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Yahoo
6 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Congressman Cory Mills faces eviction from D.C. penthouse, owes $85,000, landlord says
U.S. Rep. Cory Mills' landlord is trying to evict him from his nearly $21,000-per-month Washington, D.C., penthouse near the National Mall, according to court documents. Mills, a pro-Donald Trump Republican who has represented southern Volusia and Seminole counties in Congress for two terms, got behind in his payments within the first two months of leasing the home in 2023, and now owes more than $85,000, according to documents filed in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia by Parcel 47F LLC, the landlord, and Bozzuto Management Co. Journalist Roger Sollenberger first reported the court filing on the social media site X. Payment links not provided? Mills responded by attacking the reporter and sharing two emails dated June 17 and July 3, where he was "repeatedly asking for payment links" so he could pay what's owed. Mills, who did not respond to a request for comment from The News-Journal, suggested in his X post that he was getting an Error Code 108 message, which suggested either an issue with the Windows Installer Service or bank connectivity problems. "Facts are a finicky thing," Mills posted, "but wouldn't expect you (Sollenberger) to be anything other than a biased hack!" The congressman also joined a July 14 live chat on X Spaces hosted by David Pollack, an attorney and conservative media commentator, taking additional shots at the media and promising to return to his "fiery" self. "I was told that, look, you can't be too fiery in Congress, so I've tried to even when I was being slandered and defamed and all this nonsense, tried to take a little bit of a back seat approach and let the teams handle it, make sure that I rise above it, but I'm kind of at a f--- around, find out mode now, and I'm going to go back to the way I was when I ran for office," Mills said. Timing of attempted payments questioned Mills' post and comments on X Spaces did not explain why he hadn't paid his rent for months prior to his June and July attempts, or why he incurred a total of nearly $15,000 in late fees between September 2023 and January 2025, when he was given a termination date. "You can avoid legal action by paying the balance of rent or completing your move-out and returning keys by the termination date," read a letter posted on the congressman's door on Jan. 27, court records show. Assault allegation made against Mills Less than a month later, on Feb. 19, Metropolitan Police in Washington questioned Mills at the same penthouse, where they had been called about a simple assault allegation that occurred at a home he shared with a woman who is not his wife. Lee Lepe, a public information officer with the Metro Police, said in an email on July 15 that a warrant had been submitted to the U.S. Attorney's Office, but that it was returned unsigned. Metro Police are conducting an ongoing internal investigation into the matter, Lepe said. Mills has denied wrongdoing in the assault case, and his girlfriend previously told The News-Journal there was no "physical altercation." House ethics investigation Mills is also facing a House Ethics Committee investigation into allegations that he benefited from contracts with the federal government while a congressman. Documents filed by the committee suggest Mills omitted or misrepresented information in his financial disclosure statements and accepted excessive contributions in the form of personal loans and contributions that may not have come from his personal funds. Mills also obtained in-kind contributions of credit "not extended in the ordinary course of business," the ethics records state. The Office of Congressional Ethics reported Mills was not cooperative with its investigation last fall. The House Ethics Committee is continuing its review of the matter. This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Landlord: U.S. Rep. Cory Mills of Florida faces eviction, owes $85,000 Solve the daily Crossword
Business Insider
11-07-2025
- Business
- Business Insider
The executives behind Palmer Luckey's new digital banking startup Erebor include banking, Big Law, and tech vets
Palmer Luckey, CEO of defense tech giant Anduril Industries, is quietly building a new digital banking venture — and we now know more about who will be helping him. The startup, Erebor, is raising $225 million at a $2 billion valuation, Business Insider reported in July. It has backing from Peter Thiel's Founders Fund and Joe Lonsdale's 8VC. It filed for a national bank charter in June, and will serve clients like crypto companies and startups — a niche once occupied by Silicon Valley Bank. While little has been publicly revealed about Erebor so far, documents obtained by Business Insider shed some light on the team behind it. Luckey and four cofounders — Trevor Capozza, Jacob Hirshman, Aaron Pelz and Owen Rapaport — are at the helm, according to a fundraising memo that described the company's leadership and plans. Hirshman and Rapaport are listed as co-CEOs of Erebor, per the memo. Three other executives — chief risk officer Joshua Rosenberg, chief financial officer Ricky Grant, and chief credit officer Vlad Dubinsky — have backgrounds in banking and bank regulation, and their involvement with the company hasn't previously been reported. A banking lawyer at Skadden who appears on Erebor's bank charter application and is listed as its spokesperson didn't respond to a request for comment. Here's what we know about the names. Founder: Palmer Luckey Luckey is the founder of Erebor, according to