The Chicago Journal

Real estate market hopes for consistency this year

Real estate: The real estate market was afflicted by a slew of problems in 2022, including inflated prices, high demand, and a deficit of available houses.

The market is anticipated to shift as the new year gets underway, largely because of the rise in interest rates in 2022.

Normalization

Home prices in the real estate market are still going down.

As a result, many market players have changed their stance to prioritize normalization above correction.

Price hikes and sales activity accelerated between March 2020 and March 2022 and appeared uncontrollable.

However, things are beginning to change.

Luxury homes, which make up the top 5% of the market, had a dip in a worldwide home price increase in the third quarter, falling to 8.8% yearly.

A Knight Frank survey indicates that it has decreased by 10.9% from its peak in the early stages of 2022.

The inflation rate for housing costs, which is falling by 0.3% year-on-year, is taken into consideration in the report.

The markets

The US markets are “coming back to earth,” according to Jonathan Miller of the New York-based appraisal company Miller Samuel.

“Clearly, the pivot of Fed policy has had an impact on every housing market in the country because rates were too low for too long,” said Miller.

“It created this insatiable demand and obliterated supply.”

Although Jonathan Miller is concerned about a recession, he thinks that because of a stronger job market, it won’t be as catastrophic as previous ones.

Other major cities are currently experiencing similar difficulties.

Experts predict that Dubai and Miami, two locations with large populations, won’t experience any changes or effects.

Read also: Robots prove clinical to restaurant industry this year

The New York market

New York experienced record-breaking sales activity in 2021.

Since then, the city’s growth has significantly slowed down.

Since then, the city’s growth has significantly slowed down.

Bess Freedman, CEO of Brown Harris Stevens, claims that deals are down and demands have eased.

“The first quarters of 2022 were excellent, like superb,” said Freedman.

“And then the third quarter started to slow down, and now the fourth quarter has really slowed down.”

As the Fed keeps raising rates to curb inflation, Bess Freedman forecasts upheaval in the real estate market this year.

Despite the robust labor market, she claims that concerns about a recession still linger.

“Real estate will be as it has been recently, which is a little bit rocky,” she elaborated.

“It’s been ups and downs. There are still a lot of people spending a lot of money on expensive apartments – we just had somebody sign something for over $20 million.”

“People are still closing and signing; they aren’t all walking away, but it’s slower,” Freedman continued.

“It’s going to be a little challenging in the first quarter and maybe into the second, but I think we’ll rebound and start picking up again.”

Dollar strength

The enormous growth of the dollar continues to be an obstacle to foreign investment.

Jonathan Miller claims that this would hinder sales growth as Wall Street executives could see their bonus payouts reduced by more than 30% from levels in 2021.

Even though there are many cash buyers in Manhattan, he claimed that reducing rates would still be advantageous to the city.

The financial markets, which have been unstable as a result of the Fed’s adjustments to its monetary policies, are of particular concern to New York buyers.

“It creates a cautionary environment,” Miller explained.

“We’re probably looking at a year closer to pre-pandemic, which was a little bit below average in terms of activity.”

“The 2023 story is going to be normalized, [and] certainly not a boom.”

Read also: Trees: the importance of planting trees at home

The Los Angeles market

In the middle of 2022, according to the Agency’s CEO, Mauricio Umansky, changes took place in the Los Angeles real estate market.

He noted that over the previous two and a half years, the market had evolved at an unsustainable rate.

“Volume dropped while the industry’s cyclical nature and historical seasonality quickly returned,” said Umansky.

“What felt like a jolt was actually what I believe was the beginning of a rebalancing act.”

This year, he anticipates a robust luxury market in Los Angeles.

“More millionaires exist today than at any other point in history,” explained Umansky.

“Markets are more globalized than ever, and there is much wealth to be distributed, especially among hyper-wealthy markets.”

Mauricio Umansky continued:

“I believe housing remains a primary investment for the world’s most affluent citizens and a safe hedge against inflation.”

“While economists predict the slowdown in volume to continue into the start of the new year, supply is still tight, and demand is on the rise, meaning price growth is still expected in the year ahead.”

According to a recent Knight Frank projection, the price of prime properties in Los Angeles will increase by 4% in 2023.

Over the coming year, stability is predicted by Mauricio Umansky:

“While the current market presents some points of discomfort, buyers, sellers, and agents will acclimate to our new normal until the market picks up again.”

Reference:

Real estate markets set to normalize in 2023 after nearly three years of the pandemic boom

Allen Weisselberg to serve his jail sentence of 5 months immediately

Allen Weisselberg: The Trump Organization’s longtime (now former) CFO recently got handed a five-month jail sentence.

The sentence

A New York judge gave Allen Weisselberg a jail sentence for his collaboration in a ten-year tax fraud scheme.

Weisselberg testified as New York’s witness in court against the former president’s organization.

He will start fulfilling his sentence as soon as he arrives at the notorious Rikers Island prison in New York City.

According to a source with knowledge of the situation, Weisselberg won’t be detained among the general population.

