JPMorgan Alerted U.S. to Epstein Transfers Involving Wall St. Figures

/0 Comments/in , /by

Weeks after Jeffrey Epstein died in federal custody in 2019 awaiting prosecution on sex-trafficking charges, JPMorgan Chase filed a report alerting the US government to tens of millions of dollars of potentially suspicious transactions involving him and prominent Wall Street and business figures.

The so-called suspicious activity report that JPMorgan filed identified transactions with Leon Black, the co-founder of private equity firm Apollo Global Management; Glenn Dubin, a well-known hedge fund manager; lawyer Alan Dershowitz; and trusts controlled by Leslie Wexner, the retail tycoon.

The nature of the transactions, as well as Epstein’s role in them, is unclear.

JPMorgan said in its report that it was flagging about 4,700 transactions, totaling more than $1 billion, because they were potentially related to reports of human trafficking involving Epstein. It also mentioned Epstein’s wire transfers to Russian banks and sensitivities around “his relationships with two U.S. presidents.” Epstein at times was close with President Donald Trump and former President Bill Clinton.

None of the men mentioned in the report have been charged with crimes in connection to Epstein. (Read more from “JPMorgan Alerted U.S. to Epstein Transfers Involving Wall St. Figures” HERE)

Jeffrey Epstein Alleged to Broker Secret Back-Channel Between Ehud Barak and Vladimir Putin

/0 Comments/in , /by

Leaked emails allegedly reveal that Jeffrey Epstein, the disgraced financier and convicted sex offender, served as a behind-the‐scenes “fixer” arranging diplomatic contacts between former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak and Russia during the height of the Syrian Civil War (2013-2016).

According to the hacking group known as the Handala Hacking Team, and published by Distributed Denial of Secrets via Drop Site News, the emails between Barak and Epstein show the following:

Epstein arranged a private meeting between Barak and Putin in the summer of 2013, to explore a Russia-led solution for removing Syrian President Bashar al‑Assad, with Israel’s interests at stake.

On February 21, 2014, Epstein wrote to Barak:

“with civil unrest exploding in ukraine, syria, somolia [sic], libya, and the desperation of those in power, isn’t this perfect for you.”

Barak responded:

“You’re right [in] a way. But not simple to transform it into a cash flow. A subject for Saturday.”

Epstein’s line frames multiple global hotspots (Ukraine, Syria, Somalia, Libya) in a single sweeping sentence—“the desperation of those in power” being ripe for opportunity. This suggests he was positioning Barak to exploit geopolitical unrest not purely for statesmanship but for something like strategic positioning or business advantage.

Epstein allegedly offered tactical advice on how to pressure the Barack Obama administration into military action against Iran after Syria, writing:

“I would use the opportunity to compare it with iran… the solutions become more compelx with time not less… hopefully someone suggests getting authorization now for Iran. the congress woudl do it.”

The communications also show Epstein advising Barak on business ventures—for example, coordinating with Russian-Israeli oligarch Viktor Vekselberg and the Renova Group for consultancy roles in Russia, again with Epstein’s help.

In short: the hacked emails portray Jeffrey Epstein not just as a financier and criminal, but as a clandestine intermediary in international diplomacy — working with Ehud Barak to engage Russia during a critical phase of the Syrian war. If substantiated, these revelations could reshape how we understand both Epstein’s global network and the murky corridors of back-channel diplomacy in the 2010s.

Planes Collide in New York — as Airport Grappled With Intense Delays: ‘We All Felt a Bump’

/0 Comments/in , /by

Two planes collided on the tarmac at New York’s LaGuardia Airport Friday — as the airport grappled with intense delays brought on by weather and staffing shortages due to the historic government shutdown, The Post has learned.

A United Airlines plane returning from Orlando, Florida, was turning into its arrival gate when it clipped the tail of another United jet on the taxiway, a spokesperson for the airline said.

The clipped plane, which was waiting to be taxied for its journey to Houston, was stationary at the time.

“We all felt a bump during taxi to the runway but didn’t know it was another plane until the captain said it was,” a passenger, who declined to share their name, told The Post moments after the collision.

Video obtained by The Post showed numerous emergency vehicles at the scene.

