Latest news with #Torres
Indian Express
an hour ago
- Business
- Indian Express
Rs 177 Cr Torres Fraud: ‘Whistleblower' for EOW is a key accused for ED
The investigations of the two probe agencies in the Torres Ponzi scheme case, in which over 15,000 people were defrauded to the tune of Rs 177 crore, do not seem to be on the same page as far as the role of the alleged 'whistleblower' of the case CA Abhishek Gupta is concerned. The Enforcement Directorate (ED), which has recently filed a chargesheet against 13 individuals and entities in the case, has claimed that during their money laundering investigation, they discovered CA Abhishek Gupta is one of the key accused in the case. ED had initiated an investigation under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act based on the predicate offence lodged by the APMC police station of Navi Mumbai police, which has also named Gupta as an accused in their FIR. According to the anti-money laundering agency, Gupta has been the statutory auditor of M/s Platinum Hern Pvt Ltd (the company that ran Torres Ponzi schemes) since its incorporation. Gupta failed to report financial irregularities in a timely and proactive manner despite claiming to have disclosed them in his audit reports. CA Gupta has claimed to be the whistleblower of the case. Gupta, after internally flagging the financial irregularities with the Torres's top management, had sent the details via emails to various law enforcement agencies (including Mumbai Police-EOW) highlighting the criminal financial irregularities. However, the ED is not buying this claim. According to the central agency, Gupta's delayed (email) complaint on January 2, 2025, long after becoming aware of the misconduct, undermines his claim of acting as a whistleblower, the agency sources said. Sources further added that the ED stated in the chargesheet that there is no evidence of any earlier effort to report or escalate the issues to authorities. His inaction during the crucial period suggests a lapse in professional responsibility and indicates complicity in the company's continued illegal operations. These all prove that he knowingly assisted the company in the activities of money laundering. The Torres Ponzi scheme key operatives had fled the country before the fraud surfaced fully. And for the initial few weeks, they kept investors misguided by claiming that by sending messages to the investors from undisclosed locations, Gupta and CEO Tausif Reyaz were the brains behind the scam. However, Gupta regularly presented himself before the police and assisted them in the probe. He even approached the Bombay High Court as a 'whistleblower' seeking protection from any coercive action. The High Court had considered his plea. The EOW officials too considered him the whistleblower in the case and refrained from filing charges against him in their chargesheet. In fact, the EOW made him one of the key witnesses of the case. It is pertinent to note that allegations were also levelled against the police department for not promptly acting on the complaints from various individuals against Torres before all masterminds escaped the country. Geeta Gupta, one of the victim investors and member of the core group legally fighting the case on behalf of investors, said, 'We too suspect Gupta for his involvement in the fraud.' However, advocate Vivek Tiwari representing Gupta, said, 'My client reported financial irregularities in his audit reports dated 26/12/2024 and informed the relevant authorities, including the customs department and the opposition leader in December 2024 to protect the public interest. Despite receiving no positive response, my client continued to contact investigation agencies starting from 30/12/2024. My client is a key witness in the Mumbai EOW and in the ED chargesheet, the accusations against my client are mischaracterized, indicating a lack of coordination between investigation agencies. My client has consistently cooperated with the ED, and all allegations against him are false and baseless.' Ukrainians invested Rs 4.35 crore to commit Rs 177 crore fraud According to the sources, the ED, in its money laundering investigation, has found that the Ukrainian masterminds invested nearly Rs 4.35 crore as capital and, using it, carried out mass fraud worth Rs 177 crore. The agency's probe has revealed that the cash was received from Oleksandr Zapichenko, alias Alex, one of the two Ukrainian masterminds, and then entry operator Lalan Jamedar Singh used various entities for providing accommodation entries. Through two entities, Singh allegedly made bogus investments worth Rs 45 lakh and Rs 3.9 crore in Platinum Hern Pvt Ltd.