He will live in an infirmary facility.

Trump Organization

A Manhattan jury earlier this month found two Trump Organization companies guilty of a slew of tax fraud charges.

They were found guilty of falsifying company records and not disclosing and paying taxes on top of executive wages as part of a 15-year scheme to defraud tax officials.

The Trump Organization and the Trump Payroll Organization were guilty of all the allegations.

Although Trump exploited executive benefits and his name was constantly mentioned, he and his family were not convicted.

Weisselberg

The former CFO admitted guilt to 15 counts in August.

As part of a deal with the prosecutors, Allen Weisselberg was required to provide testimony at the Trump Organization trial.

In addition, he was ordered to pay back taxes, penalties, and interest totaling $2 million.

Furthermore, Weisselberg had to relinquish his right to appeal.

Allen Weisselberg admitted that his over $200,000 annual off-the-books compensation should have been subject to taxation.

This payment covered the following:

  • A luxurious Manhattan apartment overlooking the Hudson River
  • Car leases for two Mercedes Benz 
  • Parking space
  • Utilities
  • Furniture
  • Private school tuition for grandchildren

The judge, Juan Merchan, said on Tuesday that, after hearing the evidence, he would have handed a harsher punishment than five months.

Without the deal, Weisselberg might have been sentenced to five to fifteen years in jail.

He might spend just over 100 days in jail if a third of his sentence is commuted due to good behavior.

Read also: Kevin McCarthy still short of votes to become speaker

Prosecutors

Judge Merchan discovered the CFO’s falsification of a $6,000 payroll check to his wife.

The vilest act of his greed, according to Merchan, was his wife’s eligibility for Social Security benefits.

The CFO’s attorney had requested a lighter sentence due to Weisselberg’s old age and other factors, and the judge stated he had to comply.

The Manhattan District Attorney’s prosecutor testified that Allen Weisselberg had complied with the conditions of his plea deal before Merchan’s decision.

According to prosecutor Susan Hoffinger, he delivered an honest deposition in December against Trump Corp. and Trump Payroll Corp.

She claimed he paid authorities the additional $1 million in back taxes and penalties he incurred last week.

In total, Weisselberg spent more than $2 million.

Attorney & judge

The CFO would likely find Tuesday unpleasant, but Weisselberg’s attorney, Nicholas Gravante, maintained that he had been preparing for months since pleading guilty in August.

“Mr. Weisselberg came to court today ready to begin his sentence, and he is grateful that it has now begun,” said the attorney.

“He deeply regrets the lapse in judgment that resulted in his conviction, and he regrets it most because of the pain it has caused his loving wife, his sons, and wonderful grandchildren.”

Regardless of who you are or who you work for, the plea and sentence, in Manhattan, “you have to play by the rules,” according to New York District Attorney Alvin Bragg.

“Now, he and two Trump companies have been convinced of felonies, and Weisselberg will serve a jail sentence for his crimes,” he added.

Legal woes

Allen Weisselberg was named as a defendant in the $250 million civil legal case by Letitia James, the attorney general of New York.

She claimed that the Trump Organization defrauded insurers, lenders, and tax authorities for over a decade by inflating the worth of various Trump Organization properties.

James named the perpetrators of the schemes, which included Weisselberg, Trump, his three eldest children, and other executives.

The former US President denied the accusations and argued that political motivations were behind the case’s instigation.

Weisselberg admitted during the tax fraud trial last year that he mingled with others at the Trump Organization.

Donald Trump, Eric Trump, and Donald Trump Jr. were part of a number of talks.

However, he assured the jury that he didn’t plan anything or coordinate with any Trump family members.

Two Trump Organization enterprises were found guilty in December after two hours of deliberation on the following charges:

  • Multiple charges of tax fraud
  • Falsifying business records.

According to someone with knowledge of the situation, Allen Weisselberg allegedly received a severance package when he left the Trump Organization on Tuesday.

Other investigations

Weisselberg’s conviction brings to a close one of the most prolonged inquiries into the Trump Organization by the Manhattan district attorney’s office.

The prosecution has looked into the accuracy of the companies’ financial statements in considerable detail.

Recent developments have brought to light the company’s involvement in the hush-money payments to prevent adult film star Stormy Daniels from publicizing an affair with Donald Trump before the 2016 election.

Meanwhile, Trump has repeatedly denied the allegations.

References:

Allen Weisselberg, former Trump Org. CFO, sentenced to 5 months in jail

Trump Organization found guilty on all counts of criminal tax fraud

Minimum wage to go from $7 to $15 this year

Minimum wage: News of an increase in the minimum wage for workers was announced at the start of the year.

Because the federal minimum wage has stood at $7.25 an hour since 2009, workers in more than half of the states have advocated higher pay.

Several states and cities already have set their own minimum wage rates, but most plan to implement them in 2023.

The news

Higher minimum salaries for this year have been declared in 26 states.

The US payroll specialists at Wolters Kluwer Legal & Regulatory said that one more state would join the update in July.

