Ray J had a not-so-great November. The R&B singer was arrested on a charge of making a criminal threat days after he was hit with a lawsuit by American Express.
According to US Weekly, the finance company filed paperwork stating that the entrepreneur and his company, Tronix Network, breached a contract by owing American Express $139,849.85.
In the lawsuit, filed in Los Angeles Superior Court on Nov. 19, the credit card company accused the “I Hit it First” recording artist of failing to make payments on his American Express account since May.
The Tronix Network is a streaming platform Ray J launched in 2024. He said he sold his shares in Raycom Global to fund it.
On Nov. 27, he was arrested after a domestic dispute involving his estranged wife, Princess Love, with reports that he was possibly armed with a handgun during an Instagram livestream.
But that’s not all. He also chastised Beyoncé and Jay-Z, who have apparently attended multiple shows during Brandy’s joint tour with Monica, on social media earlier this month. (Brandy, of course, is Ray J’s sister.)
“N**gas need to pull up when they come to the show,” he said, according to Billboard. “Come say what’s up to Brandy too, Jay-Z and Beyoncé. We big fans, we got our family there and we know y’all there and we love y’all and we look up to y’all.”
He added, “For y’all to come to every one of Brandy and Monica’s shows and never say what’s up to B and take all the pictures, I don’t like it.”
Ray J clarified that he was speaking for himself, not for his sister or his family.
On Dec. 3, the Portland City Council approved a $60,000 settlement for David Barron, a 25-year veteran of Portland Fire & Rescue, KOIN reports. Barron, who had initially sought $3.25 million, claimed he faced years of race-based discrimination and retaliation, including denied promotions, racist harassment, and punishment for reporting discriminatory behavior.
In his lawsuit, Barron—who began with Portland Fire & Rescue in 1999 as an entry-level firefighter and now serves as a district-level fire inspector in the Fire Marshal’s Office for District 14—alleges that bureau leadership ignored complaints and gave white firefighters an advantage in promotions. After Barron filed the lawsuit in June 2024, a City of Portland attorney launched an investigation and found that he had made no prior HR complaints, union grievances, or professional standards complaints.
A professional standards review was initiated following the lawsuit to examine his allegations, but the city’s attorney stated that Barron declined to be interviewed or participate. The city maintained that its actions were lawful and that many of Barron’s claims were unsupported, time-barred, or based on hearsay. Ultimately, Barron chose the $60,000 settlement to resolve the lawsuit rather than face the expense and uncertainty of a trial.
Barron’s lawsuit is one of three recent discrimination cases involving Portland Fire & Rescue. In June, Black firefighter Eric Heard filed a suit alleging years of racial discrimination, retaliation, biased testing, and blocked promotions, seeking $3.25 million in damages. Earlier this year, a Multnomah County jury ruled that longtime firefighter Jason Wilson faced racial discrimination and retaliation, awarding him $275,000 in damages.
At a City Hall meeting, the Fire Chief of PF&R acknowledged there is “room for improvement” in employee training, citing the ongoing pattern of race-based discrimination lawsuits.
“I think there’s always room for improvement,” Fire Chief Lauren Johnson said. “I want to reassure you that this starts at the top. Anti-racism and equity are values of the city of Portland, they’re values for the fire bureau, and they’re personal values for me. So we lead against these issues from the top.”
Jermaine Jackson Unveils Plans For Ambitious Monaco Museum With Unseen Michael Jackson Art
A main attraction of the museum: 120 paintings by the King of Pop.
Jermaine Jackson has announced plans to open a Jackson Museum on the Côte d’Azur, which will showcase an estimated $1.6 billion worth of artwork created by the late Michael Jackson, MonacoLife reported.
He revealed the ambitious project while attending a gala in Monaco. Speaking to media outlets, he confirmed that the French Riviera is the target location for the museum, although the exact site has yet to be determined.
The former Jackson 5 member wants to position the museum, which has been in the planning stages for five years, as a hybrid institution that blends an immersive show with a culturally relevant exhibit.
Jermaine Jackson said his late brother’s collection comprises 120 paintings created by the global superstar throughout his career. These works have never been displayed before.
Jermaine Jackson said Michael used the canvas to capture defining moments of his life and of the Jackson family’s legacy.