Both planes returned to the gate, and all passengers were deplaned. (Read more from “Planes Collide at LaGuardia — as Airport Grappled With Intense Delays: ‘We All Felt a Bump’” HERE)

Photo credit: Flickr

Mysterious Area 51 ‘Unmanned Aircraft’ Crash Probed by Air Force, FBI — as Claims, Rumors Swirl

/0 Comments/in , /by

A mysterious aircraft crash near Nevada’s secretive Area 51 has triggered weeks of speculation, a military probe — and allegations of a government cover-up.

The incident occurred Sept. 23 on public land just outside the boundaries of the classified base at Groom Lake, about 83 miles north-northwest of Las Vegas, according to the Air Force and KLAS-TV, which reported on the crash Thursday.

A spokesperson for Creech Air Force Base confirmed the mishap involved an aircraft assigned to the 432nd Wing, which operates unmanned aerial vehicles.

No fatalities or injuries were reported, and recovery operations wrapped up Sept. 27, the base said.

But what followed — a base lockdown, flight restrictions and apparent tampering at the crash site — has fueled widespread rumors about what really fell from the sky.

The Air Force said investigators discovered “signs of tampering” during a follow-up site survey on Oct. 3, including an inert training bomb and an aircraft panel of unknown origin that were placed there after the crash. (Read more from “Mysterious Area 51 ‘Unmanned Aircraft’ Crash Probed by Air Force, FBI — as Claims, Rumors Swirl” HERE)

Top Trump Officials Are Moving Onto Military Bases

/0 Comments/in , /by

Top members of Donald Trump’s White House are reportedly living in homes typically reserved for top military brass in Washington, D.C. as they pull back from neighborhoods where their presences were often targeted for protests by the many Democrats who make the Capital region their homes.

Stephen Miller and Secretary of State Marco Rubio recently joined a growing list of Trump Cabinet secretaries and advisers who’ve chosen to live in reserved military housing, with Rubio moving onto “Generals Row” in Fort McNair and Miller also living in the area after abandoning his digs in Arlington, The Atlantic reported.

They join Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who moved into military housing earlier this year, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who is alone among his compatriots in finding some precedent for his decision to move onto Generals Row alongside Rubio.

White House and administration officials gave security concerns as the reasons for the arrangements; one other senior White House official, whose identity was not named by The Atlantic, is also in a similar arrangement due to “security concerns related to a specific foreign threat,” said officials.

While legal, the arrangements put a strain on the short supply of such housing in the District of Columbia and could ruffle some feathers among the nation’s top commanders at a time when relations between political appointees and the brass is already strained. Hegseth is largely to thank for that division after he summoned commanders to Virginia for a speech about “warrior ethos” and aesthetics that was reportedly not well-received. (Read more from “Top Trump Officials Are Moving Onto Military Bases” HERE)

Photo credit: Flickr

Trump Celebrates ‘Truly Great Meeting’ with Chinese Dictator Xi Jinping

/0 Comments/in , /by

President Donald Trump met with China’s genocidal communist dictator, Xi Jinping, on Wednesday in Busan, South Korea, for talks focused heavily on lifting recent restrictions and tariffs on bilateral trade.

Following the meeting, which Trump described in a statement on Truth Social as “truly great,” the two sides confirmed that China would lift restrictions on exporting rare-earth and critical minerals, which Beijing had imposed in response to tariffs on its goods. The restrictions would be paused for a year, potentially returning if Beijing and Washington do not agree on a blueprint for the sales, but Trump appeared positive about the restrictions not returning during remarks on Air Force One en route home, describing the meeting as a “12” out of ten.

China would also, Trump added, increase its purchases of American soybeans, sorghum, “and other farm products,” expected to produce significant profits from American farmers. In exchange, the Trump administration will reduce the American tariff rate on Chinese goods, previously at 57 percent, by ten percent, in recognition of China’s alleged measures to limit the flow of fentanyl into the United States.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry published a readout describing the conversation between the two leaders, which allegedly lasted nearly an hour and a half. Beijing emphasized the friendly atmosphere and longstanding personal relationship between Xi and Trump. Contrary to the hectoring and superior tone that the Chinese government attributed to Xi in meetings with former President Joe Biden, Xi was optimistic about the potential America and China have to work together and ensured Trump that China had “no intention to challenge or supplant anyone.”