According to the Economics Policy Institute, 23 states, including Washington, DC, began implementing the higher compensation on January 1.

As a result, eight million workers will be impacted.

There will be wage increases ranging from 23 cents to $1.50.

States implementing the minimum wage increase

  • Delaware: $10.50 – $11.75
  • Illinois: $12 – $13
  • Maryland: $12.50 – $13.25
  • Massachusetts: $14.25 – $15
  • Michigan: $9.87 – $10.10
  • Missouri: $11.15 – $12
  • Nebraska: $9 – $10.50
  • New Jersey: $13 – $14.13 (includes inflation adjustment)
  • New York: $13.20 – $15 (in and around the city), $14.20 (upstate New York)
  • Rhode Island: $12.25 – $13
  • Virginia: $11 – $12

States that will implement the increase later this year

  • Connecticut: $14 – $15 (July 1 implementation)
  • Florida: $11 – $12 (September)
  • Nevada: $9.50 – $10.25 (firms with benefits), $10.50 – $11.25 (firms without benefits)
  • Oregon: $13.50 (July 1 implementation)

Read also: Real estate market hopes for consistency this year

Catalysts

Inflation hit a 40-year high, and people were having difficulty keeping up with rising costs, so last summer, a critical choice was made.

Sebastian Martinez Hickey of EPI said:

“The fact that there’s high inflation really just underscores how necessary these minimum wage increases are for workers.”

“Even before the pandemic, there was no country in the United States where you could affordably live as a single adult at $15 an hour.”

The pandemic and the economic recovery made the wealth divide in America painfully clear.

Over the past two years, significant employers’ initiatives to raise the minimum wage have been sparked by poor working conditions and low salaries.

Additionally, the pandemic contributed to a prolonged gap between the supply and demand for labor.

Labor

Due to a personnel shortage that affected employers during the majority of the year, the average annual hourly salary increased.

Even when workers in competitive industries learned their new pay was higher than inflation, skyrocketing inflation exceeded most compensation.

Californian economics professor Michael Reich said:

“The story is different because wages have been increasing at the low-end, much faster than inflation and much faster than in middle- or high-wage jobs.”

“And that means that many workers, even in the $7.25 states, are already getting paid above the minimum wage.”

“Even though the minimum wage might go up by 7% in many states and cities, labor costs aren’t going to go up anywhere as much as they have in the past,” Reich added.

“Because they have already gone up. That also means that prices aren’t going to go up at [places like] restaurants.”

Impact

Joe Biden, the US president, launched initiatives to boost the federal minimum wage to $15 per hour.

In 2022, he signed an executive order raising the salaries of contractors and employees of the federal government to that amount.

However, Congress would need to approve any significant changes before they could occur in the country.

Although a fee increase was suggested, it wasn’t included in the legislation for the 2021 Covid-19 relief.

Kevin Werner of the Urban Institute, contends:

“As the gap between that and the federal minimum wage increases, it will be interesting to see if that can kind of spur more momentum for more states to increase their wages or try to get more momentum on the federal level.”

According to a September report from the Urban Institute, the $15 per hour pay adjustment would have an influence on 56 million workers.

As a result of the new minimum wage, the study simulated two scenarios in which no jobs were lost and two scenarios in which job losses were more remarkable.

“Even in our highest job loss scenario, we still found that on average, the average worker was better off, and that poverty declined overall,” said Werner.

“Even though some individual people who lost their jobs may have been worse off, the net effect was still positive.”

Read also: Robots prove clinical to restaurant industry this year

Workers

According to Kevin Werner, the bulk of laborers who would be impacted by the $15 minimum wage are older than 25.

The likelihood of relying on the minimum wage is higher for people of color and those living in poverty.

Werner made the point that raising the federal minimum wage would help those in need.

The CEO of Business for a Fair Minimum Wage, Holly Sklar, maintains that raising the minimum wage can also increase consumer demand.

As a result, the local economy will be able to recover.

“Putting needed raises in minimum wage workers’ pockets [is] really the most efficient way you can boost the economy,” said Sklar.

“Those are the people who have to go right back around and spend it.”

References:

These states are raising their minimum wages in 2023. Chart shows where workers can expect higher pay

New Year’s pay boost: these states are raising their minimum wage

Caroline Ellison and SBF responsible for FTX collapse

Caroline Ellison: The former CEO of FTX’s sister company, Alameda, testified before a judge that she and Sam Bankman-Fried misrepresented lenders about their financial information.

Ellison agreed with the former FTX CEO that Alameda’s lenders were provided “materially misleading financial statements.”

The news

After Caroline Ellison’s trial testimony was given on December 19, SBF was not released on a $250 million bond until three days later, at which point the transcript of her testimony was released publicly.

Judge Ronnie Abrams of the US District Court listened as the former Alameda CEO said, “I am truly sorry for what I did – I knew that it was wrong.”

“Did you also know that it was illegal?” the court asked her to clarify.

“Yes,” Ellison answered.

