Latest news with #ODOM
Hindustan Times
3 days ago
- Business
- Hindustan Times
NBA legend Lamar Odom was asked to vacate his LA home: Here's why
Lamar Odom, the two-time NBA champion and former Los Angeles Lakers star, has been ordered to vacate a property in Studio City, Los Angeles County, after allegedly failing to pay several months' rent. The NBA legend earned a reported $114 million over his 14-year NBA career and has been sued by Executive Recovery Group, Inc., the home's landlord, for failing to pay $45,000 in back rent. The court ruled in favour of the landlord after Odom reportedly did not respond to the initial lawsuit. On 28 April, a judge officially ordered him to leave the home and hand over possession of the property. ALSO READ| When are Josh Allen, Hailee Steinfeld getting married? Insider spills tea on... Odom allegedly entered into a month-to-month oral rental agreement with the company in December 2023, agreeing to pay $15,000 per month in rent. The lawsuit claims he failed to make payments from 1 January through 31 March. So, Executive Recovery Group took legal action, also seeking reimbursement for legal fees and additional damages based on the 'fair rental value' of $500 per day. Notably, Odom was served a three-day notice to pay or vacate the property on 11 March. The complaint detailed that the notice was physically posted on the home. A copy of the notice was also mailed to him on 12 March after no one 'of suitable age or discretion' was found at the property. Interestingly, the property is tied to Montare Behavioural Health's 'Montare on the Hill,' a residential mental health treatment centre. The lawsuit indicates Odom was supposed to direct rent payments to 'Montage Recovery CA LLC c/o Elliott Liebhard.' Meanwhile, Odom has reportedly remained sober since his near-fatal overdose in 2015 at a Nevada brothel. Recently, he even launched a meme coin called $ODOM: 'the world's first Meme coin with a mission to combat drug abuse.' ALSO READ| NBA YoungBoy to Michael Grimm: Full list of pardons issued by Donald Trump Drafted fourth overall in the 1999 NBA Draft, Odom played for the Clippers, Lakers, Heat, and Mavericks during his storied career, spending most of his time alongside Kobe Bryant in Los Angeles.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Lamar Odom Booed and Heckled at Trump's Crypto Dinner: ‘Shame!'
Lamar Odom was met with boos and shouts of 'shame' as he attended a private dinner for top investors in Donald Trump's memecoin. The former Los Angeles Lakers forward and reality TV star uploaded a video of himself Thursday walking into Trump's Virginia golf resort, where protesters had gathered to speak out against the crypto event, which has sparked outrage and allegations of corruption and ethics violations involving the president. The exclusive black-tie dinner was reserved for the top 220 buyers who poured tens of millions of dollars into the $TRUMP cryptocurrency. As more people purchase $TRUMP, the value of the memecoin spikes, ultimately financially benefiting Trump and his family. Despite the competition ending on May 12, details of the top investors invited to dine with Trump remained a mystery. No official guest list was provided by the White House or those behind the $TRUMP competition, with many crypto investors using an anonymous online pseudonym. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt defended the secrecy surrounding the paid-for-access event on Thursday afternoon by saying it is 'not a White House dinner.' Odom revealed himself to be among the top 220 global investors in $TRUMP by posting the clip of himself arriving at the dinner while simultaneously trying hawk his own memecoin. 'I'm just about to pass through security and officially walk into the Trump Gala. Honestly… I'm fired up,' Odom posted on X, sharing a video of himself being booed by protesters. 'Think about it—what meme coin has ever done this? $ODOM isn't just a token, it's taking the stage at a presidential gala tonight!' Representatives for Odom did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the Daily Beast. As an athlete, Odom is best known for the seven years he spent at the Lakers, where he won two NBA championships. Outside basketball, Odom gained wider recognition for his rocky marriage to Khloe Kardashian, which played out on reality TV, as well as a highly publicized drug addiction. Odom's fall from grace was complete when he was found unconscious and near death in a Nevada brothel in 2015 following a drug overdose. Thursday's crypto dinner event, and the frantic bidding process for invitations, has provoked accusations that Trump is openly profiting while in office. Critics have also accused Trump of offering anyone, including foreign nationals and those with vested interests, direct access to the president if they throw enough money his way. 'This is the crypto corruption club,' Sen. Jeff Merkley shouted while protesting outside the event, according to The New York Times. 