The total collection slated for the museum includes more than 500 items, with approximately 200 pieces belonging directly to the King of Pop. These pieces include personal objects from the family’s early days, original costumes, and handwritten notes.
Jermaine Jackson said he wants to create a dynamic, living exhibition, rather than a static gallery. His vision includes live narration of the artworks, accompanied by a DJ mixing classic hits from the Jackson 5 and Michael Jackson’s storied solo career. This format aims to take visitors on a musical and visual journey that tells the story of the family’s evolution, from their origins in Gary, Indiana, through the Motown era, and into Michael’s solo stardom.
While the grand opening date remains “a few years away,” Jermaine teased the possibility of a world-preview exhibition in Monaco within the next one to two years.
Brooklyn Man Busted For Using Stolen Credit Cards To Purchase $65K Worth Of Liquor In Pennsylvania
Eugene Antwi was charged with identity theft, access device fraud, theft by deception, forgery, and other related offenses.
Pennsylvania police have arrested a Brooklyn man after he was accused of using stolen credit cards to buy more than $65,000 worth of liquor from stores across the state.
The Attorney General of Pennsylvania, Dave Sunday, announced that Eugene Antwi was charged with identity theft, access device fraud, theft by deception, forgery, and other related offenses. Pennsylvania State Police claim that Antwi orchestrated an identity theft scheme where more than 200 orders were placed for expensive liquors in several Pennsylvania counties. The 26-year-old was arrested in New York by the New York City Police Department and will be arraigned on the charges in Pennsylvania.
This defendant went to great lengths to steal from unsuspecting Pennsylvanians and defraud the Liquor Control Board, which oversees legal purchases of alcohol in the Commonwealth,” Attorney General Sunday said in a written statement. “Our Organized Retail Crime Section is committed to collaborating with partners like the Pennsylvania State Police to combat theft and fraud that raise the prices of goods for hardworking Pennsylvanians.”
The alleged scheme took place between August 2023 and September 2024, as Antwi was accused of using false identities and stolen credit and debit cards to place more than 200 online orders. The total amount he was able to get away with was more than $65,000.
The Philly Voice reported that at least 134 of the orders were placed at several Fine Wine & Good Spirits locations in Philly and the surrounding suburban counties. Antwi typically issued purchase orders for “expensive liquors,” such as bottles of Johnnie Walker Scotch and Don Julio tequila. He would pick the orders up in person. Although a spokesperson for the Attorney General’s office would not say what the suspect did with the alcohol he bought, they did state that the amount of liquor purchased exceeded “what would ordinarily be considered commensurate with personal consumption.”
The joint investigation included a presentment from the 52nd Statewide Investigating Grand Jury.
Supreme Court Clears GOP Gerrymandered Maps In Texas, Putting Black Democratic Reps At Risk
Liberal Supreme Court Justices Elena Kagan, Sonia Sotomayor, and Ketanji Brown Jackson condemned the ruling, saying the decision "ensures that many Texas citizens, for no good reason, will be placed in electoral districts because of their race."
Christmas came early for President Donald Trump as a recent Supreme Court ruling permits Texas to use a new congressional gerrymandered map that could give Republicans the path to win five additional U.S. House seats during the 2026 midterm election, NPR reports.
The high court’s Dec. 4 ruling heightens Republicans’ chances of keeping their slim majority in the House of Representatives after Trump pressured his party members to redraw congressional districts in an effort to give the GOP a leg up. The ruling is also a turn of events after a three-judge panel’s ruling once blocked the state’s recently redrawn map, which would potentially eliminate existing voting districts where Black and Latino voters together make up the majority.
However, the Supreme Court sided with Texas, which filed an emergency request for the justices to pause the block, arguing the panel “failed to honor the presumption of legislative good faith by construing ambiguous direct and circumstantial evidence against the legislature.” In addition, the ruling projected the lower court “improperly inserted itself into an active primary campaign, causing much confusion and upsetting the delicate federal-state balance in elections.”
Liberal Supreme Court Justices Elena Kagan, Sonia Sotomayor, and Ketanji Brown Jackson condemned the ruling saying, the decision “ensures that many Texas citizens, for no good reason, will be placed in electoral districts because of their race.” “And that result, as this Court has pronounced year in and year out, is a violation of the Constitution,” the justices wrote in a dissenting opinion.