Federal charges

Last week, Caroline Ellison and Gary Wang, the other co-founder of FTX, pleaded guilty to federal charges for their involvement in the frauds that caused the company’s collapse.

The two had been charged, according to attorneys for the Southern District of New York on Wednesday.

The Securities and Exchange Commission alleges that they were charged with participating in a scheme to defraud equity investors.

The Commodities Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) stated that a revision had been made to its fraud complaint.

Ellison and Wang, according to US Attorney Damian Williams, accepted guilty pleas.

Williams also thanked the assistance of the Bahamas, the US Embassy there, and the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs.

The Southern District of New York is cooperating with Gary Wang and Caroline Ellison.

They didn’t disclose their plea deals until Sam Bankman-Fried was on his way from the Bahamas to the US.

Read also: Sam Bankman-Fried to receive bail for $250 million

The financial statements

The misleading financial statements, according to Caroline Ellison, were derived from “quarterly balance sheets that concealed the extent of Alameda’s borrowing and the billions of dollars in loans that Alameda had made.”

“I agreed with Mr. Bankman-Fried and others not to publicly disclose the true nature of the relationship between Alameda and FTX, including Alameda’s credit arrangement,” said Ellison.

The following people reported about the transcript after reading it:

  • New York Times
  • Reuters
  • Bloomberg

Matthew Russell Lee of Inner City Press tweeted a portion of the transcript.

Early reports

The employees of FTX and Alameda were either aware of or oblivious of what was happening between the two companies, according to reports that surfaced last week.

Before Ellison and Wang submitted guilty to their charges, the ambiguity was the subject of much speculation.

However, Caroline Ellison’s remarks confirmed rumors that FTX had treated Alameda uniquely.

Alameda was given permission to take money out of its sister company.

Ellison said:

“I understood that FTX executives had implemented special settings on Alameda’s FTX.com account that permitted Alameda to maintain negative balances in various fiat currencies and crypto currencies.”

“In practical terms, this arrangement permitted Alameda access to an unlimited line of credit without being required to post collateral, without having to pay interest on negative balances and without being subject to margin calls or FTX.com’s liquidation protocols.”

The company’s huge debt and what it entailed were both recognized to the former Alameda CEO and others, she said.

“I understood that if Alameda’s FTX accounts had significantly negative balances in a particular currency,” she continued.

“It meant that Alameda was borrowing funds that FTX’s customers deposited onto the exchange.”

Read also: TikTok receives ban on government devices

SBF

Sam Bankman-Fried and other executives, according to Caroline Ellison, allegedly took loans from Alameda while participating in a number of “large illiquid venture investments.”

She said that she and others had agreed to borrow from FTX in the billions of dollars in order to pay back the loans.

“I understood that FTX would need to use customer funds to finance its loans to Alameda,” Ellison shared.

“Most FTX customers did not expect that FTX would lend out their digital asset holdings and fiat currency deposits to Alameda in this fashion.”

Caroline Ellison also spoke to the FTX collapse victims, saying:

“I want to apologize for my actions to the affected customers of FTX, lenders to Alameda, and investors in FTX.”

“Since FTX and Alameda collapsed in November 2022, I have worked hard to assist with the recovery of assets for the benefit of customers and to cooperate with the government’s investigation.”

“I am here today to accept my responsibility for my actions by pleading guilty.”

References:

Caroline Ellison ‘knew that it was wrong,’ implicates Sam Bankman-Fried

Caroline Ellison, Gary Wang plead guilty, cooperating in FTX investigation

SEC says Ellison, Wang ‘knew or were reckless in not knowing’ about FTX fraud

Sam Bankman-Fried to receive bail for $250 million

Sam Bankman-Fried: A federal judge in New York issued a ruling on Thursday that allows the FTX developer to be released on a $250 million bond.

He is in the process of being prosecuted for fraud and other crimes.

The news

Sam Bankman-Fried, his parents, attorney, and court security left the Manhattan US District Court at around 2:00 p.m.

The prosecutors and his attorneys accepted the bail conditions for Bankman-personal Fried’s recognizance.

On January 3 in New York City, Judge Ronnie Abrams will preside over the 30-year-old’s next hearing.

He will enter a plea and answer the allegations there.

Bond

A recognizance bond is a written promise from the defendant to appear in court in response to a summons.

After being released, Sam Bankman-Fried won’t be required to meet all of the bail’s collateral requirements.

The bond was signed by his parents and two other people with substantial assets and was secured by the equity in his family’s home.

The prosecution described the $250 million package, which also includes an electronic monitoring bracelet, as the biggest pretrial bond ever.

He must agree to obtain mental health therapy and abstain from going to the Southern, Eastern, and Northern Districts of California and New York.

Read also: FTX and Alameda leaders plead guilty for company collapse

In the court

Judge Gabriel Gorenstein said that after being permitted to return to his parents’ California home, Bankman-Fried would require continued supervision.

The parents of SBF, who are both Stanford law professors, were in the courtroom.

The creator of FTX was surrounded by two US marshals dressed in blue suits and brown shoes.

