Latest news with #LasVegasReview-Journal
Newsweek
4 days ago
- Business
- Newsweek
Tech CEO Says He Was Sent Bloody Pig's Head Over Real Estate Deals
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 CEO of a tech company in Las Vegas said he was sent a bloody pig's head and a threatening note in the mail. Blake Owens, the founder and CEO of Agrippa, shared the contents of the note, in which an anonymous writer expressed anger at the company's use of AI to help people conduct real estate deals without brokers. The note said: "Don't get greedy because pigs get fat and hogs get slaughtered." Newsweek contacted the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department via email on Friday outside of regular working hours. Why It Matters The incident highlights the fears and hostility some people feel toward AI because of its potential to disrupt traditional industries like real estate. What To Know Owens is the CEO of Agrippa, which is an AI platform that connects people looking for funding for commercial real estate projects with potential investors, without using a broker. The CEO told the Las Vegas Review-Journal that the severed pig's head and note was mailed to a family member's house on July 29. Agrippa CEO Blake Owens said he was sent a bloody pig's head and a threatening note in the mail. Agrippa CEO Blake Owens said he was sent a bloody pig's head and a threatening note in the mail. Getty Images The note said: "'AI' is not going to replace brokers. Clearly you don't understand real estate wasn't built by developers or investors. And it sure as hell wasn't built by tech guys in Lululemon. It was built by brokers." The note, which described Owens as a "Clark Kent knockoff," was written anonymously and was sent along with a pig's head wrapped in plastic. "Perhaps this person watched too much of The Godfather," Owens told 8 News Now. "Needless to say, I still take it very seriously, but don't feel like I'm being truly threatened. It was a message." Owens expressed empathy for the person who wrote the note, and said that he understood it came from a place of fear about change. "I understand this person is probably just frustrated that business isn't going well for them, and then they see AI replacement stories on top of that," Owens told the Las Vegas Review-Journal. "And I just so happen to be someone they can focus their frustration on." Agrippa facilitated the $45 million sale of a Las Vegas hotel casino in June using its AI tool to help manage bids for the property. What People Are Saying Agrippa CEO Blake Owens told 9 News Now: "I think a lot of people are afraid of change and what's coming with AI, because it really is a tsunami of change that people are trying to resist. But the more you embrace it, the better you'll do, the more skills that you'll accumulate more value you'll bring to the table." What Happens Next The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department classed the incident as a "non-threat," according to Owens. The CEO said that he would not pursue charges if the sender was identified.
International Business Times
05-08-2025
- International Business Times
Las Vegas Police Sergeant Made Bogus Arrests Targeting Black Men, Placed Hidden Cameras in Bathroom to Record Family Members
A former Las Vegas police sergeant will spend several years behind bars over sex crimes and professional misconduct charges. District Judge Ronald Israel ordered Kevin Menon to serve a four- to 10-year prison sentence, in line with the terms of his plea deal. He was also ordered to register as a sex offender, as reported by the Las Vegas Review-Journal. Menon Installed Cameras in the Bathroom to Record His Wife, Sister-in-Law, Possessed Child Pornography Menon, who is of Jewish and Indian origin, pleaded guilty May 28 to counts of oppression under color of office, subornation of perjury, battery on a protected person, possession of child sexual abuse material and capturing an image of the private area of another person. Prosecutors accused Menon of illegally detaining people on the Strip possessing hundreds of sexual images of young girls and installing cameras in bathroom vents that captured videos showing the genitalia and buttocks of his wife and sister-in-law. Men Illegally Detained Men of Color Without Reason The department has said he was placed on leave and then arrested after his own squad accused him of making unlawful arrests that targeted people of color. In the first case against Menon, he was accused of conducting illegal stops and searches of mainly Black men on the Las Vegas Strip while he worked as a sergeant in plain clothes. Metro investigators said Menon instigated situations with the public without probable cause. In one case, Menon ordered the search of a car without any reason, police said. In another, the sergeant, who often worked in a plain clothes capacity, intentionally collided with a person on a pedestrian bridge, leading to that man's arrest. After a search of Menon's home related to the first case, police said they found numerous images of child sexual abuse material on Menon's devices. This resulted in the second case. Police returned to Menon's home, where they found hidden cameras that Menon installed in a bathroom to record family members using the toilet. This resulted in the third criminal case. Menon will be eligible for parole in 2029.