'This is like the Mount Everest of corruption.' 'Every time there's a transaction, he gets a transaction fee? It's just unconscionable,' Ken Papaj, a former Treasury Department official who also protested the dinner, told NBC News. 'He's using the presidency to make himself and his family richer. It's just not right for that to be happening in our country.' Chinese-born Crypto billionaire Justin Sun confirmed in a post Tuesday on X that he was the top buyer of $TRUMP after spending about $40 million on the memecoin. Sun, owner of the crypto platform Tron, attended the event with Trump after years of avoiding the U.S., fearing arrest. The Department of Justice began investigating Sun for alleged financial crimes from 2021 to at least 2023, according to The Wall Street Journal. It is unclear whether the DOJ is still pursuing the case, but Sun's long stay in Hong Kong meant he missed his shot at flying on Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin spacecraft in 2021, having originally secured a spot on the ship. The Securities and Exchange Commission has also accused Sun of market manipulation, claiming he directed his employees to buy and sell Tron's TRX cryptocurrency to artificially inflate prices. Rep. Sean Casten urged the DOJ to investigate whether Trump's crypto dinner 'violates federal bribery laws or the Emoluments Clause of the Constitution,' which prohibits federal officials from accepting gifts or payments from foreign governments or individuals. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the Daily Beast. Leavitt also dismissed allegations of wrongdoing by Trump over the event. 'It's absurd for anyone to insinuate that this president is profiting off of the presidency,' Leavitt told reporters Thursday afternoon. 'This president was incredibly successful before giving it all up to serve our country publicly.'
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Crypto Bros Had Some Major Complaints About Trump's Memecoin Dinner
A few investors who spent vast amounts of money to attend President Donald Trump's cryptocurrency dinner were left far from impressed with how the event unfolded. Trump had already faced corruption allegations over the exclusive May 22 dinner, reserved for the top 220 buyers of his $TRUMP memecoin. Attendees at the event, held at Trump's golf resort in Virginia, later expressed disappointment with what was meant to be a lavish occasion featuring the president. 'It was the worst food I've ever had at a Trump golf course,' crypto investor and TikTok personality Nicholas Pinto told Wired. 'The only good thing was bread and butter.' Another unnamed investor told Wired that the meal served at Trump's private members club was 'OK, but not top-class.' Photos obtained by Wired, which have also gone viral online, showed that those who spent an average of over $1 million to attend were served a skimpy piece of halibut, a diminutive filet mignon, and a smattering of vegetables. 'The food sucked,' Pinto added to CNBC. 'We weren't given any drinks other than water or Trump's wine. I don't drink, so I had water. My glass was only filled once.' Pinto, who said he spent an estimated $300,000 on $TRUMP to break into the top 220 investors, also complained that Trump only spent real time with the top-tier buyers of his memecoin, rather than engaging with the full guest list. The 25 biggest $TRUMP investors were granted an 'exclusive reception' and VIP tour of the White House before the dinner, according to the event's website. Pinto claimed Trump spent most of his roughly 23-minute appearance with those major investors before leaving. Trump didn't even stick around to personally award the top four investors, and two others selected via raffle, with gem-encrusted Trump gold watches, Wired reported. 'Trump could have at least given the top people their watches himself,' Pinto told the magazine. 'He didn't.' The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Daily Beast. The dinner has faced accusations of functioning as a pay for access event allowing foreign nationals and other vested interests to have Trump's ear by financially benefiting him. The event has also been condemned for its secret guest list, which was neither disclosed by the White House nor the organizers. Instead, attendee names have surfaced through press interviews. Former Los Angeles Lakers forward and reality TV star Lamar Odom revealed he was among the top 220 $TRUMP investors by posting a video on social media entering the golf resort while also promoting his own $ODOM memecoin. The event was met with lines of protesters, including Sen. Jeff Merkley, who called it the 'Mount Everest of corruption.' White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt defended the secrecy surrounding the event on May 22, telling reporters it was 'not a White House dinner.' Leavitt also called it 'absurd' to suggest the president used it to financially benefit himself while in office.