the memo. He previously cofounded Anduril, a defense tech company that makes AI-powered autonomous military systems, in 2017. Founders Fund led the latest Anduril round — a $2.5 billion fundraise at a $30.5 billion valuation — with a $1 billion investment, the largest check the firm has ever written, Tech Crunch reported in June. Before Anduril, Luckey launched Oculus, a virtual reality company, when he was 19. He sold it to Facebook, now Meta Platforms, for $2 billion in cash and stock in 2014. In 2016, Luckey was fired from Meta after donating $10,000 to a pro-Donald Trump group. Meta and CEO Mark Zuckerberg have denied that Luckey left over his politics. Anduril partnered with Meta in May to make headsets and wearable devices for the military. Luckey didn't respond to requests for comment. Co-Founder: Trevor Capozza Capozza is listed as a cofounder of Erebor in the memo. His LinkedIn profile says he is a cofounder of a "stealth startup," a term used to describe a company before it has officially launched. He serves as the head of operations of Luckey's family office, according to LinkedIn. Capozza began his career at Optimozo, a private company, where he did asset management, his LinkedIn profile shows. His name has appeared in tax forms filed by a Luckey-linked nonprofit, the Pacific Treasure Foundation, as well as in registration paperwork for a virtual-reality news website, a firm called Trisolaris LLC, and another business called Project Passive LLC. Capozza declined to comment. President: Michael Hagedorn Hadegorn is Erebor's president, his LinkedIn shows. According to his profile, the fintech startup "seeks to revolutionize banking services for the innovation economy." Hadegorn has held executive positions at UMB Financial Corporation and Valley National Bank. He started his career at Wells Fargo, where he worked for nearly 17 years. At Wells Fargo, Hagedorn led the Midwest banking group for five years, his LinkedIn profile shows. Hagedorn didn't respond to a request for comment. Co-Founder/Co-CEO: Owen Rapaport Rapaport is listed as a co-founder and co-CEO of Erebor focused on "product, credit, and customer success," the memo says. Before joining Erebor, Rapaport cofounded and served as CEO at crypto-monitoring company Aer Compliance, which merged with StarCompliance in 2024. Before that, he worked at Electrum, a bitcoin wallet company, and was a consultant at Bain & Company, according to his LinkedIn. Rapaport didn't respond to a request for comment. Co-Founder/Co-CEO: Jacob Hirshman Hirshman is listed as a cofounder and co-CEO of Erebor and is focused on "sales, marketing, and regulatory" work, the memo says. Hirshman's LinkedIn profile lists him as a cofounder of a "stealth startup." Hirshman works at stablecoin issuer Circle, which debuted on the New York Stock Exchange in early June, as an advisor, according to his LinkedIn. Before that, Hirshman spent almost a year as an associate at Sullivan & Cromwell after graduating from law school at the University of Pennsylvania, his LinkedIn profile says. Hirshman declined to comment. Pelz is listed as a cofounder and chief technology officer of Erebor, according to the memo. He previously worked at Pinwheel, a fintech startup, where he led engineering, according to his LinkedIn, which says he left the company in March. Pelz previously worked in software engineering at Quorum, which makes public affairs software. Pelz didn't respond to a request for comment. Ricky Grant is listed as Erebor's chief financial officer, according to the memo. He spent nearly two years at Customer Bank, a fast-growing Philadelphia bank, as its head of investor relations and strategic finance, according to his LinkedIn profile. Customers Bank was faulted by the Federal Reserve in 2024 over shortfalls related to crypto risks. The bank's CEO said it has since spent millions of dollars to come into compliance. The American Banker reported that it holds dollar-denominated deposits for large crypto exchanges and has a large venture lending portfolio. Before working at Customers, Grant worked in investment banking for JP Morgan Chase and Goldman Sachs, according to his LinkedIn profile. Goldman listed him in its managing director class of 2019. He didn't respond to requests for comment. Chief Risk Officer: Joshua Rosenberg Rosenberg listed on his LinkedIn that he is working with Erebor after completing a nearly two-year stint at United Texas Bank, a Dallas financial institution that is a key cog in the crypto business. His LinkedIn and the memo describe him as Erebor's chief risk officer. He joined United Texas Bank in 2023 after a 22-year career at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. In April, The Information reported that Rosenberg was brought on by UTB to "beef up" its compliance efforts amid regulatory scrutiny from the Federal Reserve over its crypto-related activity. Previously, Rosenberg was an assistant finance professor at the NYU Stern School of Business, according to his LinkedIn. He has a Ph.D. in economics from the University of California San Diego. Chief Credit Officer: Vlad Dubinsky Vlad Dubinsky is listed as Erebor's chief credit officer in the memo. Dubinsky's LinkedIn profile says he joined The Bancorp Bank in May as a managing director, credit markets. Bancorp is known for working with fintech companies that issue payment cards. According to his LinkedIn profile, Dubinsky spent over three years working for Blue Foundry Bank, a New Jersey bank with a market capitalization of about $200 million that has been gravitating "away from residential and multifamily lending and toward higher-yielding commercial loans," according to the American Banker.
