Latest news with #bribe
BBC News
2 days ago
- BBC News
Cartier watch attempted 'bribe' over Great Yarmouth tower dispute
A dispute over a landmark seaside tower led to a "likely" bribe attempt involving a Cartier watch and secret recordings, according to court High Court heard one of the parties in the case even blocked the entrance to a care home with his car to induce his rival to talk to case centred on the ownership and financial arrangements relating to the Atlantis Tower in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk. The man named in civil court as the individual who offered the Cartier watch, Sotiris Christophi, said: "The suggestion that this was a bribe or had any improper purpose is completely at odds with my understanding and intention." The court heard how Mr Christophi, an accountant, and Dr Sanjay Kaushal, a care home owner, fell out after they jointly funded the purchase and redevelopment of the tower in November did this through a company called RP Design and Construction Limited (RPD).Mr Christophi brought the case, arguing he and Dr Kaushal had agreed to split the ownership of the company equally in an oral agreement. Dr Kaushal denied this and said Mr Christophi's financial contribution had been a loan not an investment. Deputy High Court Judge Saira Salimi rejected Mr Christophi's claim. The Atlantis Tower has stood as a landmark on the Great Yarmouth seafront since its construction in the 1960s. The intention was to convert the upper floors into 18 residential flats and then sell section of the property previously been used as a hotel. 'Blocking entrance' By early 2023 Dr Kausal and his former friend, Mr Christophi, were in serious disagreement over the project. Mr Christophi had began to behave "aggressively and unreasonably", Dr Kausal said, and that he felt had been heated meetings and phone calls recorded secretly by Mr Christophi, he told the was alleged that at one point this included Mr Christophi posting negative reviews of a care home owned by Dr Kausal and even blocking its entrance with a latter incident was a pressure tactic to make Dr Kaushal talk to him, the court heard. Dr Kausal also alleged he had even been physically prevented from leaving a room during a meeting between the Christophi told the BBC: "I absolutely reject any suggestion that I intended to intimidate or act unreasonably""I sought dialogue, nothing more, and when that dialogue was repeatedly refused, I did what I believed was necessary to be heard" he added. In April 2023, Mr Christophi gave a Cartier watch to the owner of the company brought in to refurbish the property, Besnik Ademaj, and transferred £50,000 to Mr Ademaj's firm. It was alleged by Dr Kausal this was to induce Mr Ademaj to transfer his shares in Christophi claimed the watch and money were a gesture of trust and friendship, meant to show goodwill during their discussions about transferring watch and money were subsequently returned, according to the Salimi said it was "on the balance of probabilities" an attempt at a bribe "which did not result in success". Mr Christophi, 53, also known as Steve, is linked to a Norwich company at the centre of tax fraud BBC revealed last year how Green Jellyfish had been raided by officers from HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) and a number of arrests made. Internal company documents described Mr Christophi as a stakeholder in the firm, which is currently being wound House data shows an overlap between Mr Christophi's businesses and Green Jellyfish, including shared premises. Mr Christophi said he had always conducted himself "lawfully and with integrity". "I respect the rule of law, and I respect the judgment, even where I may feel that parts of my side of the story remain untold" he added. Follow Norfolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
The Paramount comics, Colbert and Stewart, are sharp critics of the '60 Minutes' deal
NEW YORK (AP) — This isn't a joke. They've made that clear. CBS 'Late Show' host Stephen Colbert condemned parent company Paramount Global's settlement of President Donald Trump's lawsuit over a '60 Minutes' story as a 'big fat bribe' during his first show back from a vacation. Colbert followed 'The Daily Show' host Jon Stewart's attack of the deal one week earlier. Stewart works for Comedy Central, also owned by Paramount, making the two comics the most visible internal critics of the $16 million settlement that was announced on July 1. Colbert's 'bribe' reference was to the pending sale of Paramount to Skydance Media, which needs Trump administration approval. Critics of the deal that ended President Donald Trump's lawsuit over the newsmagazine's editing of its interview last fall with Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris suggested it was primarily to clear a hurdle to that sale. 'I am offended,' Colbert said in his monologue Monday night. 