Latest news with #Nassif
Newsweek
18-07-2025
- Business
- Newsweek
Woman Bombarded With Mystery Walmart Packages of BBQ Sauce—'Crazy'
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. Nicole Nassif, a Chicago resident, has been receiving packages of Sweet Baby Ray's sauce since early 2025, a local outlet reported. At first, she thought nothing of it, as she is a restaurant owner and believed the sauce to be a promotional gift. However, the sauce just kept coming, according to an ABC7 Chicago report. She told ABC7: "It was crazy. I mean, honestly, it was nuts. I was like, what in the hay is going on?" Nassif discovered the sauce was being sent to her house because it was listed as a return address for a page on Walmart Marketplace, Walmart's equivalent to Amazon. Meaning, people thought they were returning sauce to the site they bought it from, but were actually sending it to Nassif, according to ABC7. Walmart told Newsweek that it "takes the integrity of its Marketplace seriously." Newsweek has reached Nassif for comment via LinkedIn. Box with logo for Walmart online ordering and delivery, San Ramon, California, May 12, 2020. This box is not connected to the sauce being delivered to Nicole Nassif. Box with logo for Walmart online ordering and delivery, San Ramon, California, May 12, 2020. This box is not connected to the sauce being delivered to Nicole Nassif. Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images Why It Matters Data policy analyst Eli Clemens told ABC7 that this situation can happen to anyone with a publicly listed address, as some overseas vendors selling on U.S. marketplaces will list random American addresses scraped from the internet for their domestic returns, likely in order to avoid paying for pre-paid international return labels. What To Know Nassif, who runs Imee's Mediterranean Kitchen in Chicago, told ABC7 that she started getting boxes that specifically contained two bottles of sauce addressed to her restaurant, at her home address. When the boxes of sauce, as well as a few of toilet cleaner, showed no sign of stopping, she called the numbers associated with the addresses on the parcels. She then reached a woman named Debbie. This is how she found out that her home was listed as a return address for a Walmart Marketplace seller. The sauce was "crazy" enough, but she grew more concerned when she got a letter from a sweets and cough-drop manufacturer alleging she was stealing its intellectual property because it believed she was selling its product via the Walmart Marketplace account linked to her address. Nassif told ABC7 she spent at least 60 hours trying to contact Walmart about the sauce, and she added that the account containing her address was not taken down by Walmart from the site for over five weeks. Contacted by Newsweek, a Walmart spokesperson provided the following statement: "Walmart takes the integrity of its Marketplace seriously, using multiple layers of verification and continuous monitoring to help ensure that only legitimate, trustworthy sellers are allowed on the platform. We have zero tolerance for inaccuracies and take swift action to remove noncompliant listings." She is not the only person who has ended up an accidental victim of online marketplace address scams. A woman in San Jose, California, found her home bombarded with Amazon packages on her doorstep after her address was listed as the return site for an overseas car seat cover seller, as reported by ABC7 and The New York Times. Karen Holton told The New York Times that she had to store the parcels in her carport, but that prevented her from being able to park there. She said she was hoping someone would steal a few of them, but "even thieves didn't want it." Amazon eventually sent a large truck to come pick up the parcels from her house. What People Are Saying Amazon spokeswoman, Sharyn Ghacham, said in the statement, as reported by The New York Times: "We'd like to thank ABC 7 On Your Side for bringing this to our attention. We've apologized to the customer and are coordinating with the seller responsible toward a permanent resolution." Eli Clemens, a policy analyst at the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation, a think tank based in Washington, D.C, told ABC7: "Unfortunately, I think U.S. consumers are just going to be the victims in this, and there's not a lot of options for recourse. Online marketplaces will respond to this media attention, I think that can amplify that. And that's definitely what's happening in this case." What Happens Next Clemens has suggested paying for data removal services to prevent this from happening, but warned that it is very difficult to completely ensure this will never happen.