Business Insider
11-07-2025
- Business
- Business Insider
The executives behind Palmer Luckey's new digital banking startup Erebor include banking, politics, and Big Law vets
Anduril cofounder Palmer Luckey is launching Erebor, a bank that will serve crypto clients and startups. BI obtained a memo that describes leadership at the neobank. The executives have ties to traditional banking, politics, and Big Law. Palmer Luckey, CEO of defense tech giant Anduril Industries, is quietly building a new digital banking venture — and we now know more about who will be helping him. The startup, Erebor, is raising $225 million at a $2 billion valuation, Business Insider reported in July. It has backing from Peter Thiel's Founders Fund and Joe Lonsdale's 8VC. It filed for a national bank charter in June, and will serve clients like crypto companies and startups — a niche once occupied by Silicon Valley Bank. While little has been publicly revealed about Erebor so far, documents obtained by Business Insider shed some light on the team behind it. Luckey and four cofounders — Trevor Capozza, Jacob Hirshman, Aaron Pelz and Owen Rapaport — are at the helm, according to a fundraising memo that described the company's leadership and plans. Hirshman and Rapaport are listed as co-CEOs of Erebor, per the memo. Three other executives — chief risk officer Joshua Rosenberg, chief financial officer Ricky Grant, and chief credit officer Vlad Dubinsky — have backgrounds in banking and bank regulation, and their involvement with the company hasn't previously been reported. A banking lawyer at Skadden who appears on Erebor's bank charter application and is listed as its spokesperson didn't respond to a request for comment. Here's what we know about the names. Founder: Palmer Luckey Luckey is the founder of Erebor, according to the memo. He previously cofounded Anduril, a defense tech company that makes AI-powered autonomous military systems, in 2017. Founders Fund led the latest Anduril round — a $2.5 billion fundraise at a $30.5 billion valuation — with a $1 billion investment, the largest check the firm has ever written, Tech Crunch reported in June. Before Anduril, Luckey launched Oculus, a virtual reality company, when he was 19. He sold it to Facebook, now Meta Platforms, for $2 billion in cash and stock in 2014. In 2016, Luckey was fired from Meta after donating $10,000 to a pro-Donald Trump group. Meta and CEO Mark Zuckerberg have denied that Luckey left over his politics. Anduril partnered with Meta in May to make headsets and wearable devices for the military. Co-Founder: Trevor Capozza Capozza is listed as a cofounder of Erebor in the memo. His LinkedIn profile says he is a cofounder of a "stealth startup," a term used to describe a company before it has officially launched. He serves as the head of operations of Luckey's family office, according to LinkedIn. Capozza began his career at Optimozo, a private company, where he did asset management, his LinkedIn profile shows. His name has appeared in tax forms filed by a Luckey-linked nonprofit, the Pacific Treasure Foundation, as well as in registration paperwork for a virtual-reality news website, a firm called Trisolaris LLC, and another business called Project Passive LLC. Capozza declined to comment. President: Michael Hagedorn Hadegorn is Erebor's president, his LinkedIn shows. According to his profile, the fintech startup "seeks to revolutionize banking services for the innovation economy." Hadegorn has held executive positions at UMB Financial Corporation and Valley National Bank. He started his career at Wells Fargo, where he worked for nearly 17 years. At Wells Fargo, Hagedorn led the Midwest banking group for five years, his