'I don't know if anything — anything — will repair my trust in this company. But, just taking a stab at it, I'd say $16 million would help.' He said the technical name in legal circles for the deal was 'big fat bribe.' Jon Stewart terms it 'shameful' Stewart began discussing the 'shameful settlement' on his show a week earlier when he was 'interrupted' by a fake Arby's ad on the screen. 'That's why it was so wrong,' he said upon his 'return.' He discussed the deal in greater detail with the show's guest, retired '60 Minutes' correspondent Steve Kroft, making his views clear through a series of leading questions. 'I would assume internally, this is devastating to the people who work in a place that pride themselves on contextual, good journalism?' Stewart asked. 'Devastating is a good word,' Kroft replied. A handful of media reports in the past two weeks have speculated that Skydance boss David Ellison might try to curry favor with Trump by eliminating the comics' jobs if the sale is approved. A representative for Ellison did not immediately return a message for comment on Tuesday. It would be easier to get rid of Stewart, since he works one night a week at a network that no longer produces much original content. Colbert is the ratings leader in late-night broadcast television, however, and is a relentless Trump critic. The antipathy is mutual. Trump called Colbert 'a complete and total loser' in a Truth Social post last fall, suggesting CBS was wasting its money on him. 'HE IS VERY BORING,' Trump wrote. Colbert slips in a quip Colbert alluded to reports about his job security in his monologue, pointing to the mustache he grew during his vacation. 'OK, OK, but how are they going to put pressure on Stephen Colbert, if they can't find him?' he joked. Colbert and Stewart both earned Emmy nominations this week for outstanding talk series. Together with ABC's Jimmy Kimmel, all three nominees are tough on Trump. CBS News journalists have largely been quiet publicly since the settlement's announcement. Two top executives, CBS News CEO Wendy McMahon and '60 Minutes" executive producer Bill Owens, both quit or were forced out prior to the settlement for making their dissatisfaction about the idea known internally. Reporting about the settlement on the day it was announced, 'CBS Evening News' anchor John Dickerson said viewers would have to decide on their own what it meant to them. 'Can you hold power to account after paying it millions?" Dickerson asked. 'Can an audience trust you when it thinks you've traded away that trust? The audience will decide that. Our job is to show up to honor what we witness on behalf of the people.' ___ David Bauder writes about the intersection of media and entertainment for the AP. Follow him at and Solve the daily Crossword
CTV News
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- CTV News
The Paramount comics, Colbert and Stewart, are sharp critics of the '60 Minutes' deal
This photo combination shows Jon Stewart, left, posing for a photo outside the Department of Veterans Affairs, July 26, 2024, in Washington and Stephen Colbert being interviewed at The Vatican, June 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Kevin Wolf, Riccardo De Luca) NEW YORK — This isn't a joke. They've made that clear. CBS 'Late Show' host Stephen Colbert condemned parent company Paramount Global's settlement of U.S. President Donald Trump's lawsuit over a '60 Minutes' story as a 'big fat bribe' during his first show back from a vacation. Colbert followed 'The Daily Show' host Jon Stewart's attack of the deal one week earlier. Stewart works for Comedy Central, also owned by Paramount, making the two comics the most visible internal critics of the $16 million settlement that was announced on July 1. Colbert's 'bribe' reference was to the pending sale of Paramount to Skydance Media, which needs Trump administration approval. Critics of the deal that ended Trump's lawsuit over the newsmagazine's editing of its interview last fall with Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris suggested it was primarily to clear a hurdle to that sale. 'I am offended,' Colbert said in his monologue Monday night. 'I don't know if anything — anything — will repair my trust in this company. But, just taking a stab at it, I'd say $16 million would help.' He said the technical name in legal circles for the deal was 'big fat bribe.' Jon Stewart terms it 'shameful' Stewart began discussing the 'shameful settlement' on his show a week earlier when he was 'interrupted' by a fake Arby's ad on the screen. 'That's why it was so wrong,' he said upon his 'return.' He discussed the deal in greater detail with the show's guest, retired '60 Minutes' correspondent Steve Kroft, making his views clear through a series of leading questions. 