Business Mayor
26-05-2025
- Business
- Business Mayor
At Trump's $148 million meme coin dinner, 'the food sucked' and security was lax, attendee says
Crypto investor Nicholas Pinto attends President Donald Trump's gala dinner for people who spent the most money on Trump's meme coin, $TRUMP, in a contest, at Trump National Golf Club in Potomac Falls, Virginia, May 22, 2025. Nicholas Pinto The price of President Donald Trump's meme coin plunged 16% as of Friday morning, just hours after he hosted a black-tie gala at his Virginia golf club for its biggest buyers — an elite crowd that spent a combined $148 million on the token for the chance to be there. It was billed as 'the most exclusive invitation in the world.' Among the 220 attendees were crypto influencers, industry executives such as Sandy Carter of Unstoppable Domains, and former NBA star Lamar Odom, who used the occasion to praise Trump as 'the greatest president' and promote his own token, $ODOM. The top 25 wallets were promised a private reception and guided tour. Others, such as 25-year-old Nicholas Pinto — whose dad drove him to the event in his Lamborghini — left underwhelmed and still hungry. 'The food sucked,' Pinto said. 'Wasn't given any drinks other than water or Trump's wine. I don't drink, so I had water. My glass was only filled once.' Trump made only a brief appearance, Pinto said. 'He didn't talk to any of the 220 guests — maybe the top 25,' he said. All in, the president was there for 23 minutes, Pinto said. Trump delivered a brief address rehashing old crypto talking points then left on a helicopter before taking any questions or pictures with his meme coin contest winners, he said. Phones weren't locked in RFID pouches, and security was lax, according to Pinto. 'Once Trump left, they didn't really worry about anything else,' Pinto added. The crowd's opulence was on full display. 'Richard Mille watches weren't even rare,' Pinto said. 'I saw at least 16 people wearing them. I never see that unless I'm at a high-end restaurant in Miami or Dubai.' But the vibe was more muted than expected, he said: 'Lots of people didn't even hold the coin anymore. They were checking their phones during dinner to see if the price moved.' CNBC has reached out to Trump representatives for comment on the dinner and attendees. Protests For lawmakers and regulators, the dinner set off alarm bells. The #1 token holder was Chinese-born crypto mogul Justin Sun, who is currently facing Securities and Exchange Commission fraud charges that were recently paused, with the agency citing 'the public interest.' Sun holds over $22 million in the $TRUMP token and another $75 million in World Liberty Financial's native token. 'As the top holder of $TRUMP and proud supporter of President Trump, it was an honor to attend the Trump Gala Dinner,' Sun posted on Friday. 'Thank you @POTUS for your unwavering support of our industry!' Outside the gates of Trump National Golf Club in Potomac Falls, Virginia, about a hundred protesters gathered, according to NBC News. Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., joined them, backing a new End Crypto Corruption Act with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. Signs read 'Crypto Corruption' and 'Trump is a traitor.' Crypto on Capitol Hill 'The Trump family activity in the memecoin space makes my work in Congress more complicated,' Rep. French Hill, R-Ark., told CNBC on Friday. Hill, who's leading negotiations on a bipartisan stablecoin regulation bill known as the GENIUS Act, called the gala 'a distraction from the good work we need to do.' Now, the GENIUS Act is at risk. Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., recently added a controversial rider to the bill that would cap credit card late fees — what's seen as a poison pill that could alienate banking allies and stall final approval. President Donald Trump speaks at a dinner for meme coin contest winners at Trump National Golf Club in Potomac Falls, Virginia, May 22, 2025. Nicholas Pinto On Thursday night as the meme coin contest dinner was underway, a bloc of Senate Democrats announced they'd be pushing for a new provision that would ban presidents and senior officials from profiting off crypto ventures while in office — a direct challenge to the Trump-linked stablecoin USD1 that launched in the spring. In Washington, there's growing concern that political infighting over Trump's crypto ventures could derail the stablecoin bill altogether. That poses an even bigger risk. According to The Wall Street Journal, major banks including JPMorgan , Bank of America and Citi are in early talks to issue a unified digital dollar to compete with Tether, the foreign-controlled stablecoin that now commands over 60% of global market share. Those plans hinge on legal clarity. If the GENIUS Act stalls, the U.S. could lose its window to regain ground in the global race for digital payments. The White House has tried to draw a line between Trump the president and Trump the private businessman. 