He swapped his ankle shackles for an ankle monitor while in the courtroom.

Sam Bankman-Fried remained silent until the judge inquired whether he understood the repercussions of breaking the bail conditions.

“Yes, I do,” said SBF.

Furthermore, Bankman-Fried is prohibited from opening new credit accounts with a total balance of more than $1,000.

Federal regulators describe him at his crypto-empire as a “brazen” fraud as they wait for the trial to start.

SBF was at the core of “a fraud of epic proportions” during the court proceedings, according to Assistant US Attorney Nicolas Roo.

SBF, according to Roos, had significantly decreased his financial holdings, had freely returned to the US and had never attempted to run.

Sam Bankman-Fried, a former $32 billion cryptocurrency tycoon, purportedly stated that he only had $100,000 in his bank account.

The outcome was a swift fall from grace for the man.

Accusations

Sam Bankman-Fried is accused of the following:

  • Perpetrating a multibillion-dollar fraud on his investors
  • Using customer funds to purchase properties
  • Funding political donations
  • Backstop trades at his hedge fund Alameda Research

On Monday, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission brought fresh allegations against SBF, FTX, and Alameda Research.

They claimed that FTX mixed up customer funds and that Bankman-Fried violated the Commodities Exchange Act.

According to allegations, Alameda Research had access to more than $8 billion in client funds.

Since the company’s founding in 2019, FTX client funds have been accessible to and used by Alameda for its operations and activities, including:

  • Trading
  • Funding
  • Investment
  • Borrowing/lending

The SEC’s accusations that Sam Bankman-Fried operated his empire as a scam from the start were echoed by the CFTC.

FTX sought bankruptcy protection in Delaware on November 11.

John Ray III, who succeeded Sam Bankman-Fried as CEO of FTX, said he had never seen such a loss of corporate control.

SBF’s lieutenants

On Wednesday, Caroline Ellison, a former co-CEO of Alameda Research, and Gary Wang, a co-founder of FTX, both pleaded guilty to federal charges.

Gary Wang acknowledged the following allegations:

  • Conspiracy to commit wire fraud
  • Wire fraud
  • Conspiracy to commit commodities fraud
  • Conspiracy to commit securities fraud

Caroline Ellison had done the following:

  • Two counts of wire fraud
  • Two counts of conspiracy to commit wire fraud
  • Conspiracy to commit commodities fraud
  • Conspiracy to commit securities fraud
  • Conspiracy to commit money laundering

The public was informed of their plea agreements on Wednesday.

Read also: Sherrod Brown looking to have cryptocurrency banned in the US

SBF

The US Attorney accused Sam Bankman-Fried of eight charges, including securities fraud and money laundering.

He was transported by air from the Bahamas to New York on Wednesday night.

SBF has a far higher bond than other federal white-collar defendants.

  • Bernie Madoff obtained a $10 million bail in anticipation of his imminent trial for running a Ponzi scheme.
  • Former Enron CEO Jeff Skilling posted a $5 million bond.
  • Elizabeth Holmes, the Theranos founder, posted a $500,000 bond.

Reference:

FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried to be released on $250 million bail, will live with his parents

CFTC piles on new charges against Bankman-Fried, FTX and Alameda

FTX’s Gary Wang, Alameda’s Coraline Ellison plead guilty to federal charges, cooperating with prosecutors

L’Oreal struck with lawsuit regarding uterine cancer

L’Oréal is one of the parties being sued for claims that its products put women at risk of developing uterine cancer.

The lawsuit

Last Friday, civil rights attorney Ben Crump and attorney Diandra “Fu” Debrosse Zimmermann filed a lawsuit in Illinois.

The lawsuit is on behalf of Jenny Mitchell, a 32-year-old woman from Missouri.

They claim Mitchell’s uterine cancer was caused by her regular and prolonged exposure to hair care products from companies like L’Oreal.

According to the claims, the products contain phthalates and other chemicals that disrupt the endocrine system.

Debrosse Zimmermann says the lawsuit marks a “watershed moment” for women of color who use hair products like relaxers.

Read also: Binghamton University research finds unidentified chemicals in tattoo inks

Jenny Mitchell

The lawsuit says Jenny Mitchell was diagnosed with uterine cancer in 2018.

In addition, she underwent a total hysterectomy on September 24, 2018, at the Boone Hospital in Missouri.

Mitchell says her family has no history of cancer.

Speaking at a press conference on Monday, she said she started straightening her hair when she was eight.

“At that time, at the age of 28, my dreams of becoming a mother were gone,” said Mitchell.

“As most young African-American girls, chemical relaxers, chemical straighteners were introduced to us at a young age.”

“Society has made it a norm to look a certain way in order to feel a certain way,” she continued.

“And I am the first voice of many voice to come that will stand, stand up to these companies, and say, ‘No more.'”

From the early 2000s to March 2022, Jenny Mitchell used L’Oreal and other hair straightening products.

As a result, she is seeking $75,000 in damages.