With Republicans holding 25 out of 38 congressional seats, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, a member of the GOP, celebrated the ruling and said in a statement the GOP-drawn map “reflects the political climate of our state and is a massive win for Texas and every conservative who is tired of watching the left try to upend the political system with bogus lawsuits.”
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott was more than happy with the decision, issuing a statement saying: “We won! Texas is officially — and legally — more red,” according to The Associated Press.
But law experts like election law expert Richard Hasen at the University of California at Los Angeles law school, feel it’s a warning sign against lower courts, calling the vote “a green light for there to be even more re-redistricting, and a strong message to lower courts to butt out.”
The Supreme Court’s decision puts the seats of some of Texas’s Black Democratic leaders at risk. With five additional seats, the leadership of Reps. Mark Veasey, serving the 33rd District, and Al Green, serving the 9th District, would be moved. Veasey’s area would remain somewhat blue-leaning, but the metro city of Fort Worth would drop off, opening a window for a primary run-off between him and fellow Democrat, Rep. Julie Johnson.
For Green, who has served the majority of Harris County since 2005, the map would shift things to the eastern part of Houston, where data show could have been won over by Trump in the 2024 election by as little as 15 points.
Democrats such as Washington Rep. Suzan DelBene, chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, slammed the decision. DelBene said the map isn’t in the best interest of Texas residents and more so “put in place at the behest of national Republicans who are desperate to cling to their majority in the House of Representatives by decimating minority voting opportunity.”
The redistricting battle is in full force across the country, with Democratic leaders like California Gov. Gavin Newsom coast to coast matching Republican energy with redistricting maps that favor the blue aisle. Republicans in Missouri and North Carolina achieved victory with a three-judge panel greenlighting the Tar Heel state to use the map in the 2026 elections.
Ahmaud Arbery ‘s Mother Keeps His Legacy Alive By Creating A Safe Space For Black Teens
The Ahmaud Arbery Foundation was founded in 2020
Since the tragic murder of Ahmaud Arbery in 2020, a hate crime where he was fatally shot by racist white men while jogging in Georgia, his mother, Wanda Cooper-Jones, has found a way to move forward while honoring her son’s legacy.
She founded The Ahmaud Arbery Foundation to create safe spaces for Black boys and teens to convene and to educate them on the importance of physical and mental wellness.
“Watching Ahmaud Arbery’s legacy live on through this foundation means everything to me,” she shared. “As a mother, nothing prepares you for losing your child. Some days are still heavy, and that grief never really leaves you. But when I see Black boys like my son, along with young people from all backgrounds, running, learning, laughing, and being supported in his name, it truly touches my heart. It reminds me that his life still matters and that his story is still bringing light into the world,” Cooper-Jones told Blavity.
Cooper-Jones said that being around the children has helped her heal in unexpected ways. She notes that they give her strength on days when the grief over her son’s loss feels especially heavy. Arbery’s mother says that she often “gets to see her son’s spirit” when working with the children in the program. She also aims to create an environment where boys, especially Black boys, can exist freely without fear—and to build a community that prioritizes mental health.
However, running is at the heart of the Ahmaud Arbery Foundation, inspired by Ahmaud’s passion for it, which Cooper-Jones says brought her son a sense of peace. This paved the way for a partnership with adidas, which honored her through its Honoring Black Excellence initiative. She is also featured in Community Archives, adidas’s limited-edition zine showcasing changemakers connected to its Purpose division.
“Working with Adidas has truly been a blessing,” she told the outlet. “Their support has helped us reach more young people and bring more visibility to the work we are doing. It means so much to know that our mission is being recognized and valued on a larger stage.”
“Some of the most meaningful moments for me have been watching young people walk into new rooms with confidence, realizing that their lives, their stories, and their dreams matter. Seeing them feel seen and celebrated is something I will never take for granted. This partnership has helped us make hope louder in ways I never imagined,” Cooper-Jones said.
Cooper-Jones says she is focused on expanding the foundation’s reach and creating additional programs, especially those that provide access to mental health support.
Estate manager Wayne Barrow sharply rejected that narrative.
