Crime

Rolling Stone reports: Phil Spector, a monumentally influential music producer whose “Wall of Sound” style revolutionized the way rock music was recorded in the early 1960s, died Saturday at the age of 80. Spector’s life was tumultuous and ultimately tragic; as groundbreaking as his studio accomplishments were, those achievements were all but overshadowed by his 2009 conviction for the murder …

The Hill reports: Eventbrite sites posing as local Florida health departments have reportedly targeted seniors in the state by charging money for fake vaccination appointments, prompting local health officials to issue warnings to residents Monday. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) issued an executive order on Dec. 23 mandating that those 65 and older would be among the first people of …

CNN reports: The Wisconsin pharmacist arrested last week after allegedly removing vials of the Moderna Covid-19 vaccine from cold storage is a conspiracy theorist who believes the vaccine could harm people, police say. Pharmacist Steven Brandenburg, 46, is accused of intentionally leaving out 57 vials, prompting hospital officials to sequester most of the doses because they thought the vaccine was …

Milwaukee’s NBC News affiliate reports: Grafton Police have arrested the Aurora Health Care pharmacist who intentionally spoiled more than 500 doses of the Moderna coronavirus vaccine on Thursday, officials said. He has been arrested on charges of first degree recklessly endangering safety, adulterating a prescription drug, and criminal damage to property. He is currently held at the Ozaukee County jail. …

The Associated Press reports: A federal judge in Iowa who has warned against political corruption is ridiculing President Donald Trump’s pardons, including those issued to convicted Republican campaign operatives and former members of Congress. “It’s not surprising that a criminal like Trump pardons other criminals,” senior U.S. District Judge Robert Pratt of the Southern District of Iowa told The Associated …

The New York Daily News reports: New York Attorney General Letitia James is launching an investigation into a Brooklyn-based health care network that publicly boasted about doling out coronavirus vaccine shots on a “first come, first serve basis” in apparent violation of the state’s restrictions on inoculations. In a statement Monday, James said her office opened the probe after learning …

CBS News reports: A law enforcement source told CBS News at least one person of interest has been identified in connection to the recreational vehicle that exploded on Christmas morning, rocking downtown Nashville. Multiple sources confirm that Anthony Quinn Warner, a Nashville area resident, had a similar make and model RV as the one in photos released to the public. …

Law & Crime reports: Joseph Maldonado-Passage, better known as Tiger King star Joe Exotic, is hoping to join the ranks of Paul Manafort and Roger Stone by landing himself a presidential pardon before Donald Trump leaves office next month. To that end, the self-described “gay, gun-toting redneck” and former Oklahoma gubernatorial candidate has dropped his lawsuit against the DOJ, telling …

The New York Post reports: “Club Kid Killer” Michael Alig — the famously flamboyant party promoter who ended up busted for murder — has been found dead of a suspected drug overdose in his Manhattan apartment, officials said Friday. The 54-year-old former scene fixture and convict was discovered by a friend just before midnight Christmas Eve in his Washington Heights …

Nashville’s ABC News affiliate reports: A large explosion was reported in downtown Nashville early Christmas morning. The explosion happened in the area of Second Avenue and Broadway near Commerce Street occurred around 6:30 am Friday. Heavy black smoke could be seen rising above the affected area. MNPD, FBI, and ATF are investigating the explosion of an RV outside 166 2nd …

The New York Daily News reports: A couple who lied about their business in order to score a $7.2 million PPP loan in late May used the funds to buy a $3.5 million, seven-bedroom house, and several expensive cars, according the federal government. Don Cisternino and his partner, Lori Quasky, allegedly claimed their company, MagnifiCo, had an average monthly payroll …

Houston’s ABC News affiliate reports: The man accused of hitting a Houston bar employee in the head with a glass has been arrested, Houston police chief Art Acevedo tweeted Thursday. “This suspect has been apprehended and charged with assault, bodily injury,” Acevedo said. Employee Josh Vaughan had to have 10 stitches after he was attacked Monday while working the door …

Yahoo News reports: Letitia James wants Jack Burkman and Jacob Wohl to drop a dime on whoever funded their pro-Donald Trump robocall schemes. The state of New York’s Attorney General’s office has subpoenaed two pro-Trump internet trolls in relation to a possible voter suppression scheme. Jacob Wohl, 22, and Jack Burkman, 58, have been subpoenaed by Attorney General Letitia James …

The Daily Dot reports: Blundering pro-Trump operatives Jacob Wohl and Jack Burkman’s legal team think the duo are on track for their case to be heard by the Supreme Court. Wohl and Burkman face felony charges for a robocall scheme authorities say targeted Black voters. Speaking in court on Monday morning, lawyer Scott Grabel and William Amadeo of Grabel & …

NBC News reports: Public health officials are warning of scammers who promise early access to the vaccine for people who hand over their Social Security Number to callers. With the initial supply of the first Covid-19 vaccines allocated to health care personnel and long-term care facilities, health and security officials have already identified phishing scams in which perpetrators impersonate health …

The Associated Press reports: A Paris court on Wednesday convicted a former Vatican ambassador to France of sexually assaulting five men in 2018 and 2019, and handed him a suspended 8-month prison sentence. Retired Archbishop Luigi Ventura, 76 — who was not present in court — was “shattered” by the verdict, according to his lawyer, Solange Doumic. Ventura has repeatedly …

Via press release from the Justice Department: The Department of Justice announced the unsealing of an indictment charging Cholo Abdi Abdullah with six counts of terrorism-related offenses arising from his activities as an operative of the foreign terrorist organization al Shabaab, including conspiring to hijack aircraft in order to conduct a 9/11-style attack in the United States. Abdullah was arrested …

New Orleans’ ABC News affiliate reports: A Bossier City man who unsuccessfully ran for Congress in November was arrested Wednesday on child pornography charges. According to Bossier Parish Sheriff’s Office booking records, 34-year-old Ben Gibson was booked into Bossier Max Wednesday morning on four counts of pornography involving juveniles under the age of thirteen (possession). Gibson, an active Airman at …

NBC New York reports: The general manager of a Staten Island bar that repeatedly defied public health orders to close is now under arrest for allegedly reopening again, and then striking a sheriff’s deputy while fleeing in his car. The NYC Sheriff’s Office said deputies attempted to take Daniel Presti, 34, into custody just after midnight Sunday after observing patrons …

The Washington Post reports: The global police cooperation agency Interpol said Wednesday that the distribution of coronavirus vaccines could be exploited by criminals, with “falsification, theft and illegal advertising of COVID-19 and flu vaccines” posing growing risks. “As governments are preparing to roll out vaccines, criminal organisations are planning to infiltrate or disrupt supply chains,” said the agency’s secretary general, …