LinkedIn profile shows. Hagedorn didn't respond to a request for comment. Co-Founder/Co-CEO: Owen Rapaport Rapaport is listed as a co-founder and co-CEO of Erebor focused on "product, credit, and customer success," the memo says. Before joining Erebor, Rapaport cofounded and served as CEO at crypto-monitoring company Aer Compliance, which merged with StarCompliance in 2024. Before that, he worked at Electrum, a bitcoin wallet company, and was a consultant at Bain & Company, according to his LinkedIn. Co-Founder/Co-CEO: Jacob Hirshman Hirshman is listed as a cofounder and co-CEO of Erebor and is focused on "sales, marketing, and regulatory" work, the memo says. Hirshman's LinkedIn profile lists him as a cofounder of a "stealth startup." Hirshman works at stablecoin issuer Circle, which debuted on the New York Stock Exchange in early June, as an advisor, according to his LinkedIn. Before that, Hirshman spent almost a year as an associate at Sullivan & Cromwell after graduating from law school at the University of Pennsylvania, his LinkedIn profile says. Pelz is listed as a cofounder and chief technology officer of Erebor, according to the memo. He previously worked at Pinwheel, a fintech startup, where he led engineering, according to his LinkedIn, which says he left the company in March. Pelz previously worked in software engineering at Quorum, which makes public affairs software. Pelz didn't respond to a request for comment. Chief Financial Officer: Ricky Grant Ricky Grant is listed as Erebor's chief financial officer, according to the memo. He spent nearly two years at Customer Bank, a fast-growing Philadelphia bank, as its head of investor relations and strategic finance, according to his LinkedIn profile. Customers Bank was faulted by the Federal Reserve in 2024 over shortfalls related to crypto risks. The bank's CEO said it has since spent millions of dollars to come into compliance. The American Banker reported that it holds dollar-denominated deposits for large crypto exchanges and has a large venture lending portfolio. Before working at Customers, Grant worked in investment banking for JP Morgan Chase and Goldman Sachs, according to his LinkedIn profile. Goldman listed him in its managing director class of 2019. He didn't respond to requests for comment. Chief Risk Officer: Joshua Rosenberg Rosenberg listed on his LinkedIn that he is working with Erebor after completing a nearly two-year stint at United Texas Bank, a Dallas financial institution that is a key cog in the crypto business. His LinkedIn and the memo describe him as Erebor's chief risk officer. He joined United Texas Bank in 2023 after a 22-year career at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. In April, The Information reported that Rosenberg was brought on by UTB to "beef up" its compliance efforts amid regulatory scrutiny from the Federal Reserve over its crypto-related activity. Previously, Rosenberg was an assistant finance professor at the NYU Stern School of Business, according to his LinkedIn. He has a Ph.D. in economics from the University of California San Diego. Chief Credit Officer: Vlad Dubinsky Vlad Dubinsky is listed as Erebor's chief credit officer in the memo. Dubinsky's LinkedIn profile says he joined The Bancorp Bank in May as a managing director, credit markets. Bancorp is known for working with fintech companies that issue payment cards. According to his LinkedIn profile, Dubinsky spent over three years working for Blue Foundry Bank, a New Jersey bank with a market capitalization of about $200 million that has been gravitating "away from residential and multifamily lending and toward higher-yielding commercial loans," according to the American Banker.