'The president is attending it in his personal time. It is not a White House dinner,' press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters when pressed on attendee transparency. The administration declined to release a guest list. But blockchain data — and a patchwork of guest photos — tell part of the story. A Bloomberg News analysis found that all but six of the top 25 wallets used foreign exchanges, ostensibly off-limits to U.S. users. More than half of the top 220 wallets were linked to similar offshore platforms. One Nasdaq-listed penny stock, Freight Technologies , disclosed in an SEC filing that it spent $2 million on Trump's token to push U.S.-Mexico trade policy. It didn't make the cut for the dinner — finishing 250th. Since its January debut, the $TRUMP coin has generated more than $324 million in trading fees. Roughly 80% of the $TRUMP token supply is controlled by the Trump Organization and affiliates, according to the project's website. WLFI, the Trump's parallel token, has sold $550 million in two token sales. Still, White House AI and crypto czar David Sacks remained bullish on 'significant bipartisan support' for stablecoin legislation. 'We already have over $200 billion in stablecoins — it's just unregulated,' Sacks told CNBC's 'Closing Bell Overtime' on Wednesday. 'If we provide the legal clarity and legal framework for this, I think we could create trillions of dollars of demand for our Treasurys practically overnight, very quickly.' 'We have every expectation now that it's going to pass,' added Sacks, though he didn't answer a question about concerns from Democrats that there aren't sufficient safeguards in place to keep the president and his family from profiting from legislation. While Sacks sold $200 million in crypto-related holdings before taking his White House job, according to a disclosure filing, Trump and his family have been leaning into building a crypto empire. The Trumps are financial backers of World Liberty Financial, which is behind the USD1 stablecoin that is backed by Treasurys and dollar deposits. Abu Dhabi's MGX investment fund recently pledged $2 billion in USD1 to Binance, the world's largest digital assets exchange. It's the company's largest-ever investment made in crypto.
Time of India
25-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Donald Trump hosts dinner billed as 'the most exclusive invitation in the world' for ...
US President hosted a black-tie gala at his Virginia golf club for the largest buyers of his meme coin cryptocurrency . This event, which was billed as 'the most exclusive invitation in the world,' included nearly 220 attendees who collectively spent $148 million on the crypto token for the opportunity to attend. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Among those present were crypto influencers , industry executives like Sandy Carter of Unstoppable Domains, and former NBA star . Odom also used the occasion to commend Trump and promote his own token, $ODOM. However, just hours after the dinner, the price of Trump's meme coin significantly dropped by 16% the next morning. Social media influencer complains about food and more at Trump's event While the top 25 wallets were promised a private reception and a guided tour, some attendees, such as 25-year-old Nicholas Pinto, reportedly left the event feeling disappointed and still hungry, particularly concerning the meal provided. In a statement to CNBC, Pinto said: 'The food sucked. Wasn't given any drinks other than water or Trump's wine. I don't drink, so I had water. My glass was only filled once.' 'He didn't talk to any of the 220 guests — maybe the top 25,' he said while complaining about Trump's brief 23-minute appearance. At the event, Trump delivered a short speech, which was a rehashed version of his old crypto talking points, then left on a helicopter without taking any questions or pictures with his meme coin contest winners, he noted. Phones 'weren't locked in RFID pouches,' and 'security was lax,' Pinto said to CNBC. 'Once Trump left, they didn't really worry about anything else,' he added. 'Richard Mille watches weren't even rare. I saw at least 16 people wearing them. I never see that unless I'm at a high-end restaurant in Miami or Dubai. Lots of people didn't even hold the coin anymore. They were checking their phones during dinner to see if the price moved,' Pinto said to CNBC describing the crowd. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Moreover, the social media influencer reportedly sent a text to Fortune during the banquet saying that the food was 'Trash.' Pinto, who reportedly accumulated over $360,000 in Trump's cryptocurrency, desribed it as an 'unforgettable Gala DINNER' and said that the meal as 'Walmart steak, man.' The menu for the evening included a 'Trump organic field green salad' and an 'entrée duet' of filet mignon and pan-seared halibut, Pinto said to Fortune. After the meal, Pinto reportedly sent another text to Fortune saying: 'Everyone at my table was saying the food was some of the worst food that they ever had.'