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
Rep. Ritchie Torres demands investigation of socialist-leaning Park Slope Food Co-op over alleged anti-Israel hate
The Park Slope Food Co-op is cooking up anti-Israel hate — and must be investigated by the city and state, a Bronx congressman urged this week. Rep. Ritchie Torres fired off letters Friday to NYC Mayor Eric Adams, Gov. Kathy Hochul and other city and state honchos demanding the state Division of Human Rights and NYC Commission on Human Rights probe allegations of 'an insidious pattern of harassment, intimidation, and discrimination' against Jews — or anyone who is pro-Israel at the crunchy Brooklyn co-op. 'Anti-discrimination laws must be rigorously and impartially enforced — without exception,' the Bronx Democrat wrote Friday. The socialist-leaning Union Street institution has long been locked in a holy war over Middle East politics, highlighted by members in 2012 voting down joining an international boycott of Israel products during a contentious meeting that became ripe for mockery by Comedy Central's 'The Daily Show With Jon Stewart.' But in the wake of Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023 terror attacks on Israel and the ensuing war in Gaza, members who support the anti-Israel Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions movement have seized control of the co-op's governance, according to Torres and members sympathetic to Israel. 'The cumulative effect is the creation of a hostile environment for Jews, particularly those who affirm a connection to the Jewish homeland,' wrote Torres, who is mulling a run for governor. Zara Watkins, a co-op member who opposes the BDS movement, said she was menaced and cursed at last Halloween for wearing a costume paying tribute to the Israeli-made product Sabra hummus. One man 'seething with rage' repeatedly circled her while 'muttering' under his breath, and another dropped an F-bomb and gave her the finger over her costume, she recalled. 'It really shook me up,' said the lawyer, adding her complaints to the co-op's 'dispute resolution committee' were blown off. Jewish co-op member Ramon Maislen said he tried to thwart efforts by a pro-boycott campaign, known as the Park Slope Food Co-op Members for Palestine, to take over the PSFC's leadership last year by running for a seat on the co-op's board of directors. Maislen, 43, said he not only lost to the pro-BDS faction, but was verbally abused by Israel-hating members on many occasions despite trying to broker a peaceful solution. He and other members said they fear it's only a matter of time before the new leadership institutes a boycott on Israel products, without having members vote on it. 'We feel let down by the co-op's leadership, which has done nothing to fester out the hatred that has been simmering,' said Maislen, who heads a political action committee called 'Brooklyn BridgeBuilders' that has raised more than $56,000 to help defeat anti-Israel Park Slope Councilwoman Shahana Hanif in the June 24 Democratic primary. The real estate developer filed his own complaint with the state Human Rights Division in October over alleged harassment against members opposing the campaign to boycott Israeli products. The harassment allegedly included pro-BDS members spewing Nazi slogans at Jews and sneering they 'smell of Palestinian blood.' The complaint is still pending. Reps for Park Slope Food Co-op Members for Palestine could not be reached for comment, but they wrote in an open letter that they back a boycott on Israel-made products to ensure the co-op is 'not supporting an apartheid government and unfolding genocide.' Joe Holtz, co-founder of the food co-op, said the PSFC 'is against discrimination of any kind' and declined further comment. The co-op, founded in 1973, requires its 16,000-plus members to work 2.75-hour shifts every six weeks, in exchange for the privilege of purchasing heavily discounted groceries and voting on store policies. The city intends to review 'the troubling events at the co-op' and will respond to Torres 'with more information,' said mayoral spokeswoman Sophia Askari. 'Mayor Adams has been clear that far too often we see antisemitic propaganda masquerading as activism, and it has led to an unacceptable rise in antisemitism throughout our city and country,' said Askari. 'This is on full display in incidents at the Park Slope Food Co-op — where Jewish people are being harassed simply for being Jewish.' Hochul spokesperson Matthew Janiszewski said the governor has a long history of taking 'aggressive action to fight antisemitism in New York,' but he added the office cannot comment on pending investigations before the Division of Human Rights.
