over $92,000. Depending on the model F-Series truck you own and its features, replacement taillights can run into the thousands of dollars. That's because you're not just replacing a light that indicates to other drivers when you're stopping or turning. In this brave new world of ours, Ford has decided to embed all kinds of expensive sensors in taillights. Why? That's an excellent question because other automakers have spread radar sensors, cameras, etc. around the back end of vehicles so if one gets damaged in a crash, the others might be spared. But not Ford and thieves have realized they can score big money quickly by just popping the taillights out of trucks. What makes it hard is most vehicle security measures won't stop thieves from taking the pricey taillights. Maybe the aftermarket will come up with a solution to this problem? We're not quite sure what that would look like, maybe a Club lock for taillights? In all seriousness, all truck owners can do now is try to park where thieves can't just pull up and yank parts off. It also doesn't hurt to have really good insurance coverage, considering two taillights can run upwards of $6,000. Image via Ford Join our Newsletter, subscribe to our YouTube page, and follow us on Facebook.