Sydney Morning Herald
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Sydney Morning Herald
$2 billion and counting: More headaches looming for fugitive developer Jean Nassif
Before the ICAC launched the investigation in early 2023, Nassif had been at the centre of a parliamentary inquiry linking him to alleged NSW Liberal Party branch stacking and impropriety at The Hills Shire Council. 'When branch-stacking activities are linked to collusion with developers, they are not merely a distortion of democratic processes, they could amount to serious corruption,' the parliamentary report found. Some of those who avoided giving evidence at the parliamentary inquiry have since had their premises raided by ICAC, including the Melbourne home of Charles Perrottet, a former Liberal staffer and the brother of the former premier Dominic Perrottet. The latter is not accused of any wrongdoing. Established in 2009, Toplace undertook large-scale residential and mixed-use developments. However, the buildings were riddled with defects and, in July 2023, the NSW Building Commissioner cancelled its licence. Administrators, who were appointed the same month, soon found they were dealing with what they said were myriad 'interrelated company loans, creditors, and payments from Bankstown to Beirut'. Creditors were informed this week that Nassif's personal debt surges almost $2000 daily, with the amount he 'borrowed' from Toplace in suspect loans now exceeding $11 million. The Toplace group is also facing claims of $152 million for defective building work. The only good news for creditors is that the liquidators are looking at recovering about $58 million in potential legal action against contractors, insurers and other providers. Two years before the warrant for his arrest was issued, Nassif was investigated by Strike Force Calool, established in April 2021 to examine financial irregularities and possible money laundering in his property empire. In 2019, Nassif pleaded guilty to cocaine charges after the high-roller was caught with the prohibited drug on his way into Sydney's Star casino. He was given an 18-month conditional release order and no conviction was recorded due to his good character. The Herald has previously revealed that in 2021 Nassif allegedly supplied 10 kilograms of the drug ice and encrypted Ciphr phones to drug mules who were later arrested in Perth, according to court documents. As Nassif remains in Lebanon, the case against daughter Ashlyn continues. She will next appear in court on July 16. Also facing legal action is Nassif's ex-wife, Nissy, whose former lawyers are suing over unpaid fees. In 2019, a video went viral when Nassif filmed himself presenting Nissy, his second wife, with a Valentine's Day gift of a canary yellow Lamborghini worth almost half a million dollars. Nassif famously said, 'Congratulations, Mrs Nassif. You like?' In May 2022, he was charged with assaulting her. The police statement of facts alleged she was 'scared for her life' and that Nassif had slapped her face and dragged her around their house. However, the matter was dismissed when she failed to attend, court claiming she was in Lebanon.
The Age
23-05-2025
- Politics
- The Age
$2 billion and counting: More headaches looming for fugitive developer Jean Nassif
Before the ICAC launched the investigation in early 2023, Nassif had been at the centre of a parliamentary inquiry linking him to alleged NSW Liberal Party branch stacking and impropriety at The Hills Shire Council. 'When branch-stacking activities are linked to collusion with developers, they are not merely a distortion of democratic processes, they could amount to serious corruption,' the parliamentary report found. Some of those who avoided giving evidence at the parliamentary inquiry have since had their premises raided by ICAC, including the Melbourne home of Charles Perrottet, a former Liberal staffer and the brother of the former premier Dominic Perrottet. The latter is not accused of any wrongdoing. Established in 2009, Toplace undertook large-scale residential and mixed-use developments. However, the buildings were riddled with defects and, in July 2023, the NSW Building Commissioner cancelled its licence. Administrators, who were appointed the same month, soon found they were dealing with what they said were myriad 'interrelated company loans, creditors, and payments from Bankstown to Beirut'. Creditors were informed this week that Nassif's personal debt surges almost $2000 daily, with the amount he 'borrowed' from Toplace in suspect loans now exceeding $11 million. The Toplace group is also facing claims of $152 million for defective building work. The only good news for creditors is that the liquidators are looking at recovering about $58 million in potential legal action against contractors, insurers and