New York Post
8 hours ago
- Politics
- New York Post
Rep. Ritchie Torres demands probe of Park Slope Food Co-op
The Park Slope Food Co-op is cooking up anti-Israel hate — and must be investigated by the city and state, a Bronx congressman urged this week. Rep. Ritchie Torres fired off letters Friday to NYC Mayor Eric Adams, Gov. Kathy Hochul and other city and state honchos demanding the state Division of Human Rights and NYC Commission on Human Rights probe allegations of 'an insidious pattern of harassment, intimidation, and discrimination' against Jews — or anyone who is pro-Israel at the crunchy Brooklyn co-op. 'Anti-discrimination laws must be rigorously and impartially enforced — without exception,' the Bronx Democrat wrote Friday. Advertisement 3 Rep. Ritchie Torres called on both the city and the state to probe the well-known Park Slope Food Co-Op for discrimination. Matthew McDermott The socialist-leaning Union Street institution has long been locked in a holy war over Middle East politics, highlighted by members in 2012 voting down joining an international boycott of Israel products during a contentious meeting that became ripe for mockery by Comedy Central's 'The Daily Show With Jon Stewart.' But in the wake of Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023 terror attacks on Israel and the ensuing war in Gaza, members who support the anti-Israel Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions movement have seized control of the co-op's governance, according to Torres and members sympathetic to Israel. Advertisement 'The cumulative effect is the creation of a hostile environment for Jews, particularly those who affirm a connection to the Jewish homeland,' wrote Torres, who is mulling a run a run for governor. Zara Watkins, a co-op member who opposes the BDS movement, said she was menaced and cursed at last Halloween for wearing a costume paying tribute to the Israeli-made product Sabra hummus. One man 'seething with rage' repeatedly circled her while 'muttering' under his breath, and another dropped an F-bomb and gave her the finger over her costume, she recalled. 3 Zara Watkins, a co-op member, paid tribute to Israel with a Sabra Hummus costume – but faced backlash from other members. Obtained by the NY Post Advertisement 'It really shook me up,' said the lawyer, adding her complaints to the co-op's 'dispute resolution committee' were blown off. Jewish co-op member Ramon Maislen said he tried to thwart efforts by a pro-boycott campaign, known as the Park Slope Food Co-op Members for Palestine, to take over the PSFC's leadership last year by running for a seat on the co-op's board of directors. Maislen, 43, said he not only lost to the pro-BDS faction, but was verbally abused by Israel-hating members on many occasions despite trying to broker a peaceful solution. He and other members said they fear it's only a matter of time before the new leadership institutes a boycott on Israel products, without having members vote on it. Advertisement 'We feel let down by the co-op's leadership, which has done nothing to fester out the hatred that has been simmering,' said Maislen, who heads a political action committee called 'Brooklyn BridgeBuilders' that has raised more than $56,000 to help defeat anti-Israel Park Slope Councilwoman Shahana Hanif in the June 24 Democratic primary. 3 The Park Slope Food Co-op has more than 16,000 members. J.C. Rice The real estate developer filed his own complaint with the state Human Rights Division in October over alleged harassment against members opposing the campaign to boycott Israeli products. The harassment allegedly included pro-BDS members spewing Nazi slogans at Jews and sneering they 'smell of Palestinian blood.' The complaint is still pending. Reps for Park Slope Food Co-op Members for Palestine could not be reached for comment, but they wrote in an open letter that they back a boycott on Israel-made products to ensure the co-op is 'not supporting an apartheid government and unfolding genocide.' Joe Holtz, co-founder of the food co-op, said the PSFC 'is against discrimination of any kind' and declined further comment. Advertisement The co-op, founded in 1973, requires its 16,000-plus members to work 2.75-hour shifts every six weeks, in exchange for the privilege of purchasing heavily discounted groceries and voting on store policies. The city intends to review 'the troubling events at the co-op' and will respond to Torres 'with more information,' said mayoral spokeswoman Sophia Askari. 