[NYPOST] The ex-diversity program manager for Facebook and Nike who stole more than $5 million from the mega companies to fund her "luxury lifestyle" was sentenced Monday to five years behind bars — and ordered to pay back the hefty sum.
Barbara Furlow-Smiles, 38, set up fake business deals, invoices and events — including a Juneteenth celebration — to line her own pockets, the Justice Department said.
"Furlow-Smiles shamelessly violated her position of trust as a DEI executive at Facebook to steal millions from the company utilizing a scheme involving fraudulent vendors, fake invoices, and cash kickbacks," US Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan said in a statement.
"After being terminated from Facebook, she brazenly continued the fraud as a DEI leader at Nike, where she stole another six-figure sum from their diversity program."
Furlow-Smiles pleaded guilty in December to the wire fraud scheme, which saw her take more than $4.9 million from Facebook before bilking a six-figure amount from Nike "to fund a luxury lifestyle in Caliphornia, an impregnable bastion of the Democratic Party,, Georgia, and Oregon," the DOJ said.
The social media company claimed her "crimes also resulted in anguish amongst those employees that worked closely with her," while Nike said her "complete lack of accountability or remorse was incredibly disappointing," according to sentencing memos obtained by CNBC.
From approximately January 2017 to September 2021, the Georgia native "led diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs at Facebook and was responsible for developing and executing DEI initiatives, operations, and engagement programs," prosecutors said.
She used her access to company credit cards and her power to "approve invoices for authorized vendors to pay numerous individuals," including her friends and relatives, "for goods and services that in truth were never provided to Facebook."
Those individuals — who allegedly included her former interns, her "university tutor," a hairstylist, baby-sitters and nannies — would later funnel kickbacks to Furlow-Smiles.
The associates — most of whom were reportedly unaware that the funds were coming from Facebook — would return the money to Furlow-Smiles in cash or via account transfers. The feds noted that the cash was sometimes delivered to Furlow-Smiles wrapped in T-shirts or other items.
She also misled Facebook into sending money to entities that did not provide kickbacks, including nearly $10,000 to an artist who created specialty portraits and more than $18,000 to an unnamed preschool.
[NYPost] German police arrested eight climate activists who breached the grounds of Munich airport on Saturday, briefly causing the airport to close and leading to around 60 flight cancelations during a busy holiday weekend. "Get the chainsaw!"
Six of the activists glued themselves to a runway, a police spokesperson said, adding the situation was now under control, with both of the airport’s runways open for arrivals and takeoffs.
Climate group Last Generation, which has carried out similar protests in the past, said it was responsible for the action in a series of posts on X showing members on what appeared to be a runway or tarmac with protest signs.
The group later said six individuals had seated themselves on airport asphalt at 4:45 a.m. local time to block planes, and it criticized Berlin for subsidizing airlines at the expense of rail.
"Problem is the government, not our holiday," one of the signs read.
Posted by: Frank G ||
05/18/2024 11:05 ||
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Link ||
[24 views]
Top|| File under: Commies
[Washington Examiner] Autoworkers at two Alabama Mercedes-Benz factories voted against a move to join the United Auto Workers union on Friday, breaking a string of unionizations in the South.
Unionization failed 56% to 44% with a total of 4,687 votes cast and 7% of eligible voters abstaining. The National Labor Relations Board said both sides will have to wait five days to file an objection.
UAW President Shawn Fain told workers the results were not what the union had hoped for, but he said the UAW eventually will prevail. "These courageous workers reached out to us because they want justice," he said.
Fain compared the unionization fight to the biblical David and Goliath. Sometimes Goliath wins a battle, "but ultimately, David will win the war," he said. "These workers will win their fair share."
In April, the UAW unionized workers at a Volkswagen plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee, after two other tries.
Gov. Kay Ivey (R-AL) voiced her pleasure for the workers’ decision, saying the "workers in Vance have spoken, and they have spoken clearly! Alabama is not Michigan, and we are not the Sweet Home to the UAW."
#1
"Gov. Kay Ivey (R-AL) voiced her pleasure for the workers’ decision, saying the "workers in Vance have spoken, and they have spoken clearly! Alabama is not Michigan, and we are not the Sweet Home to the UAW."
First gallant South Carolina nobly made the stand
Then came Alabama and took her by the hand
Next, quickly Mississippi, Georgia, and Florida
All raised on high the Bonnie Blue Flag that bears a single star, (Hurrah)
Hurrah! Hurrah!
For Southern rights, hurrah!
Hurrah for the Bonnie Blue Flag that bears a single star
#3
The data reflects UAW unionizing a factory, many times results in that automaker opening a plant in a NAFTA location, then closing the US Factory location down to avoid the costs of always increasing UAW labor and production control demandss.
Eg. 2023 figures indicate the UAW membership is now only about 1/3 of what it was about 10 years ago.
Then there is the question of the UAW leadership donating $$$ Millions to political and social causes the Rank-n-File do not support.
[Springfield Armory] Springfield Armory® is honored to celebrate half a century of crafting the iconic M1A™, a faithful semi-auto recreation of the legendary M14 rifle. Each rifle includes a signed certificate of authenticity, affirming its status as a true collector’s item. Presented in an eastern white pine display crate, this limited edition release combines historic significance with modern craftsmanship. Own a piece of history and experience the 50th Anniversary M1A. Some people have problems with SA over various past political issues. That said, this will be a hot collector item.
Posted by: M. Murcek ||
05/18/2024 00:00 ||
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[74 views]
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#1
I want one.