Trump departed South Korea following his meeting with Xi, while Xi remained in town to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit the country is currently hosting.

(Read more from “Trump Celebrates ‘Truly Great Meeting’ with Chinese Dictator Xi Jinping” HERE)

Donald Trump Tells Pentagon to ‘Immediately’ Start Testing Nuclear Weapons

/1 Comment/in , /by

By Greta Bjornson. President Donald Trump has given the directive to begin testing nuclear weapons in the United States for the first time in over 30 years.

The order from the president to the U.S. military came just hours before his meeting with China’s President Xi Jinping on Wednesday, Oct. 29. Trump shared the news in a post on Truth Social.

“The United States has more Nuclear Weapons than any other country. This was accomplished, including a complete update and renovation of existing weapons, during my First Term in office,” Trump wrote in his post.

He continued, “Because of the tremendous destructive power, I HATED to do it, but had no choice! Russia is second, and China is a distant third, but will be even within 5 years. Because of other countries testing programs, I have instructed the Department of War to start testing our Nuclear Weapons on an equal basis.”

Trump said the testing process will “begin immediately.” (Read more from “Donald Trump Tells Pentagon to ‘Immediately’ Start Testing Nuclear Weapons” HERE)

_______________________________________________

Trump orders Pentagon to resume nuclear weapons testing, citing rival nations’ programs

By CNBC News. U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday directed the Pentagon to restart nuclear weapons testing “on an equal basis,” citing testing programs by other countries.

Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One after meeting Chinese President Xi Jinping in South Korea, Trump said the decision “had to do with others,” without naming specific countries.

“They seem to all be nuclear testing. We have more nuclear weapons than anybody. We don’t do testing … But with others doing testing, I think it’s appropriate that we do also,” he said, adding that details on the planned tests would be announced later.

Before his meeting with Xi, Trump wrote on Truth Social that “because of other countries testing programs, I have instructed the Department of War to start testing our Nuclear Weapons on an equal basis. That process will begin immediately.”

It was not immediately clear what Trump meant by “equal basis.” The Department of Defense was rebranded the Department of War on Sept. 5 under an executive order, though Congress has not approved the change. (Read more from “Trump orders Pentagon to resume nuclear weapons testing, citing rival nations’ programs” HERE)

Kamala Harris’s ‘Fully Competent’ Joe Biden Comment Leaves Jon Stewart Visibly Stunned

/0 Comments/in , , /by

Jon Stewart appeared visibly shocked Thursday after former Vice President Kamala Harris told the comedian that ex-prez Joe Biden was “fully competent” to serve another term.

During an episode of the comedian’s podcast “The Weekly Show,” Harris revealed that she regrets not making more of a distinction between herself and Biden during her failed White House run last year.

Stewart jumped in to clarify that he wasn’t asking about “the competence conversation,” but about differences in policies Biden wanted to implement versus Harris’ own priorities.

“No, I’m not talking about competence,” Harris insisted. “I am not talking about competence at all. No, I believe he was fully competent to serve.”

Stewart raised his eyebrows and asked, “Do you really?”

“I do,” Harris replied.

“That surprises me, actually,” Stewart said. (Read more from “Kamala Harris’s ‘Fully Competent’ Joe Biden Comment Leaves Jon Stewart Visibly Stunned” HERE)

Photo credit: Flickr

Trump Launches Controversial Betting Site Letting Users Wager on His Own Political Decisions

/0 Comments/in , , /by

President Donald Trump has stunned critics once again—this time by launching an online betting platform that allows users to wager on events he himself can influence. The move, which blurs the line between politics, profit, and ethics, has drawn widespread criticism as yet another example of the Trump family’s ongoing entanglement of public power with private financial gain.

According to a report by The Financial Times, Trump’s social media platform, Truth Social, is expanding into the “prediction market” business under the name Truth Predict. The platform will reportedly allow users to bet on the outcomes of elections, sporting events, and other major happenings.

Truth Predict is being launched in partnership with Crypto.com, a cryptocurrency exchange that has previously donated millions to Trump-aligned causes. The partnership immediately raised alarms among watchdogs and ethics experts, given that Trump—as both a presidential candidate and the nation’s most politically influential figure—has direct or indirect control over many of the events users would be wagering on.