Other cases

Jenny Mitchell is not alone in the lawsuit.

Two other individual lawsuits are filed against L’Oreal and other cosmetics companies in California and New York.

The two cases also claim hair straightener chemicals and the cancer diagnoses are linked.

“We imagine that we will continue representing additional women in filing cases,” said Debrosse Zimmerman.

“As will other firms, and more and more women will come forward.”

Read also: “Being a dermatologist is no easy job. It requires determination and a strong mindset,” Dr. Rola Shahadat on her success as a dermatologist

Studies

Mitchell’s lawsuit follows a study by the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, which found relations with her case.

The publication states that 4% of women who regularly use chemicals to straighten their hair are at risk of uterine cancer by age 70.

Additionally, the study estimates that women who haven’t used chemicals to straighten their hair in the past 12 months have a 1.6% risk of developing uterine cancer.

Furthermore, it says that Black women were more likely to use hair straightening products than White women.

To summarize, the data show that the relationship between hair straighteners and cervical cancer cases was more evident in Black women.

However, Black women only comprised 7.4% of study participants, and 59.9% reported using straightening products.

Other factors play a role in the frequent use of hair straightening products, such as:

  • Eurocentric standards of beauty
  • Social pressure on Black and Latina women in the work environment relating to microaggression and threat of discrimination
  • Desired versatility in changing hairstyles and self-expression

“Black women have long been the victims of dangerous products specifically marketed to them,” said Ben Crump.

“Black hair has been and always will be beautiful, but Black women have been told they have to use these products to meet society’s standards.”

“We will likely discover that Ms. Mitchell’s tragic case is one of countless cases in which companies aggressively misled Black women to increase their products.”

Reference:

US woman files lawsuit against L’Oreal, claiming chemical hair straightening products are linked to her cancer

Sam Bankman-Fried taken in by Bahamian police

The founder and former CEO of bankrupt crypto exchange FTX, Sam Bankman-Fried, was arrested in the Bahamas on Monday.

A Bahamian government statement revealed that the arrest came from the orders of US prosecutors who filed criminal charges against him.

The news

The Southern District of New York investigated Sam Bankman-Fried and the FTX and Alameda collapse.

The SDNY also confirmed the arrest, announcing the news on Twitter.

US Attorney Damian Williams made the arrest public in a tweet:

“Earlier this evening, Bahamian authorities arrested Samual Bankman-Fried at the request of the US government, based on a sealed indictment filed by the SDNY.”

“We expect to move to unseal the indictment in the morning and will have more to say at that time.”

The arrest

Sam Bankman-Fried was a cryptocurrency celebrity until earlier last month, when his company faced a cash crunch, forcing him to file for bankruptcy.

He quickly became a pariah, leaving over a million depositors without access to their funds.

The FTX founder was arrested in the Bahamas at his apartment complex on Monday night.

According to a statement from the Royal Bahamas Police Force, he will appear in court in Nassau on Tuesday.

The SEC

The Securities and Exchange Commission confirmed it approved separate charges related to Sam Bankman-Fried’s “violations of securities laws.”

It remains to be seen what the founder of FTX, a 30-year-old crypto celebrity and now a crypto pariah, will be charged for.

The company’s collapse follows a struggle with a cash crunch that forced it to file for bankruptcy in November.

As a result, millions of FTX customers can no longer access their funds.

Read also: Maxine Waters firm on having Sam Bankman-Fried attend hearing

Charges

Writing about a person familiar with the situation, The New York Times revealed SBF’s allegations, which include:

  • Wire fraud
  • Wire fraud conspiracy
  • Securities fraud
  • Securities fraud conspiracy
  • Money laundering

The United States has an extradition treaty with the Bahamas that allows US prosecutors to return suspects to US soil.

According to the treaty, the charges would carry more than a year in prison in both jurisdictions.

Aftermath of the collapse

Four weeks after FTX filed for bankruptcy, Sam Bankman-Fried had the behavior of a “hapless” CEO.

He acted like someone hovering in the sky, denying allegations of fraud against FTX clients.

“I didn’t knowingly commit fraud,” said SBF on BBC last weekend.

“I didn’t want any of this to happen. I was certainly not nearly as competent as I thought I was.”

House hearing

Sam Bankman-Fried was scheduled to appear before the US House Financial Services Committee via video call on Tuesday.

The committee demanded answers on the FTX crash and how it traversed the digital asset ecosystem.

Due to their FTX involvement, several cryptocurrency companies have gone bankrupt, frozen client accounts, and gone out of business.

After the arrest, Rep. Maxine Waters, chair of the committee, said SBF was no longer required to testify in court.

Statement

Originally, the hearing was to be supported by testimony from John J. Ray III, the new CEO of FTX.

He assumed Sam Bankman-Fried’s role on November 11 and guided the company through the bankruptcy process.

“While I am disappointed that we will not be able to hear from Mr. Bankman-Fried tomorrow,” Waters said in a Monday night statement.

“We remain committed to getting to the bottom of what happened.”