The Christopher “Notorious B.I.G.” Wallace estate denies claims in the docuseries Sean Combs: The Reckoning that his 1997 funeral was billed to the late rapper’s estate rather than paid for by Bad Boy Records.
Estate manager Wayne Barrow told Breakfast Club co-host Loren LoRosa that the funeral, including all associated costs and royalties, was handled correctly and was not passed on to the estate.
He called the docuseries’ portrayal “inaccurate” and insisted the financials were settled in full by Diddy and his team.
Barrow further denied claims in the documentary about tensions over contract renegotiations before Biggie’s death. He said the rapper had already repaid the record label and had turned a profit. His contract at the time was sound and needed no negotiation.
🚨 Just in! @lorenlorosa spoke to the sources close to Biggie’s estate and they've commented on the Diddy doc and the claims made. Listen in 🔊 pic.twitter.com/ROVkrxHeCH
In the docuseries, Bad Boy Records co-founder Kirk Burrowes alleged that Diddy initially promised “the biggest funeral for Biggie that New York has ever seen.” He said that when the costs became clear, Combs decided the estate would bear the expense.
Biggie was only 24 when he was killed in a hit-and-run in March 1997 after the Soul Train Awards. At the time of the death, he was regarded as one of the best rappers of all-time.
Netflix and the series’ producers have not responded publicly to Barrow’s denial. The inclusion of the allegation is only one attempt in Sean Combs: The Reckoning to trace alleged patterns of exploitation and manipulation by the shamed music mogul, who is currently in prison.
Combs’s team has claimed to documentary is filled with lies and illegally-obtained behind-the-scenes footage. His legal team has sent a cease-and-desist letter in hopes to get the documentary removed from Netflix.
The streaming platform rejects claims that the intellectual property is stolen and stands behind the doc.
Grand Jury Refuses To Reindict Letitia James, Derailing Trump-Backed Mortgage Fraud Case
James claims that these charges are politically motivated.
A federal grand jury in Norfolk, Virginia, has declined to indict New York Attorney General Letitia James on mortgage fraud allegations. The decision comes just ten days after the Department of Justice sought to refile the case, following a federal judge’s dismissal of the original charges.
James, who had successfully filed charges against President Donald Trump before his re-election, claimed that the case against her was a retaliatory move orchestrated by the president.
“As I have said from the start, the charges against me are baseless,” James said. “It is time for this unchecked weaponization of our justice system to stop.” James said in a statement obtained by NBC News.
“I am grateful to the members of the grand jury and humbled by the support I have received from across the country. Now, I will continue to do my job standing up for the rule of law and the people of New York,” James said.
Prosecutors accused James of falsely listing a home she purchased in 2020 as a second home instead of an investment property in order to get a better mortgage rate, potentially saving $19,000 over the life of the loan.
After a call from Trump to prosecute James and other political rivals, the president’s former attorney and aide, Lindsey Halligan, obtained an indictment against James in October. The judge dismissed the indictment after finding that Lindsey Halligan, the acting U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia and a former personal attorney to Trump, was unlawfully serving as the U.S. attorney in the Eastern District of Virginia.
U.S. District Judge Cameron Currie concluded that the attorney general lacked the authority to appoint Halligan to the post under federal law, which nullifies the indictments against both James and former FBI director James Comey, who was indicted on charges of making a false statement to Congress and obstructing a congressional investigation. It’s uncertain whether prosecutors will reissue the charges against James and Comey.
Maurice DuBois Exits CBS, Leaving ‘Evening News’ With No Anchors, ‘Moving On’
Maurice DuBois is leaving CBS after more than 20 years at the network and less than a year co-anchoring "CBS Evening News."
Maurice DuBois has announced his departure from CBS, leaving CBS Evening News without any anchors following John Dickerson’s exit.
DuBois, who joined CBS Evening News in January, announced his departure on Instagram on Dec. 4, reflecting on his distinguished two decades with the network.
“Moving On: December 18th is the day of my last broadcast at CBS News,” he captioned a slide of memories from his time at the network. “It has been the Honor of a Lifetime. 21 years altogether, including my time at WCBS-TV in New York City. What a privilege! To be welcomed into your homes night after night, delivering the news / meeting extraordinary people and telling their stories. I’ll leave filled with gratitude, cherished relationships and amazing memories.”