Tech journalist Mike Masnick summed up the concerns succinctly, writing on Bluesky:

“So the company the president currently owns is teaming up with a cryptocurrency company to create a prediction market, which will take bets… on things the president himself has quite a lot of control over? Gosh, I’m sure nothing bad will happen.”

The Trump family’s latest venture follows months of increased involvement in both the crypto and betting industries. Donald Trump Jr. has reportedly taken on advisory roles with major prediction market companies Kalshi and Polymarket. His venture capital firm has also invested in Polymarket—despite the company’s prior settlement with the U.S. Commodities and Futures Trading Commission for operating an unregistered derivatives market.

Meanwhile, the Trump Organization’s cryptocurrency dealings have drawn scrutiny for producing what Reuters described as a “massive increase in wealth in a matter of mere months.” The outlet found that the organization’s income skyrocketed from $51 million to $864 million, with over 90% of that growth coming from Trump’s crypto venture. Experts say the windfall raises serious concerns about pay-to-play dynamics in the current administration.

The ethical red flags intensified after Trump recently pardoned Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao, whose company has been a key supporter of Trump’s crypto enterprise. The Wall Street Journal reported that Binance helped propel Trump’s dollar-pegged cryptocurrency, USD1, into the mainstream—providing a $2 billion investment and facilitating widespread trading of the currency.

These moves, combined with the new betting venture, paint a picture of a president whose business dealings intertwine with his political power in unprecedented ways.

For a man who frequently invokes faith and positions himself as a champion of Christian values, Trump’s venture into gambling—an industry often denounced by Christian leaders as morally corrosive—has been particularly jarring. Many evangelicals who once viewed Trump as a flawed but divinely chosen leader now face a stark contradiction: the president profiting directly from gambling and cryptocurrency speculation, two industries long associated with greed and vice.

Critics argue that this latest endeavor reveals the hollowness of Trump’s religious posturing. His family’s growing empire—built on speculative digital currencies and now gambling—seems worlds away from the humility and honesty preached in Christian ethics.

Even congressional oversight appears inconsistent. When asked by CNN’s Jake Tapper whether he would investigate Trump’s crypto and betting ventures, House Oversight Chair James Comer (R-Tenn.) brushed off the idea, saying:

“The difference between the way the Trump family’s operating and the Biden family, is they’re admitting they’re doing this. The president campaigned as a business guy… as long as you disclose the income and disclose the sources, I think that’s acceptable.”

Photo credit: Gage Skidmore via Flickr

Docs: Biden FBI Subpoenaed Records Of Major Conservatives, GOP Groups As Part Of Get-Trump Probe

/0 Comments/in , /by

The Biden FBI filed subpoenas seeking the bank records and communications of numerous conservatives and Republican-affiliated organizations as part of its lawfare against Donald Trump, new records show.

Released Wednesday by Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, the documents demonstrate the expansive efforts the agency undertook to target any individual and group associated with the former president throughout its “Arctic Frost” probe. As The Federalist previously reported, that inquiry “ultimately became Jack Smith’s elector case against Trump.”

According to newly disclosed files, the Biden FBI filed a subpoena on Sept. 19, 2022, with Chain Bridge Bank, seeking any requested “testimony, documents, and/or communications” from several Trump-affiliated political groups. This named list included the “Save America PAC, Save America Leadership PAC, and/or Save America JFC,” and the “Trump Make America Great Again JFC.”

The subpoena was one of many the Biden FBI would file in the coming months as part of its quest to target any individual and group associated with the eventual 2024 Republican presidential nominee.

A month later, on Oct. 11, 2022, the agency filed a subpoena with National Capital Bank to obtain “testimony, documents, and/or communications” from the Conservative Partnership Institute. The request specifically named Mark Meadows and Cleta Mitchell. While Meadows served as Trump’s White House chief of staff during his first term, Mitchell serves as chair of the Election Integrity Network and advised Trump on his post-2020 election litigation in Georgia.

(Read more from “Docs: Biden FBI Subpoenaed Records Of Major Conservatives, GOP Groups As Part Of Get-Trump Probe” HERE)

Photo credit: Flickr