'Mayor Adams has been clear that far too often we see antisemitic propaganda masquerading as activism, and it has led to an unacceptable rise in antisemitism throughout our city and country,' said Askari. 'This is on full display in incidents at the Park Slope Food Co-op — where Jewish people are being harassed simply for being Jewish.' Hochul spokesperson Matthew Janiszewski said the governor has a long history of taking 'aggressive action to fight antisemitism in New York,' but he added the office cannot comment on pending investigations before the Division of Human Rights.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Cuban man tries to strangle himself following arrest in Miami immigration court
Jesus Rodriguez Delgado holds his granddaughter. He tried strangled himself after federal agents placed him in handcuffs at the immigration court in Miami on April 30, 2025. (Photo courtesy of Elisavel Torres) This story discusses suicide. If you or someone you know may be experiencing a mental health crisis, contact the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by calling or texting '988' or chatting online at A 64-year-old man from Cuba started strangling himself and saying he was going to kill himself after federal agents arrested him at the Miami immigration court on Friday morning. Jesus Rodriguez Delgado, 64, started yelling in Spanish that he would kill himself rather than be sent back to Cuba, said Karla De Anda, a community advocate who called for help as U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents struggled to remove Rodriguez Delgado's handcuffed hands from his neck. 'It was the most horrible thing I've seen in my life,' De Anda said in Spanish. 'Hopefully, they'll help him because he can't go back to Cuba.' The man's reaction wasn't surprising to his partner, Elisavel Torres, who told Florida Phoenix from inside the courthouse that Rodriguez Delgado had been a political prisoner in Cuba for 28 years and had lived in Mexico for six years before coming to the U.S. De Anda added that Rodriguez Delgado had said he had been imprisoned and would be killed if deported to Cuba. Torres wept as she said that she couldn't understand why the judge agreed to dismiss Rodriguez Delgado's deportation case — exposing him to expedited removal. An application for permanent residency that Rodriguez Delgado submitted in January states he entered the country under humanitarian parole in 2021. Torres said Rodriguez Delgado received a work permit in April. 'He had told me he wouldn't go back to Cuba, that he would die first, and it will be that way,' Torres told the Phoenix in Spanish. ICE and Homeland Security Investigations officials arrested at least seven people during the four hours that the Phoenix reporter observed activity inside the courthouse. Reports emerged last week of arrests in immigration courts across the country after judges dismissed cases at the request of the Department of Homeland Security. Still, Rodriguez Delgado's attempt to strangle himself was the strongest reaction advocates witnessed on Friday. Others arrested cried and some remained quiet and looked at the ground. 'You show up and get deported anyway': Migrants with court hearings face an impossible choice The agents told Torres that they would make sure Rodriguez Delgado was OK and would give him a list of pro bono attorneys, but couldn't at the time of his arrest say where he would go. Torres, a U.S. citizen, said the couple knew about the arrests but still decided to come to the hearing from Naples rather than requesting an online hearing. 'We had faith in God that we were doing everything right, so we said we would come in person,' Torres said. 'What a huge mistake.' Her tears intensified as she told Rodriguez Delgado's daughter about her father's arrest over the phone. 'I was born in this country, and I am ashamed to say I'm American,' Torres said, adding that there were no words to describe how she felt when federal agents placed her partner in handcuffs. Immigration attorney Cindy Blandon told the Phoenix that she's noticed those who end up arrested for expedited removal lack lawyers. Few people in the court on Friday morning had attorneys, with some citing money as a barrier to obtaining legal representation. Having an ongoing asylum or permanent residency case doesn't exempt people from expedited deportations, Blandon said. 