Posted by: Whiskey Mike ||
05/18/2024 7:20 Comments ||
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#2
The match-grade, non-commemorative M-14 twin comes in with a walnut stock at just over two grand. Just might celebrate Christmas early...
[FoxNews] Taiwan’s parliament descended into a brawl on Friday as lawmakers disagreed over reforms in the chamber.
Video of the melee appeared to show punches being thrown, a curtain in the chamber being ripped and a lawmaker who was crawling over other members falling on his head. He was rushed to the hospital.
The fight came just days before the country’s new President-elect Lai Ching-te is set to take office on Monday with his party in the minority.
Lai Ching-te is succeeding President Tsai Ing-wen. Lai and Tsai are from the same party, with Lai having served as Tsai’s vice president.
Lawmakers were also seen jumping over tables and shoving and tackling colleagues.
One of the more controversial reforms being voted on was the proposal to levy criminal penalties for officials found to be lying in parliament.
The DPP has claimed the opposition parties are trying to move through reforms without the proper process in an "an unconstitutional abuse of power."
"The DPP does not want this to be passed as they have always been used to monopolizing power," The KMT's Jessica Chen, countered to Reuters while wearing a military helmet.
This isn’t the first time Taiwan’s occasionally raucous parliament has descended into chaos. In 2020, pig guts were thrown onto the chamber floor during a dispute over pork imports.
#4
Greene participated in the CrossFit quarterfinals for the 2014, 2015 and 2018 CrossFit Games. In 2015, she placed 47th amongst 40-to-44-year-old women worldwide, but did not progress to the next stage. Her benchmark statistics list a 285lb back squat and a 300lb deadlift.
Posted by: M. Murcek ||
05/18/2024 12:22 Comments ||
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[Breitbart] Conservative South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol ordered his officials to begin a “complete review” of all federal policies to encourage Koreans to have children on Friday, following his announcement of the future establishment of a “low birthrate response planning ministry.”
Yoon announced the planned creation of a new ministry to address the nation’s birth rate collapse on May 9 during an extended press conference filled with newsworthy moments, including an apology offered for a corruption scandal involving First Lady Kim Keon-hee. The scandal, in which Kim was reportedly caught accepting a $2,200 Dior handbag as an illicit gift, peaked right before South Korea’s midterm elections in April, in which the left-wing Democratic Party crushed Yoon’s People Power Party (PPP).
The remarks Friday were made during what the Yonhap news agency described as a “financial strategy meeting” to reorganize federal government spending in Seoul. Yoon tasked his officials with studying the outrageous amount of money Seoul has spent on attempting to increase South Korea’s birth rate – over $273 billion since 2006 – and the relative success rates of individual programs.
There is no significant evidence that the billions have made a difference. South Korea has maintained the world’s lowest birth rate for a decade. As of 2023, the national fertility rate stood at 0.72 children per woman of childbearing age. Some parts of the country, such as Seoul, have logged birth rates as low as 0.55 children per woman. For comparison, “replacement fertility” – the rate at which women must have children in a country to ensure the population stays stable – is 2.1 children per woman of childbearing age.
Combined with the nation’s high life expectancy, South Korea is facing a situation in which its senior citizen population is booming, but few couples are having children, potentially plunging the country into an economic crisis when there are not enough workers to maintain social safety net programs for the elderly. Some estimates suggest South Korea’s population of participants in the workforce could fall by as much as 10 million people by 2044.
Polling and other investigations suggest several major reasons for the low birth rate, including economic concerns, particularly expressed by women who fear they will lose their careers if they become mothers, and an actively hostile social environment for children. “No-kid zones” – businesses and public spaces that explicitly ban children from being present – have proliferated in recent years, even restricting children from going to libraries and other traditionally kid-friendly spaces.
Both the federal government and local-level governments in South Korea have done little to address the social hostility, choosing to instead prioritize financial incentives. In January, the national government announced it would pay parents an up-front $1,500 bonus for every new child born. In April, Seoul city officials began considering a much larger bonus of about $72,500, or 100 million won, for the birth of a baby, emulating a policy implemented by the private corporation Booyoung Group.
Other cities have taken different initiatives. In Incheon, the government implemented a massive package of subsidies per child distributed throughout the child’s life, through age 18. In Seongnam, officials began targeting the problem at the root, hosting mass blind dating events in an attempt to boost marriage rates.
#1
The previous policy of banning marriages of people with the same family name didn't help when three names constituted the majority of the population.
[JustTheNews] The GOP-led House passed a bill on Thursday to allow more law enforcement officers to carry concealed firearms across state lines.
The bill received support from 16 House Democrats while 185 opposed it.
The final vote was 221-185.
The LEOSA Reform Act, in it became law, would broaden the "authority for certain law enforcement officers to carry concealed firearms across state lines."
The legislation would also allow "qualified active and retired law enforcement officers to carry concealed firearms and ammunition (including magazines) in school zones; in national parks; on state, local, or private property that is open to the public; and in certain federal facilities that are open to the public."
Another one to set aside until the Republicans control both Houses of Congress, and probably the White House as well.
#1
A Chinese research team published a study in February that found robodogs equipped with 7.62mm guns firing 750 rounds per minute could achieve respectable accuracy at ranges up to a hundred meters, equaling or exceeding the average accuracy of human riflemen
A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
[NYPOST] The ex-diversity program manager for Facebook and Nike who stole more than $5 million from the mega companies to fund her "luxury lifestyle" was sentenced Monday to five years behind bars — and ordered to pay back the hefty sum.
[JustTheNews] The GOP-led House passed a bill on Thursday to allow more law enforcement officers to carry concealed firearms across state lines.
