Latest news with #federalcase
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Yahoo
Man accused of shooting US politicians while posing as a police officer has charges upgraded
A man accused of murdering a US lawmaker and wounding another while pretending to be a police officer is facing upgraded state charges. Just a week after pleaded not guilty in court, a fresh indictment was announced on Thursday. In the state case against him, he now faces two charges of first-degree murder, four counts of attempted first-degree murder and charges of impersonating a police officer and animal cruelty for shooting one family's dog. Hennepin County attorney Mary Moriarty said the charges now "reflect the weight of Mr Boelter's crimes". There is also a federal case against Boelter, where he faces six counts of murder, stalking and firearms violations. The murder charges could carry the federal death penalty. In June, there was a manhunt after Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband, Senator John Hoffman, were shot dead in their Minnesota home. Police said they responded to gunfire reports at the home of Democrat senator John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, shortly after 2am and found them with multiple gunshot wounds. Read more from Sky News: They then checked on the Hoffmans, who lived nearby, and saw what appeared to be a police car and a man dressed as an officer leaving the front door. "The individual immediately fired upon the officers, who exchanged gunfire, and the suspect retreated back into the home" and escaped on foot, said Brooklyn Park police chief Mark Bruley. Authorities believe it was Boelter wearing a mask as he posed as a police officer and approached the victims' front doors. He is also thought to have used a vehicle resembling a squad car. Several AK-style firearms and a list of about 70 names, which included politicians and abortion rights activists, were allegedly found inside the vehicle later on.
Daily Mail
4 days ago
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Former NBA player asks Trump for pardon before prison
Former NBA star Sebastian Telfair has publicly asked for President Donald Trump to give him a pardon as he faces a few months of federal prison time. In 2023, Telfair (pictured) pled guilty to charges of fraud after he was found to be one of 18 former NBA players who defrauded the league's health and welfare benefit plan of about $4million. Speaking to TMZ, Telfair revealed that the court ordered him back because of 'me not having my paperwork together'. 'I'm mad, I'm mad, I don't wanna be doing no federal time or all that,' Telfair told the outlet. He continued: 'As far as the initial case, I believe this whole federal case is definitely some bull[expletive], no disrespect to the system. But this is NBA accounts. This is our own account. This is my money that, you know what I'm saying, I tampered with inside of my account. No, I should not end up in federal custody for tampered with our own NBA accounts. I feel like we all have been victims under this NBA situation. I earned that money that they said that I took out of my account. I physically worked, and you all watched me earn that money, and I now got to pay it back to the system. The money don't go back into my account. It goes back to the system. So that is just mind-blowing to me.' After adding that he's being treated 'super unfairly', Telfair then revealed that he has a three-year-old child at home he needs to take care of. With that in mind, Telfair made a plea to the Oval Office to ask for an intervention in his case. 'I know Donald Trump got some big things going on, Donald Trump might need to come holla and give ya boy a pardon, and so I could stay home with my babies, continue building my community,' Telfair told the outlet. Telfair was drafted 13th overall in the 2004 NBA Draft straight out of Abraham Lincoln High School in Brooklyn, New York and played in the league for over a decade.
New York Times
05-08-2025
- New York Times
LeShon Johnson, Ex-N.F.L. Player, Is Convicted in Major Dogfighting Case
A jury in Oklahoma has convicted LeShon Johnson, a former N.F.L. running back, on dogfighting charges in a sprawling federal case that the authorities said could bring a hefty prison sentence and fines. In October, federal agents seized 190 pit-bull-type dogs from Mr. Johnson, 54, of Broken Arrow, Okla., the most ever taken from a single person in a federal case, according to the Justice Department, which announced on Tuesday that a verdict had been reached in the case. After a five-day trial in U.S. District Court in Muskogee, Okla., jurors on Friday found Mr. Johnson guilty on six of the 23 counts that he had been charged with for his role in running what investigators described as a major dogfighting kennel. The jury concluded that he had violated the federal Animal Welfare Act's prohibitions against possessing, selling, transporting and delivering animals to be used in fighting ventures. Mr. Johnson, who played for the Green Bay Packers, the Arizona Cardinals and the New York Giants in the 1990s, could face up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each count. He remains free until his sentencing, which has not yet been scheduled. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Yahoo
04-08-2025
- Yahoo
Diddy's Ex Gina Huynh Pleads for His Release: 'He's Not a Danger to Anyone'
Sean 'Diddy' Combs may have just been blessed with a gift in his federal case. The woman known to the public as Virginia 'Gina' Huynh, once romantically linked to the embattled music mogul and legally identified as 'Victim-3' in the government's explosive indictment, has submitted a letter to the judge overseeing his case, vouching for Combs' character and advocating for his release on bail ahead of his October sentencing. The letter, included in a submission from Combs' legal team on Sunday, directly challenges the prosecution's portrayal of Combs as a continuing threat, both to Huynh and the broader public. 