Business Insider
03-07-2025
- Business
- Business Insider
Anduril CEO Palmer Luckey's new digital banking startup set to be valued at $2 billion, sources say
Anduril cofounder and CEO Palmer Luckey is launching another startup with a "Lord of the Rings"-inspired name. It already has a hefty price tag. Erebor, a digital bank aimed at startups and cryptocurrency companies, which might sound a little like the infamous Silicon Valley Bank, is raising at least $225 million at a $2 billion valuation, according to people familiar with the deal. Founders Fund, the venture firm run by Palantir cofounder Peter Thiel, and 8VC, led by fellow Palantir cofounder Joe Lonsdale, are investing in the company, the people who weren't authorized to speak publicly on the matter said. The fundraise is ongoing, and details could still change. 8VC, Founders Fund and Palmer Luckey did not respond to requests for comment. Erebor — like Luckey's Anduril as well as Lonsdale and Thiel's Palantir — takes its name from JRR Tolkien's "The Lord of the Rings." In the book, Erebor is the "Lonely Mountain," a kingdom known for its treasure. The startup recently applied for a US bank charter that would let it operate as a regulated bank. It plans to provide services such as crypto-collateralized lending to startups and crypto clients, according to documents viewed by Business Insider. Luckey founded Erebor. Jacob Hirshman, who previously worked at stablecoin issuer Circle, and Owen Rapaport, who cofounded now-acquired crypto-monitoring company Aer Compliance, will lead the bank as co-CEOs, the documents said. Mike Hagedorn, previously senior executive vice president and chief financial officer of Valley National Bank, will be the startup's president, according to his LinkedIn. Hirshman declined to comment. Rapaport and Hagedorn did not respond to requests for comment. Luckey is also the CEO of Anduril Industries, a defense tech giant he cofounded in 2017 that raised $2.5 billion at a $30.5 billion valuation in June. He also founded virtual reality company Oculus in 2012 at 19 years old and sold it to Facebook, now Meta Platforms, for $2 billion two years later. In 2016, Luckey was fired from Meta after donating $10,000 to a pro-Donald Trump meme group. (Meta and CEO Mark Zuckerberg have denied that Luckey left over his politics, and the two teamed up again in May, announcing an Anduril-Meta US military partnership.) Both Lonsdale and Thiel — who lead the venture firms backing Erebor — have supported President Trump. Thiel contributed over $1 million to pro-Trump super PACs and his 2016 campaign, according to the New York Times. Lonsdale has backed the America PAC, which supported Trump's 2024 reelection campaign, the Financial Times reported. In the first few months of his second term, Trump made moves to support the crypto industry, like creating a strategic bitcoin reserve and appointing venture capitalist David Sacks as Crypto Czar. And Wall Street interest in crypto is on the rise after Circle's IPO in June. Shares in Circle are up over 113% since its public market debut as of the Wednesday close.
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Why is Yulissa gone from 'Love Island'? How to watch tonight's episode
It wouldn't be "Love Island USA" if there weren't any scandals. In Season 7, which premiered on June 3, 2025, the drama stems from Yulissa Escobar's abrupt exit from the show during the second episode. Yulissa was part of the main cast for "Love Island USA" 2025, which was announced on May 29. Shortly after, fans uncovered some racist clips from Yulissa's past and claimed that they would try and vote her off first. Yulissa isn't the only cast member that fans were not fond of. Screenshots of co-star Austin Shephard engaging with several pro-Donald Trump and anti-Kamala Harris videos on TikTok surfaced, and viewers wanted him gone, too. So what exactly happened to Yulissa? Is there a new episode of "Love Island USA" tonight? Here's what we know. During Season 7, Episode 2 of "Love Island USA," narrator Iain Stirling announced, "Yulissa has left the villa." This seemed to be before their third day of filming. The 27-year-old from Miami was paired up with Ace Greene. No explanation was given for why Yulissa left "Love Island." However, since the Season 7 cast was announced, clips were circulating online of Yulissa saying the n-word. Footage shared by TMZ shows Yulissa using racist slurs when talking about men and relationship drama in a podcast. Two episodes of "Love Island USA" Season 7 are out now. Episode 3 airs June 5. The next episode of "Love Island USA" 2025 will air tonight, June 5. "Love Island USA" airs every day except Wednesdays, with "Love Island Aftersun" on Saturdays. "Love Island Aftersun" is where dumped cast members and Islanders from previous seasons will gather to discuss Season 7. 'Pucker up, boys': This Arizonan is 1st bombshell of 'Love Island USA' 2025 Yes, there will be a new episode of Season 7 every day during premiere week. A new "Love Island USA" episode is out tonight, June 5, at 6 p.m. PT, 7 p.m. MT (including in Arizona) and 9 p.m. ET. You can watch "Love Island USA" Season 7 exclusively on Peacock. A premium monthly plan on Peacock costs $7.99, or there is a deal for a premium annual plan at $24.99 for one year. The premium plus plan, which is ad-free, costs $13.99 per month or $139.99 a year. In order to vote for your favorite Islanders or couples on "Love Island USA," you must download the official Love Island app to vote. This will influence which Islanders recouple, who will remain in the villa and who will go home single or heartbroken. Reach the reporter at Follow @dina_kaur on X, formerly known as Twitter, and on Bluesky @ Subscribe to today. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: "Love Island USA": Did racist backlash get rid of Yulissa?