other providers. Two years before the warrant for his arrest was issued, Nassif was investigated by Strike Force Calool, established in April 2021 to examine financial irregularities and possible money laundering in his property empire. In 2019, Nassif pleaded guilty to cocaine charges after the high-roller was caught with the prohibited drug on his way into Sydney's Star casino. He was given an 18-month conditional release order and no conviction was recorded due to his good character. The Herald has previously revealed that in 2021 Nassif allegedly supplied 10 kilograms of the drug ice and encrypted Ciphr phones to drug mules who were later arrested in Perth, according to court documents. As Nassif remains in Lebanon, the case against daughter Ashlyn continues. She will next appear in court on July 16. Also facing legal action is Nassif's ex-wife, Nissy, whose former lawyers are suing over unpaid fees. In 2019, a video went viral when Nassif filmed himself presenting Nissy, his second wife, with a Valentine's Day gift of a canary yellow Lamborghini worth almost half a million dollars. Nassif famously said, 'Congratulations, Mrs Nassif. You like?' In May 2022, he was charged with assaulting her. The police statement of facts alleged she was 'scared for her life' and that Nassif had slapped her face and dragged her around their house. However, the matter was dismissed when she failed to attend, court claiming she was in Lebanon.
L'Orient-Le Jour
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- L'Orient-Le Jour
Lebanese sets a Guinness World Record in tricep dips
Marc Nassif, a third-year student of physical education and sports at Notre Dame University-Louaize (NDU), set a Guinness world record for the heaviest triceps dips. The principle of dips involves lifting oneself on parallel bars using only arm strength and bending the elbows. It is an exercise mainly targeting the triceps muscle of the arm, while also involving the pectorals and the shoulders. At just 20 years old, the young man from Achrafieh already made a name for himself with his exploits: in spring 2023, he won the first national street lifting competition. And he repeated it in June 2024. He also holds an unofficial world record in pull-ups in the 106 kg category and an unofficial world record in muscle-ups in the 40.5 kg category. Having fallen in love with calisthenics, an ancient training method that was brought back to the forefront in recent years, blending gymnastics and bodyweight training, he decided to devote himself entirely to his new passion. Gradually, he sensed the possibility of setting a record by representing Lebanon internationally. To achieve this, he adopted an inflexible lifestyle: he adheres to a rigorous discipline and trains tirelessly, five days a week, three to four hours a day, for several months, constantly pushing his limits. Devoted, he also follows a strict diet and a rigorous, even unconventional, lifestyle, often giving up late-night outings with friends to stay in top shape. He manages everything with precision: food, sleep, leisure. 'It's a very demanding sport that requires significant physical preparation. I devote all my time to it,' he said, adding, 'My daily schedule starts at 8 a.m. and ends at 10 p.m. It is divided between my studies, my training, and my work as a personal trainer. Eat. Sleep. Train. Repeat. That's how my day goes.' This success, made popular through social media — particularly his Instagram account, which has turned him into an influencer followed by some 37,000 people for his impressive physique — relies on 'behind-the-scenes work' full of constraints and sacrifices that many ignore. To sculpt his body, Nassif, originally very thin, tried everything in the fitness world before turning to calisthenics. At first, he trained alone for a year, searching for his path, but, in recent years, several people have helped him, like trainers Gabriel Harika and Paul al-Karaani. The transition from self-taught practice to structured training allowed him not only to progress but also to overcome obstacles and occasional failures to achieve his goals. As a result, sacrifices, consistency, tenacity, self-transcendence, and hard work have paid off. His unwavering commitment over the past five years has materialized in the best way possible. Furthermore, his success has fueled his ambition to set new records in the future. His next goal? To break the Guinness World Record in the pull-up or traction category while pursuing his projects, namely working as a personal trainer and model, before launching his own fitness company. To inspire others, the young athlete emphasizes two key principles: perseverance and sacrifice. 'I worked hard and made significant sacrifices to get here, but it's worth it because I'm doing what I love,' he stated.