NBC Sports
01-08-2025
- NBC Sports
Attorney says sale of rifle to 345 Park Avenue was legal
The man who killed four in a mass shooting at 345 Park Avenue bought the gun from his supervisor at a Las Vegas casino. The supervisor's lawyer insists that the transaction complied with state and federal law. Via Michael Rothstein of attorney Chris Rasmussen issued multiple statements in support of Rick Ackley, who sold the AR-15-style rifle to Shane Tamura. 'Rick Ackley administered the transfer of the firearm used in the tragedy in New York lawfully complying with Nevada and Federal gun laws on October 2, 2024,' Rasmussen said in a statement issued to ESPN. In a separate statement to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, Rasmussen said Ackley 'legally sold a firearm to the suspect in the New York shooting and is not a suspect or considered to have any nefarious involvement.' Separate and apart from the question of whether the sale was legal is the question of whether it should be. Does the Second Amendment guarantee access to weapons that can outgun a police officer? Should the background checks for that type of gun be far more stringent? There are fair and appropriate questions to ask, as part of a broader conversation about how to eradicate the tangible risk that everyone necessarily assumes when leaving their home and going to a public place.
NBC Sports
01-08-2025
- NBC Sports
Attorney says sale of rifle to 345 Park Avenue shooter was legal
The man who killed four in a mass shooting at 345 Park Avenue bought the gun from his supervisor at a Las Vegas casino. The supervisor's lawyer insists that the transaction complied with state and federal law. Via Michael Rothstein of attorney Chris Rasmussen issued multiple statements in support of Rick Ackley, who sold the AR-15-style rifle to Shane Tamura. 'Rick Ackley administered the transfer of the firearm used in the tragedy in New York lawfully complying with Nevada and Federal gun laws on October 2, 2024,' Rasmussen said in a statement issued to ESPN. In a separate statement to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, Rasmussen said Ackley 'legally sold a firearm to the suspect in the New York shooting and is not a suspect or considered to have any nefarious involvement.' Separate and apart from the question of whether the sale was legal is the question of whether it should be. Does the Second Amendment guarantee access to weapons that can outgun a police officer? Should the background checks for that type of gun be far more stringent? There are fair and appropriate questions to ask, as part of a broader conversation about how to eradicate the tangible risk that everyone necessarily assumes when leaving their home and going to a public place.
Time Out
01-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Time Out
Music legend Mariah Carey to perform in Singapore this October for one night only
It's been a hot minute (seven years, actually), but music icon Mariah Carey is finally returning to Singapore. The songstress, famed for her extraordinary vocal range and elaborate vocal runs, will be performing for one precious night only at the Arena @ Expo. Titled The Celebration of Mimi, the concert will take place on October 8. It celebrates the 20th anniversary of Mariah Carey's tenth studio album, The Emancipation of Mimi. It's a legendary record that's been credited with reviving her career, producing hit tracks like "We Belong Together" and "It's Like That". To date, it's sold over 10 million copies worldwide, making it one of the best-selling albums of the 21st century. UOB cardholders have first dibs on tickets to The Celebration of Mimi in Singapore. Selected cardholders get to join a UOB premium presale starting on August 12, 10am. A UOB presale follows on August 13 at 10am, before general ticket sales open on August 20 at 10am. You may purchase your tickets on Mariah Carey hardly needs an introduction, being one of the best-selling musical artists of all time (over 200 million records sold worldwide, mind you). She has multiple Grammy awards to her name, with notable hits like "Vision of Love" and "All I Want for Christmas is You" – the latter cementing her title as the Queen of Christmas. She's performed The Celebration of Mimi as part of a Las Vegas residency that started in 2024, comprising four acts that the L as Vegas Review-Journal called "thoughtful and creative with its autobiographical through-line".