So far, Ray has described the company as a crypto empire with no oversight and no financial or other records.

“The scope of the investigation underway is enormous,” said Ray in remarks on Monday ahead of his testimony.

Although investigations are ongoing, the collapse appears to have stemmed from the concentration of power “in the hands of a very small group of grossly inexperienced and unsophisticated individuals” who failed to entrench control of the company within the company.

According to Ray, SBF mixed client resources from FTX with Alameda.

The revelation is crucial information for investigators since FTX and Alameda were separate entities on paper.

Read also: Cardi B shares mouthwatering payslip to shut troll up

Denials

After the crash, Sam Bankman-Fried denied pooling the funds.

He has since tried to distance himself from the daily operations of Alameda.

The company allegedly developed risky trading strategies, including arbitrage and yield farming.

According to a Wall Street Journal report, the Yield Farm strategy invests in digital tokens that pay rewards, including interest.

SBF admitted to mismanaging the company and having little awareness of the risks.

Late last month, he made a virtual appearance at the New York Times DealBook Summit.

“Look, I screwed up,” said Bankman-Fried during the summit.

“I was CEO of FTX… I had a responsibility.”

Sam Bankman-Fried also admitted that the companies he oversaw lacked corporate controls and risk management.

“There was no person who was chiefly in charge of positional risk of customers on FTX,” said SBF.

“And it feels pretty embarrassing in retrospect.”

A Reuters report in November raised a crucial question about the incident, saying SBF had created a “backdoor” into FTX’s accounting system.

It allowed him to change the company’s finances without raising the alarm.

According to the report, Bankman-Fried used the backdoor to transfer $10 billion of client funds to Alameda.

As a result, more than 1 billion dollars disappeared.

However, Sam Bankman-Fried denied knowing anything about the back door.

“I don’t even know how to code,” he said in a November interview with Tiffany Fong.

Reference:

Sam Bankman-Fried, FTX’s founder, is arrested in the Bahamas

New York tragedy with two children dead in stabbing

New York: According to police, disaster struck this weekend when two young brothers were stabbed to death in New York City.

The news

The two victims – a 3-year-old boy and an 11-month-old boy – were found Saturday night in an apartment building in the Bronx.

According to the New York Police Department, the boys were deemed unresponsive.

They also had several stab wounds on their neck and chest.

The police took the two boys to the hospital, where they both died.

Read also: Shooting in LGBTQ nightclub results in five dead

The calls

NYPD Deputy Chief Louis Dececglie told reporters that at around 7:30 pm, police responded to a call about an emotionally disturbed person.

New York police arrested the woman people were calling about and took her to the hospital by ambulance.

According to a statement from the NYPD, the woman was taken in for an examination.

Meanwhile, city records show that the apartment building where the victims were found is on the list of family shelters.

Deceglie said officers followed up after the initial call.

Read also: Itaewon police offices raided following Halloween crowd crush

Also, a family friend told police that the children were being cared for by their father.

Police received a second 911 call half an hour later.

“A second 911 call was received reporting to unresponsive babies not breathing at the same location,” said Deceglie.

“Patrol officers returned to the apartment, where they found an 11-month-old baby boy and a 3-year-old male unresponsive with stab wounds, multiple stab wounds.”

Although asked about the history of calls to 911 and how officers responded, police declined to comment.

Aftermath

According to New York police, the children’s 22-year-old mother is in their custody.

Although the investigation continues, the victim’s father is not in custody.

The mother has not been publicly named as a suspect.

In addition, police say she has not been arrested or charged.

Reference: 

A baby and a toddler were stabbed to death in New York City, police say

Cannabis shops to open in New York with challenges

Cannabis: New York’s cannabis industry has yet to thrive, but social justice critics say the rollout is unlikely to be successful.

A group campaigning for the first licensed sellers of marijuana shops claim they are set up for failure.

The news

The Cannabis Social Equity Coalition revealed that the first sellers must buy products of “questionable quality and safety” from hemp growers in New York.

Moreover, they argue that the sellers are not trained for the market and risk a mountain of debt.

Under New York’s seed-for-sale law, products sold by licensed dispensaries must come from local farmers.

However, the group warned that the “biomass” type of marijuana grown by farmers is not suitable for smoking.

Reginald Fluellen of the Cannabis Social Equity Coalition said:

“This type of cannabis is considered low grade, best suited for processing into oils, vapes, topicals, and edible cannabis products.”

“It is not suitable as a smokable flower for sale at dispensaries.”

Read also: Billy McFarland creates another “big” music festival

Product claims

Despite the claims, the State Office of Cannabis Management disputes allegations that it is approving bad weed.

“Let’s stick to the facts, and they’re clear,” said Damian Fagon, the OCM’s chief equity officer.

“New York’s first adult-use dispensaries will be selling products grown by New York family farmers that have been tested for a wide array of potentially harmful elements.”