DuBois’s exit comes after Dickerson announced his departure in October. The two had co-anchored the CBS Evening News since January, giving them less than a year together.
DuBois, 59, joined CBS in 2004 and served as co-anchor for CBS News New York at 5 p.m. and 11 p.m. before being promoted to co-anchor of CBS Evening News, part of the network’s effort to “reimagine and redesign” the program while showcasing top talent each night. Before this role, he frequently filled in as anchor for CBS Evening News and contributed reports to 60 Minutes Sports and CBS Sunday Morning. He has also guest-hosted CBS Mornings (formerly CBS This Morning), 48 Hours, and CBS News’ streaming platform.
Ahead of DuBois’ announcement, reports indicated that Bari Weiss—named editor in chief of CBS News by parent company Paramount’s CEO David Ellison in October—has been actively recruiting anchor talent from outside the network, suggesting limited promotion opportunities internally. CBS has not yet named successors to fill the anchor desk once famously held by Walter Cronkite.
“Maurice has long represented what we do best at CBS News and Stations,” Tom Cibrowski, the president and executive editor of CBS News, said in a statement. “For more than two decades, he has delivered the day’s biggest stories from our studios in New York and in the field. Maurice is deeply valued and respected as a journalist by all of us, and we wish him much success. It is my hope that we can work together again. We will have more details on the next chapter of CBS Evening News in the near future.”
FBI Arrests Brian Cole Jr., Man Accused Of Planting Pipe Bombs Before Jan. 6
Cole reportedly told FBI officials that he believed the 2020 presidential election, which resulted in Joe Biden being elected, was stolen from Trump.
The FBI have arrested Brian Cole Jr. four years later in the case surrounding pipe bombs being planted in Washington, D.C., just hours before the Jan. 6 riots took place in 2021, CNBC reported.
Brian Cole Jr., a 30-year-old Black man from Woodbridge, Virginia, was arrested Dec. 4 and in addition to “malicious destruction or attempted malicious destruction by means of fire and explosive materials.” U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel held a press conference briefing on the outlines of the case revealing Cole also faces charges of transporting an explosive device in interstate commerce with intent to kill, injure or intimidate or unlawfully destroy property.
Cole allegedly planted pipe bombs outside the Republican and Democratic National Committee headquarters in D.C., before the riots took place. “An individual who is now alleged to have placed multiple explosive devices to blow up multiple people and multiple officials [and] innocent civilians is now arrested,” Patel said.
Cole’s arrest is labeled a major breakthrough in the investigation going on for close to five years. The devices were allegedly planted Jan. 5 and were found around 1 p.m. the next day. Thankfully, none of the devices detonated.
While CNN described Cole as a white man, he is described as a five-foot-six-inch-tall Black man who “wears corrective eyeglasses” and lives with family members. He is also employed as a bail bondsman in northern Virginia.
According to new reports from CNN, Cole told FBI officials during the interview process that he believed the 2020 presidential election, which resulted in former President Joe Biden being elected, was stolen from Trump, a narrative that many of the now-pardoned riot insurrectionists also believed. The admission gave law enforcement the potential first indication of a motive for the placement of the bombs.
The suspect’s alleged plans started in 2019 and 2020 after purchasing items that some say are used to manufacture pipe bombs. The listed items that the FBI recovered by checking credit card statements and Cole’s checking account include one-inch-by-eight-inch galvanized pipes, black and galvanized “end caps,” nine-volt battery connectors; white kitchen timers; and red and black electrical wire.
Phone records revealed his cellphone pinged in the area close to the committee buildings on Jan. 5 while surveillance showed Cole’s 2017 Nissan Sentra driving past a license plate reader in D.C. less than half a mile from where he was first seen on foot.
The arrest came with no new evidence but the same that was first discovered in 2021 and 2022 – meaning the suspect could have potentially been arrested years ago.
Bondi made sure to point that out, saying the case “languished” under the Biden Administration. “The FBI, along with U.S. Attorney Piro and all of our prosecutors, have worked tirelessly for months, sifting through evidence that had been sitting at the FBI with the Biden administration for four long years. Let me be clear, there was no new tip,” Bondi said, according to Fox News.
“There was no new witness. Just good, diligent police work and prosecutorial work.”
