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Young Thug’s trial halted, defense tries to get judge removed from case

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ATLANTA (AP) — The judge overseeing the prosecution of Young Thug and others on extortion and gang-related charges on Monday put the lengthy trial on hold until one other judge rules on requests by several defendants to withdraw from the case.

Attorneys for the rapper and a number of other other defendants filed motions to disqualify Fulton County Superior Court Chief Judge Ural Glanville after he held a gathering with prosecutors and a prosecution witness at which the defendants and defense attorneys weren’t present. They said the meeting was “improper” and that the judge and prosecutors tried to pressure the witness, who had been granted immunity, to testify.

Glanville said jurors, who’re already in recess until July 8, will likely be notified they are going to not be needed until the case is resolved.

It’s the most recent delay in a trial that has dragged on for greater than a yr, partly due to a series of problems. Jury selection within the case began in January 2023 and lasted nearly 10 months. Opening statements were made in November, and prosecutors have been making their case since then, calling dozens of witnesses.

Young Thug, a Grammy Award winner whose real name is Jeffery Williams, was indicted two years ago in a sweeping indictment that accused him and greater than two dozen others of conspiring to violate Georgia anti-kickback laws. He can be charged with gang, drug and firearms offenses and faces trial together with five other defendants.

Last month, Glanville found Young Thug’s attorney, Brian Steel, guilty of contempt of court for refusing to tell a judge how he came upon in regards to the meeting outside of court. Steel was sentenced to 10 consecutive weekends in jail, however the Georgia Supreme Court stayed the sentence pending an appeal.

During a hearing Monday without jurors present, Glanville said he would release a transcript of a gathering he had with prosecutors and state witness Kenneth Copeland and Copeland’s lawyer. He said he would also let one other judge resolve whether he must be removed from the case.

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Glanville told lawyers he would issue an order transferring the case to one other judge, adding: “I’ll see you in a moment, depending on how this is decided, okay?”

“Your Majesty, do we have a timeline for considering the motion to recuse the judge?” asked prosecutor Simone Hylton.

“I don’t know,” Glanville replied, saying the court clerk would have to assign it to one other judge. “I have nothing to do with it.”

Hylton asked if the case could possibly be expedited, citing concerns about jurors being held “indefinitely.”

Glanville said he understands the concerns and hopes we’ll respond quickly.

Glanville maintained there was nothing improper in regards to the meeting. He said prosecutors had asked to speak about Copeland’s immunity agreement.

Young Thug has enjoyed massive success since he began rapping as a youngster and serves as CEO of his own record label, Young Stoner Life, called YSL. The artists on his record label are considered a part of the “Slime Family,” and the compilation album Slime Language 2 reached No. 1 on the charts in April 2021.

But prosecutors say YSL also stands for Young Slime Life, which they are saying is a violent Atlanta-based street gang with ties to the national Bloods gang, founded in 2012 by Young Thug and two others. Prosecutors say the individuals named within the indictment are answerable for violent crimes — including homicides, shootings and carjackings — geared toward raising money for the gang, cultivating its popularity and expanding its power and territory.

This article was originally published on : thegrio.com
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Founder of an AI Tech startup accused of fraud and combining numbers with investors

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Joanna Smith-Griffin, 33, CEO of startup AllHere Education, Inc. dealing with AI education accused of defrauding investors.

The Southern District of New York prosecuted Smith-Griffin securities fraud, wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. The grand jury indictment alleged that Smith-Griffin lied concerning the education platform’s funds and posed as a financial consultant to supply false information to investors. While acting as a financial consultant for AllHere Education, Smith-Griffin is accused of falsifying the corporate’s financial records mislead potential investors and inflate the worth of her company and its revenues.

AllHere Education is an AI-powered learning platform utilized in primary and secondary schools. Smith-Griffin has had little success integrating the K-12 platform into individual school districts in California and Georgia. However, the principal didn’t secure long-term contracts with school districts. She used these short-term partnerships to misrepresent to investors the reach and financial success of AllHere Education.

Smith-Griffin told potential AllHere investors that AllHere generated about $3.7 million in revenue in 2020, about $2.5 million in money and has major school district customers similar to New York City Department of Education (“NYC DOE”) and Atlanta Public Schools. In fact, AllHere generated roughly $11,000 in revenue in 2020, had roughly $494,000 in money, and had no contracts with many of the clients it represented, including the NYC DOE and Atlanta Public Schools.

Smith-Griffin continued to boost capital to support the startup, raising one other $10 million in funding. When the corporate collapsed financially, Smith-Griffin allegedly used the money injection to pay for an extravagant three-day wedding in Florida and a residence in North Carolina.

FBI Deputy Director James E. Dennehy commented on Smith-Griffin’s decision to prioritize her personal aspirations over the needs of an educational platform.

“Her alleged actions impacted the potential to improve the learning environment in core school districts by selfishly prioritizing personal expenses,” he said.

Smith-Griffin faces a compulsory two years in prison for the identity theft charge and a maximum of 20 years for every fraud charge. AllHere Education is currently in Chapter 7 bankruptcy.


