Latest news with #WGA
Sydney Morning Herald
4 days ago
- Business
- Sydney Morning Herald
The conman, the jet and the Australian developer who helped bring him down
Ahsan Ali Syed had all the trappings of wealth: a private jet, a luxury Swiss apartment overlooking Lake Lucerne, an opulent office in Bahrain and a top-tier Spanish football team, Racing Santander. But after a decade on the run, the jet-setting fraudster is behind bars in Switzerland, largely due to the efforts of Sydney property developer Keith Johnson and New Zealander Mark Van Leewarden, a former undercover cop turned barrister who specialises in international fraud investigations. From September 2010 to May 2011, Syed scammed close to $50 million from Australian and New Zealand businesspeople who had trouble getting finance in the wake of the 2007-2008 Global Financial Crisis. 'He used an opulent office in Bahrain to lure the victims,' said Van Leewarden, who has spent years in pursuit of Syed. From all accounts, Syed looked the part sitting at his polished desk, wearing a silk cravat, bejewelled fingers and surrounded by busts of horse heads. His company, Western Gulf Advisory (WGA), boasted that 'Mr Ali is a trusted adviser of royal individuals and families, high-profile luminaries and people of public importance'. He also claimed to have a family fortune of $8 billion to invest. The truth was far different. Syed was wanted in India over an immigration racket and, having moved to London, he fled from there in 2005 owing £7800 ($12,520) in rent, along with a string of unpaid bills. Three years later he set up WGA and began his scam, offering loans of up to $US200 million. However, borrowers had to stump up an establishment fee worth 1.6 per cent of the loan. The promised loans to his 23 victims never eventuated.
The Age
4 days ago
- Business
- The Age
The conman, the jet and the Australian developer who helped bring him down
Ahsan Ali Syed had all the trappings of wealth: a private jet, a luxury Swiss apartment overlooking Lake Lucerne, an opulent office in Bahrain and a top-tier Spanish football team, Racing Santander. But after a decade on the run, the jet-setting fraudster is behind bars in Switzerland, largely due to the efforts of Sydney property developer Keith Johnson and New Zealander Mark Van Leewarden, a former undercover cop turned barrister who specialises in international fraud investigations. From September 2010 to May 2011, Syed scammed close to $50 million from Australian and New Zealand businesspeople who had trouble getting finance in the wake of the 2007-2008 Global Financial Crisis. 'He used an opulent office in Bahrain to lure the victims,' said Van Leewarden, who has spent years in pursuit of Syed. From all accounts, Syed looked the part sitting at his polished desk, wearing a silk cravat, bejewelled fingers and surrounded by busts of horse heads. His company, Western Gulf Advisory (WGA), boasted that 'Mr Ali is a trusted adviser of royal individuals and families, high-profile luminaries and people of public importance'. He also claimed to have a family fortune of $8 billion to invest. The truth was far different. Syed was wanted in India over an immigration racket and, having moved to London, he fled from there in 2005 owing £7800 ($12,520) in rent, along with a string of unpaid bills. Three years later he set up WGA and began his scam, offering loans of up to $US200 million. However, borrowers had to stump up an establishment fee worth 1.6 per cent of the loan. The promised loans to his 23 victims never eventuated.