'Being placed under an expedited removal process doesn't mean your case is closed,' she said. 'People have a right to due process. The problem is that if you don't have legal representation and you don't know how to navigate the situation, you will likely end up deported.' The mood on various floors of the courthouse grew more tense as people awaiting hearings heard about or saw the arrests. But Blandon, De Anda, and Maria Asuncion Bilbao, with the American Friends Service Committee, noted that the arrests in the court appeared much calmer compared to the mass raids, such as the one that took place in Tallahassee on Thursday. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘The Thursday Murder Club' trailer slays, the cast of ‘Hamilton' reunites, and more of today's top stories
Gold Derby's top news stories for May 29, 2025. Helen Mirren, Ben Kingsley, Pierce Brosnan, and Celia Imrie are ready to start sleuthing in the first trailer for The Thursday Murder Club, director Chris Columbus' adaptation of the hit novel by Richard Osman. The film, like the bestselling book series, follows four retirees who take an interest in investigating cold cases, only to find themselves with a much warmer mystery on their hands. More from GoldDerby How 'The Penguin' transformed real NYC locations into Gotham's criminal underworld (see the exclusive concept art) Janelle James on Ava's challenging year on 'Abbot Elementary': 'They kind of threw everything at me this season' 'Death Becomes Her' costume designer Paul Tazewell on creating show's spectacular outfits: 'Theater-making is about the impossible' (exclusive images) Lin-Manuel Miranda and company are not throwing away their shot to celebrate the 10th anniversary of their blockbuster musical. The cast will take the stage at the 70th Tony Awards on June 8 to mark the occasion. Joining Miranda will be Leslie Odom Jr., Daveed Diggs, Phillipa Soo, Renée Elise Goldsberry, Jonathan Groff, Christopher Jackson, and Oscar winner Ariana DeBose, among others. Hamilton is still the record-holder for most-ever nominations (16 in all). It went on to win 11 awards including Best Musical. Weatherman and Today cohost Al Roker is set to be feted with a Lifetime Achievement award at the upcoming News & Documentary Emmys. He will be honored alongside documentarian Jon Else at the end of June. "This is such an incredible honor," Roker said. "I am so thankful to be the recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Emmy and thank everyone that I've worked with who held me up and helped me achieve this great honor." A new horror movie starring SNL's Pete Davidson is putting an even darker spin on retirement homes. Take a look at the first trailer before the movie hits theaters on July 25. Prime Video has released the first images for the prequel series to the action hit The Terminal List: Dark Wolf. The show, which premieres Aug. 27, stars Friday Night Lights' Taylor Kitsch as Ben Edwards "throughout his journey from the Navy SEALs to the clandestine side of CIA Special Operations." Chris Pratt, who leads the mainline Terminal List series, will reprise his character of James Reece in the prequel. Dark Wolf also stars Tom Hopper, Robert Wisdom, Luke Hemsworth, Dar Salim, Ron-Lee Shimon, Shiraz Tzarfati, and Jared Shaw. Prime Video The Academy Award nominee is set to appear in Os Corretores, a Brazilian production for which she penned the screenplay. The film is described as a "real estate tragic comedy." Torres will star as the female lead, one half of a real estate agent couple. The male lead has yet to be cast. The news comes off the massive success of I'm Still Here, which earned Torres her Best Actress nomination and the first Best International Film Oscar for the country of Brazil. The Arkansas fest is bringing back Geena & Friends, set to take place June 20 at the Thaden Theater and will feature the two-time Oscar winner alongside a group of talented female actors creating memorable all-male scenes from film history. Joining Davis on stage will be Shohreh Aghdashloo (The Penguin), Toks Olagundoye (Frasier), Alysia Reiner (The Diplomat) and Brenda Song (Running Point). The group will then take part in a Q&A moderated by Gold Derby editor-in-chief Debra Birnbaum. Best of GoldDerby 'Étoile' creators on writing a show for 'genius' Luke Kirby How 'The Handmaid's Tale' series finale sets up 'The Testaments' TV Visual Effects supervisor roundtable: 'Black Mirror,' 'The Boys,' 'The Wheel of Time' Click here to read the full article.