This article was originally published on : www.blackenterprise.com
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Prosecutors say Sean “Diddy” Combs is trying to obstruct justice by heading to prison

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NEW YORK (AP) — Sean “Diddy” Combs was trying to reach potential witnesses and influence public opinion while in prison in a bid to influence potential jurors in an upcoming sex trafficking trial, prosecutors said in a court filing during which they urged a judge to deny his latest bail request.

The government charges were filed Friday evening in federal court in Manhattan, which opposed the music mogul’s latest offer of $50 million bail. A bail hearing is scheduled for next week.

Prosecutors wrote that a review of recorded phone calls Combs made while in prison shows that he asked relations to contact potential victims and witnesses and urged them to create a “narrative” to influence the jury pool. They say he also encouraged the use of promoting strategies to influence public opinion.

“The defendant has demonstrated time and time again – even while in custody – that he’ll flagrantly and repeatedly disregard the foundations so as to improperly influence the consequence of his case. In other words, the defendant has demonstrated that he can’t be trusted to abide by the terms and conditions,” prosecutors wrote in a press release containing redactions.

Prosecutors wrote that from his behavior it might be inferred that Combs wanted to blackmail victims and witnesses into remaining silent or providing testimony helpful to his defense.

Combs’ lawyers didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment.

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Prosecutors said Combs, 55, began breaking the foundations almost immediately after being taken into custody Metropolitan Prison Center in Brooklyn after his September arrest.

He pleaded not guilty to the costs brought against him he abused and molested women for years with the assistance of a network of collaborators and employees, while silencing victims through blackmail and violence, including kidnapping, arson and physical beatings.

Two judges found he was a danger to the community and a flight risk.

His lawyers recently filed a 3rd bail application after rejecting two previous attempts, including a $50 million bail offer.

In their motion, they cited modified circumstances, including latest evidence, that they believed justified Combs’ release so he could higher prepare for his May 5 trial.

However, prosecutors said defense lawyers created the most recent bail proposal based on evidence provided to them by prosecutors, and the brand new material was already known to defense lawyers after they submitted previous bail applications.

In their presentation to the judge, prosecutors said Combs’ behavior in prison shows he must remain locked up.

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For example, they said, Combs asked relations to plan and execute a social media campaign around his birthday “with the intent of influencing a potential jury in this criminal proceeding.”

He encouraged his children to post a video on their social media accounts of them gathering to have a good time his birthday, he added.

He then monitored statistics on the jail, including audience engagement, and “explicitly discussed with the family how to ensure the film would have the desired impact on potential jury members in this case,” they said.

The government also alleged that Combs made clear in other conversations that he intended to anonymously publish information that he believed would help him defend against the costs.

“Defendant’s efforts to impede the fairness of these proceedings also include his persistent efforts to contact potential witnesses, including victims of violence, who could provide strong testimony against him,” prosecutors wrote.

This article was originally published on : thegrio.com
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Celebrity chef and former NFL player Tobias Dorzon is recovering from a shooting attack

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Celebrity chef and former NFL player Tobias Dorzon is recovering after being shot during an alleged robbery.

The shooting occurred on the evening of Tuesday, November 5 in Hyattsville, Maryland, when multiple suspects attempted to rob a man and woman who had just returned from dinner, based on statement from the Hyattsville Police Department.

Police said the victims were taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Although authorities didn’t initially discover the victims, local council member Wanika Fisher revealed that Dorzon was amongst those attacked.

“I am disheartened and saddened by the news that Prince George’s County restaurant owner Tobias Dorzon was one of two people shot during an attempted robbery Tuesday evening in my neighborhood,” Fisher began in a news release.

She added that Dorzon, a Riverdale native, owns two “amazing” restaurants in Hyattsville and is considered a “dear” friend of hers.

“Such a terrible act could not have happened to a better person,” Fisher continued within the statement. “I offer my sincere condolences to him and the other victim, as well as their families and friends, and wish them both a speedy recovery. This type of senseless violence has no place in our county and county.”

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According to Fisher, Dorzon is an “extremely talented” chef who has represented Prince George’s County on the national stage and appeared on several Food Network shows. Most recently, the 39-year-old chef participated within the Food Network’s “Last Bite Hotel,” where he made it to the ultimate 4. He also hosts “Time Out with Tobias” on ESPN.

Off-screen, Dorzon currently owns and manages a company Huncho’s house and exclusive 1123 By Chef Tobias. This spring, he was named Maryland Chef of the Year, the primary honor for somebody from Prince George’s County. In 2021 helped James Harden open his restaurant Thirteen in Houston.

Before becoming a master chef, the Maryland native played within the NFL for each the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Tennessee Titans. He also had a stint playing for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the Canadian Football League.

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Every week after the shooting, Dorzon updated followers Instagram on his progress.

“I’m still here, thank you all for your prayers. See you soon…. Huncho,” he wrote within the caption of a post that included a screenshot of a tweet during which he admitted that, all things considered, he should be “God’s favorite.”


This article was originally published on : thegrio.com
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