Buzz Feed
21-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Buzz Feed
Ex-Euphoria Actor's New Job Sparks Fan Outrage
Euphoria fans just received a huge reality check after seeing what it's really like being a struggling actor in Hollywood. Nika King is widely known for playing Leslie Bennett (aka Rue and Gia's mom) on the hit HBO series for the first two seasons. Three years after Season 2 debuted in January 2022, it was announced that Season 3 had finally begun filming. It even included a photo of Zendaya on set for additional proof. Delays in production were due to a slew of reasons, which ranged from the SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes in 2023 to alleged behind-the-scenes drama with claims of a "toxic" work environment and grueling "18-hour" workdays. During this delay, Euphoria producer Kevin Turen died in November 2023 from multiple heart issues, and Angus Cloud, who starred as the beloved Fez, tragically died of an accidental overdose at the age of 25 in July 2023. On top of all that, two cast members revealed they had no plans on returning to the show: Barbie Ferriera announced the shocking news shortly after Season 2 ended, while Storm Reid revealed she would be focusing on other things, like graduating from USC and working on projects through her production company. The delays also caused strain and stress for some of the cast members, including Nika. In March 2024, during one of her stand-up comedy shows posted on her TikTok, the actor and comedian admitted she was having trouble paying her rent because filming for Euphoria was taking so long to commence. 'People are like, 'We need Season 3.' I'm like, 'Bitch, I need Season 3. I haven't paid my rent in six months. I thought my career was on the rise after Euphoria. I thought I was good. It don't work that way. I called Taraji [P. Henson} and she was like, 'Bitch, get used to it.''While she recently starred in the American drama film Sound of Hope: The Story of Possum Trot, we should note that filming for it began back in 2022. Fast forward to February 2025, Nika announced her "character is not coming back to the show," after she received tons of DMs and comments asking about Season 3. "Unfortunately, I'm not [returning]," she said in a video posted online. "My character is not coming back to the show, but I am forever grateful to HBO, Zendaya, and Sam Levinson for giving me the opportunity to come on set." "Without Euphoria, I was not able to step into who I am as an actor." Fans showered her with words of encouragement on her future endeavors, while also expressing sadness that they won't see her in future episodes. But concern for Nika grew when she recently shared a video of her cleaning what appeared to be a restaurant kitchen. She captioned the clip, "When ppl ask me if I'm filming S3 of Euphoria?" while the caption for the post read, "A job is a job." Reactions ranged from saying how "fucked up" it is that her promising acting career led her to a non-Hollywood position, to applause for her vulnerability in sharing the realities of being a struggling actor in the industry: At first glance, I had similar thoughts, but I quickly found out there was more to her post than meets the eye. After noticing she tagged an account on the post I checked the page out, and discovered Nika not only works in that kitchen, but she co-owns the establishment it's located in. The account is linked to Blue Tree Cafe, a vegan soul food restaurant run by Nika and her mother, Sharon Allen. The page was a pleasant surprise because the food looks delicious, and their playful relationship shines in their videos. And once others caught on as well, But owning a restaurant is no easy feat either. Nika hopped on a popular social media trend where people show how they mask their true emotions while dealing with a crisis — and for Nika, that was the current status of the restaurant. Nika and her mother also set up a GoFundMe as a way to help the establishment from closing. I truly appreciate the transparency, even if it's done through laughter. I don't know about you, but I'm wishing Nika success in all of her passions — acting, comedy, and restaurateur.
Yahoo
19-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Writers Guild Calls for Investigation After ‘Late Show' Cancellation, Citing Bribery Concerns
The union representing writers on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert is calling for a New York state investigation into Paramount following the cancellation of the show on Thursday, airing concerns that the move may be a form of bribery. The union's East and West Coast branches asked that New York state Attorney General Letitia James open an inquiry into 'potential wrongdoing' at the company in a strongly worded statement on Friday. The WGA East and West pointed to the precedent of the California State Senate, which in May launched an inquiry into Paramount Global's controversial $16 million settlement with President Trump over the editing of a Kamala Harris 60 Minutes interview in 2024. More from The Hollywood Reporter What Will Stephen Colbert Do After 'Late Show' Ends? He Has Options CBS' Colbert Axe and Late-Night's Slow Death Trump Reacts to 'Late Show' Ending: "I Absolutely Love That Colbert Got Fired" 'Cancelations are part of the business, but a corporation terminating a show in bad faith due to explicit or implicit political pressure is dangerous and unacceptable in a democratic society,' the union stated. 