Fagon was referring to the following elements:

  • Heavy metals
  • E-coli
  • Aspergillus
  • Other contaminants aligned with practices in other states

Read also: The Federal Reserve resort to smaller hikes

Training dispute

The Cannabis Social Equity Coalition also says dispensary owners haven’t received the training and incubation support needed to run the heavily regulated businesses.

As a result, companies are likely to struggle with high debt levels and “high-interest rates on debt repayment” from day one.

However, the OMC states that the claims were a buzzkill.

“These dispensary owners will receive support from the Social Equity Cannabis Investment Fund, breaking down barriers to capital in the complex industry,” said Fagon.

“They’re able to jumpstart the legal market with delivery rates, growing their capital before they open a storefront.”

Damian Fagon also said that the owners previously ran successful businesses.

“Jumping to conclusions about the products they will sell and their ability to be successful will only be damaging to them and our effort to establish the most equitable cannabis market in the nation,” he added.

During the public comment process on cannabis regulations, Fagon took a shot at the Cannabis Social Equity Coalition as MIA, saying:

“We look forward to their input on the regulations for most of the remaining market that were advanced by the Cannabis Control Board last month since we didn’t receive comment from them on the regulations for this dispensary program.”

Challenges

Despite the reassurance, there is no doubt that the program will face challenges.

A recent study revealed that there are likely thousands of illegal marijuana businesses operating in bodegas, tobacco shops, and other outlets in New York City.

Also, many pop-up shops likely sell dangerously contaminated weed.

Many of the black market weed sellers pay little or no taxes.

Meanwhile, the 36 state-owned retail operators that received state licenses in November will face a hefty tax.

The tax will make it harder for legal operators to compete on price with illegal operators across the city.

Reference:

New York cannabis launch turning into bad trip, social justice critics claim

Sam Bankman-Fried, ‘Look, I screwed up’

Sam Bankman-Fried, the former CEO of bankrupt cryptocurrency exchange FTX, has admitted he made mistakes as the leader of the company.

He said that it was not his intention, nor was he trying to cheat anyone.

The former FTX CEO recently appeared on video at the New York Times DealBook Summit in New York.

“There are things I would do anything to do over again,” said SBF.

“I was shocked by what happened this month.”

Collapse

In early November, Sam Bankman-Fried resigned as CEO of FTX after filing the company and dozens of its affiliates for bankruptcy.

Clients from all over the world are rushing to recover billions of funds they deposited on the platform.

Almost overnight, SBF’s multibillion-dollar personal wealth disappeared.

In addition, crypto companies with financial exposure to FTX are starting to fall asleep.

One of the questions surrounding SBF is whether the platform was stealing money from clients while lending money to his hedge fund, Alameda.

“I didn’t knowingly commingle funds,” SBF said.

“I was frankly surprised by how big Alameda’s position was.”

Failure

The cryptocurrency exchange platform experienced a run on banks in early November.

However, it quickly collapsed during a liquidity crunch.

“Look, I screwed up,” admitted SBF. “I was CEO of FTX… I had a responsibility.”

Sam Bankman-Fried acknowledged that FTX lacked corporate controls and risk management for the companies he oversaw.

In the bankruptcy filings, the new CEO for FTX described the matter as “a complete failure.”

“There was no other person who was chiefly in charge of positional risk of customers on FTX,” said Bankman-Fried.

“And that feels pretty embarrassing in retrospect.”

Read also: Sam Bankman-Fried says he donated to the Republican party

The companies

It is unclear how much FTX customers will recover while the company restructures.

Sam Bankman-Fried hinted that US and Japanese customers might be healthy, but he didn’t suggest how.

Additionally, his previous statements on the state of affairs will be reviewed in light of his lack of oversight.

At the start of the liquidity crunch, SBF tweeted that its FTX business was doing well and said it had enough to meet customer interest.

However, he deleted the tweet within a day and attempted to orchestrate a bailout that fell apart.

SBF’s admission that he had no oversight raised questions about his knowledge.

Investigations

Federal prosecutors are investigating FTX for the Southern District of New York following the company’s collapse.

According to a person familiar with the matter, Bahamian authorities are also investigating the company.

Financial regulators are working with the company’s new management.

The team is led by restructuring specialists who are walking FTX through bankruptcy.

Read also: Sam Bankman-Fried Faces Downfall with FTX Collapse

SBF

Sam Bankman-Fried’s appearance at the DealBook summit comes weeks after he issued a public apology.

Unfortunately, his apologies surprised the press.

During his interview on Wednesday, SBF was asked if his lawyers were encouraging him to speak up.

“They’re very much not,” he replied.

“And I mean, you know the classic advice, right? ‘Don’t say anything, you know, recede into a hole.'”

“I have a duty to explain what happened,” added SBF. 

“I don’t see what good is accomplished by me just sitting locked in a room pretending the outside world doesn’t exist.”

The former FTX CEO was also asked about his personal fortune, estimated at $26 billion at his peak.

According to SBF, he had given everything to FTX and believes he only has $100,000 left in his bank account.

Reference:

FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried: ‘Look, I screwed up’