'I would assume internally, this is devastating to the people who work in a place that pride themselves on contextual, good journalism?' Stewart asked. 'Devastating is a good word,' Kroft replied. A handful of media reports in the past two weeks have speculated that Skydance boss David Ellison might try to curry favor with Trump by eliminating the comics' jobs if the sale is approved. A representative for Ellison did not immediately return a message for comment on Tuesday. It would be easier to get rid of Stewart, since he works one night a week at a network that no longer produces much original content. Colbert is the ratings leader in late-night broadcast television, however, and is a relentless Trump critic. The antipathy is mutual. Trump called Colbert 'a complete and total loser' in a Truth Social post last fall, suggesting CBS was wasting its money on him. 'HE IS VERY BORING,' Trump wrote. Colbert slips in a quip Colbert alluded to reports about his job security in his monologue, pointing to the mustache he grew during his vacation. 'OK, OK, but how are they going to put pressure on Stephen Colbert, if they can't find him?' he joked. Colbert and Stewart both earned Emmy nominations this week for outstanding talk series. Together with ABC's Jimmy Kimmel, all three nominees are tough on Trump. CBS News journalists have largely been quiet publicly since the settlement's announcement. Two top executives, CBS News CEO Wendy McMahon and '60 Minutes' executive producer Bill Owens, both quit or were forced out prior to the settlement for making their dissatisfaction about the idea known internally. Reporting about the settlement on the day it was announced, 'CBS Evening News' anchor John Dickerson said viewers would have to decide on their own what it meant to them. 'Can you hold power to account after paying it millions?' Dickerson asked. 'Can an audience trust you when it thinks you've traded away that trust? The audience will decide that. Our job is to show up to honor what we witness on behalf of the people.' ___ David Bauder, The Associated Press
The Independent
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Independent
The Paramount comics, Colbert and Stewart, are sharp critics of the '60 Minutes' deal
This isn't a joke. They've made that clear. CBS 'Late Show' host Stephen Colbert condemned parent company Paramount Global's settlement of President Donald Trump 's lawsuit over a '60 Minutes' story as a 'big fat bribe' during his first show back from a vacation. Colbert followed 'The Daily Show' host Jon Stewart 's attack of the deal one week earlier. Stewart works for Comedy Central, also owned by Paramount, making the two comics the most visible internal critics of the $16 million settlement that was announced on July 1. Colbert's 'bribe' reference was to the pending sale of Paramount to Skydance Media, which needs Trump administration approval. Critics of the deal that ended Trump's lawsuit over the newsmagazine's editing of its interview last fall with Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris suggested it was primarily to clear a hurdle to that sale. 'I am offended,' Colbert said in his monologue Monday night. 'I don't know if anything — anything — will repair my trust in this company. But, just taking a stab at it, I'd say $16 million would help.' He said the technical name in legal circles for the deal was 'big fat bribe.' Jon Stewart terms it 'shameful' Stewart began discussing the 'shameful settlement' on his show a week earlier when he was 'interrupted' by a fake Arby's ad on the screen. 'That's why it was so wrong,' he said upon his 'return.' He discussed the deal in greater detail with the show's guest, retired '60 Minutes' correspondent Steve Kroft, making his views clear through a series of leading questions. 'I would assume internally, this is devastating to the people who work in a place that pride themselves on contextual, good journalism?' Stewart asked. 'Devastating is a good word,' Kroft replied. A handful of media reports in the past two weeks have speculated that Skydance boss David Ellison might try to curry favor with Trump by eliminating the comics' jobs if the sale is approved. A representative for Ellison did not immediately return a message for comment on Tuesday. It would be easier to get rid of Stewart, since he works one night a week at a network that no longer produces much original content. Colbert is the ratings leader in late-night broadcast television, however, and is a relentless Trump critic. The antipathy is mutual. Trump called Colbert 'a complete and total loser' in a Truth Social post last fall, suggesting CBS was wasting its money on him. 'HE IS VERY BORING,' Trump wrote. Colbert slips in a quip Colbert alluded to reports about his job security in his monologue, pointing to the mustache he grew during his vacation. 