'Paramount's decision comes against a backdrop of relentless attacks on a free press by President Trump, through lawsuits against CBS and ABC, threatened litigation of media organizations with critical coverage, and the unconscionable defunding of PBS and NPR.' The union further requested of 'elected leaders' in general that they 'hold those responsible to account' and 'demand answers' about the cancellation. The WGA's request is not a new one. Paramount has been awaiting approval from the Federal Communications Commission of its proposed $8 billion merger with Skydance Entertainment for some time. After Paramount settled its 60 Minutes lawsuit with Trump, a complaint that many legal experts posited would not hold up in court, news of the California State Senate inquiry followed. Then Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren called for an investigation into whether the transaction had violated any anti-bribery laws. Almost as soon as The Late Show cancellation made headlines on Thursday, speculation erupted over whether the move could be some form of capitulation to the president. Colbert, a longtime Trump critic, rose in popularity during the president's first administration with a strong political focus and pointed nightly commentary about his actions and remarks. In a statement, Paramount Global co-CEO George Cheeks, CBS Entertainment vice president Amy Reinsenbach and CBS Studios president David Stape pushed back against these hypotheses. They called the cancellation 'a financial decision against a challenging backdrop in late night' that was 'not related in any way to the show's performance, content or other matters happening at Paramount.' Trump celebrated the cancellation of The Late Show on his Truth Social platform on Friday morning. 'I absolutely love that Colbert got fired,' he said. 'His talent was even less than his ratings. I hear Jimmy Kimmel is next.' Read the WGA's full statement below. On July 2nd, Paramount agreed to settle a baseless lawsuit brought against 60 Minutes and CBS News by President Trump for $16 million. On July 15, during a regular show of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Colbert went on-air and called the settlement a 'big fat bribe' in exchange for a favorable decision on the proposed merger between Paramount and Skydance, a charge currently under investigation in California. Less than 48 hours later, on July 17, Paramount canceled The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, a show currently performing first in its timeslot, giving vague references to the program's 'financial performance' as the only explanation. For ten years, the show has been one of the most successful, beloved and profitable programs on CBS, entertaining an audience of millions on late night television, on streaming services and across social media. Given Paramount's recent capitulation to President Trump in the CBS News lawsuit, the Writers Guild of America has significant concerns that The Late Show's cancelation is a bribe, sacrificing free speech to curry favor with the Trump Administration as the company looks for merger approval Cancelations are part of the business, but a corporation terminating a show in bad faith due to explicit or implicit political pressure is dangerous and unacceptable in a democratic society. Paramount's decision comes against a backdrop of relentless attacks on a free press by President Trump, through lawsuits against CBS and ABC, threatened litigation of media organizations with critical coverage, and the unconscionable defunding of PBS and NPR. The Writers Guild of America calls on New York State Attorney General Letitia James, no stranger to prosecuting Trump for illegal business practices, to join California and launch an investigation into potential wrongdoing at Paramount. We call on our elected leaders to hold those responsible to account, to demand answers about why this beloved program was canceled and to assure the public that Colbert and his writers were not censored due to their views or the whims of the President. July 18, 3:55 p.m. Updated with comment from Paramount Global. 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Russia Today
19-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Russia Today
Writers guild seeks probe after CBS axes Colbert show
The Writers Guild of America (WGA) has called for an investigation into the abrupt cancellation of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert by CBS and its parent company, Paramount Global, alleging the move was politically motivated. CBS confirmed earlier this week that it will end the long-running late-night program in May 2026, retiring the entire Late Show franchise after over three decades. Executives cited declining ad revenue and changing viewer habits as reasons for the decision. 'Cancellations are part of the business,' the WGA's East and West Coast branches said in a joint statement Friday, 'but terminating a show in bad faith due to political pressure is dangerous and unacceptable in a democratic society.' The union urged New York state officials to launch a formal investigation. The WGA noted that the cancellation followed CBS's recent $16 million settlement with President Donald Trump, who had sued the network over alleged media bias. The case stemmed from a 60 Minutes segment that Trump claimed defamed him during its 2024 election coverage. Paramount did not admit to any wrongdoing but agreed to pay earlier this month. Colbert criticized the settlement on-air as a 'big fat bribe,' referring to Paramount Global's ongoing effort to secure regulatory approval for a merger with Skydance Media — a deal that could face government scrutiny. The WGA called the payout a 'capitulation to President Trump,' arguing that Colbert's cancellation sacrifices free speech in the hopes of currying favor with regulators ahead of the merger. Other late-night hosts expressed outrage over the move. Tonight Show host Jimmy Fallon said he was shocked, while Jimmy Kimmel Live! host Jimmy Kimmel voiced support for Colbert and sharply criticized CBS. Trump praised the show's cancellation in a Truth Social post, adding, 'I hear Jimmy Kimmel is next. Has even less talent than Colbert!' While CBS has tried to maintain neutrality, Colbert has frequently mocked Trump with humor and satire, once calling the former president's actions authoritarian. Despite the controversy, The Late Show averaged 3.61 million viewers during the 2024–2025 season — a 16% rise from the previous year — making it the most-watched late-night program during the fall season.