'I am writing because I do not view Mr. Combs as a danger to me or to the community,' Huynh wrote, describing the Bad Boy Records founder as a changed man who, in her words, 'has not been violent for many years' and 'has been committed to being a father first.' Government Alleges Diddy Used Coercion and Violence in Sex Trafficking Operation Sean Combs is currently incarcerated and awaiting sentencing on two felony counts of transportation for prostitution, following a dramatic and highly publicized federal trial that has exposed a darker, long-suspected underside of his legacy. The government's indictment accused Combs of using 'force, threats of force, and coercion' to manipulate multiple women into commercial sex acts, often in exchange for money, career advancement, and housing. Among those mentioned in the court filings were three women, unnamed but referred to as Victim-1, Victim-2, and Victim-3, with Victim-3 now confirmed to be Huynh. Huynh Never Testified But Was Repeatedly Referenced During the Trial Despite being a central figure in the charges, Huynh never took the stand during the trial. Her name surfaced multiple times during testimony, including in a striking account from Combs' former assistant George Kaplan, who alleged that he once witnessed Combs throwing apples at Huynh in his Miami residence. Additionally, singer Casandra 'Cassie' Ventura, a key witness and former longtime girlfriend of Combs, testified that Combs had been unfaithful to her by continuing a relationship with Huynh during their time together, using Gina Huynh as an example of Combs' pattern of infidelity and exploitation. In Her Letter, Huynh Describes Combs as Reformed and Nonviolent in Recent Years Despite those troubling testimonies, Huynh's letter paints a more forgiving, if complicated, picture of her time with Combs. 'Our relationship, like many, was not always perfect, we experienced ups and downs, and mistakes were made,' she acknowledged, before noting that Combs ultimately 'was willing to acknowledge his mistakes and make better decisions in the future.' 'By the time our relationship ended,' she wrote, 'he embodied an energy of love, patience and gentleness that was markedly different from his past behavior.' Her letter appears aimed at humanizing Combs during what could be the most consequential legal moment of his life. She emphasized his cooperation throughout the proceedings and the strong family ties she believes should qualify him for pre-sentencing release. 'He has substantial ties to his family and community, including children who depend on him for emotional and financial support,' Huynh wrote. 'Granting him bond would allow him to continue caring for his family and fulfilling his responsibilities while still subject to the Court's supervision.' Diddy's Legal Team Cites Huynh's Support in Renewed Bail Request The letter comes as part of Combs' legal team's renewed push to have him released before his sentencing on October 3. Prosecutors have resisted those efforts, citing the severity of the charges, the risk of flight, and a pattern of violent behavior. But Combs' defense appears to be building a counter-narrative focused on rehabilitation and responsibility. They argue that this is Combs' first criminal case and that he has consistently complied with investigators, submitting to searches, interviews, and asset disclosures throughout the process. Huynh's letter is perhaps the most unexpected component of this strategy, a direct rebuttal to the image of Combs as a chronic abuser of women, coming from a woman whom the federal government listed as one of his alleged victims. Sean Combs' sentencing is scheduled for October 3 in federal court. The post Diddy's Ex Gina Huynh Pleads for His Release: 'He's Not a Danger to Anyone' appeared first on Where Is The Buzz | Breaking News, Entertainment, Exclusive Interviews & More. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
03-08-2025
- Yahoo
Diddy's Ex-Girlfriend Writes Letter to Judge in Support of Bail Before Sentencing: ‘I Do Not View Mr. Combs as a Danger'
Sean 'Diddy' Combs' ex-girlfriend Virginia 'Gina' Huynh, who was referred to as 'Victim-3' in his indictment, has written a letter to the judge presiding over his federal case in support of his release on bail before his sentencing in October. Huynh was referenced several times in the government's indictment of Combs, though she never ended up testifying in his trial. Huynh's note was included in a letter sent on Sunday by Combs' legal team, who claim that the government argued that Combs was 'violent toward Virginia 'Gina' Huynh.' Huynh wrote that 'he has not been violent for many years, and he has been committed to being a father first.' More from Variety Diddy's Lawyer on a Trump Pardon, Why Sean Combs Should Be Freed From Jail and His 'Beautiful' Prison Essays: 'He Hasn't Been Outside Since September' Inside the Courtroom for the Sean Combs Verdict: 'There Were Gasps' Diddy Denied Bail, Will Remain in Jail Until October Sentencing 'I am writing because I do not view Mr. Combs as a danger to me or to the community,' she stated in her letter to the judge. 'This is his first criminal case. Throughout the investigation and proceedings he has been cooperative, respectful and compliant. He has substantial ties to his family and community, including children who depend on him for emotional and financial support. Granting him bond would allow him to continue caring for his family and fulfilling his responsibilities while still subject to the Court's supervision.' She supported Combs' pre-sentencing release by assuring the court that he would adhere to 'all conditions imposed' and 'will not jeopardize his freedom or the well-being of his family.' 'Our relationship, like many, was not always perfect, we experienced ups and downs, and mistakes were made but he was willing to acknowledge his mistakes and make better decisions in the future,' she wrote. 'Over the years that followed he made visible efforts to become a better person and to address the harm he had caused. By the time our relationship ended, he embodied an energy of love, patience and gentleness that was markedly different from his past behavior. To my knowledge, he has not been violent for many years, and he has been committed to being a father first.' In its indictment, the government accused Combs of using 'force, threats of force, and coercion, to cause victims, including but not limited to three female victims' — referred to as Victim-1, Victim-2 and Victim-3 — 'to engage in commercial sex acts. In connection with the commercial sex acts, Combs provided the victims with, among other things, monetary payments, career opportunities, and payments of rent and housing expenses.' During Combs' trial, according to CNN, his former assistant George Kaplan testified that he once saw Combs throwing apples at Huynh in his Miami home. Casandra 'Cassie' Ventura, a key witness in the case, also testified that Combs was unfaithful to her by dating Gina while they were together. Combs is currently incarcerated while awaiting his sentencing, set for October 3, on two counts of transportation for prostitution. His legal team has revived its attempts to get Combs out of prison before sentencing and has been engaged in a back-and-forth with the government, arguing over his eligibility for bail. Best of Variety New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week What's Coming to Disney+ in August 2025 What's Coming to Netflix in August 2025