'OK, OK, but how are they going to put pressure on Stephen Colbert, if they can't find him?' he joked. Colbert and Stewart both earned Emmy nominations this week for outstanding talk series. Together with ABC's Jimmy Kimmel, all three nominees are tough on Trump. CBS News journalists have largely been quiet publicly since the settlement's announcement. Two top executives, CBS News CEO Wendy McMahon and '60 Minutes" executive producer Bill Owens, both quit or were forced out prior to the settlement for making their dissatisfaction about the idea known internally. Reporting about the settlement on the day it was announced, 'CBS Evening News' anchor John Dickerson said viewers would have to decide on their own what it meant to them. 'Can you hold power to account after paying it millions?" Dickerson asked. 'Can an audience trust you when it thinks you've traded away that trust? The audience will decide that. Our job is to show up to honor what we witness on behalf of the people.' ___ David Bauder writes about the intersection of media and entertainment for the AP. Follow him at and
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
The Paramount comics, Colbert and Stewart, are sharp critics of the '60 Minutes' deal
NEW YORK (AP) — This isn't a joke. They've made that clear. CBS 'Late Show' host Stephen Colbert condemned parent company Paramount Global's settlement of President Donald Trump's lawsuit over a '60 Minutes' story as a 'big fat bribe' during his first show back from a vacation. Colbert followed 'The Daily Show' host Jon Stewart's attack of the deal one week earlier. Stewart works for Comedy Central, also owned by Paramount, making the two comics the most visible internal critics of the $16 million settlement that was announced on July 1. Colbert's 'bribe' reference was to the pending sale of Paramount to Skydance Media, which needs Trump administration approval. Critics of the deal that ended Trump's lawsuit over the newsmagazine's editing of its interview last fall with Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris suggested it was primarily to clear a hurdle to that sale. 'I am offended,' Colbert said in his monologue Monday night. 'I don't know if anything — anything — will repair my trust in this company. But, just taking a stab at it, I'd say $16 million would help.' He said the technical name in legal circles for the deal was 'big fat bribe.' Jon Stewart terms it 'shameful' Stewart began discussing the 'shameful settlement' on his show a week earlier when he was 'interrupted' by a fake Arby's ad on the screen. 'That's why it was so wrong,' he said upon his 'return.' He discussed the deal in greater detail with the show's guest, retired '60 Minutes' correspondent Steve Kroft, making his views clear through a series of leading questions. 'I would assume internally, this is devastating to the people who work in a place that pride themselves on contextual, good journalism?' Stewart asked. 'Devastating is a good word,' Kroft replied. A handful of media reports in the past two weeks have speculated that Skydance boss David Ellison might try to curry favor with Trump by eliminating the comics' jobs if the sale is approved. A representative for Ellison did not immediately return a message for comment on Tuesday. It would be easier to get rid of Stewart, since he works one night a week at a network that no longer produces much original content. Colbert is the ratings leader in late-night broadcast television, however, and is a relentless Trump critic. The antipathy is mutual. Trump called Colbert 'a complete and total loser' in a Truth Social post last fall, suggesting CBS was wasting its money on him. 'HE IS VERY BORING,' Trump wrote. Colbert slips in a quip Colbert alluded to reports about his job security in his monologue, pointing to the mustache he grew during his vacation. 'OK, OK, but how are they going to put pressure on Stephen Colbert, if they can't find him?' he joked. Colbert and Stewart both earned Emmy nominations this week for outstanding talk series. Together with ABC's Jimmy Kimmel, all three nominees are tough on Trump. CBS News journalists have largely been quiet publicly since the settlement's announcement. Two top executives, CBS News CEO Wendy McMahon and '60 Minutes" executive producer Bill Owens, both quit or were forced out prior to the settlement for making their dissatisfaction about the idea known internally. Reporting about the settlement on the day it was announced, 'CBS Evening News' anchor John Dickerson said viewers would have to decide on their own what it meant to them. 'Can you hold power to account after paying it millions?" Dickerson asked. 'Can an audience trust you when it thinks you've traded away that trust? The audience will decide that. Our job is to show up to honor what we witness on behalf of the people.' ___ David Bauder writes about the intersection of media and entertainment for the AP. Follow him at and David Bauder, The Associated Press
